Clandestine Mine Countermeasures Optimization for Autonomy and Risk Assessment
Loading...
Authors
Kragelund, Sean P.
Kaminer, Isaac I.
Subjects
distributed search
optimal search
unmanned vehicles
mine countermeasures
MCM
AUV
clandestine
optimal search
unmanned vehicles
mine countermeasures
MCM
AUV
clandestine
Advisors
Date of Issue
2022
Date
2022
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The PRC and Russia are the greatest miners in the world and are prepared to employ mines to tilt the Great Power Competition (GPC) in their favor. Mines are inexpensive, easily deployed, and put Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) at high-risk. Countering mines within acceptable risk levels and mission timelines is required to support DMO operational requirements. Although the development and integration of autonomous vehicles should improve DMO, research and development of new tools for optimizing distributed search effort are required to minimize risk to the force. These tools must consider the constraints placed on mine countermeasures (MCM) by the challenges of GPC. Today's MCM systems, for example, rely on surface and airborne assets, with associated force protection burdens required to establish and maintain a permissive environment. In the future, naval forces must be prepared to operate in contested environments where overt operations are denied and supporting technologies (GPS, communications, etc.) are severely limited. Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have potential to conduct clandestine MCM operations, but new approaches for conducting collaborative search with multiple AUVs are needed to fully realize their potential. Research is required to identify and assess new methods for conducting entirely clandestine MCM.
Type
Technical Report
Description
NPS NRP Technical Report
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
Organization
Naval Research Program (NRP)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
NPS-MAE-22-004
Sponsors
N8 - Integration of Capabilities & Resources
Funder
This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrp
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.