AFRL DEVELOPS NEXT-GENERATION EFFECTS-BASED DECISION AIDS

  • Published
  • By Plans and Programs Directorate
  • AFRL/XP
AFRL engineers working under the Cyber Crew Interface and Development program developed and demonstrated prototypes for next-generation effects-based decision aids and warfighter-tailored information visualizations that support the information warfare (IW) planning cycle. Powerful decision support system tools and information management applications will reduce volumes of complex data into tailored cognitive displays, enabling staff and commanders to rapidly grasp the impact of current operational decisions on mission success and future combat capability.
AFRL developers employed a cognitive systems engineering approach to the design, ultimately producing a comprehensive record of the cognitive tasks associated with the Air Force (AF) IW flights' work domain, as well as a process for translating the findings into informational requirements and software concept design requirements. The team's resulting prototypes demonstrate the visibility of mission, commander's intent, and information requirements needed for dynamically, proactively, and rapidly driving coordinated operations, while providing a common battlespace representation of these effects-based operations.
Thus far, all concepts developed under this program have transitioned to the Information Warfare Planning Capability (IWPC), a suite of automated, collaborative tools supporting the integration of IW effects into operational planning and execution. The Secretary of Defense has designated the IWPC as the joint planning tool for information operations (IO). This effort has provided information warfighters with effects-based analysis and portrayal tools to assist the completion of IW planning and assessment tasks. In addition, the effort has contributed both to the design of the user interface for the Advanced Master Caution Panel Defense Technology Objective and to the completion of a task analysis supporting the AF defensive IO mission.