A Bayesian Network Approach to Evaluate Shipboard Launch and Recovery Performance in Early-Stage Ship Design

Vessel performance in shipboard launch and recovery operations is a critical element of its overall mission effectiveness. Both commercial and military vessels are required to launch and recover a variety of manned and unmanned platforms including submersibles, small boats, aircraft, and amphibious vehicles. A fundamental attribute of these launch and recovery operations is their dependence on a number of probabilistic factors such as environmental conditions and design factors associated with the vessel and the platforms. To facilitate effective launch and recovery operations, ship designers require a design method that takes into account these probabilistic factors to gain a better understanding the implications of launch and recovery on a variety of early stage design decisions. Recent advancements in design tools and methodologies have pushed critical decisions earlier in the design process which necessitates evaluating mission critical systems sooner as well.