System trust

When facing the new network-based warfare, in the spirit of RMA, the question of trust between an operator and the system takes on a more important significance. The interaction with the user is very important if advantages are to be gained. In the study of the literature on the subject, many reports were found on the study of trust in relations between individuals, and between humans and machines. Predictability, dependability and faith affect the degree of trust. To form an idea of the applicability of the theoretical models found in the literature, empirical studies were performed. Soldiers in two military air force units and a group of people working with the development of a technically advanced system (the real-time command, control, communications, computers, intelligence and interoperability system (C412) CETRIS that is to be used in the Swedish Visby Class corvette) were interviewed. The air force units were the two Swedish Air Force Rapid Reaction Units (SWAFRAP): the transport (C130) and the reconnaissance unit (AJS). C130 were interviewed at their home base and AJS at an international exercise in Poland. Four of the eleven factors were indicated as being more important regarding trust in the chosen systems than the other seven. These four factors were predictability, usefulness, robustness and responsibility. One conclusion could be that the Swedish Total Defence should study these four factors in particular, as they seem to have a more obvious effect on users´ trust in a system.