Air Force Flight Test Center

Eileen Bjorkman

17 May 2012

eileen.bjorkman@edwards.af.mil

I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

War-Winning Capabilities … On Time, On Cost

Engineering Future Test

Capabilities:

Technical Strategies

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. AFFTC-PA-12347.

Overview

• Engineering Systems Approaches

• DOTMLPF Framework for Technical Strategies

• Future Test Capability Challenges

• Future Test Capability Opportunities

• Way Forward

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Engineering Systems Approaches

3

http://techtv.mit.edu/collections/esd/videos/9379-the-engineering-systems-division-at-mit

Engineering Systems Approaches

• Complex challenges require innovative,

interdisciplinary approaches

• Solutions involve:

– Technology, processes, policies

– Engineering, management, social sciences

• Test capabilities have become a complex

system that requires an engineering systems

approach

4 http://esd.mit.edu/about.html

DOTMLPF Framework for

Technical Strategies Element Technical Strategy

Example

Non-Technical Strategy

Example

Doctrine

(policies,

processes)

• Flight test techniques

• Use of statistical

techniques

• Use of government test facilities

• Charging policies

Organization Generalists vs specialists • % of reimbursible vs direct costs

• Functional vs product

organization

Training T&E University DAU Courses

Materiel Investments – CTEIP, TIPP,

I&M, SBIR

Other investments (e.g., chase

aircraft)

Leadership Strategic communications

plan for technical strategy

Overall strategic planning

Personnel Technical competencies • Succession planning

• Mentoring

Facilities Maintain vs degrade/close

test facilities

Office space

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Future Test Capability Challenges

• Increased system complexity

• Decreased budgets

• Pressure to close test facilities

• Pressure to accelerate acquisition timelines

• Range encroachment

– Radio frequency spectrum re-purposing

– Renewable energy

– General environmental issues

• Integrating government and contractor test

capabilities

• Aging workforce

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Future Test Capability

Opportunities

• Spectrum Efficient Technologies

• Range Commanders Council

• Modeling and simulation

• Distributed test capabilities

• Indoor facilities

• Reliance process

• Statistical techniques

• Stand up of Air Force Test Center

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Use what we have:

repurpose, recycle, reuse, rely on others

Spectrum Efficient

Technologies Spectrum Efficient Technology focus on Radio Frequency (RF)

systems software / components, telemetry networking

technologies, and management of spectral resources.

Telemetry

Networking

Develop network based

technologies tailored to the

telemetry environment

Wireless

Technologies

Investigate improvements in

existing RF technologies

and innovative alternatives

to legacy methods

Spectrum

Management

Develop tools to provide

flexible access to spectrum

and enable management of

telemetry resources

Spectrum Management System Enhanced Query Data Recorder

Project Examples

Advanced Airborne Transceiver

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• Provide the Global Hawk Battlefield

Airborne Communication Node (BACN)

with a interoperability test capability

• Provide the BACN a mission execution

test capability prior to operational

deployment

DTF

F-

16

DTF

JSTA

RS

46TS

Eglin

DTF

Edwar

ds

JICC-T

DTF

F-

15E

Tinker

AWACS

46TS

AOC

/TPG

Melbourne

JSTARS

DTF

JSTARS

46TS

Eglin

DTF

Edwards

JICC-T

AOC

BC3

Greenville

RJ

Distributed Testing

• Provide the B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link

(FIDL) aircraft with a system-to-system test

capability

• Equivalent capability would require multiple

aircraft and ground units to deploy to the R-

2508 restricted air space

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• RCC was founded in 1951 as an informal

Organization with an Internal Charter

Range Commanders Council

• Identify common problems & seek solutions • Establish & disseminate technical standards • Explore joint procurement opportunities • Encourage instrumentation exchanges • Assess applications for advanced concepts and technical innovations

• The RCC will:

• Promote credible change to meet Department of

Defense test and training requirements

• Promote the common good of all its members

• Enhance sharing and interoperability of

infrastructure and resources

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• Data Sciences *

• Electronic Trajectory & Measurements *

• Frequency Management

• Meteorology *

• Optical Systems *

• Range Environmental

• Range Operations

• Range Safety *

• Signature Measurement Standards

• Sustainability

• Telecommunications and Timing *

• Telemetry *

• Underwater Systems

RCC:13 Standing Groups

*Original InterRange Instrumentation Group (IRIG) member

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AFFTC Statistical Techniques Example:

Endurance Verification

Test Objective:

• Determine if an aircraft, in mission

capable configuration, has a minimum

total endurance of X hours plus

appropriate fuel reserves IAW AF

instructions

Test Approach:

• Collect flight data regarding drag and lift

coefficients, fuel flow, and static pressure

error to develop uncertainty estimates

Analysis Approach:

• Use Monte-Carlo simulation of mechanistic

endurance model to generate expected

range and endurance

Results:

X Mechanistic endurance model 12

Way Forward

• Start thinking about test capabilities as a

complex system that requires engineering

systems approaches

• Technical strategies must be integrated

with overall test enterprise strategies

• Many challenges, but many opportunities

as well

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