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Psychology and Psychotechnics
Reference:

Professiographic study of the professional activities of operators anti-aircraft missile systems

Chepurnov Il'ya Aleksandrovich

ORCID: 0000-0003-2982-994X

PhD in Technical Science

Associate Professor at the Department of Anti-Aircraft Missile Forces of Military Training Center, Bauman Moscow State Technical University (National Research University)

105005, Russia, Moscow, Moscow, ul. 2 Baumanskaya, 5, of. 1

chepurnov@bmstu.ru
Other publications by this author
 

 

DOI:

10.7256/2454-0722.2023.3.43982

EDN:

XIQFKC

Received:

05-09-2023


Published:

12-09-2023


Abstract: The rapid improvement of weapons and military equipment of anti-aircraft missile forces, the complication of the tasks assigned to the calculations of modern anti-aircraft missile systems and the conditions for their implementation, necessitates taking into account the human factor and revising the requirements for operational personnel, due to the increased impact of the psychological component of their professional activities. This article actualizes the problem of psychological support for the reliability of the professional activities of operators of anti-aircraft missile systems. The main stages of a professional study of the professional activities of operators of anti-aircraft missile systems, carried out in order to improve the methods of their selection and professional training, are described. An expanded list of professionally important qualities formed as a result of the study, which the operator of an anti-aircraft missile system must have for successful activity, as well as a list of integral professionally important qualities, is presented. The results of the study can be used in the selection of methods for identifying and determining the level of development of integral professionally important qualities of operators of complex technical systems for military purposes at the stages of selection and training.


Keywords:

engineering psychology, professional activity, operator, anti-aircraft missile system, anti-aircraft missile troops, professionally important qualities, professiography, research, human-machine system, military training

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Introduction

Anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs), which are the main armament unit of anti-aircraft missile forces (SAMs), are a set of functionally related means designed to defeat air targets with anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAMs) [1]. The composition of the SAM, as a rule, includes the following fixed assets: a multifunctional radar station (MRLS), launchers (PSU) with missiles and power supply facilities [2].

The peculiarity of the work of the SAM operators is the absence of direct contact with the control object. So, operators do not work with the means of the SAM directly, but with their information models that exist in the form of a set of devices and monitors located at automated workstations (APMs) of operators. The product of the work of the system "operator – ARM – means of SAM" is, first of all, control information, which indicates that this system belongs to the class of information-control systems "man-machine" (MCM).

The author's many years of personal experience in training specialists for the air defense system at the military training Center (VUC) Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as an analysis of their further service in the military, led to the conclusion that in modern conditions, requirements are increasing not only for the quality of training of air defense system operators in the field of specialized professional knowledge, skills and abilities, but also for a complex of psychological (personal) qualities that determine their professional reliability.

The problem of psychological assurance of the reliability of the professional activity of the operators of the MFM has sufficiently developed theoretical foundations and practical results, thanks to the research of B.A. Dushkov, E.M. Ivanova, V.A. Bodrov, A.N. Anokhin and many other authors. However, the problem cannot be considered solved. The growth of the combat capabilities of modern air defense systems, the complication of the conditions of combat, as well as the increase in the information load on the operator increases the price of his error and the likelihood of its occurrence.

In this regard, the task of a professionographic study of the professional activities of air defense system operators in order to improve the methods of their selection and professional training becomes relevant.

The purpose of this work is to study the professional activities of air defense system operators and to form a list of professionally important qualities (PVK) necessary for the successful implementation of activities.

 

The main stages of occupational research

Considering the SAM as a human-machine system, in which the role of the human operator remains the leading one, primarily in terms of decision-making,
it is necessary to note its following specific feature – the success of the SAM is due to the interaction in time and space of not one, but several operators (calculations), united by a single goal and the result of labor. In this regard, the "collective operator" of the SAM was chosen as the object of the study, taking into account the fact that the head of the operator group (the commander of the calculation), in addition to operator functions, also performs organizational and managerial functions.

The analysis of psychological features of professional activity is based on its comprehensive study and systematization of the obtained quantitative and qualitative data. Such a complex method of studying and describing the substantive and structural characteristics of a profession in order to establish the specifics of the relationship between the subject of labor and the components of the activity (its content, means, conditions, organization) and its functional support is called professionography [3,4,5].

The occupational research gives an adequate description and provides a correct psychophysiological analysis of professional activity for solving such psychotechnical tasks as: professional selection, vocational training, overcoming professional fatigue and overwork, scientific organization of work.

Based on the approaches to the compilation of a professionogram set out in [6,7,8,9], and taking into account the specificity of military specialties, the author defines the following stages of conducting a professionographic study of the professional activity of an air defense system operator:

1. Definition of the main purpose of work (activity).

2. General characteristics of labor (activity).

3. Characteristics of working conditions (activity).

4. Definition of the main operations performed (subject-functional tasks).

5. Determination of the most stressful moments of work (activity).

6. Determination of the necessary professional competencies.

7. Formation of a list of PVCs necessary for successful professional activity.

The results of the analysis of the relevant regulatory documents, functional responsibilities and instructions of the operational staff of the air defense system allow us to conclude that the main purpose of the activity of the air defense system operator is to maintain the combat readiness of air defense systems and conduct anti-aircraft combat in various conditions.

For the general characteristics of the activity of the air defense system operator, characteristics of the conditions of activity, determination of the most stressful moments of activity, as well as determination of the main operations performed, in addition to studying the requirements of regulatory documents and materials of textbooks, the method of questionnaire expert survey of teachers of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the Yaroslavl Higher Military School of Air Defense (YAVVU Air Defense), who have experience in operator activity (26 people were interviewed in total).

To determine the air defense systems that an air defense operator should possess, along with the method of an expert questionnaire survey of teaching officers, an analysis of 42 reviews of graduates of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the Air Defense University received from the troops was carried out.

 

Discussion of the results

According to the results of the study , the activity of the ZRK operator can be characterized as:

- independent – when perceiving information displayed on monitors;

- intense – when performing combat missions;

- monotonous – during the period of duty.

The operator's activity is characterized by a large volume and high dynamism of incoming information, saturation with emergency situations. Static loads in standby mode prevail.

The main part of the time of the ZRK operator's activity takes place in a closed space in conditions of time shortage, elevated air temperatures (in summer) and noise levels (from working equipment). Business communication with subordinates is frequent, carried out mainly with the help of technical means and to a lesser extent directly.

The main operations (subject-functional tasks) performed by the ZRK operator in the course of activity are:

- management of deployment (folding) of air defense systems;

- determination of the readiness of air defense systems;

- turning on (off) the air defense system;

- monitoring of the serviceability of air defense systems;

- control of the MRLS review modes;

- assessment of the air and interference situation;

- development of target designations;

- control of noise protection modes;

- assessment of the quality of automatic tracking of targets and missiles;

- assignment of the firing mode;

- ammunition control;

- reception and transmission of information using communication means;

- monitoring of the state of power supply and communication facilities.

In addition to the above, the commander of the calculation also solves the following tasks:

- deployment management (folding) SAM;

- assignment of SAM operating modes;

- receiving commands from a higher KP, ensuring their execution and a report on the execution;

- assessment of shooting conditions and decision-making on firing targets;

- evaluation of the results of the shelling of targets.

The most stressful moments in the activities of the SAM operator are:

- detection of aerial targets (especially low-altitude ones);

- support of maneuvering targets;

- work in conditions of a large number of targets and in a complex interference environment;

- interception of targets.

Based on the analysis of the "Qualification requirements for military professional training of citizens who have been trained at the VUC at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University", a list of professional competencies that an air defense system operator should possess has been compiled:

must know:

- classification of the means of aerospace attack of a potential enemy, their characteristics and methods of application;

- fundamentals of tactics of units and divisions of the Air defense System;

- fundamentals of radar and automatic control theory;

- fundamentals of topogeodesic provision of SAM;

- purpose, principles of construction and functioning, composition, tactical, technical and operational characteristics of fixed assets of the SAM;

- functional connections between the means of SAM;

- general information about the data transmission and communication equipment used in the SAM;

- principles of displaying and combining the displayed information on the monitors of the workstations of the SAM operators;

- organization of operation and repair of air defense systems;

- safety rules for the operation of air defense systems;

- fundamentals of the theory of automatic control;

- the main provisions of the theory of shooting missiles;

be able to:

- to search for and eliminate malfunctions that occur during the operation of air defense systems;

- organize the proper operation and maintenance of air defense systems;

- carry out maintenance of air defense systems;

- evaluate the combat readiness of air defense systems;

- apply the basic provisions of the rules of shooting, regulations, manuals and manuals when conducting combat work;

- perform functional duties, act confidently and harmoniously as part of the calculation in various conditions of the situation;

own:

- skills of transferring SAM assets into combat position;

- methods of searching for failures and restoring the operational state of the operated means;

- skills in monitoring the functioning and assessing the combat readiness of air defense systems;

- skills of combat work in conducting anti-aircraft combat in various conditions of the situation;

- skills of operation of standard measuring instruments;

- skills of drawing up graphic documents.

The psychological features of human labor in its interaction with technical means in the process of production and management activities are studied by engineering psychology [10,11,12]. In engineering psychology, PVK is commonly understood as the individual qualities of the subject of activity that affect the effectiveness of the activity and the success of its development [13,14,15]. Not only the actual mental, but also the extra-mental properties of the subject can act as a PVK: somatic, biological, morphological, constitutional, typological, neurodynamic, etc. [16,17,18,19,20]. The requirements for the PVK of the SAM operator are increasing in accordance with the rapid development of anti-aircraft missile weapons.

The generated expanded list of PVCs that the operator of the SAM must possess is given in the first column of Table 1.

 

Table 1 – Professionally important qualities of an air defense system operator

PVC (extended list)

Integral PVC

technical thinking (technical mindset);

spatial thinking and imagination;

technical observation;

mathematical abilities;

visual and motor memory;

accurate eye gauge;

neatness.

Technical abilities

ability to work in a group (team);

ability to resolve conflict situations constructively;

sociability;

good diction and expressive speech;

tact.

Communicative

abilities

ability to anticipate possible changes in the situation;

ability to anticipate the consequences of decisions made;

ability to establish logical patterns;

developed intuition;

prudence.

Ability

to forecasting

ability to plan the workflow;

high speed of thought processes;

the ability to make a decision in a very short time;

ability to easily switch from one activity to another;

ability to monitor multiple objects at the same time;

fast memorization of operational (visual) information;

time control.

Efficiency of thinking

ability to generalize information;

the ability to highlight the main thing in the information;

establishing connections, patterns.

Synthetic thinking

the ability to find several solutions to one problem and choose the optimal one;

ability to find solutions in conditions of uncertainty;

practicality.

Flexibility of thinking

ability to maintain self-control in critical situations;

resistance to internal distractions;

restraint;

self-control;

internality.

Emotional

stability

the ability to attract different sources of information for analysis;

the ability to highlight the main thing in the information;

ability to structure information;

developed intelligence.

Analyticity

thinking

willingness to make responsible decisions;

the ability to take responsibility for decisions and actions taken;

the ability to act on the basis of the commitments made;

moral normativity.

Responsibility

ability to defend your opinion in a reasoned manner;

ability to formulate your own goals;

the ability to take reasonable risks.

Independence

ability to mobilize and use resources;

endurance for strenuous and prolonged mental activity;

self-control;

persistence.

Willpower

striving to develop yourself as a professional;

the desire to stay in the profession;

prospects and immediate life goals;

willingness to take risks.

Motivation for success

high concentration of attention;

attention stability;

the ability to distribute and switch attention.

Attentiveness

ability to organize joint activities of subordinates;

leadership potential;

ability to formulate orders clearly and concisely;

ability to resolve conflict situations constructively;

demanding;

integrity.

Organizational

abilities

(for the commander

calculation)

 

In order to facilitate the further selection of psychodiagnostic methods for identifying and determining the level of development of PVK, a list of integral PVK of the SAM operator was formed by generalization (Table 1, second column).

The results of the study are planned to be used in the training of specialists for air defense systems in the VUC at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the YAVVU Air Defense. In addition, the materials of this study can be used for occupational descriptions of the workplaces of the operators of the air defense system and engineering psychological support for the development of instructional materials for the operational personnel of the air defense system.

 

Conclusion

Thus, in order to improve the methods of selection and professional training of SAM operators, a professionographic study of their professional activities was conducted. The results of the study made it possible to form an expanded list of PVCs that an air defense system operator must have for successful operation, as well as a list of integral PVCs. A further direction of research in this area is the selection of psychodiagnostic techniques for identifying and determining the level of development of integrated PVCs of SAM operators at the stages of selection and professional training.

References
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6. Ivanova, E.M. (2003). Psychological systemic professionography. Moscow: PER SE.
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8. Pukhov, V.A. (1981). Fundamentals of professional psychophysiological selection of military specialists. Moscow: USSR Ministry of Defense.
9. Moskalevich, G.N. (2023). Professionograms and psychograms as a personnel selection tool. Employment and Career, 2(1). Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.56414/jeac.2023.31
10. Elliott, L.J. (2021). Engineering psychology. Penn State University Libraries. State College: Penn State University Libraries.
11. Sergeev, S.F. (2011). Engineering psychology and ergonomics: history of development, conceptual and conceptual basis. Educational technologies, 1, 44–63.
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Peer Review

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The work "A professionographic study of the professional activities of operators of anti-aircraft missile systems" is presented for review. The subject of the study. The work touches on an urgent issue that concerns the training of operators of anti-aircraft missile systems. The author set a goal to study the professional activities of air defense system operators and form a list of professionally important qualities necessary for the successful implementation of activities. In the article, the tasks set were implemented. The research methodology is determined by the highlighted relevance. We are talking about a professional study of the professional activities of operators of an anti-aircraft missile system in order to improve the methods of their selection and professional training. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that the high professionalism of the operator of anti-aircraft missile systems is determined not only by qualification indicators, but it is also important to take into account their psychological characteristics. The scientific novelty of the research. The author highlighted the main professionally important qualities of the operator of the anti-aircraft missile system. These indicators are diagnostic criteria that include both an expanded list and integral indicators. The author not only highlighted, but also justified the need to study them. Style, structure, content. The style of presentation corresponds to publications of this level. The language of the work is scientific. The structure of the work is clearly traced, the author highlights the main semantic parts. The introduction of the article highlights the problem under study. The paper outlines the content of the concept of anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as the specifics of the work of their operators. The author noted the content of many years of personal experience in training specialists for air defense systems at the military training center of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and also highlighted the need to take into account psychological (personal) qualities that ensure the professional reliability of a specialist. The second section is devoted to the description of the main stages of occupational research. The author considered the main approaches to the compilation of a professionogram and highlighted the content of the main stages. The next section is devoted to discussing the results obtained. The author pays special attention to the description of the features of the SAM operator, the main operations, the leading tasks, as well as tense moments. The work highlights the professional competencies of specialists (to know, be able and own), psychological characteristics of work and professionally important qualities of an anti-aircraft missile system operator. The work ends with brief conclusions, the main results of the conducted research are highlighted. Bibliography. The bibliography of the article includes 20 domestic and foreign sources, a small part of which has been published in the last three years. The list contains mainly research articles and abstracts. In addition, the bibliography contains teaching aids, monographs and textbooks. The sources are mostly heterogeneous. Appeal to opponents. Recommendations: - to conduct a theoretical analysis of research, including modern ones; - to describe a planned empirical study with the allocation of psychodiagnostic techniques, taking into account certain criteria; - to highlight the prospects for further study of the affected problem, including empirical study; - to arrange a bibliographic list in accordance with the requirements. Conclusions. The problems of the article are undoubtedly relevant, theoretical and practical value will be of interest to specialists who consider the problems of a professional study of the professional activities of operators of anti-aircraft missile systems. The article can be recommended for publication taking into account the highlighted recommendations.