Fiscal Year	2023
Division	Research & Sponsored Programs
Department	Naval Research Program
Investigator(s)	Didoszak, Jarema M.
Sponsor	NPS Naval Research Program (Navy)
Summary	Ships are vulnerable when taking berth in undependable ports, at anchor in unprotected harbors, and while transiting within the constrained waters of the littorals. Often due to mission design optimization, these vessels are not well suited for self-protection against near field waterborne attacks as they cannot rely upon their own ship design features and operational characteristics such as speed, maneuverability, high-powered sensors, and major weapons systems to protect them from often time erratic and unsophisticated adversaries. To counter this threat, High Value Units (HVU) have relied heavily on Coastal Riverine Forces, Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces, harbor patrol boats, and U. S. Coast Guard assets to supplement their own shipboard self-defense capabilities in the past. This study aims to inform future policy direction and the investment necessary to reduce this threat through the examination of the potential HVU self-escort strategies and required capabilities. Assessments of potential solution sets are conducted based on impacts regarding mission loss, platform survivability, shipboard adaptability, and integration with existing security force assets. Recommendations are provided based on the prioritization of key factors and their effects on maintaining warfighting capacity in the current operational force construct to inform the direction and allocation of assets.
Keywords	HVU, Anti-terrorism, Force Protection, Small Arms, Armor Hardening, Stabilized Crew Served Weapon, RHIBs
Publications	Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data	Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal