AV-8B Aircraft - Eng Dev

Mission — AV-8B Aircraft - Engine Dev source

The program provides for AV-8B Design, Development, Integration, and Test of various platform improvements such as: Engine Life Management Program (ELMP), Escape Systems, Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS), and Block upgrades to various mission systems and software Operational Flight Programs (OFPs) to include JMPS integration, avionics and communications systems, navigation equipment, weapons carriage and countermeasures, and studies and analyses of future capability expansion and unique flight testing. The program also provides for addressing obsolescence and readiness of avionics structural, hydraulic, electrical, environmental and mechanical systems to include engineering activities for development and design to support aircraft safety flight clearances, concept explorations, responses to evolving threats and developments to support Program Objective Memorandum. The program's Evolutionary Acquisition Strategy includes Design, Development, Integration, and Test activities under the consolidated effort of Block Developments. Continued AV-8B combat relevance and ability to respond to evolving and emergent threats through end of service is critical to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force's ability to generate aviation combat power throughout the transition to F-35B. J-series, K-series, Tactical Targeting Network Technology, and other emerging datalink technology messages, as well as compliance with crypto modernization requirements and ability to use GPS-modernized weapons, are required to support current and future mission threats. Linked performance on par with current tactical platforms as well as design to communicate with F-35 is required for the AV-8B to remain tactically relevant to transition. H7.2, H7.3 and H7.4 will continue to build upon the evolutionary acquisition strategy for OFPs and will improve pilot situational awareness, make pilot interface and weapon selection, and Link16 functionality improvements via OFP and Mission Planning updates, and will integrate required Display Computer processing improvements to enable these functionalities. OFP and integration improvements, to include continued use of current weapons as they are upgraded to modernized GPS capability, is vital to the Harrier's continued combat relevance to the Marine Expeditionary Unit and Global Response Force Combatant Commanders. AV-8B funding also supports peculiar flight test requirements to include weapons integration/carriage and avionics, software/firmware upgrades, and avionics hardware component redesign activity. The program also provides for the AV-8B air vehicle's sustained mission availability, and safe and reliable operational readiness until end of service. Sustainment of the aircraft structure, subsystems and software requires component and system analyses, technical planning, identification, prioritization and diagnosis of emergent problems and the allocation of resources for the development, testing, and flight clearance of engineering solutions in the areas of flight, crew safety and escape systems and structural integrity, obsolescence, systems reliability and maintainability, inventory preservation, alternative mission development or other emergent material or equipment conditions affecting AV-8B systems readiness. Activities include research/analysis for system safety deficiency corrections, fuel system safety improvements, structural analyses, monitoring and integrity analysis, component compatibility, component and materials obsolescence analyses and mitigation development, explorations for aging equipment, reliability improvement analyses and design developments. The ELMP is a comprehensive plan to increase and maintain safety of flight and operational readiness of the AV-8B F402-RR-408 Engine and accessories. The program will accomplish this mission by conducting Engineering Project Description investigations to develop engineering solutions that address emergent safety, obsolescence, foreign object debris detection and prevention, fatigue life and maintenance issues.

Mission — AV-8B source

This program provides for AV-8B Design, Development, Integration and Test of the following improvements: Engine Life Management Program (ELMP), Operational Flight Programs (OFPs) and Avionics/Weapons Integration, Escape System, readiness and obsolescence management. The ELMP is a comprehensive plan to increase safety of flight and operational readiness of the AV-8B F402-RR-408 Engine and Gas Turbine Starter (GTS), as well as other critical engine components. The Program Office will accomplish this mission through the Component Improvement Program (CIP), which entails Engineering Project Description investigations to derive safety and reliability improvements to the engine and engine components. H7.2, H7.3, and H7.4 will continue to build upon the evolutionary acquisition strategy for OFPs and will improve pilot situational awareness, make pilot interface and weapon selection, and Link16 functionality improvements via OFP and Mission Planning updates, and will integrate required Display Computer processing improvements to enable these functionalities. OFP and integration improvements, to include continued use of current weapons as they are upgraded to modernized GPS capability, and use of components with modern crypto is vital to the Harrier's continued combat relevance to the Marine Expeditionary Unit and Global Response Force Combatant Commanders. Other efforts include compliance with crypto modernization requirements, testing compatibility with GPS-modernized weapons, peculiar integration and flight test requirements such as weapons and countermeasures OFP updates, weapons integration and testing, sensors, and countermeasures integration and stores expansion to include APKWS, radio/communication systems upgrades, AIM-9X, ALE-43, standoff weapons such as JSOW, and unique flight test, study and component redesign efforts of other avionics, sensors, structural components, aircraft subsystems, weapons systems, or emergent tactical requirements as they arise. Efforts also include engineering activities for development, design and test to support aircraft safety, flight clearance and concept exploration for resolution of emergent safety, service life, escape systems, compatibility, obsolescence, and readiness issues as well as response to fleet urgent operational requirements.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)