Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Appropriations Programmatic Adjustment for Air
Force Human Effectiveness Research
Request:
Wright State Research Institute (WSRI) requests a $15.0 million increase to support Human
Effectiveness Applied Research.
Possible Language:
The Committee notes that unmanned aerial systems continue to rely heavily on human operators
and supports ongoing research to develop Autonomous systems and comprehensive methods to
train for a more realistic and seamless human-machine operational environment. The Committee
understands that the Air Force is researching how to measure, accelerate, and expand the cognitive
skills necessary to improve airmen training and mission performance in and across Live, Virtual and
Constructive (LVC) environments, as well as how to evaluate human dynamics in these blended
autonomous systems to advance machine intelligence and operator performance enhancement
technologies for advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The
Committee encourages the Secretary of the Air Force to continue these research efforts. (Language
reflects partner and community agreement in Summer 2015)
Background:
One of the greatest challenges facing the Department of Defense (DOD) is maintaining a strong
national defense in the face of reduced resources. The Air Force Chief Scientist’s report in 2010,
Technology Horizons: A Vision for Air Force Science & Technology During 2010-2030, stated that
Air Force science and technology efforts must focus on reducing Air Force manpower, energy, and
sustainment operating costs.
Manpower costs are the largest component of current DOD budgets. Research directed at
increasing manpower efficiencies or reducing manpower needs has not received sufficient attention
in recent budgets. To meet these manpower challenges, the Air Force started new initiatives to
increase the use of autonomous systems and augmentation of human performance. Both achieve
capability increases and cost savings via manpower efficiencies and reduced operational manpower.
As an example, remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA) have added a tremendous warfighter edge by
moving human interactions for flight control, data collection, analysis, exploitations, and decision
making to safer areas. However, it takes 165 personnel to maintain a single Combat Air Patrol
(24/7) for the Predator/Reaper. This PE increase will accelerate development of technologies
optimizing human-machine teaming and autonomy, which greatly reduces overall operational
manpower. Determining optimal requirements for human and machine teaming on RPAs and other
systems solves the problem of escalating warfighter manpower costs. Wright State University, with
its investment into LVC and human centered research, engineering, and life sciences, is uniquely
positioned to accelerate these developments for the Air Force.
Proposed Spending Areas:
This funding increase supports critical research to improve and reduce the cost and improve mission
effectiveness of RPA operations, intelligence systems operations, cyber protection, air support
operations centers, and LVC personnel training and sustainment. Specific research in LVC,
manned-unmanned teaming, cognition, neuroscience, autonomy, trust and technologies to augment
human performance is critical for the 21st-century warfighter.
Principal Contact:
Mr. Dennis Andersh – phone 937.705.1005; email: dennis.andersh@wright.edu
4035 Colonel Glenn Hwy | Beavercreek, OH 45431 | 937.705.1050 | wsri.wright.edu