Lockheed Martin and Universal Synaptics to Help DoD Tackle Faults
An issue known as ‘intermittent fault anomaly’ in multi-domain platform electronics and wiring harnesses drives an estimated $2 billion in annual maintenance costs for DoD. Lockheed Martin and Universal Synaptics have now signed an agreement to tackle the issue, using a new automated testing technology developed by the latter company.
Together, the team will identify solutions for DoD with the Intermittent Fault Detection & Isolation System 2.0 (IFDIS2), the Voyager Intermittent Fault Detector (VIFD) and the associated Interface and Application (IA) solutions. This next-generation, integrated system is used to detect intermittent faults in nearly any piece of electronic equipment or wiring on any platform, including F-22, F-16, F-35, F/A-18, rotary-wing platforms such as the UH-60 and land or sea platforms.
The system increases platform mission capable rates by eliminating unnecessary follow-on maintenance and proactively addressing emerging issues. This new capability isolates each intermittent fault and provides easy-to-follow maintenance actions for the maintainer to return the unit to service. In addition to mission capable improvements, eliminating intermittent failures will dramatically reduce sustainment costs by keeping platforms operating and decreasing repairs and supply support.
“This new capability is groundbreaking, and we’re tremendously excited to help the DoD address a challenge costing them billions,” commented Vice President of Lockheed Martin Enterprise Sustainment Solutions, Laura Frank. “Resolving intermittence in electronics is a discriminator for the DoD in achieving an 80% mission capable rate across platforms.”
“This partnership aligns our collective goals of reducing No Fault Found and increasing warfighter readiness by eradicating intermittent faults,” added Universal Synaptics Corporation President and CEO, Ken Anderson. “Together we will define a new era of advanced test capabilities and reset test equipment performance expectations for the DoD Maintenance Enterprise.”
