How Human-Autonomy Teams change the Role of future Fighter Pilots: An Experimental Assessment

Using Human-Autonomy Technologies (HAT) will impact the way military air operations take place and will also change the role and tasks of future fighter pilots. We experimentally evaluate the role and activities of a pilot being in command of a Manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system. For this purpose, we have created a synthetic task environment that allows us to observe a pilot using the MUM-T system within a simulated air operation. First, we used a Goal-Directed Task Analysis (GDTA) to understand what a fighter pilot’s actual tasks and objectives are in military air operations. Afterwards, within the experimental assessment, we observed eight pilots performing six missions. We gathered information about their mental workload, their gaze distribution within the cockpit and their attention and task spectrum. Results show, that classical flight tasks like aviate, navigate and communicate will still be present, but of secondary importance and mainly delegated to automation. The Pilots spend most of their attention on mission management (Tactical assessment, UAV monitoring, Mission planning). This percentage even increases with the complexity of the mission. A primary objective of future pilots will be maintaining a comprehensive tactical air picture by assessing threats, targets and the resources of team members.