Exercise Black Skies 2008: Enhancing Live Training Through Virtual Preparation - Part One: An Evaluation of Training Effectiveness

Abstract

This research employed a case study strategy to examine the benefits of using synthetic environments to provide mission preparation for command and control teams prior to a large-scale, live warfighting exercise. During Pitch Black 08, we compared the performance of two Air Battle Management (ABM) teams: one team prepared by supporting normal flying operations, the other took part in a virtual mission preparation exercise named Black Skies 08. The synthetic environment provided in Black Skies 08 was designed to simulate Pitch Black 08 as closely as possible in terms of mission scenarios, order of battle, airspace, procedures, and tactics. The evaluation of the training provided in the virtual mission preparation was carried out using the four-level model: Reaction, Learning, Behavioural, and Results critera. The members that participated in Black Skies 08 reported that the virtual mission preparation compared favourably to both regular training and live exercises in terms of the capacity to provide training experiences critical to the ABM role. Over the course of the virtual mission preparation, the ABM team displayed a marked improvement in teamwork processes, motivational state, and across most mission essential tasks. During the subsequent live warfighting exercise, the teamwork processes and taskwork performance of this team were rated as better overall than those of the matched ABM team that did not take part in virtual mission preparation. The virtual mission preparation also demonstrated a broader organisational and operational value to the RAAF: it provided the White Force with the opportunity to identify deficiencies in, and mitigate risks associated with, the Pitch Black mission scenarios; and it allowed the ABM team to refine their Pitch Black plans and procedures, enabling them to more effectively utilise the valuable training opportunity presented by a large-scale, live warfighting exercise.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA516754

Entities

People

  • Aaron Stott
  • Christopher Best
  • Christopher Shanahan
  • Eleanore Tracey
  • Melanie Finch
  • Sam Hasenbosch

Organizations

  • Defence Science and Technology Group

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Airborne Warning And Control System
  • Battle Management
  • Command And Control
  • Employment
  • Information Systems
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Training
  • National Security
  • Order Of Battle
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Situational Awareness
  • Training
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Instructional Design and Training Evaluation.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space