Using the IMPRINT Tool to Develop a Simulated Manpower Model for Navy Vessel Acquisition

This study explored the use of discrete event simulation models as a method to inform the Royal Norwegian Navy acquisition process for making manpower requirements decisions. Work/rest data were collected on a Norwegian Coast Guard vessel (9-day underway, 22 crewmembers). Participants completed questionnaires pre-/post-study, wore Ōura rings, and documented their work/rest patterns in activity logs. The Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT) was used to build two manpower models (Baseline and Augmented) that were compared in terms of workload, sleep, and task completion. Results showed that highly prioritized events were completed sufficiently. However, the addition of more tasks reduced sleep among all sailors but especially for those who were watchstanders. This reduced sleep duration resulted primarily from the increased workload, especially for some crewmembers who were already experiencing restricted sleep. Overall, IMPRINT Pro Forces can be a valuable tool for assessing manpower requirements during ship acquisitions.