Lower-body muscular power and exercise tolerance predict susceptibility to enemy fire during a tactical combat movement simulation

Abstract

This study examined if field-expedient physical fitness/performance assessments predicted performance during a simulated direct-fire engagement. Healthy subjects (n = 33, age = 25.7 ± 7.0 years) completed upper- and lower-body strength and power assessments and a 3-min all-out running test to determine critical velocity. Subjects completed a simulated direct-fire engagement that consisted of marksmanship with cognitive workload assessment and a fire-and-move drill (16 × 6-m sprints) while wearing a combat load. Susceptibility to enemy fire was modelled on average sprint duration during the fire-and-move drill. Stepwise linear regression identified predictors for the performance during the simulated direct-fire engagement. Critical velocity (β = −0.30, p < 0.01) and standing broad jump (β = −0.67, p < 0.001) predicted susceptibility to enemy fire (R² = 0.74, p < 0.001). All predictors demonstrated poor relationships with marksmanship accuracy and cognitive performance. These data demonstrate the importance of exercise tolerance and lower-body power during simulated direct-fire engagements and provide potential targets for interventions to monitor and enhance performance and support soldier survivability.

Practitioner Summary: This study identified field-expedient physical fitness/performance predictors of a simulated direct-fire engagement which evaluated susceptibility to enemy fire, marksmanship, and cognitive performance. Our findings suggest that high-intensity exercise tolerance and lower-body power are key determinants of performance that predicted susceptibility to enemy fire.

Keywords:

• Marksmanship
• combat survivability
• direct-fire engagement
• military performance
• lethality

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Shea Crum, Blake Goodman, and Jason Sartor for their efforts in assisting with data collection. Additionally, the authors would like to thank Rikki A. Stein for her visualizing the simulation in Figure 2.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the current study was provided by Kansas State University College of Health and Human Sciences Doctoral Dissertation Award and the Kansas State University Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Small Grant.