Combat system decision aids simulation

Abstract

Today's submarine combat system is a sophisticated complex of hardware and software subsystems, information flow and human operations. Its operation and maintenance tax the abilities of its highly trained crews. It therefore remains a worthy goal to find ways for relieving the crew's load while preserving or improving its effectiveness. One area of interest, which promises to help attain this goal is that of decision support systems. These systems are generally designed to aid rather than replace human activity. The design of these systems has not matured to the level of an established, formal engineering science. Hence this design area provides ample opportunity for effective use of simulation and stimulation of hardware, software, information and operability concepts, models, prototypes and systems. This paper limits its scope to one application in the area of decision support system design. It considers the analysis and simulation of a combat system decision aid for on-board recovery from subsystem failures by helping to reorganize the combat system's remaining resources through the command structure's decision process.