Aircraft Avionics

Abstract

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget request funds the development of Aircraft Avionics systems required to horizontally and vertically integrate the battlefield and the integration of those systems into Army aircraft. Tasks in this Program Element support research, development, and test efforts in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phases of these systems. The Airborne Maritime Fixed-Aviation (AMF-A) is the transformational system that provides Army Aviation interoperability capability for Future Force and Joint Force operations. The AMF-A integration effort provides for the non-recurring engineering required to integrate and qualify the AMF-A certified radios with Link 16 and/or other advanced networking waveforms into the Apache AH-64E and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Specifically, the PRC-152A radio will be incorporated into the Shadow UAS Communications Relay Payload mission equipment package. The Doppler Global Positioning System Navigation Set (DGNS) Upgrade program completes system engineering trade studies to reduce space, weight, and power with the introduction of new navigation support capabilities such as inertial sensor, MIL-STD-1553 interface card, and Instrument Flight Rules map display. It also prepares Engineering Change Proposals (ECP) to the existing DGNS ASN-128D Line Replaceable Units (LRU) as a result of those trade studies. The effort also derives DGNS compliance matrices for current and planned Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) capabilities for the upcoming decade. The DGNS upgrade continues with execution of Non-Recurring Engineering for Computer Display Unit (CDU) and Signal Data Converter LRU ECP packages. The ASN-128D CDU upgrade replaces the current CDU faceplate with a touch screen display, provides a moving navigation map capability and optimizes pilot interface to augment existing Instrument Flight Rules capability promoting safer flight operations. The CDU upgrade will support Assured-Position Navigation and Time (A-PNT) operations in conjunction with additional system LRU upgrades and supports Department of Defense (DoD) and Army's requirement to maintain A-PNT throughout operations. This will require assessment and follow-on upgrade to the DGNS navigation system. The CDU upgrade will perform an assessment of A-PNT assurance levels to understand system performance, associated PNT capability gaps, and evaluate candidate solutions to cover any identified gaps. The Enhanced Aviation GATM Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) Embedded GPS Inertial (EGI) Navigation System (EAGLE) A-PNT integration program assesses current capabilities in identified operational PNT environment levels and tests identified upgrades to existing EGI hardware in order to accommodate A-PNT in identified operational environments and incorporates M-Code. It supports DoD and Army's requirement to maintain A-PNT throughout operations and requires assessment and follow-on upgrade to the EGI navigation system. The EAGLE upgrade will perform an assessment of A-PNT assurance levels to understand system performance, associated PNT capability gaps, and evaluate candidate solutions to cover any identified gaps. The Brownout Rotorcraft Enhancement System (BORES) addresses tactical operations and training missions within Degraded Visual Environments (DVE) which restricts or severely reduces the aircrew's visibility due to atmospheric obscurants. BORES will initiate the use of DVE as a tactical advantage for Army Aviation. In addition, BORES will improve safety, reduce risk and add flexibility to aviation units by enhancing aircrew situational awareness through real-time detection and warning of terrain, obstacles and hazards. BORES will consist of integrated rotorcraft pilotage augmentation systems, sensor(s), software, software related fireware, and pilot to system interfaces and cueing devices. BORES will combine obscurant penetrating sensor(s) with aircraft state data via a fusion/synthetic vision system to provide an initial capability for ground taxi, hover, takeoff and landing modes of flight during brownout conditions. The Aviation Data Exploitation Capability (ADEC) is an Army aviation automated information system program providing specific capabilities needed at the aviation unit level to implement and support improvements within aviation operations, safety, and training to increase operational effectiveness and situational awareness at all command echelons. ADEC provides a common and interoperable capability required to implement the DoD mandated Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance processes. ADEC will standardize flight scheduling/management, risk management, mission approval, and flight data analysis and visualization. ADEC provides interfaces to Centralized Aviation Flight Records System (CAFRS) to reduce data entry and the information technology footprint while enabling disconnected and split based operations. The Aircraft Notebook (ACN) is an Army aviation automated information system program required to streamline the completion of aviation maintenance activities and the documentation required to maintain airworthiness for all Army aircraft. ACN implements The Army Maintenance Management System - Aviation (TAMMS-A) digital logbook functionality and integrates with CAFRS to reduce manual entries and increase data accuracy. ACN reduces the information technology footprint within an aviation unit by integrating multiple software applications such as platform software applications, interactive electronic technical manuals, and condition based maintenance plus tools onto one hardware platform. The Aviation Logistics Enterprise - Platform (ALE-P) is the single logistics information system for all of Army aviation and serves as an extension to Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army). ALE-P replaces the Unit Level Logistics System-Aviation (Enhanced) (ULLS-A[E]) and the Unmanned Aviation Systems-Initiative (UAS-I) systems. ALE-P provides necessary interfaces to GCSS-Army and other enterprise systems at Logistics Support Activity, Aviation and Missile Command, and Program Executive Office Aviation. ALE-P interfaces with the ACN and ADEC at the unit level to maintain continuous airworthiness and aircraft historical records and provides the maintenance/readiness posture to the commander.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
• Source ID: 0604201A_5_2040_PB_2017
• Change Summary Explanation: FY16: $15,000K Congressional increase for DVE -$9,300K Army requested transfer of ALE-P funding to Global Combat Support System FY17: $81,038K Increase for BORES/DVE development
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Materials and Manufacturing Processes
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Aircrafts
• Application Software
• Condition Based Maintenance
• Cost Analysis
• Department Of Defense
• Global Positioning Systems
• Information Systems
• Maintenance
• Maintenance Management
• Manufacturing
• Navigation
• Situational Awareness
• Software Development
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems
• Space