F/A-18

System Safety On Any System On A F/A-18

Abstract

The continued down-sizing ofthe Department ofDefense (DoD) into the 21st century and the resulting budget constrained realities will force the Navy to adopt innovative measures to save costs, while not sacrificing readiness. The Navy's immediate future in aviation lies in the readiness of the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft weapons system. Present experience shows the F/A-18's hydraulic system is not performing effectively and subsequently is one of the top readiness degraders. In this thesis, we analyze reengineering and consolidating duplicate intermediate level F/A-18 hydraulic system maintenance capabilities. Consolidating the maintenance of duplicate capabilities into one facility per coast, as we propose for the intermediate maintenance facilities for these hydraulic components, would reduce cost while maintaining readiness.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

TEF/HS Testing on the STS7

Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)7

Complexity Of The STS AND TEF/HS9

Aviation Depot Level Repair Charges9

AVDLR BCM Model10

Transportation Costs10

Manpower11

Spares12

Product Improvements And MTBF13

References14

System Safety On Any System On A F/A-18

Introduction

Reliable weapons systems are critical to the success of the Department of Defense (DoD) in meeting its missions. Reduced budgets have produced binding budget constraints that have challenged logisticians in all communities. Each of the Navy's communities must face these obstacles with innovative and forward-looking change to meet the demands of the 21st century. In concert with the responsibility to make fiscally responsible change, the requirement to simultaneously maintain the readiness of weapons systems is paramount. More specifically, the Naval aviation community's success lies foremost in future policy innovations and the readiness of the F/A-18 Hornet weapons system (Krentz, 2001).

Present experience shows the F/A-18's hydraulic system is not performing as designed or planned for and subsequently is one of the aircraft's top readiness degraders. Figure 1 amplifies the current readiness status of the F/A-18 by outlining five hydraulic components among the aircraft's top ten readiness degraders. In this thesis, we evaluate the impact of consolidating the repair of these hydraulic components. We will outline how the current Navy and Marine Corps' maintenance policy and physical layout contributes to the hydraulic related shortfalls seen in the F/A-18*s readiness. The F/A-18 aircraft is supported with three levels of maintenance - depot, intermediate and organizational. We will concentrate on the F/A-18's intermediate maintenance concept which is currently centered around four Prime Intermediate Maintenance Activities (PIMA).

The Navy's two prime intermediate maintenance facilities, known as Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD), are located in Lemoore, California and Jacksonville, Florida. The Marine Corps' two prime intermediate maintenance facilities, a component of the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS), are located in San Diego, California and Beaufort, South Carolina.

Trailing Edge Flap, Hydraulic Servovalve

The McDonnell Douglas Aircraft (MDA) and Northrop team was selected to build the Northrop originated F/A-18 design in the mid-1970's. Extensive engineering and manufacturing design at the subcontractor level began to meet the procurement requirements. The Bertea Corporation, which later was purchased by the Parker Hannifan Corporation, began work on the original TEF/HS. In accordance with the MDA procurement specification for the TEF/HS, ten dash numbers have been issued ...