Aircrew Performance Measurement and Proficiency: A Need for Better Operational Capabilities

Abstract

The US Navy seeks to leverage the tools, methods, and principles of data science to achieve a warfighting advantage over the nation’s enemies—an advantage that depends on making better-informed decisions in near real-time environments on topics such as operational flexibility, tactical techniques, and curriculum development. Achieving such a decision capability requires not only the creation of reliable, valid, and unobtrusive measures of warfighter proficiency that can be collected during training and operational events, but a means of enhancing human judgment and understanding with empirical evidence. The current plight of P-8A aircrews in receiving timely post-mission feedback highlights the gap between desire and reality. In this paper, we identify and propose a solution for gaps that have made timely feedback problematic for such aircrews. In so doing, we present a platform-agnostic approach capable of addressing instructional needs as well as challenges in managing “big data” and system integration.