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, communications systems, navigation equipment, weapons carriage and countermeasures, and the Obsolescence Replacement (OR)/Readiness Management Plan (RMP) including structural, hydraulic, electrical, environmental, and mechanical systems. The JMPS is required as part of the Department of the Navy directed migration to a common Navy and Marine Corps mission planning system. OR/RMP represents all 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: H6.1, H6.2 and follow-on block upgrades, to include a H7.0 block upgrade that will be required to implement full Link 16 capability and integrate AIM-9X. An H6.2 update, including the Common Avionics Program, provides AV-8B a self-contained Global Positioning System navigation capability that is required to access preferred airspaces, and will include a Litening Operational Flight Program (OFP) V3, and initial Link 16 Precise Participant Location and Identification capability, which will provide interoperability, digital combat identification and increase situational awareness on the battlefield. Link 16 is a Top 10 item in the Operational Advisory and Systems Safety Groups. AV-8B funding supports peculiar flight test requirements. The Link 16 full integration effort, which will require an H7.0 OFP upgrade beyond H6.2, will provide information sharing capabilities and integration of an increased number of Link 16 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 are required to support current and future mission threads. 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 of weapons such as AIM-9X. Unique Weapons and Countermeasures integration and stores expansion testing will be required, to include Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System, AIM-9X, ALE-43, standoff weapons such as Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) and AIM-120 unique platform flight test which will be required to utilize updated AIM-120C variants on the AV-8B and utilize the AIM-120 in mixed stores loadouts. 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. PMA-257 will accomplish this mission by conducting Engineering Project Description investigations to develop engineering solutions that address emergent safety, obsolescence, fatigue life and maintenance issues. The OR/RMP is required to ensure the AV-8B air vehicle's sustained mission availability, and safe and reliable operational readiness until end of service. Air vehicle sustainment 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. FY 2018 continues development efforts and associated obsolescence and readiness requirements for ELMP, RMP, Link 16, weapons carriage/integration, peculiar flight test and OFP updates.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2018
• Source ID: 0604214N_5_1319_PB_2018
• Change Summary Explanation: Cost: FY 2017 and 2018 Adjustments to Operational Flight Program (OFP) and Avionics Weapons Systems Development and Integration for AIM-9X integration/development and AIM-120 adjacent stores testing. Schedule: AIM-9X Systems Development added in 1Q/18 through 1Q/20 to capture AIM-9X development as part of H7.0 OFP.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Aircraft Engines
• Aircrafts
• Airframes
• Composite Materials
• Developmental Tests
• Engine Components
• Engineering
• Escape Systems
• Global Positioning Systems
• Landing Gear
• Navigation
• Operational Readiness
• Satellite Guided Weapons
• Software Development
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering

Technology Areas

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