Engineering the User Into the Design of the Missile Defense Systems

Abstract

A key element of a successful Battle Management System is the architecture of the Command and Control User Interface. A system can possess the best track processing, data communications, sensor management, and weapon engagement coordination algorithms, and still be operationally ineffective if the warfighter is not properly engineered into the design. Catastrophes such as the Patriot fratricide incidents during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and the engagement of an Iranian passenger airliner by the USS Vincennes in 1988 are dramatic reminders of the need for controls and displays that effectively present system behavior in a timely manner that ensures proper operator interaction with the system. The actions taken by an operator may be erroneous if the automated algorithms and display decision aids are not compatible with the cognitive functions of the operator. Effective controls and displays are needed to help operators perform their mission in a manner that will minimize operator error rates and save lives.