Transforming the Air Force Mission Planning Process with Virtual and Augmented Reality

Abstract

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) mission planning process, briefing, and debriefing are critical for tactical planning based on operational objectives and team performance. Our research focuses on modernizing these processes through the use of new technology, which is tailored to the current and developing operational capabilities of the Department of Defense. The current state of mission planning in the USAF revolves around traditional methods, such as briefing missions with white boards, topographic maps, and toy planes. At the same time, missions and technologies are becoming increasingly complex. Although the methods in which operations are being conducted are advancing, methods to prepare for these operations are not seeing the same progress and it is vital to leverage new techniques to facilitate the efficient planning of complex missions. Our goal is to revolutionize the mission planning process by integrating modern technology into the process. To accomplish this, we looked to enhance mission planning, briefing, and debriefing with a more visual and immersive experience. We created a system in which “mission critical” intelligence data can be placed into an Excel spreadsheet and transformed into a virtual representation of the mission that can be viewed through virtual reality and augmented reality platforms. This implementation of present-day technology into mission planning operations has the potential to enhance mission performance and therefore reduce potential equipment damage and loss, as well as casualties.