The Method and Application of Aircrew Proficiency to High-Fidelity Mission Models in Support of Air Warfare Analysis

Abstract

The holistic assessment of any combat system is incomplete without evaluation of the human component. The human operator is a key, perhaps the key, component of successful combat operations in complex environments. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) recognized the need to consider aircrew proficiency in the achievement of warfighting objectives. In response, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) developed the Proficiency-Enabled Mission Model (PEMM) to characterize the impact of operator training and readiness on mission effectiveness in the context of strike-fighter aircraft in air combat. APL’s development of PEMM has advanced the state of the art for air combat modeling and simulation by introducing aircrew proficiency while executing current tactics, techniques, and procedures in the Brawler combat simulation environment. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet defensive counter-air mission served as the initial case for proof of concept. The resulting capability informed investment decisions and training enhancements for that community. This article facilitates extension of this methodology by summarizing the process for producing a data-driven proficiency-enabled mission model with specific attention to tactics encoding, data collection, and simulation environment prerequisites.