Warship Combat System Selection Methodology Based on Discrete Event Simulation

This thesis presents the development of a methodology for the conceptual design of a medium tonnage warship’s combat system for the Colombian Navy. The methodology is oriented toward the optimization of the operational effectiveness within the naval ship design constraints of weight, electrical power, volume, cost, and risk. The methodology is based on a Design Reference Mission (DRM), which is composed of four Operational Situations (OPSITs) covering antisubmarine warfare, anti-air warfare, mine warfare, and surface warfare. The OPSITs are represented by coupled physics-based models and probabilistic models. A discrete event simulation tool, ExtendSim®, is used to implement these models, yielding quantitative results for mission success. Design of Experiments (DOE) is used to explore the design space, allowing identification of the main effects in each OPSIT model and the impact of each variable in the respective Measure of Effectiveness (MOE). The four OPSIT MOEs are integrated in a single Overall Measure of Effectiveness (OMOE) allowing the comparison among different configurations of combat systems, which is used to determine the best overall ship design to meet operational requirements.