Survivable support to undersea operations

This paper/session examines the survivability of host-vessels for uninhabited vehicles used in underwater warfare. It explores the three key areas of susceptibility, vulnerability and recoverability and discusses how these are reflected in different types of host vessel; commercial designs, dedicated warships and hybrid solutions. In each case a balance of protection measures and cost is achieved, but each has implications for overall combat survivability. To understand these implications a software tool can be used to quantify the combat risk and assess the effectiveness of different investment in protective measures. This can inform the decision making process, allowing navies to select the right kind of vessel for their operational needs and risk tolerance