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CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and EDUCATION AND THE ARTS decisionmaking through research and analysis. ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE This electronic document was made available from www.rand.org as a public service INFRASTRUCTURE AND of the RAND Corporation. TRANSPORTATION INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LAW AND BUSINESS Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 NATIONAL SECURITY POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY Support RAND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Purchase this document TERRORISM AND Browse Reports & Bookstore HOMELAND SECURITY Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND Arroyo Center View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non- commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This report is part of the RAND Corporation research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. C O R P O R A T I O N Changing the Army’s Weapon Training Strategies to Meet Operational Requirements More Efficiently and Effectively James C. Crowley, Bryan W. Hallmark, Michael G. Shanley, Jerry M. Sollinger ARROYO CENTER Changing the Army’s Weapon Training Strategies to Meet Operational Requirements More Efficiently and Effectively James C. Crowley, Bryan W. Hallmark, Michael G. Shanley, Jerry M. Sollinger Prepared for the United States Army Approved for public release; distribution unlimited The research described in this report was sponsored by the United States Army under Contract No. W74V8H-06-C-0001. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN 978-0-8330-8261-9 The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND—make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute.html R® is a registered trademark. © Copyright 2014 RAND Corporation This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see the RAND permissions page (www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.html). RAND OFFICES SANTA MONICA, CA • WASHINGTON, DC PITTSBURGH, PA • NEW ORLEANS, LA • JACKSON, MS • BOSTON, MA CAMBRIDGE, UK • BRUSSELS, BE www.rand.org Preface The ability of soldiers to engage the enemy effectively is fundamental to the operational success of the U.S. Army. As a result, the Army devotes considerable effort and resources to weapon training. The Army’s current challenge is to adapt weapon training strategies to meet complex operational environments, to take full advantage of enhanced weapon training capabilities, and to be more efficient. This document reports results of a research project entitled “Adapting Live Training Strat- egies to Better Support Full-Spectrum Operations and Persistent Conflict and to Leverage Advancing Technologies.” The objective of the project was to support the Army’s efforts to improve its weapon training strategies to better support operational requirements and unit readiness processes, take full advantage of the potential of simulator technology, and become more efficient. This report documents the findings, conclusions, and implications of this research. It outlines findings arising from an assessment of the Army’s processes for developing weapon training strategies and areas for improvement. We also examine the potential of emerging technologies to make weapon training strategies more effective and efficient. Finally, we -out line directions the Army could take to improve weapon training strategies and the programs that support them, as well as to better integrate them with the broader range of Army training strategies and programs. This report should interest those involved in designing Army train- ing strategies and those involved in the process of providing resources for implementing those strategies. This research was sponsored by Brigadier General Michael D. Lundy, Deputy Com- manding General, Combined Arms Center–Training, and conducted within RAND Arroyo Center’s Manpower and Training Program. RAND Arroyo Center, part of the RAND Cor- poration, is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the United States Army. The Project Unique Identification Codes (PUICs) for the projects that produced this document are RAN126141 and HQD115815. iii Contents Preface ........................................................................................................... iii Figures ........................................................................................................... ix Tables ............................................................................................................ xi Summary .......................................................................................................xiii Acknowledgments ............................................................................................ xix Abbreviations .................................................................................................. xxi CHaptER ONE Introduction and Background ............................................................................... 1 Purpose ............................................................................................................ 2 Operational Requirements and ARFORGEN Readiness Processes ....................................... 2 Operational Requirements .................................................................................... 2 ARFORGEN Readiness Processes ........................................................................... 3 Research Approach ............................................................................................... 4 Research Activities ............................................................................................. 5 Organization of the Remainder of This Report .............................................................. 6 CHaptER TWO Weapon Training Strategies and Processes for Their Development ................................... 7 The Current State of Weapon Training Strategies and Standards .......................................... 7 Weapon Strategies and Standards Vary by Weapon System but Have Many Similarities ............ 8 The Use of Weapon-System Simulators Is Varied but Extensive ......................................... 9 Strategies and Standards Have Not Changed Greatly Since 2000, but Training Ammunition Expenditure Rates Have Changed...................................................... 9 The Current State of Processes for Developing Weapon Training Strategies, Standards, and Support .................................................................................................13 Findings .......................................................................................................13 Conclusions ....................................................................................................17 CHaptER THREE The Potential of Simulators to Improve Weapon Training Strategies and Make Them More Efficient ..............................................................................................19 Findings ..........................................................................................................19 There Is a Consensus that Simulators Can Improve Weapon Training and Make It More Efficient ............................................................................................19 Direct Research on the Capabilities of Gunnery Training Simulators Is Limited ................... 20 v vi Changing the Army’s Weapon Training Strategies to Meet Operational Requirements Studies of Rifle Marksmanship and Tank/BFV Gunnery Support the Benefit of Simulators for Weapon System Training ............................................................. 20 Many Obstacles and Limitations Hamper the Expanded Use of Simulators and Other Technologies in Weapon Training Strategies ........................................................ 23 An Examination of the Fire Support Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (FSCATT) Illustrates Some Key Issues with Leveraging the Potential of Simulators ........................ 24 Conclusions ...................................................................................................

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