JAHUMS ACTD-a case study in open systems from a technology insertion perspective

This paper summarizes efforts within the Joint Advanced Health and Usage Monitoring System (JAHUMS) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) Program to demonstrate advanced helicopter health and usage monitoring technologies and to validate an open systems approach from a technology insertion perspective. The JAHUMS ACTD technology insertion efforts capitalize on the availability of a commercial health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) that consists of an onboard processing unit, a ground based processor and server, and an enterprise database. A non-proprietary open systems specification for the system provides interface information to support the development of technologies by independent third party providers. Several technology modules are being developed in parallel with the initial fielding of the baseline system and consist of both hardware and software components that will be added to the onboard and ground based systems. It is anticipated that a modular open architecture, coupled with a complementary business architecture, will provide substantial opportunities for technology insertion in both military and commercial HUMS.