INTEGRATED MECHANICAL DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (IMDS) FLEET INTRODUCTION FOR U.S. NAVY/MARINE CORPS HELICOPTERS

摘要

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has supported and funded the development of Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) technologies for more than a decade. This commitment led to a HUMS development partnership with Goodrich Corporation Fuel & Utility Systems under the Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative (COSSI) program, begun in 1997. This agreement led to the development of the AN/AYH-3 Integrated Mechanical Diagnostic System (IMDS), envisioned as a common diagnostic system for all Navy/Marine Corps helicopters. Embraced by the H-53, H-60, and H-1 program offices, the fielding of the Navy's first fully integrated HUMS in a helicopter fleet took an important step in 2004 with the completion of Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) on three fleet representative CH-53E helicopters. The objective of OPEVAL is to evaluate a system's operational effectiveness and suitability in its fleet representative operating environment and in the hands of its intended users. After the completion of a lengthy Development Test (DT) program, the CH-53E IMDS entered OPEVAL in December 2003 at Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMT-302) at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina. This paper will report the findings of the Development Test (DT) and the Navy's independent OPEVAL organization and subsequent recommendations regarding full-rate production. It also presents an overview of early fleet user experience with the most capable set of diagnostic tools ever available to them including examples of how the individual diagnostic functions are being successfully utilized in fleet operations. Finally, it will present the Navy's vision for diagnostic tool maturation and Condition Based Maintenance.