Cognitive Electronic Warfare (EW) as a Training Aid

In its broadest sense, cognitive EW considers the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) techniques to EW problems.  Cognitive EW research has largely focussed on reducing the need for human intervention and even completely replacing humans in EW systems.  However, the need for humans in complex systems is unlikely to disappear for the foreseeable future, if ever.  The more likely outcome is that humans will move to higher-level functions as has happened historically whenever humanity has developed a new technology.  As a result, the need for highly-skilled people may actually increase rather than decrease as a result of cognitive systems, especially in specialist fields like EW.  This observation leads inevitably to the question of how the potentially significant numbers of people with the required high-level skills will be trained.

Ideally, subject-matter experts should provide the relevant training, but such experts are normally in high demand, and even if this is not the case, not every expert can teach.  Additionally, each expert can only train a limited number of people, especially when the objective is the development of higher-level skills.  By comparison, cognitive systems optimised for training applications can be developed, and such systems can be duplicated as many times as necessary.

This presentation will explore how cognitive EW systems could be used in training applications.  The way some of the inherent requirements of cognitive systems can be exploited in training applications will be described.  An example of how a basic cognitive EW system for mission-planning can be used to help learn about the unique aspects of EW engagements will be explored.  Additionally, the use of relatively simple systems to automatically generate examination questions and solutions in undergraduate engineering courses will be highlighted as an example of where a similar approach is already being successfully applied.