Automated Torpedo Defense Coordination for Multi-Ship Evasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Navy lacks an intelligently automated response capability for single or collective multi-ship torpedo defense, leading to suboptimal countermeasure deployment and potential disruption of ongoing operations due to manual, non-holistic evasion maneuvers and lack of integrated threat response systems.
Innovation Solution
The SideStep system provides automated, data-driven recommendations for ship maneuvers and countermeasure deployment using Pre-Planned Responses, Threat Weapon Characteristics, and decentralized sensor data analysis to optimize defensive tactics, minimizing human error and optimizing resource use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If manual, fixed steering template or verbal orders are used for evasion maneuvers, then ships can execute basic evasion responses, but the detect-to-respond timeline is extended and human error increases leading to suboptimal countermeasure deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores multiple optimized evasion maneuvers and countermeasure deployment strategies in advance. When a threat is detected, the system rapidly retrieves and executes the pre-planned optimal response rather than requiring manual calculation and decision-making, thereby reducing the detect-to-respond timeline while maintaining operational effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of sailors using stopwatches and verbal orders with an automated computer-based system that calculates and executes evasion maneuvers and countermeasure deployment timing automatically. This substitution eliminates human reaction time delays and errors while preserving the essential evasion function
2Reliability
If all ships in the force maneuver independently during multi-ship operations, then each ship can respond to threats individually, but ongoing operations such as aircraft carrier flight operations are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the response decision-making process by evaluating each ship's threat level independently and assigning different maneuvering requirements to different ships. This allows the commanding officer to selectively mandate maneuvers for specific ships while others maintain their operations, thereby preserving overall force productivity while ensuring individual ship reliability where needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the maneuvering requirements for each ship based on real-time threat assessment and operational context. Rather than applying a static all-or-nothing maneuvering doctrine, the system continuously evaluates and updates individual ship responses, allowing operations to continue when threats are low while providing robust defense when threats are high
3Reliability
If countermeasures are deployed without optimized selection and timing, then ships have countermeasure coverage, but countermeasure inventories are depleted unnecessarily and survival probability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes countermeasure deployment by dynamically selecting the appropriate countermeasure type, quantity, and timing based on the specific threat parameters such as torpedo type, range, bearing, and speed. This parameter-based optimization ensures countermeasures are used effectively to maintain reliability while minimizing inventory depletion by avoiding unnecessary deployments
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing a detect-to-respond timeline. The method includes evaluating a threat status of at least one object, prioritizing, based on the threat status, each object, optimizing at least one potential response to each object, recommending at least one optimized response, and executing a response selected from the optimized responses.