Modularity is often mentioned as a method to make a vessel’s design flexible during its lifetime. However, literature often focuses on ways to apply modularity to naval vessels instead of asking if modularity improves the vessel, or the organizational process, at all. This paper aims to build a framework to give the naval architect valuable insights into the possible benefits and the technical impact of modularity application. When a system is
deemed a feasible module, a final evaluation is performed to assess if the modular variant of the system actually improves the vessel or the organizational process.

This research presents a framework consisting of a Modular Function Deployment (MFD), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) model to assess the suitability and technical feasibility of modular systems. The MFD aims to identify high-potential modular systems based on modularity drivers defined and rated by the naval architect. Next, the AHP aims to map the most important functions of the vessel. Since modularity always comes with increased weight, the naval architect can use the AHP to ask
themselves if the system fulfills a function that is important enough to embrace the increased weight. With the KBE model, the technical impact of modular systems can be assessed in terms of weight, estimated draft, and stability. When a system scores high on the MFD, it indicates the system would benefit from modularity. When its accompanying function scores high on the AHP, it indicates the system fulfills an important function. The technical impact of making the system modular can be assessed with the KBE model. If the technical impact is
deemed acceptable, the system can be labeled as a ‘feasible’ module. The final effectiveness assessment will indicate if the feasible module actually improves the vessel’s design or the organizational process. This way, a framework will be developed which gives the naval architect valuable insights into the potential benefits and costs of modularity.

A case study will be presented on a landing platform dock and the future air defender (FuAD) of the RNLN. Results show the FuAD has higher-potential systems for modularity, so the KBE model is applied to only the FuAD. In the KBE model, an air surveillance radar and Laser-Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) are modeled as a non-modular system and then as a modular variant. This way, the impact of making a system modular is assessed. The KBE model results in a technically feasible module for the air surveillance radar and LDEW. The final effectiveness assessment results in a preference for a non-modular air surveillance radar and a modular
LDEW. This shows that modularity does not necessarily improve the system and a structural way to approach modularity and compare it to a non-modular variant is required.

The framework can be applied to a wide variety of vessels, including commercial vessels. The framework uses generally applicable methods, and by combining them in a structural way the decision-making on whether to use modularity or not can be improved. For naval vessels, the effectiveness depends on the intentions of the end user. By qualifying the expert opinion using AHP, both by identifying the most important functions and the final evaluation, this intention is integrated into the framework. This also personalizes the outcome: based on the intentions of the end-user, completely different outcomes can be retrieved from this framework. After computing the framework for a specific vessel type, the results can partially be applied to other vessel types, within the same organization due to the end-user intentions mentioned above, as well. If a modular system is preferred over the non-modular variant, this implies the other vessel types will also benefit from this system as a module. Since this system is already defined as an HLP in the KBE model, the system can easily be imported into another
design. The hull form can be easily changed as well since this already is an external Rhino file imported into the Python file. These factors make the framework applicable to a wide variety of different vessel types.