Attitudes of Gunners and Team Leaders Toward the DRAGON Weapon System
Abstract
A field evaluation was conducted of the DRAGON weapon system and associated training through a survey of user troops and their leaders to identify factors contributing to the negative attitudes toward the DRAGON system allegedly held by user soldiers during previous DRAGON training. Attitude questionnaires were administered to 39 DRAGON gunners and 29 leaders. Principal findings were: (1) No general tendency was observed for gunners to change their attitudes toward the DRAGON system after acquiring more experience in firing the weapon; (2) Gunners and leaders tended to agree regarding most aspects of the DRAGON system; (3) That phase of training involving actual firing of inert rounds was considered the most beneficial; (4) A majority of gunners and leaders felt that leaders should be trained in simulated firing; (5) Leaders indicated that platoons should have three DRAGON teams with two gunners and two assistant gunners per team; (6) Confidence in accuracy, reliability, and lethality of the DRAGON system was high; and (7) DRAGON gunners may often be easily detected by the enemy because of the weight, bulkiness, and awkwardness of the round and tracker components, and because of the firing signature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA076716
Entities
People
- R. L. Palmer
- Ward A. Harris
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences