This study analyzes the effects of integrated operations between manned and unmanned maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) as a means of ensuring the sustainable operation of naval air power under the constraints of manpower shortages in an era of population...
This study analyzes the effects of integrated operations between manned and unmanned maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) as a means of ensuring the sustainable operation of naval air power under the constraints of manpower shortages in an era of population decline. The analysis is conducted using a combination of thought experiments and simulation-based methods. The manned P-8A Poseidon and the unmanned MQ-9B SeaGuardian were selected as the comparative platforms, and mission success rate, personnel substitution effect, and cost-effectiveness were employed as the primary evaluation metrics.
As an analytical approach, thought experiments were first conducted to qualitatively assess mission performance and personnel substitution effects under variations in key environmental factors affecting MPA operations, including weather conditions, operational range, and threat conditions. Based on these results, nine representative scenarios were selected. Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) was then implemented for the selected scenarios to estimate the mission success rates and personnel substitution ratios of manned and unmanned maritime patrol aircraft. Subsequently, an extended probabilistic model grounded in Koopman’s search theory was applied to mathematically simplify the complex processes embodied in the ABM, and a probabilistic abstraction framework was employed to cross-validate the simulation results. The cross-validation results indicate that the thought experiment, ABM, and probabilistic abstraction consistently exhibit coherent trends in both mission success rates and personnel substitution effects. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness analysis reveals that while manned maritime patrol aircraft demonstrate higher mission success rates, they impose greater cost and manpower burdens, whereas unmanned maritime patrol aircraft exhibit relatively lower mission success rates but show competitive advantages in terms of cost reduction and personnel substitution.
The analysis confirms that manned–unmanned integrated operations can achieve a maximum personnel substitution effect of approximately 21%. Based on these findings, an optimal integrated operational strategy for manned and unmanned maritime patrol aircraft was derived. Rather than prescribing a fixed operational ratio, the proposed strategy presents a flexible operational range that can be adjusted according to policy objectives—such as mission success assurance, manpower reduction, and cost efficiency—within a range of 30–50% for manned maritime patrol aircraft and 50–70% for unmanned maritime patrol aircraft. This implies that manned maritime patrol aircraft can ensure mission success in critical operations, while unmanned maritime patrol aircraft can play a complementary role by enhancing cost efficiency and reducing manpower requirements, thereby contributing to the long-term sustainability of naval air power.
At the outset of the study, four research questions were formulated : (1) To what extent do manned–unmanned integrated operations affect personnel substitution? (2) How does the personnel substitution effect vary with operational environmental factors such as weather conditions, operational range, and threat levels? (3) What constitutes an efficient integrated operational strategy when personnel substitution is considered? (4) What direction should the future structure of naval air power take when personnel substitution effects are incorporated?
This study was conducted with the objective of addressing these questions, and the findings are intended to provide foundational reference material for the development of strategies aimed at the stable and sustainable operation of manned–unmanned naval air power.