In mid-1984, the first advanced SHORAD (Short-Range Air Defense) Institutional Trainer became operational. This trainer included for the first time, some of the most advanced concepts ever offered in a training device. One of these concepts is an instructor expert system, devised to reduce the instructor's workload which is normally high in a trainer of this complexity. The SHORAD Trainer consists of six two-man crew training positions controlled from a dual-position instructor station. Target aircraft are flown against the crews being trained who are in turn evaluated on their performance. The targets are realistic; they take evasive measures based on actions taken by the crew being trained such as radar lock-on, missile firing, and employment of various electronic counter-measures. The instructor expert system automatically controls each training situation, adapting in real time the target behavior in response to every student action at each student station.

This instructor expert system also includes evaluation and automatic remedial training, accomplished by a real-time evaluation process that determines when the crew needs help. Help is provided through voice synthesized prompts, textual messages, or through assignment of remedial training, such as slowing targets down when tracking accuracy appears to be a problem. All of these are accomplished automatically, based on the crews' performance, requiring no instructor activity. Records of all activities are retained to analyze what tasks were difficult for a given student as well as what tasks require additional training for all personnel. Immediate benefits of this instructor expert system are a consistently challenging training program tailored to each student's achievement, and a comprehensive monitoring of the overall training program that frees the instructor for one-on-one contact when a student needs personalized help.