SEA Project Archive - Systems Engineering Analysis
Recent SEA Capstone Projects
This report details a systems engineering approach to design a manned-unmanned, multi-domain, littoral denial system of systems, projected over the next decade. Mission context scenarios were created to provide diverse system operating environments, enabling a flexible system architecture to address a variety of threats in near-peer competition. With efforts to employ cost-effective and attritable unmanned components, open-source platform reviews were conducted to determine performance parameters, cost, and technical readiness levels, ultimately influencing the eligibility and appropriateness of these platforms for system integration.
This report explores the extension of the conventional “kill chain” in a counterintuitive manner. Utilizing lessons learned from the SEA29 work in “Logistics in a Contested Environment,” the “kill chain” is re-defined backward from warhead detonation to “metal bending and metal delivery.” This process provides a more well-rounded examination of Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to maintain supply lines in a major conflict, specifically, those supply lines that provide key rare earth elements (REE) to DOD weapons contractors.
The 30th Systems Engineering Analysis (SEA30) cohort, with support from students in the National University of Singapore (NUS) Temasek Defense Systems Institute (TDSI) program and other students in various degree programs at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), were assigned by the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel branch N9I (OPNAV N9I) to provide an analysis and solution to logistics support in a major conflict.
- The SEA-30 final report (pdf) is linked here and a permanent URL will be posted here when archived in the NPS Dudley Knox Library
- View and download in Calhoun/ Dudley Knox Library
This project examined the transport and delivery of logistics in contested environments within the context of great-power competition (GPC).
- SEA-29 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Traditional fleet operations and technologies are not adequately suited to counter the growing threat to undersea infrastructure from autonomous undersea systems. A cost-effective unmanned and manned system of systems is required to provide defense of this seabed infrastructure. This project proposes possible system architectures to defend against this emerging threat to include passive barriers and active defense systems.
- SEA-28 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This project studied the impact of the friendly force employment of deception and tactics against an enemy force, and the resulting impact on the adversary’s ability to progress through the various stages of a kill chain.
- SEA-27 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
SEA-30 Resilience in Major Conflict (2021)
SEA-29 Logistics in Contested Environments (2020)
SEA-28 Seabed Infrastructure Defense Analysis (2019)
SEA-27 Distributed Maritime Operations and UxS Tactical Employment (2018)
SEA-26 Set-Based Design: fleet architecture and design 2030-2035 (2017)
SEA-25 Developing a Webfires Training System (2017)
SEA-24 Enhancing High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare for the P-8A Poseidon with Unmanned Targeting Air Systems (2016)
SEA-23 Unmanned Systems in Integrating Cross Domain Naval Fires (2016)
SEA-22 Operational Resiliency Assessment of an Army Company Team (2015)
SEA-21A Organic Over-the-Horizon Targeting for the 2025 Surface Fleet (2015)
SEA-21B Conducting Expeditionary Operations in the Contested Littoral (2015)
SEA-20A Distributed Surface Force (2014)
SEA-20B The Distributed Air Wing (2014)
SEA-19A 2024 Unmanned Undersea Warfare Concept (2013)
SEA-19B Viable Short-term Directed Energy Weapon Naval Solutions: A Systems Analysis of Current Prototypes (2013)
SEA-18A Recapitalization of Amphibious Operations and Lift (2012)
SEA-18B Tailorable Remote Unmanned Combat Craft (TRUCC) (2012)
SEA-17A Influence of Foreign Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief in a Coastal Nation (2011)
SEA-17B Advanced Undersea Warfare Systems (2011)
SEA-16 An Integrated C2 Architecture Concept for UxS in the Year 2030 (2010)
SEA-15 Designing a Maritime Phase Zero Force for the Year 2020 (2009)
SEA-14 Systems Approach to Defeating Maritime IEDs in U.S. Ports (2008)
SEA-13 Maritime Interdictions in Logistically Barren Environments (2008)
SEA-12 A Systems Engineering Approach for Global Fleet Station Alternatives in the Gulf of Guinea (2007)
SEA-11A Port Security in 2012 (2007)
SEA-11B Riverine Force Sustainment 2012 (2007)
SEA-10A Joint Fire Support in 2020 (2006)
SEA-10B Riverine Warfare in 2010 (2006)
SEA-9A Rapid Response Command and Control (R2C2) (2006)
SEA-9B Ship Anti Ballistic Missile Response (SABR) (2006)
SEA-8 Littoral Undersea Warfare 2025 (2005)
SEA-7 Maritime Domain Protection in the Straits of Malacca (2005)
SEA-6 Joint Expeditionary Logistics (2004)
SEA-5 Maritime Dominance in the Littorals (2004)
SEA-4 Expeditionary Warfare - Force Protection (2004)
SEA-3 Expeditionary Warfare - Defense of the Sea Base (2003)
SEA-2 CROSSBOW 2 (2002)
SEA-1 CROSSBOW (2001)
SEA Capstone Project Archive (2001-2017)
This SEA capstone project archive includes projects from the first cohort in 2001 to cohort 25 (SEA-25) in 2017. Projects from cohort 27 (SEA-27) forward are listed under recent SEA projects on right of the main SEA Capstone Project page.
This project outlines a design methodology and provides a recommendation for an alternative fleet architecture to the United States naval force for 2030–2035.
- SEA-26 Project Tasking
- SEA 26 Final Report Video
- SEA-26 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This project describes a proposed foundation for a system-of-systems training architecture that closes gaps in the Navy's current strike group training processes to more effectively train and support warfighters in the execution of a webfires concept.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
- IPR 2 Video Link
- IPR 1 Video Link
- SEA 25 Project Tasking
The project objective was to develop a System of Systems (SoS) using an expendable Unmanned Targeting Air System (UTAS) with an integrated Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) system to enhance the P-8A’s High Altitude ASW operations.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- IPR 2 (.pdf)
- IPR 1 (.pdf)
This project was classified so results are available to those with appropriate clearance.
This project investigated concepts of operation focusing on future potential electromagnetic-spectrum warfighting capabilities in the 2025-2030 timeframe.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This capstone project provides a practical example of how to assess the operational resiliency of an Army company team.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Using a systems engineering approach, this project considers manned and unmanned systems in an effort to develop an organic OTH targeting capability for U.S. Navy surface force structures of the future.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This thesis report identifies the operational, functional, and physical architecture and effectiveness of mission packages necessary to provide capabilities associated with littoral sustainment operations. Physical architecture configurations are evaluated using discrete event modeling
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Large naval surface combatants are potentially held at risk by adversarial anti-access aerial denial (A2AD) weapon systems. To mitigate that risk SEA-20A proposed a distributed surface force concept, which relies on a cost-effective small surface combatant (SSC) capable of augmenting current forces in the 2025–2030 timeframe.
- Final Brief (Video)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The development of advanced anti-access/area denial (A2AD) threats by potential adversaries presents a significant challenge to the United States Navy. The proliferation of these threats makes operating an aircraft carrier from contested waters a high-risk endeavor. If a carrier must be withheld from the battle or is put out of action, the entire capability of the air wing is lost. The Systems Engineering process was applied to this problem by exploring a concept called the Distributed Air Wing (DAW).
- Final Brief (Video)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
SEA-19A designed a system-of-systems of unmanned and manned undersea vehicles to ensure undersea dominance both in the near term and into the next decade.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
- Abstract and Executive Summary (.pdf)
The Naval Postgraduate School Systems Engineering and Analysis (SEA-19BB) Capstone project team examined how existing directed energy technologies can provide performance across multiple warfare area domains and mission subsets for the U.S. Navy.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This research effort considered future ship designs and fleet architectures to meet the capability gaps left by the decommissioning of the LSD-41 and 49 class ships.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The SEA-18B team presents an operational concept for a family of Unmanned Surface Vessels USV) capable of defending ships from asymmetric swarm attacks. This USV, the Tailorable Remote Unmanned Combat Craft (TRUCC), can operate in concert with the next generation of capital surface vessels to combat this critical threat with maximum efficiency.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This project, employing a systems engineering methodology, focuses on the 60 days after the disaster and the requirements to provide this assistance in the form of goods and services.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This systems engineering analysis develops Advanced Undersea Warfare Systems (AUWS) that provide a technological and tactical advantage based on the needs of the war-fighter.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
- Final Presentation (video)
U.S. Forces require an integrated Command and Control Architecture that enables operations of a dynamic mix of manned and unmanned systems. The level of autonomous behavior correlates to: 1) the amount of trust with the reporting vehicles, and 2) the multi-spectral perspective of the observations. The intent to illuminate the architectural issues for force protection in 2030 was based on a multi-phased analytical model of High Value Unit (HVU) defense. The results showed that autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles are required to defeat high-speed incoming missiles.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This report details the construct of a maritime force designed solely for the accomplishment of Phase Zero missions.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
In an attempt to develop a system of systems architecture to defeat mines and Maritime IEDs (MIED), the project team developed several system alternatives, or Adaptive Force Packages, that incorporate both existing systems and emerging technologies.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This report contains analysis that shows that existing technology exists to improve Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) by approximately 30%. Furthermore, analysis contained herein will aid MIO planning for future operations.
- Final Brief (.pdf)
- Final Report (.pdf)
This Systems Engineering and Analysis Cohort 12 (SEA-12) report applies a systems engineering process to the largely qualitative Global Fleet Station (GFS) Concept, and its role in ensuring stability in the regions of the world. We apply a slightly modified JCIDS process, with a focus on providing "value-based" results. A regional focus on the Gulf of Guinea is selected.
- Global Fleet Stationing 2012 Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Final Global Fleet Stationing 2012 Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This report uses the Systems Engineering Design Process to define the problem, generate alternatives, model scenarios, and analyze results to produce feasible and cost-effective solutions. No single system can address all issues prevalent in the port security problem. The recommended solutions individually address specific threats, namely vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, small boat swarm tactics, importation of contraband or weapons of mass destruction, and employee sabotage.
- Port Security 2012 Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Final Port Security 2012 Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This technical report analyzed the Navy's proposed Riverine Force (RF) structure and capabilities for 2012. The Riverine Sustainment 2012 Team (RST) examined the cost and performance of systems of systems which increased RF sustainment in logistically barren environments.
- Riverine Sustainment 2012 Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Riverine Sustainment 2012 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The United States military has continually strived to develop systems and procedures that attempt to maximize the effectiveness and improve the collaborative effects of fire support across the spectrum of warfare. Despite improvements in the interoperability of the Department of Defense service components, there continue to be difficulties involved with executing emergent Joint Fires in a timely manner in support of the commander. In this context, the Joint Fire Support in 2020 project applied systems engineering procedures and principles to develop functional, physical, and operational architectures that maximize rapid battlefield effects through efficient target provider pairings.
- Project Background and Participation Brochure
- Joint Fires 2020 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This thesis analyzed the Navy's proposed Riverine Force (RF) structure and capabilities of 2006. Systems Engineering and Analysis cohort 10 (SEA10) developed a cost-effective system of systems which increased battlespace awareness and situational responsiveness for 2010.
- Riverine Warfare 2010 Presentation (.pdf)
- Riverine Warfare 2010 Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Disaster relief operations, such as the 2005 Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, and wartime operations, such as Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, have identified the need for a standardized command and control system interoperable among Joint, Coalition, and Interagency entities. The Systems Engineering Analysis Cohort 9 (SEA-9A) Rapid Response Command and Control (R2C2) integrated project team completed a systems engineering (SE) process to address the military’s command and control capability gap.
- R2C2 Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Final R2C2 Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The Ship Anti-Ballistic Response (SABR) Project is a systems engineering approach that suggests a conceptualized system solution to meet the needs of the sea portion of ballistic missile defense in the 2025-2030 timeframe.
- SABR Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Final SABR Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The Maritime Threat Response Project applied Systems Engineering processes to propose different cost-effective System of Systems (SoS) architecture solutions to surface-based terrorist threats emanating from the maritime domain.
- Maritime Threat Response Final Presentation (.pdf)
- Final Maritime Threat Response Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
The US Navy is unlikely to encounter a sea-borne peer competitor in the next twenty years. However, some regional powers will seek to develop submarine forces which could pose a significant threat in littoral waters. In this context, the Littoral Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) in 2025 Project applied Systems Engineering principles and processes to create a number of competing ASW force architectures capable of neutralizing the enemy submarine threat.
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Sea Tentacle Overview (.pdf)
- Final SEA Report
- Final TSSE Sea Tentacle Report
- SEA-8 Final Brief (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Hostile acts of maritime piracy and terrorism have increased worldwide in recent years, and the global impacts of a successful attack on commercial shipping in the Straits of Malacca make it one of the most tempting target locations for maritime terrorism. In an attempt to develop a system of systems to defeat and prevent terrorism in the Straits of Malacca, this study developed three significant commercial shipping attack scenarios (Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) shipment, Ship As a Weapon (SAW), and Small Boat Attack (SBA)), and used a Systems Engineering Design Process (SEDP) to design alternative architectures that offered promising ways to defeat these attacks.
- Final report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This study analyzes logistics flow to, within and from a Sea Base to an objective, and the architectures and systems needed to rapidly deploy and sustain a brigade-size force. Utilizing the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), this study incorporates a systems engineering framework to examine current systems, programs of record and proposed systems out to the year 2025.
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Final brief (.pdf)
- Final report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
- Executive Summary briefing (.pdf)
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Final Briefing (Large file 17MB)
In 2003, the Systems Engineering and Analysis students were tasked to develop a system of systems conceptual solution to provide force protection for the Sea Base conceptualized in the 2002-2003 Expeditionary Warfare study completed by SEA-3.
- Executive Summary briefing (.pdf)
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Final report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
This project was the result of OPNAV N7 tasking to examine future Expeditionary Warfare operations in terms of current and emerging operational concepts. SEA-3 focused their work on conceptualizing a Sea Base. This work was continued by SEA-4
- Final Briefing (.pdf)
- Final Report sections (all links open pdfs)
- Executive Summary
- Chapter I: Background
- Chapter II: Systems Engineering Methodology
- Chapter III: Analysis Tools
- Chapter IV: Threat Analysis
- Chapter V: Scenarios
- Chapter VI: Joint Campaign Analysis
- Chapter VII: Integrated concept of Operations
- Chapter VIII: Overarching Requirements
- Chapter IX: Current Architecture
- Chapter X: Planned Architecture
- Chapter XI: Conceptual Architecture
- Chapter XII: Extend Modeling
- Chapter XIII: Interpretation and Analysis of Modeling Results
- Chapter XIV: Long Range Heavy Lift Aircraft
- Chapter XV: TSSE Expeditionary Warfare Ship Design
- Chapter XVI: Low Earth Orbit, Multi-Spectral Imaging Satellite
- Chapter XVII: C4 Architecture
- Chapter XVIII: Relevant Recent NPS Designs
- Chapter XIX: The Effects of Speed
- Chapter XX: The Effects of Seabasing
- Chapter XXI: The Effects of Reduced Footprint
- Chapter XXII: The Effects of Reduced Manning
- Chapter XXIII: The Effects of Modularity
- Chapter XXIV: Conclusions and Recommendations
- Chapter XXV: Recommendations for Further Research
Distributing naval combat power into many small ships and unmanned air vehicles that capitalize on emerging technology offers a transformational way to think about naval combat in the littorals in the 2020 time frame. Project CROSSBOW is an engineered systems of systems that proposes to use such distributed forces to provide forward presence to gain and maintain access, to provide sea control, and to project combat power in the littoral regions of the world. This project extended over two years and was completed by SEA-2.
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)
Distributing naval combat power into many small ships and unmanned air vehicles that capitalize on emerging technology offers a transformational way to think about naval combat in the littorals in the 2020 time frame. Project CROSSBOW is an engineered systems of systems that proposes to use such distributed forces to provide forward presence to gain and maintain access, to provide sea control, and to project combat power in the littoral regions of the world. This project extended over two years so this description and final products are also posted under SEA-2.
- Executive Summary (.pdf)
- Final Report (link to NPS Dudley Knox Library)