A predictive Methodology to Estimate the Effectiveness of Target Simulation Mode Minesweeping Operations

The Royal Norwegian Navy (RNON) and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are both in the process of acquiring new mine sweeping systems which are capable of operating in traditional Mine Setting Mode (MSM), but are also capable of operating in Target Simulation Mode (TSM). TSM sweeping is a new philosophy. Although target simulation sweeping is in the vocabulary of many navies, there is still no agreed method of predicting the effectiveness of such an operation. TNO-FEL and FFI have been tasked by their navies to develop a tool for calculating the effectiveness when operating in TSM. To make the work more efficient, TNO-FEL and FFI have joined in a programme called SWEEPOP, with the aim of developing a measure of effectiveness in TSM operation. This MOE does not calculate the swept path as in MSM operation, but instead gives the amount of risk reduction that is achieved when TSM operation is conducted in advance of a target ship passing a minefield. This combined paper focuses on the methodology of the proposed MOE and specific research done on the acoustic propagation modelling