OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS FOR OFFENSIVE MINE WARFARE

Abstract

Offensive mine warfare (OMW) is an often overlooked and underdeveloped potential benefit to the breadth of options available for current naval forces regarding enemy deterrence. By taking a modified systems engineering Vee approach and applying it to offensive mine warfare, this project provides a definition of existing operational concepts and projects the future potential of this methodology. This project defines two simulations utilizing OMW in both an open-ocean transit mission and an ocean strait escort mission. These mission scenarios help provide the composition of the interconnected system of systems involved with the deployment, loiter, engagement, and recovery functions of offensive mines. An emphasis is placed on the use of Advanced Undersea Weapons Systems to carry out these functions, specifically large-displacement unmanned underwater vehicles. Simulations provided within this project better map the interconnection of the deployment, loiter, engagement, and recovery functions as they pertain to the measures of effectiveness for each mission scenario. By decomposing the major functions of OMW, this project provides the initial framework for the inclusion of offensive mining into the current naval forces’ repertoire of enemy-deterrence options. Additionally, this project’s decomposition of offensive mining in its current iteration provides the framework for a further investigation into the future capabilities of this product.