@article{DONG2026, 
author = {Dalong DONG and Rui ZHOU and Zibin YU and Ben LI},
title = {Model-based design methodology for unmanned underwater vehicles},
year = {2026},
journal = {Chinese Journal of Ship Research},
volume = {21},
number = {2},
pages = {212-225},
keywords = {ship design, model-based system engineering (MBSE), unmanned underwater vehicle, forward design methodology, multi-system co-simulation, agile design and verification},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.19693/j.issn.1673-3185.04704},
doi = {10.19693/j.issn.1673-3185.04704},
abstract = {ObjectiveWith the increasing diversification of application requirements for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), traditional design methods centered on text-based documentation have revealed numerous limitations in practice, such as scattered design documents, difficulty in maintenance, and low iteration efficiency among systems. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce a novel overall design methodology.MethodIn this study, the model-based systems engineering (MBSE) methodology was incorporated into the design process of UUVs and integrated with traditional design approaches to establish a model-driven design and verification framework. Using the M-Design collaborative research platform, graphical system modeling language (SysML) was employed to construct a comprehensive system model, including the requirements model, logical architecture model, and physical architecture model, thereby forming an integrated design framework. To further validate the feasibility of the framework, multi-system co-simulation technology was adopted, and a distributed simulation platform was developed to perform performance simulation and verification for typical mission scenarios of UUVs. Based on these efforts, a conceptual scheme for an agile design and verification prototype system has been proposed to support agile development requirements.ResultsThe results demonstrate that the model-based design methodology can significantly improve the design efficiency and verification capability of UUVs, enabling a closed-loop development process from requirements definition to design implementation. ConclusionThe proposed design methodology provides effective guidance for the design and specification verification of various manned and unmanned underwater platforms.}
}