This report reviews research on use of the Laser Marksmanship Training System (LMTS) to support small-arms marksmanship training and live-fire performance prediction. In general, the findings to date indicate that (a) an LMTS established rifle battlesight zero should not be used for record fire qualification without prior live-fire zero confirmation, (b) LMTS is capable of supporting effective initial entry, as well as sustainment, rifle marksmanship training although further research is needed to provide a definitive conclusion in regard to the latter, (c) LMTS based performance can accurately predict the likelihood of both rifle and pistol live-fire qualification, and (d) these predictions provide an associated set of empirically derived, live-fire performance standards needed to support the implementation of competency-based small- arms training with LMTS as well as the use of LMTS for validating previous live-fire qualification performance when outdoor range facilities are not readily available or when mission requirements dictate.

To determine the relation between simulation- (Laser Marksmanship Training System LMTS) and live-fire-based rifle marksmanship performance, 186 Reserve Component (RC) soldiers from Idaho and Oregon fired for qualification on a scaled LMTS version and live-fire version of the Army's standard pop-up target qualification course. LMTS was fired under either a dry-fire mode or a Blazer (i.e., sound/recoil replicator) mode. Statistically significant positive linear relations were found (and then validated) between first-run live-fire scores and both LMTS dry-fire- (r = .50) and Blazer-based (r = .55) scores. These relations were of sufficient strength to permit development of easy-to-use tools for accurately predicting soldier chances of first-run, live-fire qualification. With these tools, RC marksmanship trainers can implement a competency- based training program where soldiers most in need of remedial training (i.e., poor shooters) can be quickly identified, and the point at which sufficient training has been provided (i.e., when first-run live-fire qualification is likely) easily determined. These tools also provide RC unit commanders with empirically derived live-fire performance standards needed to support use of LMTS in place of live-fire for rifle marksmanship proficiency validation purposes when standard pop-up target course range facilities are not readily available. Although both tools will serve these purposes, that based on LMTS dry-fire is recommended because of the added expense of firing with Blazer without an accompanying statistically significant increased predictive benefit.