ESTABLISHING FIBER OPTIC FIELD CALIBRATION CAPABILITY FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

摘要

The United States Air Force uses fiber optic lines for secured and unsecured communication. When a new technology becomes widely used, new test equipment is introduced for support. How is calibration established for the new test equipment? The Air Force Metrology and Calibration (AFMETCAL) program is responsible for test equipment calibration. Over the past ten years, the AFMETCAL has established 15 fiber optic calibration sites. Engineering personnel made decisions about the test equipment: whether it should be calibrated, how it should be calibrated, who should calibrate it, how often, and to what uncertainty. Engineering personnel also made decisions about the calibration laboratory set up, standards, methods, and procedures.