Evaluation of Digital Communications on Performance of an Armor Battalion

Abstract

The U.S. Army is forging a digital communication system for combat vehicles as we enter the Information Age. Justification for this investment assumes it will improve soldier and unit performance. This evaluation assessed the performance of an armor battalion equipped with digital command, control and communication systems that vertically linked its platoon, company and battalion echelons in distributed interactive simulation. Participants included 210 soldiers in duty assignments that included a fully-manned, point platoon operating under company and battalion level commanders. Findings indicated that digital communication systems can provide significant improvements, over voice-only communications, on some important measures tested under an armor battalion's maneuver functions: move on the surface, navigate, process direct fire targets, and engage direct fire targets. The evaluation's method provides an example of how soldier-in-the-loop simulation can efficiently assess performance improvements anticipated from technologies such as digital communication systems, prior to critical but costly field evaluation.