Close Air Support Mission: Development of a Unitary Measure of Pilot Performance

Abstract

Abstract : This effort demonstrated the feasibility of combining components of the Close Air Support (CAS) mission in a valid composite measure of pilot performance. Combat-ready, A-10 aircraft pilots judged overall mission performance from outcomes typical of those obtained in the Advanced Simulator for Pilot Training (ASPT) based on pilot survival and the number and type of targets destroyed. A linear regression analysis of the judgments resulted in a mathematical formula that assigned differential values to the mission components. The formula was cross-validated using a separate group of A-10 pilots who judged performance for a different set of CAS mission outcomes. To test the sensitivity of the scoring algorithm to CAS training, data from a previous study on pilots trained in ASPT were reanalyzed using the formula. CAS performance, as calculated by the algorithm, improved significantly across training trials. This procedure for developing a unitary performance metric may be useful in other training research and development when a composite measure is desirable for evaluation purpose. Originator-supplied keywords include: Air to surface, Combat simulation, and Expert judgment.