This joint thesis by two Marine Corps officers addresses the need for a task trainer for the artillery forward observer specific task. In recent years, declining budgets, limitations on artillery ammunition and encroachment into traditional physical terrain training areas have reduced the opportunity to conduct live fire artillery training. Up to today, simulation systems available to operating forces utilize technology that is several years out of date; and none have a deployable configuration for today's requirements. The goal was to develop a proof of concept simulator that uses advanced 3D graphics to replicate the task of artillery call for fire.

The system utilized Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) to produce accurate 3D geometry that is further enhanced by the use of color satellite imagery as a texture overlay to produce extremely realistic terrain. The procedures utilized in the FOPCSIM are taken directly from cognitive task analysis and executed through keyboard, mouse or voice recognition interfaces. The accuracy of these procedures was validated through a series of studies involving military personnel trained as forward observers. A wide variety of specific elements, such as mission types, munitions, targets, training areas, and environmental effects are available to the user, and may be set at the beginning of the simulation or changed during the simulation through a Graphical User Interface.

The MOVES Institute
Naval Postgraduate School
Code MOVES
833 Dyer Road, Room 256
Monterey, CA 93943
http://movesinstitute.org

Team:
David A. Brannon - Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps
Michael R. Villandre - Major, United States Marine Corps
John Locke, Terrain Modeler, The MOVES Institute, Naval Postgraduate School