A Preliminary Investigation of Weapon-System Dispersion and Crew Marksmanship

摘要

The purpose of the present project is to develop a model Table VIII for determining the qualification of tank crews in gunnery. The model table described in a companion report (Wheaton, Fingerman, & Boycan, 1977), consists of 28 engagements in which targets are to be neutralized with various weapons of a tank. The model table is designed as a criterion-referenced instrument; that is, the performance of each crew on each engagement is compared to a specified standard of acceptable performance. A 'pass' or 'go' is recorded if the performance meets or exceeds the stanadard, while a 'no-go' is recorded otherwise. These performance standards generally require a certain degree of accuracy (e.g., 'obtain a target hit with at most two rounds') and speed in accomplishing the engagement (e.g., 'engage within 5 seconds of target appearance, fire first round within 5 seconds, fire second round (if needed) within 10 seconds'). Both speed and accuracy standards must be met in order to score a 'go' on any specific engagement. In addition to the specific performance standard, a second standard is also established to determine crew gunnery qualification. This standard is specified in terms of the proportion of engagements on which a 'go' must be achieved.