SUBMARINE COMBAT SYSTEM OPERATOR TRAINING WORKSTATION CONCEPTS

RAPIDLY EVOLVING ASW THREATS AND THE EMERGING ROLES FOR OUR SUBMARINE FORCE MANDATE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMBAT SYSTEM-S CAPABILITIES SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENT OF THESE CAPABILITIS IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON OUR ABILITY TO TRAIN OUR SUBMARINE OFFICERS AND CREW. CURRENT COMBAT SYSTEM TRAINER METHODS HAVE PROVEN INADEQUATE. COMPLEX LAND-BASED TRAINER SYSTEMS ARE COSTLY AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. FUNDING, SPACE AND PRESENTLY AVAILABLE ON-BOARD COMPUTER RESOURCES LIMIT THE CAPABILITY OF SUBMARINE-BASED TRAINING SYSTEMS. INADEQUATE TRAINING JEOPARDIZES THE SHIP-S SAFETY AND MISSION. THE GAP BETWEEN THE NEED AND AVAILABILITY OF OPERATOR TRAINING CONTINUES TO GROW, COMMENSURATE WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SUBMARINE COMBAT SYSTEM AND THE THREAT. THE PROBLEM IS AGGRAVATED BY INCREASING OPERATIONAL DEMANDS AND DECREASING BUDGETS. WORKSTATION TECHNOLOGY NOW PROVIDES THE MEANS TO BRIDGE THISGAP AND PROVIDE AFFORDABLE AND EFFECTIVE OPERATOR TRAINING. TRADITIONAL METHODS OF PROVIDING A LIMITED NUMBER OF LAND-BASED, HIGH COST, COMPLEX SYSTEMS MUST BE COMPLEMENTED WITH MULTIPLE LOW COST, HIGH-TECHOPERATOR-ORIENTED WORKSTATION TRAINERS. THESE TRAINERS WOULD BE READILY ACCESSIBLE AND PROVIDE RESPONSIVE, INNOVATIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL TRAINING FASTER, AND AT A FRACTION OF THE COST, OF GROUND WORK FOR DEVELOPING THIS WORKSTATION TRAINING CAPABILITY IN THE SUBMARINE FORCE.