Evaluation of a Low Fidelity Battle Simulation for Training and Evaluating Command, Control and Communications (C3) Skills for the Armor Platoon Leader
Abstract
This report describes an investigation of the use of Simulation for Combined Arms Training (SIMCAT). SIMCAT is a low cost, low fidelity battle simulation developed for the Army Research Institute to train and evaluate tactical skills for leaders of small armor units. SIMCAT uses networked microcomputers, videodisc technology, and voice recognition and playback to symbolically represent critical variables needed to practice armor platoon C3 skills. Twenty officers served a platoon leaders for Army Mission Training and Evaluation Plan (AMTEMP) Field Training Exercises adapted for use with SIMCAT. Each exercise contained a tactical roadmarch, passage of lines, and movement to contact. AMTEMP standards checklists were used to evaluate selected tactical tasks. Officers were tested on one exercise, received additional practice on that exercise, and then tested on a different exercise. The officers were Armor Officer Basic graduates. Half had the field leadership experience since graduation; half had no postgraduate experience. Scores for the experienced officers were significantly higher than for those lacking field experience, and both groups showed improvement with practice. Officers' ratings of the training effectiveness of SIMCAT were favorable. Keywords: Armor training; Training simulation; Low fidelity training; Performance measurement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA210606
Entities
People
- Donald Ralph Lampton
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences