AV-8B Aircraft - Engine Dev

Abstract

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: The program's Evolutionary Acquisition Strategy includes Design, Development, Integration, and Test activities under the consolidated effort of Block Developments which includes H7.0 and follow-on block upgrades. The H7.0 block upgrade will implement full Link 16 capability, provide weapon improvements and integrate AIM-9X and Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). Link 16 is a Top 10 item in the Operational Advisory and Systems Safety Groups. The H7.0 OFP will fully implement the Harrier Link 16 integration, which will provide information sharing capabilities, integration of an increased number of Link 16 J-series messages and the ability to act on shared target track information. Connection to the Link 16 network is vital to the AV-8B's ability to operate within some Command and Control situations and Operational Plans, as designed today, as well as provide a tactical capability for the more effective and safe prosecution of both airborne and ground targets. 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. H7.0 will also include the integration and test of weapons and sensors such as, but not limited to, AIM-9X, JSOW and Litening OFP V4, and will integrate required Display Computer processing improvements to enable H7.0 functionality. Integration of these weapons, 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 particularly as obsolete AIM-9M inventory dwindles. Additionally, software integration and stores expansion testing will be required for systems to include a Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS), Unique Weapons, survivability and Countermeasures, Second Generation Anti-jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO (SATURN) communication waveform and associated radio and communication systems upgrades, Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS), AIM-9X, AIM-120, ALE-43, survivability upgrades, standoff weapons such as JSOW and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) as well as test of emergent tactical requirements, and test of crypto modernization compliance. 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. Studies and analyses will be conducted on systems such as survivability systems, HMCS, SATURN Communications and associated radio and communication systems upgrades, and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) to assess feasibility of integrating on the AV-8B. 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0604214M_5_1319_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: --- FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Aircraft Engines
• Aircraft Equipment
• Aircrafts
• Airframes
• Command And Control
• Communication Systems
• Engine Components
• Engineering
• Fuel Systems
• Line Of Sight
• Operational Readiness
• Production Engineering
• Software Development
• Structural Components
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space