Operational availability based on wave climatology, Concept Of Operations, and hull form

A satellite antenna was to be fielded at a number of locations in the North Pacific Ocean aboard a vessel. The antenna has a motion compensating pedestal, but the capabilities of the motion compensating system were unknown at the time that the ship selection was required. An objective level of ±5 degrees maximum ship motion, (combined pitch and roll), and a threshold level of ±10 degrees were arbitrarily selected to bound the problem. Wave climatology for three candidate locations was extracted from NOAA/NDBC weather buoy historical data sets. Five vessel types were selected as candidates for this operation. Linear strip theory, Response Amplitude Operators (RAO\´s) were gathered for 4 of the 5 vessel types. The fifth vessel type was a jack up offshore oil platform that introduced unique water-depth constraints to the concept of operations. The statistical vessel motions were determined by combining the monthly wave data with the RAO\´s and rating the vessels ability to remain below the 5 and 10 degree motions thresholds. The availability of water depths less than 250 feet required to stand the jack up rig on the bottom all but eliminated that vessel type from use in the North Pacific Vessel operations costs including relocations between the three operating areas was also developed. All of the above were combined into an "Operational Availability", and life cycle cost metrics that formed the basis for determining the best vessel choice.