The manpower connection [weapon-systems development]

The author discusses the use of technology to compensate for diminishing manpower resources by developing improved weapon-system capabilities and reducing support requirements. He considers the possibility of consolidating specialties to increase their productivity and developing them outward from new weapon-system design. Particular attention is given to the results of a specialty-consolidation study and some uncertainties that relate to the increasing application of technology and human abilities. It is argued that supportability issues and analysis can no longer be concerned with only the hardware relationship of support requirements, but must also be equally concerned with the human element that provides support. The theme for the future must be to reduce dependency on manpower by design and forecast training needs by an understanding of the human interactions with design