Blind sector analysis of weapon sensor systems on multipurpose destroyer-type warships

Abstract

The current literature on the deployment of radar, electro-optical sensors, and weapon systems on naval platforms indicates that blind sector analyses are primarily limited to two-dimensional geometric visibility. This study analyzes the physical blocking effect of the superstructure geometry of Arleigh Burke and Maya-class ships on the fields of view of systems such as radar, infrared (IR),  electronic warfare (EW), and close-in weapon system (CIWS) using ray tracing. To address the shortcomings of traditional models, blind spots resulting from inter-system interactions are evaluated in three dimensions. This study performed an analytical-geometric analysis of blind sector distribution using ray tracing for weapons and sensors such as main gun, fire control radar, and CIWS in the combat system configurations of the destroyers of the US Navy's Arleigh Burke class and the Japanese Navy's Maya class, using open-source Python and R-based software simulation tools. The reliability of the proposed framework has been validated through analytical scenarios and sensitivity analyses; operational differences arising from platform architecture have been systematically compared. In this study, the presented graphs and tables enable stakeholders to identify all simulation parameters, including angular decomposition, network processing criteria, and sensor reference definitions, thereby ensuring repeatability.