Performance under combat conditions should equal the best levels achieved under training conditions. However, wartime performance may be degraded by the suppressive (psychological, indirect, or deterrent) effect of enemy weapons. This report examines the effect of air defense artillery (ADA) on air-to-ground missions. The methodology focuses on searches of the stress-and-performance and aviation combat literature, pilot interviews, and analysis of aviation tactics. A definitional framework of the concepts of actual and virtual suppression and attrition is presented. Command-and-control attrition management practices are examined, and examples from recent and past warfare are provided. Suppression was studied from the points of view of the performance-in-dangerous environments literature and cockpit workload. Examples of air-crew reactions to air defense artillery are included, and a summary chart lists pilot and mission characteristics influencing accuracy in weapons delivery. The authors conclude that (a) effective ADA can indirectly affect the otherwise effective firepower of attack aircraft through attrition management-safer attack profiles to preserve pilot and aircraft resources, (b) high cockpit workload in a threat-rich environment can contribute to suppression of pilot performance because of task overload, and (c) pilot-induced practices influence pilot performance. Performance (human), Attrition, Stress (psychology), Air strikes, Air defense, Weapon delivery.
Investigation of the Influence of Air Defense Artillery on Combat Pilot Suppression and Attrition Management Practices
1992
32 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Military Operations, Strategy, & Tactics , Psychology , Air defense , Artillery , Performance(Human) , Pilots , Stress(Psychology) , Psychological warfare , Ada programming language , Air strikes , Attack aircraft , Attrition , Cockpits , Control , Crews , Enemy , Environments , Firepower , Management , Methodology , Suppression , Threats , Training , Warfare , Wartime , Weapon delivery , Weapons , Workload