DOD and the Services have long supported the incorporation of embedded training (ET) in the design of new weapon platforms as a means to increase forward readiness and to reduce life cycle costs. However, the early incorporation of embedded training is extremely difficult because ET requirements must be defined in sufficient detail (e.g., functions, tasks, weapon subsystems impacted, ET component size, etc.) for subsystem/component trade-off decisions at each system level engineering design review. These early functional definitions require estimating component performance, miniaturization, and costs five to seven years into the future.

This paper addresses the issues and demands of incorporating ET into the Marine Corps' Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV). This discussion follows the sequence of critical issues identified in "A Guide to Early Embedded Training Decisions (Witmer and Knerr, 1996). These issues and associated AAAV design reviews were the basis of an unexpected result. As data matured, and more defined analyses were conducted, the overpowering rationale for the incorporation of ET into the AAAV shifted from a cost benefits perspective to a "mission essential" rationale, given the expeditionary nature of the Marine Corps.