| Abstract: | This study revisits concept exploration for DDG-51 using reconstructed 1978–1979 DDX and 1979–1980 DDGX requirements and options, and 2005 tools. The goal of this study is to assess and highlight the benefits of current tools and processes for concept exploration by comparison with a well-known design that did not use these tools. This case study was completed in a summer and fall ship design project at Virginia Tech. In 1979, the acquisition and design process did not begin with a Mission Need Statement, Analysis of Alternatives or Integrated Capabilities Document as is required today. It began with studies, Tentative Operational Requirements, and Draft Top Level Requirements. In this study, we revisit the 1978–1980 DDG-51 (DDX/DDGX) concept exploration based on the guidance, goals, and constraints of the DDX and DDGX studies, using a notional mission statement, concept of operations, and list of required capabilities. The design space is defined to include many of the same design alternatives that were considered in the DDX and DDGX studies. A multiple-objective genetic optimization (MOGO) based on military effectiveness, cost, and risk is used to search the design space and perform trade-offs. A simple ship synthesis model is used to balance the designs, assess feasibility, and calculate cost, risk, and effectiveness. Alternative designs are ranked by cost, risk, and effectiveness, and presented in a series of non-dominated frontiers. Concepts for further study and development are chosen from this frontier and a comparison with DDG-51 is made based on these results. |
