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Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Synthetic Instrumentation
This project is being strongly
supported by the Air Force and the Navy and has the potential to significantly
improve productivity and prevent millions of dollars in the expense of testing
electronics and avionics. Warner Robins Air
Logistics Center (WR-ALC), Elmendorf Air Force Base AFB, and NADEP North Island
are the participating DoD facilities contributing to this development. The
objective is to demonstrate the ability to rapidly design, integrate, and
validate three test program sets (TPS) for F-15 avionics line replaceable units.
The TPS will be run on the developed synthetic instrumentation (SI) equipped
ATE within the initial 12-month development period. The equipment will be
relocated to Elmendorf AFB for familiarity training and a comparative
performance assessment with existing F-15 I-Level ATE as part of a 60-day user
trial supported by Boeing personnel. The net result of this activity will
demonstrate that alternatives to existing F-15 I-Level support can be developed
with minimal resources which outperform existing support systems in terms of
ease of operation, repair throughput, reliability, footprint, etc. Sufficient
capabilities will be included in the ATE design allowing the use of passive TPS
hardware design and leveraging emerging instrument technologies and relevant
non-USAF investment.
This project will make available a tangible ATE system to Elmendorf AFB to
evaluate the capabilities of the SI technology with the industry partners cost
share paying 75% of the total development cost. Additionally, in the event that
the USAF were to pursue additional systems of this type, Boeing could make their
capital asset available to the USAF to fill voids associated with procuring,
developing and delivering additional systems. Another opportunity would be to
utilize the SI hardware and software platform as a basis to develop ATE
modifications/variants needed to fulfill additional or expanded support roles,
develop additional avionics TPS, as well as to perform follow-on sustainment and
support at no additional material cost to the USAF.
Program Manager: Lee Patch, (734) 995-4972,
leep@ncms.org
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