Launch Recovery Guidance System for Amphibious Ships
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Solution Overview
Problem
The launch and recovery of smaller craft from amphibious warfare ships face challenges due to varying sea conditions within the well dock, which can cause sloshing and surging, making it difficult to deploy or retrieve the craft safely and efficiently, especially when operating in conjunction with helicopters.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that monitor and predict water conditions in the launch/recovery zone by detecting external environmental parameters such as swell height, direction, and period, as well as ship parameters like heading and speed, to provide real-time and advisory guidance for optimal launch and recovery operations, including suggested ship headings and speeds to ensure favorable conditions for both craft and helicopters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the well dock is used for launching and recovering smaller craft, then the ship can deploy craft to shore or other locations, but the varying sea conditions within the well dock cause sloshing and surging that make it difficult to deploy or retrieve craft safely
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of water conditions by detecting swell height, direction, and period before launch operations. The processor evaluates these parameters in advance to predict whether conditions will be suitable for safe craft deployment, allowing operators to prepare appropriate measures or delay operations until conditions improve.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors water conditions and provides real-time feedback through visual and audible signals indicating whether current conditions are suitable for launch or recovery operations. This feedback loop enables operators to adjust ship operations or timing based on current sea state conditions to ensure safe craft deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ship operates at optimal conditions for helicopter deployment, then helicopters can be safely deployed, but the conditions may not be optimal for smaller craft launch and recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts operational recommendations based on the type of craft being deployed. When helicopter deployment is selected, the system provides heading and speed recommendations optimized for helicopter safety. When smaller craft launch or recovery is selected, the system provides different recommendations optimized for those operations, allowing the ship to adapt its operating conditions to the specific mission requirements.
3Speed
If smaller craft are made lighter and faster to achieve greater range, then performance is improved, but the craft become less robust and more vulnerable to damage from poor water conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of water conditions to predict suitability for launching lighter, more vulnerable craft. By evaluating swell height, direction, and period before launch, the system ensures that conditions are favorable for these less robust craft, preventing exposure to damaging sea states that could compromise their safety despite their performance advantages.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for determining and displaying the suitability of water conditions in a zone for the launch or recovery of a smaller craft from or to a host ship is disclosed. The system and method detect one or more external environment parameters such as the height, direction and period of the swell (26), and one or more parameters relating to the ship operating conditions such as the heading, speed, pitch and roll angles (28), and processes these (22) to determine the suitability of the conditions for launch or recovery (24).