DON26BZ01-NV032 — Automated Assessment and Adaptive Training for Simulated Fire Support Coordination

Award Maximum: $140,000 (Base) / $100,000 (Option) Period of Performance: 6 months (Base) + 6 months (Option) Phase Type: Phase I

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop training tools that assess individual performance in a scenario-based fire support simulator and adapt instruction/scenarios based on that assessment without the need of an instructor in the loop.

DESCRIPTION: Recent Marine Corps publications have emphasized that effective fires employment remains a critical element of Marine Corps lethality and readiness. Fire support coordination (FSC) is the complex process of planning, integrating, and synchronizing the delivery of indirect fires (e.g., artillery, mortars) and close air support (CAS) to assist maneuver forces on the battlefield. At the company level, fire support is executed by a Fire Support Team (FiST) composed of several members, such as a FiST lead, Forward Observer (FO), Fire Support Officer (FSO), Joint Forward Observer (JFO), and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC).

Simulation-based training is available at a few designated locations, but these events require substantial instructor support to simulate different roles across multiple fires agencies and platforms. Live-fire Integrated Training Exercises (ITX) are costly, time and manpower intensive, occur infrequently, and have safety and external agency constraints. Furthermore, both simulated and live training environments require instructors to observe and assess performance with no automated assessment tooling. Across live and simulated events, these assessments are often not standardized and are subjective in nature, limiting opportunities for systematic assessment at the team or individual level.

Marines need a capability to assess foundational skills in their individual roles (crawl phase) that is embedded within a realistic fires simulator without requiring instructor facilitation or a full complement of FiST members. Automated assessment within the simulator allows for more objective-based metrics of performance and diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses of individual trainees.

Simulation solutions must communicate via standard federated simulation protocols (e.g., DIS6/7, HLA RPR FOM). Preference is given to proposals that incorporate or interoperate with existing and/or approved DOW simulation platforms with existing Authority To Operate (ATO) documentation for USMC.

PHASE I: Define and develop a concept for a scenario-based fire support simulation for individual FiST members that incorporates embedded assessment and adaptive training capabilities without the need for an instructor present. The focus of Phase I is developing and demonstrating an individual training solution for a FiST lead while also developing the broader concept for the remaining FiST individual roles. The concept shall include: (1) specific plans for how fundamental skills will be assessed at an individual FiST member level within the simulation and how the simulation will adapt based on the embedded performance assessment; (2) an evaluation plan to determine the validity of the assessments and training effectiveness.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype for a scenario-based fire support simulation that incorporates embedded assessment and adaptive training capabilities without the need for an instructor or role players present for the FiST lead role. Develop a plan to expand the assessment and adaptive training capabilities for additional roles in the FiST. Conduct validation of assessments with appropriate end users with coordination assistance from ONR. Produce deliverables including: (1) a working prototype with performance data output; (2) supporting software documentation; (3) an assessment validation report; (4) plans for expanding the assessment and training capabilities to new roles within the FiST.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Marine Corps in transitioning the technology for Marine Corps use. Focus on broadening capabilities of the training prototype to support additional roles, mission types, and fire support capabilities (e.g., loitering munitions, UAS, etc.). Applications for dual-use include simulation-based individual and team assessments for training, such as law enforcement and air traffic controllers.

KEYWORDS: Assessment; embedded assessment; adaptive training; fire support; simulation-based training; scenario-based training