Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309074495
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 77

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Book Description
Extending the life of an airframe has proven challenging and costly. Extending the life of an avionics system, however, is one of the most critical and difficult aspects of extending total aircraft system lifetimes. Critical components go out of production or become obsolete, and many former suppliers of military-grade components have gone out of business. From 1986 to 1996, for example, the percentage of discontinued military/aerospace electronic devices nearly doubledâ€"from 7.5 percent to 13.5 percent. In addition, legacy avionics systems, which were designed to meet requirements of the past, generally lack the full capability to perform new missions, meet new threats, or perform well in the new information-intensive battlefield environments. As the legacy aircraft fleet ages, avionics systems will become more and more difficult to support and maintain. Whereas the military once provided a large and profitable market for the electronics industry, the military electronics market today constitutes less than 1 percent of the commercial market. As a result, the military must increasingly rely on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies for its avionics hardware and software. Although COTS items are generally less expensive than comparable items designed especially to meet military specifications, the technology-refresh cycle for COTS is typically 18 months or less, which exacerbates the obsolescence problem for aircraft whose lifetimes are measured in decades. The short refresh cycle is driven mostly by the tremendous advances in computer systems, which comprise an increasing percentage of avionics content. In response to a request by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the National Research Council convened the Committee on Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft, under the auspices of the Air Force Science and Technology Board, to conduct this study. This report summarizes the following: Gather information from DoD, other government agencies, and industrial sources on the status of, and issues surrounding, the aging avionics problem. This should include briefings from and discussions with senior industry executives and military acquisition and support personnel. A part of this activity should include a review of Air Force Materiel Command's study on diminishing manufacturing sources to recommend ways to mitigate avionics obsolescence. Provide recommendations for new approaches and innovative techniques to improve management of aging avionics, with the goal of helping the Air Force to enhance supportability and replacement of aging and obsolescing avionics and minimize associated life cycle costs. Comment on the division of technology responsibility between DoD and industry.

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309074495
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 77

Get Book Here

Book Description
Extending the life of an airframe has proven challenging and costly. Extending the life of an avionics system, however, is one of the most critical and difficult aspects of extending total aircraft system lifetimes. Critical components go out of production or become obsolete, and many former suppliers of military-grade components have gone out of business. From 1986 to 1996, for example, the percentage of discontinued military/aerospace electronic devices nearly doubledâ€"from 7.5 percent to 13.5 percent. In addition, legacy avionics systems, which were designed to meet requirements of the past, generally lack the full capability to perform new missions, meet new threats, or perform well in the new information-intensive battlefield environments. As the legacy aircraft fleet ages, avionics systems will become more and more difficult to support and maintain. Whereas the military once provided a large and profitable market for the electronics industry, the military electronics market today constitutes less than 1 percent of the commercial market. As a result, the military must increasingly rely on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies for its avionics hardware and software. Although COTS items are generally less expensive than comparable items designed especially to meet military specifications, the technology-refresh cycle for COTS is typically 18 months or less, which exacerbates the obsolescence problem for aircraft whose lifetimes are measured in decades. The short refresh cycle is driven mostly by the tremendous advances in computer systems, which comprise an increasing percentage of avionics content. In response to a request by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the National Research Council convened the Committee on Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft, under the auspices of the Air Force Science and Technology Board, to conduct this study. This report summarizes the following: Gather information from DoD, other government agencies, and industrial sources on the status of, and issues surrounding, the aging avionics problem. This should include briefings from and discussions with senior industry executives and military acquisition and support personnel. A part of this activity should include a review of Air Force Materiel Command's study on diminishing manufacturing sources to recommend ways to mitigate avionics obsolescence. Provide recommendations for new approaches and innovative techniques to improve management of aging avionics, with the goal of helping the Air Force to enhance supportability and replacement of aging and obsolescing avionics and minimize associated life cycle costs. Comment on the division of technology responsibility between DoD and industry.

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 75

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Book Description
The NRC was asked by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition to examine issues associated with aging avionics in military aircraft. An ad hoc Committee was formed under the Air Force Science and Technology Board and the Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems (now Division on Engineering and Physical Systems) at the National Academy of Sciences in February 2000. The National Academies was tasked to gather all pertinent information, include a review of Diminishing Manufacturing Sources, and provide recommendations on new approaches and innovative techniques to improve management of aging avionics. The overall goal was to help the Air Force to enhance supportability and replacement of aging and obsolescing avionics and minimize associated life cycle costs. Avionics systems, like all computer-based systems, are operating on a life cycle of about two to three years, while the systems within which they are imbedded have life cycles as long as several decades. This report identified management, technical, and business issues and solutions to the problem of aging and obsolescing avionics systems in military aircraft.

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft

Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 030917094X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 77

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Book Description
Extending the life of an airframe has proven challenging and costly. Extending the life of an avionics system, however, is one of the most critical and difficult aspects of extending total aircraft system lifetimes. Critical components go out of production or become obsolete, and many former suppliers of military-grade components have gone out of business. From 1986 to 1996, for example, the percentage of discontinued military/aerospace electronic devices nearly doubledâ€"from 7.5 percent to 13.5 percent. In addition, legacy avionics systems, which were designed to meet requirements of the past, generally lack the full capability to perform new missions, meet new threats, or perform well in the new information-intensive battlefield environments. As the legacy aircraft fleet ages, avionics systems will become more and more difficult to support and maintain. Whereas the military once provided a large and profitable market for the electronics industry, the military electronics market today constitutes less than 1 percent of the commercial market. As a result, the military must increasingly rely on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies for its avionics hardware and software. Although COTS items are generally less expensive than comparable items designed especially to meet military specifications, the technology-refresh cycle for COTS is typically 18 months or less, which exacerbates the obsolescence problem for aircraft whose lifetimes are measured in decades. The short refresh cycle is driven mostly by the tremendous advances in computer systems, which comprise an increasing percentage of avionics content. In response to a request by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the National Research Council convened the Committee on Aging Avionics in Military Aircraft, under the auspices of the Air Force Science and Technology Board, to conduct this study. This report summarizes the following: Gather information from DoD, other government agencies, and industrial sources on the status of, and issues surrounding, the aging avionics problem. This should include briefings from and discussions with senior industry executives and military acquisition and support personnel. A part of this activity should include a review of Air Force Materiel Command's study on diminishing manufacturing sources to recommend ways to mitigate avionics obsolescence. Provide recommendations for new approaches and innovative techniques to improve management of aging avionics, with the goal of helping the Air Force to enhance supportability and replacement of aging and obsolescing avionics and minimize associated life cycle costs. Comment on the division of technology responsibility between DoD and industry.

Challenges and Issues with the Further Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft

Challenges and Issues with the Further Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft PDF Author: J. R. Gebman
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833045180
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 81

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Book Description
Over the next 20 years, the further aging of already-old aircraft will introduce challenges and issues for aircraft operators. The technical challenges relate to structures, propulsion, and systems. The institutional challenges include limitations on independent verification of fleet status and future condition and on information needed for engineering analyses including risk assessment, and an overall scarcity of resources.

Aging Engines, Avionics, Subsystems and Helicopters

Aging Engines, Avionics, Subsystems and Helicopters PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Book Description
Aging Aircraft concerns have dramatically escalated in the military community and commercial aviation during the past decade. Some models, which have already been in service for more than 40 years, will need to be retained for another two decades or longer, often serving in roles and in theatres very different from what was envisioned when they were originally designed. Aging Aircraft has several connotations. To name a few: technological obsolescence, the spectre of runaway maintenance costs, and safety. Moreover, spare parts, processes and tooling may no longer be available, logistic procedures may have changed and suppliers may be out of the business. Budgetary limitations and higher fleet utilization will increase the demand to cope with aging structures and major subsystems like engines and avionics. Specific topics covered by this Lecture Series are: An operator's perspective on aging engines Modern engine modernization programmes Aging electrical systems and wiring Aging avionics Aging helicopter-related issues Other subsystems Safety and service difficulty reporting

Aging Aircraft Wiring

Aging Aircraft Wiring PDF Author: Vasileios Tambouratzis
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781423527718
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 89

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Book Description
During the last years, military budgets have been dramatically reduced and the services have been unable to acquire sufficient new systems. Military aviation is one of the areas that have been severely impacted. The result is that the current fleet faces significant aging aircraft problems. Aircraft wiring is one of the areas that have severly affected by the aging process. Recent accidents involving aging wiring problems and reduced operational readiness due to aging wiring have made clear that aging aircraft wiring presents a difficult and complicated problem for the military aviation. However, current maintenance practices fail short in successfully inspecting and maintaining wiring. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a proactive management plan to deal with aging wiring. The objective is to come up with a systematic process in order to identify and prevent serious failures caused by electrical faults of wiring systems. This process will be based on the principle of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM).

Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft

Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309174473
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 124

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Book Description
Many of the aircraft that form the backbone of the U.S. Air Force operational fleet are 25 years old or older. A few of these will be replaced with new aircraft, but many are expected to remain in service an additional 25 years or more. This book provides a strategy to address the technical needs and priorities associated with the Air Force's aging airframe structures. It includes a detailed summary of the structural status of the aging force, identification of key technical issues, recommendations for near-term engineering and management actions, and prioritized near-term and long-term research recommendations.

2003 Logistics Demensions

2003 Logistics Demensions PDF Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428993797
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description


Department of Defense Appropriations for 2002: Secretary of Defense and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Department of Defense Appropriations for 2002: Secretary of Defense and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of Defense
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 858

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Book Description


Department of Defense Appropriations for 2002

Department of Defense Appropriations for 2002 PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of Defense
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 862

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Book Description