Fri, Feb 07, 2014
Northrop Grumman Common Processor Approach Promises Reduced Sustainment Costs, Enhanced Readiness
The U.S. Air Force will get its first look at a faster, more affordable way to replace obsolete avionics on the B-2 stealth bomber under a contract awarded last August to Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Under the 43-month, $43.5 million award, the company will produce a functional replacement for a B-2 avionics box called the Audio Central Distribution Unit (ACDU). More significantly, the work will map out a smart, cost-effective way to address a growing threat to B-2 readiness: mission-essential parts that cannot be repaired or easily replaced.
Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2. "Northrop Grumman has developed a concept called the Common Processor to create same-size, functional replacements for many of the B-2's most critical avionics units – in a fraction of the time and cost required to do custom replacements for those units," said Dave Mazur, vice president and B-2 program manager, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The ACDU will be the first B-2 avionics line replaceable unit [LRU] to be produced using this approach."
An increasing number of LRUs on the jet face or will soon face obsolescence, explained Mazur. In some cases, the company that produced an LRU is out of business or can no longer produce the unit. In other cases, the equipment required to test an LRU is no longer available. The Common Processor concept is achieved by taking advantage of functional similarities among avionics LRUs on the B-2 today. Common hardware elements will be used in unique combinations to create different types of LRUs. "One of the most powerful features of the Common Processor is that it will allow B-2 maintainers to use one common set of test equipment for all of the replacement LRUs," said Mazur. "This approach will reduce avionics sustainment costs and help improve aircraft availability."
Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have identified 21 different current LRUs on the B-2 that could be replaced using the Common Processor, he added. Each LRU has multiple copies on the jet.
(B-2 image from file)
More News
Airbus Racer Demonstrator Makes Inaugural Flight Airbus Helicopters' ambitious Racer demonstrator has achieved its inaugural flight as part of the Clean Sky 2 initiative, a corners>[...]
A little Bit Quieter, Said Testers, But in the End it's Still a DA40 Diamond Aircraft recently completed a little pilot project with Lufthansa Aviation Training, putting a pair of >[...]
Line Up And Wait (LUAW) Used by ATC to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway to line up and wait. It is not authorization for takeoff. It is used when takeoff clearance >[...]
Contributing To The Accident Was The Pilot’s Use Of Methamphetamine... Analysis: The pilot departed on a local flight to perform low-altitude maneuvers in a nearby desert val>[...]
From 2015 (YouTube Version): Overcoming Obstacles To Achieve Their Dreams… At EAA AirVenture 2015, FedEx arrived with one of their Airbus freight-hauling aircraft and placed>[...]
Airbus Racer Helicopter Demonstrator First Flight Part of Clean Sky 2 Initiative
See All