Techniques and Tools for C4ISR Training of Future Brigade Combat Team Commanders and Staffs (PART OF STO IV.SP.2002.02)

Development of the Future Combat System (FCS) for a maneuver force that is highly mobile, quickly deployable, and extremely reliant on information networking capabilities creates a parallel challenge to develop, through training and experience, the thinking, confident, versatile, adaptive, and seasoned leaders required at the tactical level. The vision that the FCS will include an integrated training capability for individual platform task training as well as for commander/staff training creates critical R&D issues to ensure that the advanced training technologies and methods are designed, developed, demonstrated and evaluated in lockstep with the development of the FCS.

R&D is being conducted to identify and address key training issues for command group training of FCS-equipped forces at the brigade level and below, with emphasis on Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) functions. We are using controlled laboratory simulation of future battlefield situations to identify and measure individual and collective skills of future commanders and staffs that will impact performance in the C4ISR functional areas. We formed a partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and initiated development of concepts of FCS-cell command group functions and support requirements. We developed and assessed a measurement method for command group functions within the framework of the DARPA partnership. ARI also designed a sequence of simulation-based experiments to address research requirements within selected functional areas, with emphasis on the FCS command group C4ISR requirements. The experiments will maximize the use of simulation-based techniques and tools to develop and then demonstrate exemplar training packages in warfighter experiments and Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATDs). In addition, the results will provide empirically derived input to the FCS training system acquisition process.

In FY2004, we will:

• Experimentally evaluate alternative performance measurement approaches in support of training methods/techniques for selected key C4ISR skills
• Evaluate training requirements and usability of alternative approaches to support command group reachback and knowledge management
• Evaluate methods/techniques for measurement and training of future robotic systems with warfighter-in-the-loop robotic systems

Proponent: U.S. Army Armor Center
ARI Unit: Armored Forces Research Unit

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