Integrating New Technology into the Complex System of Air Combat Training

Air combat training can be dangerous. Yet, over time, procedures, training rules, practices, standards, and even the air combat community's culture have evolved to form a comprehensive, sociotechnical training system that minimizes risk of incident and optimizes training value. In response to recent advances in air combat capability and resultant demands on the training infrastructure, the Navy proposed a substantial change to live air combat training: the addition of virtual and constructive (i.e. non‐live) aircraft. In this chapter, we describe work contributing to the evaluation of the proposed change. We used ethnographic and risk evaluation methods to identify and assess risks to training system effectiveness and aircrew safety. We identified 26 proposed new hazards representing seven categories. Five hazard categories were assessed as existing and mitigated within the current baseline training system (without non‐live aircraft). One was assessed as similar to existing hazards, but with a higher likelihood and therefore greater hazard exposure. Two hazard categories were found to represent new types of hazard that require mitigation in the future training system. We conclude that with a discussion of ways, new technology can disrupt a complex system and the importance of evaluating and mitigating disruptive effects prior to and during the system update or change process.