Page 66 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

Now those pilot and aircrew specific data points can be put into simulators, thus allowing real time repeat
learning on how to be a better and better combat team.

The Admiral stressed it will be an exciting time as the new facilities come on line for both aircrews and
commanders to specifically hone combat skills.

Clearly, the leveraging of the new platforms built around this relationship such as the F-35 and P-8 is
important, as well as the capability to build out LVC and integrated simulation to train more effectively.
Above all, what the Navy is looking at are ways to shape new capabilities for learning and the ability to
leverage machines to get better fidelity for learning.

The Admiral highlighted another aspect of this process when he discussed the need to enhance the ability to
customize learning to repeat specific skill sets for warriors rather than having to repeat whole simulated
courses.

“We are looking to improve simulated learning for targeted skillsets, and individualized learning over all.
And one way you can do that is what they’re already seeing in the helicopter simulators, where the helicopter
pilot is learning how to hover.

“And the simulator is assisting them as necessary to make the hovering more successful.
“As the pilot gets better, the learning software in the simulator backs out and allows the pilot to continue on
their own.

“They get in the simulator the next day, the simulator knows who that person is, knows what they needed the
day before, maybe backs that off a little bit to see if they’ve learned anything. And then brings it back up.
So you have the simulator actually assisting with the learning.

“And they’re seeing that people are learning to do skills like hovering faster.”

The final subject we discussed is the close linkage between Fallon and the operational fleet in terms of
developing TTPs on demand from the fleet as the fleet is engaged in operations.

One example was working TTPs for air combat strafing in Afghanistan as a carrier was about to engage in
this task.

“ For example, we needed the ability in the mountains to do strafing at night because of the proximity of the
threat and wanting to have a low threshold for civilian casualties met by using the gun on the Super Hornet
and the Hornet.

“Very quickly NAWDC developed a methodology for night strafing, and it was developed, put right back out
to the fleet, and executed within months.”

Another recent example was reviewing TTPs after the shootdown of a Syrian jet in the Middle East and
working through the mission and sorting out any improvements in TTPs, which might need to be developed.

After an extensive review, none were deemed necessary to be made.

“The skillsets that we learned in the Advanced Readiness phase, and in Air Wing Fallon, and in COMPTUEX,
were everything that we needed to be able to execute the mission we did in Syria.”

Second Line of Defense

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