The impact of next generation test technology on aviation maintenance

This paper begins by reviewing the back-ground of avionics maintenance in DoD. It defines O, I and D levels of maintenance and details their implementation in each of the Services. OSD's ATS policy and its implementation are reviewed, as are the DoD ATS Executive Agent's goals, objectives and strategy which has five elements (management tools, DoD ATS Technical Framework-, jointly develop test technologies, system-level technology demonstrations and Services implementations). The paper then details test technologies currently being developed and demonstrated by Joint Service teams. These include Multiple Low Analog Stimulus and Measurement which enable one VXI card to simultaneously provide multiple instruments; Synthetic Measurement and Stimulus Instruments; the Programmable Bus Test Instrument; ATS software technologies including multiple runtime environments, ATML, dynamic test strategies, and better use of diagnostics data; downsized electro-optics testers; and the DoD ATS Open Technical Architecture Framework which evolves as the technologies evolve. The paper discusses system level demonstrations, focusing on the ARGCS project. It then explores the impact on aviation maintenance and the many benefits of the test technologies being developed. It discusses the increased ease of reusing test software, the reduced distinction between test capability found at 0, 1 and D levels of maintenance, the increased speed with which test capability can be fielded, the effect of an evolutionary acquisition approach on next generation testers, the blurring of boundaries between the various levels of maintenance, continued reductions in total ownership costs, and the significantly improved inter-Service interoperability of automatic testers. The paper concludes with a vision of the future centered around a robust, flexible test capability that makes possible a "purple" maintenance unit with broad capability to support Joint warfighting task forces comprised of weapon systems from all the Services.