Routing of platforms in a maritime surface surveillance operation

Maritime surface surveillance is the process of obtaining and maintaining information about surface ships in a certain sea area. It is carried out by maritime platforms such as frigates, helicopters or maritime patrol aircraft. Surface surveillance plays a vital role in maritime operations like trade embargo operations, counterdrug operations and traditional warfare operations. The problem of finding optimal tactics for a single surveillance unit is a routing problem which can to some extent be considered as an extension of the on-line travelling salesman problem, but there are essential complications which call for a different approach. A mathematical formulation of the surveillance routing problem is given in this paper. The complications of this problem, in comparison to the on-line travelling salesman problem, are explained. This routing problem is part of the rather complicated process of maritime surface surveillance. SURPASS, an acronym of SURface Picture ASSessment, is a computer model which simulates this process. The model SURPASS provides insight into both the means (i.e. platforms and sensors) needed for a surveillance operation and the effectiveness of various existing and newly developed rules for surveillance tactics. The structure of SURPASS is explained, including the way in which it solves the surveillance routing problem. A number of decision rules that can be used in the routing of the surveillance units are described. The effectiveness of these rules is analysed and evaluated.