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ABSTRACTThe Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is a core command and control (C2) function in which sensors, shooters, and refuelers are managed by Weapons Directors (WDs) in an airborne radar and communications command post. Improving the quality of WD training can have profound effects on mission outcome. A basic technology capable of this is "intelligent-agent" technology, which allows more frequent practice via simulated players and embedded decisions aids that display reasonable task options online. We report initial empirical work with an embedded-agent simulation based on the AWACS, namely, the 21 st Century Systems, Inc. WD Intelligent-Agent-Assist platform. Using this platform, we observed how 38 WDs performed during two high-workload missions. One mission was played with a decision aid that recommended target pairings and refuelings, while the other was not. Our sample benefited from the decision aid, but the more experienced WDs benefited the most (counter to our expectations). We discuss the results in terms of interface challenges that decision aids will face in high workload environments. This extends findings in Elliott, Chaiken, Dalrymple, Petrov, Stoyen (2000), Simulationbased agent in a synthetic team
