AH-IW ATTACK HELICOPTER COCKPIT WORKLOAD REDUCTION

THE COMPLEX AVIONICS AND SOPHISTICATED TACTICS NECESSARY TO DELIVERPRECISION GUIDED MUNITIONS AND COUNTER MODERN MILITARY THREATS PLACE A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON THE CAPABILITIES OF THE ATTACK HELICOPTER AND THE PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE CAPACITIES OF THEIR AIRCREW. THESE CONSTRAINTS DICTATE THAT FUTURE AVIONIC DESIGNS AND COCKPIT LAYOUTS ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE AIRCREW-S WORKLOAD DURING INGRESS, WEAPONS EMPLOYMENT, AND EGRESS TO OPTIMIZE THEIR PERFORMANCE. CREW WORKLOAD REDUCTION IS A MAJOR DESIGN CONSIDERATION FOR UPGRADES TO THE AH-IW COCKPIT AND AVIONICS SUITE. DCS PROPOSES TO CONDUCT RESEARCH WHICH WILL DEFINE CANDIDATE TASKS SUITABLE FOR A WORKLOAD REDUCTION PROGRAM, AND THENIDENTIFY AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES TO AUTOMATE OR MINIMIZE THESE CUMBERSOME TASKS. THE RESULTANT DATA WILL BE ORGANIZED AND RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED FOR AN INTEGRATED SOLUTION TO THE DEFICIENCIES IN TERMS OFBOTH TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN FACTORS. CONSIDERATIONS FOR INCREASED SURVIVABILITY, GREATER GROWTH POTENTIAL, AND EASE OF INTEGRATION WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE RECOIUMENDATIONS. DCS WILL PROPOSE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT IS COST-EFFECTIVE AND TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE.