Forward Air Controller: Task Analysis and Development of Team Training Measures for Close Air Support

• Main Authors: Zobarich, R. M., Lamoureux, Tabbeus M., Martin, Lora E., Boothby, R.
• Other Authors: HUMANSYSTEMS INC GUELPH (ONTARIO)
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Military Operations; Strategy and Tactics; *TRAINING; *CLOSE SUPPORT; *TEAMS(PERSONNEL); SIMULATION; FORWARD AREAS; PILOTS; RATINGS; TACTICAL AIR CONTROL SYSTEMS; UNITED KINGDOM; FRATRICIDE; TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT; CANADA; DISTRIBUTION; UNITED STATES; MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN); *FORWARD AIR CONTROLLERS; FOREIGN REPORTS; Canada; Northern Goshawk
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA477167; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA477167

The role of the Forward Air Controller (FAC) in Close Air Support (CAS) is critical, as their performance can mean the difference between effective CAS and fratricide. Effective live training opportunities in Canada for FACs are limited as they require large supporting teams (involving among others pilots, the supported commander, higher air command, etc.). Distributed simulation may be a useful tool for generating and sustaining FAC capabilities in the Canadian Forces (CF). However, in order to establish the effectiveness of such training, it is necessary to define the tasks the FAC and the CAS team perform, and to identify suitable metrics for assessing the team's performance. To this end, a Hierarchical Task Analysis of CAS was performed. The analysis was used to develop a series of Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) that captured team performance in CAS. These BARS were trialed during Exercise Northern Goshawk, a distributed simulation of a joint coalition operation involving research partners from DRDC Toronto, the United States and the United Kingdom. The exercise revealed a number of challenges affecting the application of the instrument as well as the interpretation of the ratings obtained with it. Thus, this report does not provide analysis of the ratings. However, a number of possible solutions to the challenges are discussed. The report also makes a number of recommendations for improving the instrument prior to its application in future distributed simulation exercises. The principal ones are: future raters should be adequately trained on using the instrument, and its inter-rater reliability should be assessed and refined. An improved BARS instrument will aid in the development of effective distributed training simulations in support of FAC capability development in the CF. The original document contains color images. Text in English; abstract and summary in French and English.