Two-level maintenance concept for advanced avionics architectures

The advanced avionic architecture for next-generation military aircraft will feature common signal- and data-processing modules. The common modules will incorporate VHSIC technology and feature extensive built-in-test (BIT) and error logging capabilities. These new technologies present an opportunity to eliminate the intermediate level of maintenance because self-diagnosed modules can be routed directly to the depot. The author describes a support philosophy which, through BIT capabilities and a factory/depot tester architecture, makes the two-level maintenance concept possible. He explains how to exploit the modules' ability to test themselves and the resultant effect on the support equipment requirements. He then discusses a MATE implementation of the depot tester and addresses issues such as hardware/software modularity, the selection of the controller and instrumentation, and the use of ATLAS versus Ada as the test program language.<>