Aviation Safety Technologies

Abstract

This funding supports Secretary Gates direction to achieve a 75% reduction in accidents and supports the Defense Safety Oversight Council's (DSOC) pursuit of aviation safety technologies. The Guidance for the Development of the Force (GDF) directs DoD Components to pursue accident reduction and prevention initiatives that emphasize safety in the workplace and hold leaders accountable for their safety programs. In FY 2008, there were 89 Class A aviation accidents with 61 destroyed aircraft and 32 fatalities. The aviation accidents cost the Department over $2.9 billion with indirect costs approximately four times that amount. The DSOC used a data-driven approach to identify and evaluate the most effective hardware and software technologies to be implemented to reduce preventable aviation mishaps. The DSOC task force surveyed existing programs and provided an assessment of the viability and advisability of future resource investments. These investments will fund hardware and software technology to prevent helicopters and fighter aircraft mishaps. Collision avoidance was recommended for funding in FY 2010. Automatic Collision Avoidance Technologies (ACAT) has been developed by the Air Force to prevent the most prevalent causes of fighter/attack mishap fatalities and destroyed aircraft. An Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance (Auto-GCAS) component of ACAT has matured and is ready for fleet integration. FY 2010-FY2012 money will leverage the successes of ACAT by furthering the development of Auto-ACAS, while retaining scarce technical expertise and flight test resources currently in use. As an unintended side benefit , Auto-ACAS may also hold a key to Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle access to the National Airspace. The Secretary stated that we can not and should not tolerate the injuries, costs, and capability losses from preventable accidents.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2011
Source ID
0606301D8Z_6_0400_PB_2011
Change Summary Explanation
Service Agency Name
Office of Secretary Of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Aviation Accidents
  • Aviation Safety
  • Collision Avoidance
  • Collisions
  • Costs
  • Data Links
  • Fatalities
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Indirect Costs
  • Safety
  • Task Forces
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

  • Space

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