SPADE: Scenario-based Performance Assessment for Dynamic Environments

There are numerous challenges associated with maintaining high-quality performance in complex operational environments. For Air Weapons Controllers (AWCs), maintaining high levels of proficiency is a critical and challenging task because of the complexity of the domain. AWCs are primarily responsible for enhancing the situational awareness of the fighter pilots with whom they are working. Opportunities for practicing skills for maintaining situational awareness are often limited by requirements for full crews of human teammates, qualified instructors, and access to full-up simulation platforms. Even in Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) training research exercises, the focus of training is often not on the AWC. The AWC primarily serves a supporting role to the pilots during DMO exercises. Thus, assessment and feedback of the AWC’s performance is often a peripheral activity for the instructor. What formal methods of assessment that do exist involve analyses of observed performance that do not provide immediate feedback to trainees. To meet these challenges we propose developing Scenario-based Performance Assessment for Dynamic Environments (SPADE), a vignette-based tool for assessing AWC performance before and after a DMO exercise. Based on MECSM products, SPADE will provide competency-based training and assessment opportunities to AWCs in order to supplement and maximize current DMO training.