Next Generation Armament Test Solutions for the Flightline

摘要

Smart weapon systems are now common place within the U.S. Armed Forces community and among U. S. allies. And to ensure mission success, maintainers need to confirm that all of these systems are mission ready or Full Mission Capable (FMC). Gone are the days of simply checking for the absence of stray voltage and the presence of firing signals by using an Armament Circuits Pre-Load Test Set (ACPTS), commonly referred to as a “beer can”. Today's sophisticated weapon systems need to support not only legacy test needs but also advanced systems by providing multiple measurement and stimulus channels as well as incorporating communication busses such as MMSI, MIL-STD-1760, Ethernet, CAN Bus, and more. The challenges faced by developers and customers alike lie with the difficulty to incorporate these capabilities into a handheld package to help minimize the “footprint of test”. There are some advanced solutions available today that can address not only the current generation of legacy and smart weapons but also have the flexibility to address future armament test needs on the flightline. Building on the current generation of “smart” beercans, the next generation solution for flightline test offers maintainers the ability to perform advanced test and diagnosis on the flightline - simplifying maintenance logistics while increasing performance and reducing test and maintenance time. This next generation “smart” beercan - the “SmartCan™”, offers advanced features and capabilities including: : Full analog test support for legacy systems including Audio and Video signal generation : Full MIL-STD-1760 support : Full support for additional interfaces including EBR1553, MMSI, Ethernet, CAN Bus, and more By offering these advanced features and improved legacy test capabilities, maintainers now have the ability to not only test but also emulate the weapons - facilitating a complete test of the weapon system's interface, from the cockpit's multi-function display (MFD) to the launch rails, without requiring any supplemental equipment. This paper provides an overview of flightline armament testers and presents key features of a next generation flightline tester that is capable of supporting multiple aircraft platforms and weapon systems as well as being upgradeable for future test needs.