Summary of the Trial
Phase A
The soldiers in the Trial Platoon trained for two days using the Topo-GO system. Following that they performed three days of daytime land navigation. They then returned for an additional day using the Topo-Go System and two days of nighttime land navigation in the field.
The soldiers in the Control Platoon undertook a day of traditional preparations (IDF educational software + presentations) + a day of guided land navigation in the field. Following that they performed three days of daytime land navigation. While the soldiers of the Trial Platoon were using the Topo-Go System for an additional day, the Control Platoon received an additional day of daytime navigation followed by two days of nighttime land navigation in the field.
Phase B
The soldiers in both platoons executed in the same fashion Follow the Line Navigation, navigation without prior preparation and the orientation exercise. In the traditional land navigation, there was strict adherence to executing basin analysis (= Stream Lining + Ridge Lining) and debriefing before and after the navigation using prepared forms.
In all of the phases, except for the Terrain Association exercise, the soldiers were equipped with route recording devices.
Phase C
Feedback Conversations were undertaken with a sample of trainees from the two platoons. The Feedback Conversations were undertaken by a number of command echelons, from the course commanders (Major) to the Chief of Training Doctrine in the Ground Branch (Brigadier General).
Results:
Traditional daytime and nighttime land navigation: basin analysis, debriefs, nominal achievements, individual standard deviations of each of the soldiers and platoon standard deviations were analyzed:
Analysis of the basin analysis sketches showed that the Trial Platoon soldiers understood the subtleties in terrain from the maps (hidden hills, etc.) while the soldiers of the Control Platoon understood only the rough outline of the terrain.
Analysis of the pre and post navigation debriefs showed that the soldiers of the Trial Platoon used topographical terms for the entire route and built the route with topographical references while the soldiers of the Control Platoon used topographic terms mainly at the end of dead reckoning segments.
Analysis of the pre and post navigation debriefs showed that the soldiers in the Trial Platoon who got lost succeed in returning to the route with a greater degree of success than those in the Control Platoon, due to the confidence instilled while using the Topo-Go System and through using the topographic navigation method that is inherently more forgiving to errors.
In the first land navigations the achievements of the trainees in the Trial Platoon were worse than those of the Control Platoon, however with time and especially before the nighttime navigations, the trend flipped, and the achievements of the Trial Platoon were better. The explanation is twofold: (A) it took more time for the soldiers of the Trial Platoon to internalize the topographic navigation method that is more complex than dead reckoning and (B) during nighttime navigation the soldiers of the Trial Platoon were better in correcting errors in navigation due to the topographic navigation method.
The individual standard deviations among the soldiers of the Trial Platoon was significantly smaller than the individual standard deviation of the Control Platoon. The significance is that the navigation capability of the Trial Platoon was internalized in a more thorough fashion than in the Control Platoon, whose success was influenced by random elements.
The platoon standard deviation of the Trial Platoon was significantly smaller than the standard deviation of the Control Platoon. The significance is that the Topo-Go System succeed in standardizing the navigation capability, while in the traditional learning method large deficiencies were created between the capabilities of the good navigators and the less good navigators among the soldiers.
Follow the Line Navigation. Differences between the predetermined route and the routes executed by the soldiers in the terrain were calculated. The results showed that the differences among the Trial Platoon soldiers were significantly smaller than the differences of the Control Platoon.
Land Navigation Without Prior Preparation. The route executed in the terrain was analyzed by commanders experienced in land navigation and not involved in the trial. The analysis showed that the routes chosen by the Trial Platoon were much more “correct” topographically than the routes chosen by the Control Platoon.
Terrain Association – analysis of the results showed that the soldiers of the Trial Platoon identified correctly many more points than the soldiers of the Control Platoon.
Feedback Conversations. The Feedback Conversations conclusively showed that the soldiers of the Trial Platoon leave for the command tasks that they are assigned to with more confidence, in relation to their self-image as commanders in front of the squads that they will command and their willingness to take responsibility for tasks that include navigation.