Joint Tactical Air Control Training with Intelligent CGFs (JTACTICs): Improved Computerized Ground Forces (CGF) for Close Air Support Training

ABSTRACT: One of the key lessons learned from operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom is that Close Air Support (CAS) is assuming an increasingly important role for US military planners and field commanders. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) play a critical role across all Services in bringing air superiority to bear in engaging targets of opportunity in close proximity to friendly forces and non-combatants. The job of a JTAC is demanding and requires strong cognitive skills to maintain situational awareness. CHI Systems, Inc. will develop and demonstrate prototype intelligent agents interacting within computer generated forces, via speech recognition and generation, inside a game-based immersive 3D simulation environment in order to conduct Joint Terminal Attack Controller Training. Our research for this project, Joint Tactical Air Control Training with Intelligent CGFs (JTACTICs), will determine the CAS-related missions that the JTAC war fighters are expected to engage in, the CAS-related white-force role players to be injected into a CGF, and the scenarios and performance measures for JTAC training. CHI Systems will demonstrate the feasibility and functionality of JTACTICs by providing a proof-of-concept demonstration in which a certified JTAC will prosecute a scenario from the commander"s five-paragraph order through mission execution to AAR. BENEFIT: Medium-fidelity, PC-based training simulators that enjoy substantial cost advantages over large high fidelity simulators and can be deployed in volumes sufficient to provide on-demand training to any JTAC on an anytime/anywhere basis. Meaningful training and performance assessment: incorporating the tutoring and assessment required to address training of real-time decision making in complex situations, sophisticated speech understanding capabilities to train skills related to communications, such as radio procedures, and the cognitive and pedagogical infrastructure to deliver the vital training that occurs during after-action reviews. Eliminating the need for dedicated controllers/role players: synthetic agents to eliminate the need for human confederates to staff positions not being filled by trainees; for instance, pilots, other controllers, and ground forces that JTACs must monitor and interact with synthetic agents that exhibit advanced, realistic, and dynamic behaviors.