How do you design a program that will be able to deliver quality training for a weapon system that is technically complex, requires a high level of operational mastery, and will change in six months? To add to the challenge, the objectives and procedures used to create the training system will change before the training can be delivered.

At first glance, training for the Navy's EA-6B aircrew appears to have the same basic requirements as for other multicrew tactical Navy aircraft. However, unlike other types of aircraft, the EA-6B's weapon system is driven by three general-purpose computers and multiple special-application microprocessors. The extensive software required to drive these computers provides optimal flexibility for the EA-6B's evolving mission. Because of the rapidly changing nature of electronic warfare, the EA-6B's hardware and software are constantly being updated to meet the challenges of newly developed detection technology. Major system changes and updates occur every six to eight months. The expanding system capabilities require continuous training restructuring to maintain operator proficiency.

The secret to conducting successful training under these circumstances is to rely heavily on Computer-Based Training (CBT), ensuring that management and programming techniques efficiently handle changes and updates. This paper will discuss CBT development techniques used in the EA-6B program and raise some training concurrency issues associated with weapon systems designed to be updated on a frequent basis.

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Ellen Le Vita, M.A.