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INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFERENCE

G. V. Amico

Director of Engineering

Naval Training Equipment Center

Welcome to the Naval Training Equipment Center's Industry Conference.  This year's conference represents a major milestone.  It is the tenth conference which the Center has sponsored.  The primary conference goal is the same today as it was in 1966; improved communication between government and industry.  It is gratifying to note that the number of participants has increased substantially from all sectors of the training equipment community.  In 1966, the year of the first conference, 193 attended representing 14 government agencies and 49 private companies.  In that year the Center had just completed the FY 1966 training equipment procurement program valued at $71 million.  By comparison, the attendance at this year's industry conference is expected to be 600 with 100 government agencies and 150 industries being represented.  The Center's research, development, acquisition, and modification program for FY 1977 totaled over $270 million.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION–THE KEY TO SYSTEM EFFECTIVENESS*

Robert P. Fishburne, Jr.

Calspan Corporation

Evaluation in a comprehensive ISD-based program must be directed toward both formative and summative measures.  To be operationally feasible, these measures must then be integrated into an organized database.  Finally, evaluation must be tailored to the particular course structure and learning strategies inherent in the system under analysis.

*This research was supported under contract N61339-77-C-0003, "E-2 Instructional Systems Development (ISD)," for the Naval Training Equipment Center, Orlando, FL.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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A PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM FOR TRAINING SIMULATORS

R. D. Graves and C. F. Kupiec

General Physics Corporation

Unscheduled power plant outages are very costly and waste energy because that electrical energy must then be transmitted over longer distances from other plants to the locality whose power station is out-of-service.  Better-trained plant operators as well as better-designed plant control and safety systems are germane in this day and age when our world's emphasis is on conservation of natural resources.

This paper presents a Performance Measurement System that can be utilized for optimizing operator-training efforts along with collecting man-machine operational research data on a training simulator.  This system was developed for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and further work on this project is continuing.  This paper presents a basic introduction to the system, methodology incorporated in its design, data and results obtained, as well as future plans for the coming three-year term.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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SIMULATOR COMPARATIVE EVALUATION

Lt. Col. Henry A. Rivers, USAF and Riker S. Van Arsdall

HQ USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center

Tactical Air Command (TAC) requires simulation devices efficient in providing training in high-cost-of-training areas.  TAC is currently evaluating simulation devices employing advanced visual, motion, and G-cueing subsystems procured to meet this requirement.  This special project was conducted in order to establish base-line information regarding other simulator systems presently used in other government and civilian training capacities, and was directed verbally by the Commander, TAC.  This effort provided an initial subjective evaluation of simulator systems presently available to the United States Government, Allied air forces, and airlines and under development by industry. 

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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THE JOY OF FLYING SIMULATORS

Stanley N. Roscoe

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

and ILLIANA Aviation Sciences Limited

The problems of defining, designing, and developing flight training simulators and other synthetic ground-training devices are far exceeded by the problems encountered in their effective use.  Their acceptance without pain by the entire aviation training and operating communities depends not only upon the further demonstration that they do work, but also that they can be integrated into a training program reasonably and painlessly.  Indeed, it can and must be shorn convincingly that they are the key to levels of operational effectiveness not attainable in training aircraft at any price, exposure to personal hazard, or potential equipment loss.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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HIGH-G SIMULATION–THE TACTICAL AIRCRAFT SIMULATOR PROBLEM

G. Kron

The Singer Company, Link Division

L. Young

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT

W. Albery

Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Advanced Systems Division

The platform motion system has been the principal motion and force simulation device in the past and over the last five years the G-seat, G-suit, and seat shaker systems have become a part of several of the Air Force's simulators.  This paper presents the background behind the development of these devices and a discussion of current and future non-visual system motion and force developments.  The challenge of providing high acceleration cues for the tactical aircraft simulator pilot is presented by first, looking at the need for high-G simulation and second, looking at the current development of an advanced G-cueing system, high-G augmentation devices, and bionic means for controlling simulator visual displays.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF A G-SEAT ON PILOT/SIMULATOR PERFORMANCE DURING A TRACKING TASK

                Billy R. Ashworth, Burnell T. McKissick

NASA Langley Research Center (LRC)

and

Dennis J. Martin, Jr.

Sperry Support Services

A seat cushion to provide acceleration cues for aircraft simulator pilots has been built, performance tested, and evaluated in NASA Langley's Differential Maneuvering Simulator.  The four-cell seat, using a think air cushion with highly responsive pressure control, attempts to reproduce the same events which occur in an aircraft seat under acceleration loading.  The pressure controller provides seat cushion responses, which are considered adequate for current high-performance aircraft simulations.

An experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of the g-seat on pilot/simulator performance.  The statistical analysis of data indicates that the pilot gets information from the seat, which allows more precise control of the simulated aircraft.  Pilot subjective data support the conclusions of the statistical analysis.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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SIMULATOR TRAINING AND PLATFORM MOTION IN

AIR-TO-SURFACE WEAPON DELIVERY TRAINING

Dr. Thomas H. Gray and Major Robert R. Fuller, United States Air Force

Flying Training Division, Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Williams Air Force Base

The objectives of this research were to determine:  (1) the extent to which generalized, conventional, air-to-surface (A/S) weapons delivery training in the Advanced Simulator for Pilot Training (ASPT) transferred to a specific aircraft; (2) the contribution of six degree of freedom platform motion to the transfer of training from simulator to aircraft; and (3) the differential effects, if any, of this simulator training on student pilots of different ability levels.  These objectives were accomplished by selecting 24 students in the lead-in A/S training course at Holloman AFB to serve as subjects.  These subjects progressed through lead-in training, receiving all training except the A/S flights, and then proceeded to Williams AFB where they were assigned into matched experimental and control groups.  At Williams AFB, all of the subjects received academic training in weapons delivery techniques and procedural training on F-5B operations.  At this point, the students in the control group flew two data collection sorties in the F-5B aircraft, performing 10-degree, 15-degree and 30-degree, bomb deliveries.  The experimental groups received A/S weapons delivery training in ASPT on 10-degree, 15-degree, and 30-degree bomb deliveries with a fixed number of trials on each event.  The experimental subjects then received two data collection flights in the F-5B identical to those received by the control group.  Analysis of the results proved that simulator training significantly increased air-to-surface weapons delivery skills (e.g., approximately double the number of qualifying bombs, and a one-fourth reduction in circular error) but that platform motion was not a contributing factor in this process.  It was also found that novice student pilots of greater initial ability benefit most from such simulator training when a minimum fixed number of trails are used.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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                PLATFORM MOTION AND SIMULATOR TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS

Paul W. Caro

Seville Research Corporation

Several recent studies reported that simulator motion did not benefit subsequent flight performance.  Other studies have reported various effects of motion upon pilot performance in simulators.  These possibly contradictory findings are examined in the light of recent distinctions made between maneuver and disturbance motion.  The studies in which simulator motion did not benefit transfer predominantly employed maneuver motion cues, whereas the other group studies incorporated more disturbance motion cues.  Pilot reactions to simulator motion also were examined in terms of maneuver vs. disturbance motion, and it was noted that judgments of the training value of simulator motion were related to the maneuver-disturbance distinction.  It is concluded that maneuver motion may be of little potential training value, under many circumstances, and data necessary to an adequate simulation of disturbance motion may not be available.  An analysis of the training requirements associated with disturbance motion is needed.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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ARMOR TRAINING DEVICE REQUIREMENTS

Captain Steven O. Vandal

United States Army Project Officer, Training Devices

United States Army Armor School, Fort Knox

The training environment in Armor Units, as in other units, appears to be fairly hostile in the eyes of the unit commander.  To varying extents, they are faced with shortages of time, money, space, equipment, operating resources of fuel and ammunition, and trained leaders.  Personnel turnover complicates the already serious situation.  These problems make it difficult for Armor leaders to live up to the now familiar, but critical, imperatives in those slogans:

1)          Win the first battle of the next war!

2)          Fight outnumbered and win!

3)          Fire fast, first!

Progress is being made in training.  New Army Training and Evaluation Programs, Soldiers Manuals, and Skill Qualification Tests, to name a few things, have been produced and fielded.  These are based on critical missions and tasks with corresponding conditions and standards that units must meet year round.  Yet the realities of range availability, time, ammunition, and dollar constraints still force Armor units to cyclic participation in and evaluation of main gun firings and combined arms tactical exercises.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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PATRIOT DISPLAY AND CONTROL SIMULATION

P. Williams, G. Kurtz, and J. Gombash

United States Army Human Engineering Laboratory

This paper presents a description of the United States Army Human Engineering Laboratory (USAHEL) simulation and operator performance testing of the display and control subsystem of the PATRIOT Missile System.

During the last three years an effort was undertaken by the Human Engineering Laboratory (HEL) to develop a Command and Control Simulation Facility for the purpose of evaluating a variety of Display and control (D&C) concepts and designs which are a vital part of today’s complex military systems.  The PATRIOT D&C subsystem is one of those systems currently being studied.

To begin with (Figure 1), I will give you an unclassified overview of the PATRIOT Missile System currently in development.  Then I plan to talk about the PATRIOT’s Display and Control Subsystem with HEL has simulated, the operator performance testing conducted for improving the D&C operator-machine interface design.  Then I will describe how we are currently using the PATRIOT simulator and some future tests that we plan to do.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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TOW MISSILE SIGHT VIDEO TRAINING SYSTEM

Norman Gutlove and John Stanfield

Imaging Systems Division

Federal Systems Group

Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corporation

Maintaining a high first round weapon system kill probability through effective gunner training has become increasingly important with escalating cost per round.  Recent advances in the state-of-the-art in video cameras employing all solid-state, charge-coupled device (CCD) technology have prompted a reevaluation of current training techniques and devices.  This paper discusses the application of this new technology in a training environment.

The Fairchild TOW Missile sight video Camera System (TMSVCS) provides a capability for real-time monitoring and assessment of gunnery performance and immediate post-mission playback and analysis of gunner-aim point during live or simulated firings of the TOW Weapon System. 

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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DOWNTIME WASTES THE RESOURCE

D. El Tucker, Director of Logistics

Link Division, The Singer Company

This paper presents an overview of Logistics Support problems in Simulation Programs and discusses the impact of Design to Cost and Life Cycle Costs in the Logistics discipline.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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QUALITY ASSURANCE AND REVALIDATION–

THE CHALLENGE TO MANAGEMENT

K. Larrabee

Naval Education and Training Program Development Center

The training device Quality Assurance and Revalidation Program (QA&R) as operated by the United States Navy represents a unique approach to assuring adequate training device performance.  This program applies to training equipment ranging from flight and weapon systems simulators to aviation physiological training systems such as ejection seat trainers and altitude low-pressure chambers.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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P. Marr and L. Shaffer

Ground Systems Department, General Electric Company

In today's visual technology there are many parameters, the values of which must be correctly chosen, to achieve an effective visual training simulator.  Some of these parameters are resolution, brightness, contrast ratio real image versus infinity image, collimation, field of view, field of view gaps, realism, target and area of interest fields of view, detectability and aircraft discernibility relative to slant range.  True perspective and scene continuity across juxtaposed channels also are important parameters and are the subject of this report.

If single displays are used, scene continuity and true perspective is not usually a problem but most wide-angle visual systems today are composed of several optical windows, projectors or monitors to form a wide field of view while retaining good resolution.

When a specification requires juxtaposed displays, the designer must solve the problems of scene continuity with distortion-free perspective.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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DESIGNING DIG IMAGES FOR SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION

Edward A. Stark, William S. Bennett, and George M. Borst

The Singer Company, Link Division

Digital image generation systems can provide most of the visual information needed in performing and learning flight tasks.  This paper discusses a methodology applicable for the selection of visual information for DIG representation.  The methodology is designed to produce scenes that optimize learning through various stages and complexities, by identifying minimal cues for each task, subtask, and trainee level.  Added capabilities of DIG systems include enhancement of the performance feedback cues normally available in the real-world task and facilitation of learning by the provision of synthetic feedback where it is normally deficient in the real world.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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CIG EDGE CONSERVATION EVALUATIN AND APPLICATION

TO VISUAL FLIGHT SIMULATION

Eric G. Monroe and Warren E. Richeson

Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Flying Training Division

Williams Air Force Base

This paper addresses a new approach to the visual scene presentation within a Wide-angle optical mosaic display of computer-generated imagery, and a means of determining and analyzing the visual system processing and display capacities being utilized.  An area of interest (AOI) presentation concentrates visual detail in that portion of the entire display to which the pilot's immediate attention is directed.  The AOI transverses the display in real-time in coordination with the movement of the pilot's head.  The result is a more efficient and effective utilization of system processing capacities, which can be measured with the system's visual parameter monitor (VPM).  An operational description of the VPM and AOI, together with an example of their integrated application constitutes the body of this report.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION OF COMPUTER SPEECH

RECOGNITION IN TRAINING

Robert Breaux

Naval Training Equipment Center

The Naval Training Equipment Center's Human Factors Laboratory seeks to identify and measure those behaviors which, when improved through training, result in superior performance on the job.  Thus, the laboratory seeks to combine new technology developments with current advances in learning/training theory and techniques.

One such technology development is computer speech recognition.  The advantage brought to training by this technology is the capability to objectively measure speech behavior.  Now, traditional training techniques for jobs which are primarily speech in nature require someone who can listen to what is being said.  Otherwise, no measure of the speech behavior is possible.  In the United States Navy, jobs which are primarily speech in nature include the Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) and Air Intercept (AIC) controllers, as well as the Landing Signal Officer for carrier operations, various Naval Flight Officer positions such as the Radar Intercept Officer, and the Officer of the Deck in ships operations.  In addition to the requirement of having an instructor listen to the speech behavior, training in these situations often requires another person to cause changes in the environment which correspond to the trainee’s commands.  For the GCA and AIC tasks, this takes the form of “pseudo” pilots who “fly” a simulated aircraft target.  This 2:1 ratio of support personnel to trainee results in a relatively high training cost.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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FIBER OPTICS FOR TRAINER APPLICATIONS

Dr. Orin E. Marvel

Honeywell Marine Systems Division

and

W. H. Lunceford, Jr.

Naval Training Equipment Center

A new era is upon us; down with copper wire cable proliferation (Figure 1); the age of cool bright optical communications is here.  Presently, there are large performance advantages (bandwidth, noise immunity, signal attenuation, size, weight, and total electrical isolation) associated with fiber optics data communications.  In the very near future, there will also be cost advantages.

This paper gives an introduction to fiber optics and shows how to apply this exciting technology to trainers for RESOURCE CONSERVATION THROUGH SIMULATION.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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F-15 AIRCRAFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR STUDENT PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND SCORING

James T. Dorsey

Goodyear Aerospace Corporation

Simulators, or trainers, have been available for years.  These devices have developed from ingenious mechanical gear, to electrical-analog controlled equipment, to the present sophisticated, digital computer-controlled designs of today.  Simulators now exist that help train personnel to operate virtually any mechanism invented.  These include ships, airplanes, trains, automobiles, orbiting vehicles, advanced radar, etc.  Much effort has been expended in defining and refining trainer hardware and software to develop a simulator of greater and greater fidelity to the performance of real-life equipment.  This is only fitting and has resulted in succeeding generations of simulators performing in increasingly compatible performance to their models.  The F-15 simulator, itself, is a technical marvel in synthesizing the characteristics and capabilities of this high-performance jet aircraft.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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COMMERCIAL PARTS–NOW, LATER, OR NEVER

Franklin W. Rozell

Naval Training Equipment Center

Events of the past few years have forced government contractors to exert greater efforts on reducing their costs of operations.  Cost for materials has naturally been one of the principle areas of concentration.  Many contractors have concluded that these costs are needlessly high because of the government's insistence on using military type parts.  A strong movement is, therefore, afoot to promote greater use of commercial parts.  Papers have been circulated extolling their advantages; speeches are being made by political, business, and military leaders suggesting serious consideration by given to using available off-the-shelf type equipment and contractors are dismayed that requirements to use military type parts still exist.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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A PROGRAM FOR INCREASED FLIGHT FIDELITY

IN HELICOPTER SIMULATION

Lt. C. Woomer, United States Navy, Project Pilot

and

D. Carico, Project Engineer

Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate, Naval Air Test Center

Increased emphasis has been placed on the need for and usefulness of major aviation training devices - flight simulators.  A description of a modern trainer and the status of current simulation is provided.  High Fidelity is necessary to achieve high training transfer to the aircraft.  The authors describe the need for and a proposed basic approach to technical simulator flight-testing designed to achieve high fidelity.  Ideas were formulated as a result of the authors' participation in the development and validation of the SH-2F Weapons System Trainer, Device 2F106.  NAVAIRTESTCEN participates in the program as a technical advisor on flight fidelity.  Major contributions are aircraft testing for the establishment of criteria data followed by simulator evaluation; both performed by engineering test pilots and flight test engineers.  These evaluations used established and disciplined flight test techniques and should be commonplace in the development and validation of flight trainers.  An extensive table of criteria data tests is provided for reference.  Typical instrumentation tables for both the aircraft and trainer are included.  Specific comments are made concerning trainer are included.  Specific comments are made concerning trainer testing problems and the priorities of tests.  A discussion is included on simulator data-gathering techniques, appropriate parameters, and equipment needed.  Finally, the scope of a visual system evaluation is presented, along with a description of its usefulness in additional testing of the basic trainer.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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SECURE, MULTIPLE-SHIP OERATIONAL EW TRAINING

David L. Adamy

Antekna, Incorporated

It is now possible to perform realistic, multiple-ship area EW defense training for a task force of ships, or even a full fleet, without transmitting threat signals and without going to see.

The principle involves the use of on-board threat simulators and radar target simulators, which reproduce a full, dynamic multiple-threat environment and are controlled and synchronized from a single command position via narrowband radio links.  The individual ships can be in port, or underway for reasons totally unrelated to EW training during the exercise.  The simulators aboard each ship reproduce the signal and radar environment as it would be seen by that ship, including consideration of::

1)          all types of threats (ships, aircraft, missiles),

2)          friendly emissions,

3)          modulation and antenna scan characteristics of each signal reproduced,

4)          range and azimuth of each threat relative to that individual ship,

5)          appropriate changes in the modes of threat signals as functions of time and distance from the ship, and

6)          maneuvering of the ship on which the EW receiver and radar equipment is located.

A multiple-ship, multiple-threat simulation, such as that shown in simplified form in Figure 1 is analyzed by a computer to yield the moment-by-moment signal environment from the point of view of each of the ships.  The ships and threats are moved at realistic rates; and the signal environment is reanalyzed often enough to provide realistic dynamic performance on the displays of the EW equipment in the ships.

Naturally, the faster moving missile and aircraft threat signals must be updated more often than the slower moving ship related threat signals.

The computer then generates a simulator command cassettes tape for use in each of the individual on-board simulators, with synchronizing file markers at pre-established points in the program to simplify later synchronization of the simulation on the individual ships.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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CONSERVATION OF PEOPLE, PLANES, AND PETROLEUM THROUGH OPTIMIZED HELICOPTER SIMULATION

H. Kingsley Povenmire and CDR Paul D. Russell

United States Coast Guard, Aviation Training Center

and

CDR Dale Schmidt

United States Coast Guard Liaison Officer

Navy Flight Training, NAS Pensacola

The Variable Cockpit Training System in use at the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama represents a drastic departure from traditional military pilot training.  Through the use of a highly sophisticated flight simulator and several advanced training techniques the Coast Guard has realized dramatic savings in both training time and training costs.  In addition, thousands of aircraft hours previously used in training have been released for use in other Coast Guard missions.  Some of the new techniques were used in a pure aircraft-training program prior to the delivery of the simulator.  This allowed separate analysis of savings derived from certain facets of the program.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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AN APPROACH FOR IMPROVING FLEET TRAINING THROUGH TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTED SIMULATION

William E. Woods and Kenneth A. Polcyn

PRC Information Sciences Company

Maintaining fleet readiness in light of today's resource constraints and approaches to operational training is extremely difficult.  Time spent at sea is minimal, individual ship training is not well structured or integrated and joint ship training exercises are few relative to need.  Continuation of this condition may not be necessary, if the U.S. Navy takes advantage of telecommunication and computer technologies.  With these technologies and a common centralized data base, most United States ship crews located in port could train as if at sea.  Individuals could be trained to operate their respective equipment, train as a team; and train as a weapon system.  Further, ships in port throughout the U.S. could be aggregated as a task force and trained as if in a fleet exercise.  In addition, ships at sea or a combination of ships at sea or in port could be pooled to train together.  Such a system has the potential for saving millions n operating, maintenance and munitions costs, but still produce a fleet trained and ready to neutralize any attack by an adversary.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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TECHNIQUES OF QUANTITATIVE PERFORMANCE

MEASUREMENT FOR ASW TEAM TRAINERS

Bernard W. Yaeger and James D. Bell

Honeywell Marine Systems Division

Rapidly escalating costs in operating weapon systems, coupled with energy shortages, has drastically affected at-sea combat team readiness training.  Simulator/trainers are increasingly depended upon as the only economically effective alternative to provide this training.  The increasing dependence on simulators, along with the availability of advanced computer technology, has led to higher computer technology, has led to higher demands for proof of training effectiveness.  Team trainers, in particular, due to problem complexity, need validation of effectiveness. This need for proven effectiveness has placed an unparalleled demand on the instructor's ability to objectively and comprehensively evaluate individual subteam and team performance.

Evaluation of complex interrelated and interdependent performances in time exercises is extremely difficult at best.  This difficulty has resulted in elevated interest in the application of CAI/CMI.  But the use of CAI techniques requires the capability to effectively evaluate the current performance level of trainees as well.  (Goldstein, 1974).  This evaluation is necessary so that appropriate courseware logic can be brought to bear as the driving function in the control of exercise content, complexity, and difficulty.  Therefore, the development of objective performance measurement techniques is a prerequisite to the use of CAI as well as for proof of training effectiveness.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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DIGITAL COMPUTERS IN TRAINING DEVICES–TRENDS AND FORECASTS

George T. Kirby

Naval Training Equipment Center

The role of the digital computer is greatly increasing in both weapon systems and the training equipment used to simulate those weapon systems.  The astonishing advances in computer technology over the past few years have multiplied the capability of effectively simulating the many weapon systems used by the modern military forces.  The objective of this paper is to being into focus the impact of the digital computer technology on training equipment and to present trends and forecasts of computer hardware and software used in training equipment.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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PLANNING AND SCHEDULING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Dale H. Fawcett

Simulator Systems Engineering Department

Goodyear Aerospace Corporation

The planning and scheduling of the resources for a project is one of the most critical activities for the success of a project.  It is necessary for management to spend considerable time on this activity for a large software development project.  This time is well spent as good planning and scheduling is a requirement for a successful project.  The schedule, together with a reporting scheme, ensures that the project is progressing as expected or quickly informs management if it isn't.  The schedule provides a primary communication channel between the technical and managerial personnel.  The schedule must, therefore, be correct and meaningful to both the technical and managerial teams.  The monitoring of project progress when compared to the schedule informs management of the project status.  If problems develop, management can be quickly informed so that corrective action can be initiated.  The plan and schedule provides a specific guideline for the technical personnel to assist in visualizing the relationship of specific tasks to the total project.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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THE EFFICIENCY OF FORTRAN IN SIMULATION COMPUTERS

Frank A. Sigmund

Simulator Systems Engineering Department

Goodyear Aerospace Corporation

The task of initially selecting and sizing computer systems for training simulators is becoming more difficult.  Current Air Force and Navy simulator specifications state that the software shall be programmed in FORTRAN to the maximum degree technically feasible.  Although the use of a higher level language such as FORTRAN is desirable in many respects for both simulator user and contractor, it entails an extensive new effort for the contractor during computer selection and sizing.  Previously, software for simulators was programmed in assembly language.  A thorough understanding of the adverse impact of FORTRAN on computer loading is necessary to reduce the risk involved with computer selection.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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IMPACT OF MICROPROCESSORS ON TRAINING DEVICES

Gerry C. White

Naval Training Equipment Center

Simulation has long been accepted as a cost-effective training method and is becoming more valuable due to the energy crisis.  By simulating operational systems, trainers reduce the use of operational equipment and contribute to fuel savings.  Not only do savings result from reduced energy consumption, but also from fewer operational units being required and from a decrease in potential accidents during training.

The computer system in training devices must be capable of performance necessary to meet system requirements.  Generally, this will mean a high degree of complexity at both the hardware and software levels.  Maintenance and reliability require that the system architecture be the simplest that will meet system performance requirements, yet the complexity of the simulation demands the most mature design within the state-of-the-art. 

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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BEHAVIORAL VALIDATION OF THE

COMPUTER ASSISTED OPERATIONS RESEARCH FACILITY

Dr. Thomas J. Hammell

Eclectech Associates, Incorporated

and

Joseph Puglisi

Maritime Administration

The Computer Assisted Operations Research Facility (CAORF) is a highly sophisticated ship-maneuvering simulator owned and operated by the National Maritime Research Center.  It was designed primarily as a high fidelity simulator to conduct a broad spectrum of applied maritime research.  A secondary role has emerged for CAORF for the specialized training of VLCC masters in ports such as Valdez, Alaska.  The cost of CAORF training for Valdez, in terms of resource conservation and other factors, has been demonstrated to be much less than the cost of comparable at-sea training.  Recent interest by the maritime industry for the increased use of simulator training will require prototype development; CAORF is the ideal facility for this type of maritime training research.  Hence, multiple roles have emerged for this facility:  1) to conduct research on operational maritime problems; and, 2) to develop maritime training programs and identify training device characteristics.  Both of these roles exemplify aspects of the goal of resource conservation through simulation.  The effectiveness of achieving this goal is addressed in this paper in terms of CAORF validation, the extent to which mate behavior on CAORF is similar to mate behavior at sea.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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360 DEGREE NONPROGRAMMED VISUAL DISPLAY

Frank J. Oharek

Naval Training Equipment Center

For several years the Naval Training Equipment Center (NAVTRAEQUIPCEN), its numerous contractors, and the Air Force and it's numerous contractors have been developing wide-angle visual systems for training.  Many approaches have been tried with varying degrees of success.  These approaches can be divided into two broad categories, namely, single channel systems and multiple channel systems.  Because of the limited information capacity of single channel, real-time display systems; the limiting resolution of such systems is quite low which results in poor image quality.  In multiple channel systems, the problems become those of color, luminancy, and edge matching so that the wide-angle display has a continuous, uninterrupted appearance.  Another problem for multiple-channel systems is that a wide-angle probe capable of close approach to model boards (on the order of a few millimeters) is not available.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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DESIGNING SIMULATORS FOR PRACTICALITY

Dr. Chriss Clark and Dr., James A Gardner

Honeywell, Inc.

Exploiting Simulation in Maintenance Training

The Trend: There is a growing trend to exploit the potential benefits of simulation technology in the maintenance-training environment.  The Air Force, for example, is currently contracting for a simulator system designed to train organizational-level (0-level) maintenance procedures for ten subsystems of the F-16 aircraft.  Procurement of simulators for training F-16's intermediate-level (I-level) maintenance procedures is under advisement.  Current plans call for using simulators to train E-3A and selected F-15 maintenance as well.  These procurements signify a fundamental change in the philosophy of maintenance training, which has relied almost exclusively to date on actual equipment trainers.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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REAL-TIME SIMULATION OF JEFF (B)

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT LANDING CRAFT

David Yih

Naval Training Equipment Center

Two prototype Amphibious Assault Landing Craft (AALC) designated JEFF (A) and JEFF (B) are being developed by Aerojet General Corporation, Tacoma, Washington and Bell Aerospace Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, respectively (figure 1).  The craft are designed to ride on air contained by the flexible skirt systems and pressurized to slightly higher than the ambient pressure by the fan systems.

The missions of the craft are to ferry troops and supplies from supply ships to a landing beach and return.  The ships are usually cruising off-shore to avoid attack by the shore batteries and surface-to-surface missiles.  In performing the missions, the crafts must enter or back out from the well of the supply ships or come alongside the ships for reloading or unloading.  The craft must be able to ride on the waves at sea state 2, travel across deep water, shallow water and surf zone, land on a sloping beach, and drive inland.  The craft are designed to be able to negotiate approximately 12% slope at 120,000 pounds normal payload.

This report presents the feasibility study of developing a real-time AALC simulator for JEFF (B) craft covering the over water operation and planning the over land operation.

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A LOW-COST VISUAL SENSOR SIMULATOR

Dr. William McCormick, Richard Kinney and Walter Mason

Technology Incorporated

and

Dr. Tony DeThomas

Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Pilot acceptance studies of Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS) concepts, conducted by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, required cockpit presentation of typical forward looking sensor imagery.  The objectives of the studies were to verify that the DAIS concepts do not jeopardize safety-of-flight integrity, measurably degrade performance of flight control configurations, nor degrade the pilot effectiveness.  At the same time, the resulting system must not only be usable but also be fully acceptable to the pilot.  The AF Flight Dynamics Laboratory DAIS Simulation Facility was developed to accomplish these objectives through subject testing, using a replication of a Close Air Support aircraft cockpit.  The program plan for the DAIS Simulation Facility includes both a stand-alone capability and integrating with the FDL Terrain Board Facility which will provide a projected televised view of the simulated flight path terrain for direct pilot viewing through the cockpit window.  To enhance the realism of the cockpit environment, typical visual sensor imagery was required which would be representative of forward looking radar, low-light-level television and forward looking infrared sensors, corresponding, in real-time, to the projected scene.  A Visual Sensor Simulator, described in the following sections, was developed by Technology Incorporated to provide a low-cost solution to this requirement.  By processing the terrain board video signal in real-time through the use of analog circuit techniques, simulated radar and electro-optical sensor imagery was generated which has been highly acceptable to experienced pilots.

The Visual Sensor simulator was designed to present representative imagery and not actual target signatures.  The design study was based on various target signature data but the correlation of sensor return for comparison of target signatures was not included in the initial program plan.  Future studies are planned to investigate these requirements in conjunction with other programs.

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MODELS FOR LIMITING DEBUGGING RESOURCES

TO SIMULATION CODING GOALS

Robert Cuykendall

Honeywell Marine Systems Division

Models characterizing the step-wise decreasing failure rate associated with the software debugging process are applied to a past computer program development in novel ways.  In these applications, the initial number of errors in the program, and the step-size constant, are determined from the error detection rates observed during an initial period of debugging.  Formal manipulation of maximum likelihood equations permits estimation of debugging time to achieve a code with specified residual error content.  (In any sizeable program it is impossible to remove all errors.)

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SIGNALING TONE SIMULATION IN AN EMERGING COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM–IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAINING AND UTILIZATION

Larry A. Peterson

United States Army Human Engineering Laboratory

The implications of early simulation of emergent electronics systems are discussed.  The effect of simulation on training programs and system usage in the field is illustrated by a recent experiment involving a new military communications system.  Potential savings in money and time are identified, as well as increased system effectiveness as a result of early system evaluation.  Early simulation is shown to significantly contribute to:

1)             more cost-effective training

2)             identification of problem areas within the system

3)             a realistic appraisal system performance

4)             possible improvement of overall system effectiveness; and

5)             savings in time throughout the systems life cycle.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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CONSERVING RESOURCES THROUGH TIME-DOMAIN

SONAR SIGNAL SYNTHEIS

Dr. Robert T. P. Wang

Honeywell Inc., Marine Systems Division

Energy, time, fuel, manpower, and the price of maintaining equipment are all resources exhibiting rising cost curves, and in some cases, also shrinking reserves.  To use these resources indiscriminently to train new recruits and upgrade experienced operators is a luxury that all nations can no longer afford.  Fortunately, for some applications, cost effect alternatives that conserve our valuable resources are now available.  Training sonar operators on real-time simulation equipment in a ground-based school is one such application.  Recent advances in computational and storage hardware have made it possible to produce complex signals in real-time to simulate the diverse sounds that are picked up by hydrophones in sonar systems.  Early sonar simulation systems had to produce audio sounds that imitate those heard through the sonar headphones as received from the real world environment.  Through advancements in sonar and signal processing technology, the Fourier spectrum of received acoustic signals are also displayed.  A viable simulation trainer must, therefore, follow suit and produce stimuli to the student that must not only "sound" right, but also have the same salient spectral features as the acoustic signals received by sonar hydrophone arrays in the real world.

This paper is available on the I/ITSEC Compendium CD-ROM.

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