Android for Fighter Pilots : Replacing Paper with Tablet Technology

Abstract: This thesis is produced as the graduate work in the Master of Science programme Systems in Technology and Society at Uppsala University. The thesis was conducted at Saab Aeronautics situated in Linköping during the spring of 2011. The scope of the thesis was to examine if a modern tablet with the Android operating system would suit as a replacement for the papers (known as the flight bag) that are currently being used by fighter pilots operating the JAS 39 Gripen. To do so the authors used a Cognitive Work Analysis to get clear requirements for which functions need replacing. When the requirements were set the use of User Centered Design was used in conjunction with various application development- and design theories. Various prototyping sessions were carried out to pinpoint design flaws and iteratively improve the applications functionality. The process started with paper prototyping and ended with software prototyping. The prototypes were continuosly evaluated with employees at Saab Aeronautics and fighter pilot representatives. The final prototype can be said to have replaced a significant amount of the functionality of the old flight bag. However there is still plenty of work to do to have an Android tablet used in the cockpit of a fighter jet.