AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COMAPRIL 2015 |^23
Aircraft survivability tests z
a self-contained mobile test capability
for end-to-end testing against various
threat systems.
“In the face of multiple setbacks,
challenges and changes in test
methodology, a test capability of this
magnitude requires cutting-edge
technology to keep up with rapidly
evolving threats,” Mason explains.
“Because of this, RTC’s repository of
threats is updated constantly. This
enables us to efficiently, effectively and
relevantly test customer test articles
at minimum cost, in any location or
weather conditions, maximizing the
test results we’re able to generate.”
THE VALUE OF SIMULATION
Military forces deploy around the
globe in numerous diverse and austere
environments, so it is imperative
ASE capabilities are tested in realistic
environments. “As our soldiers are
globally engaged, we cannot sacrifice
testing in real-world locations without
sacrificing the quality of the test
and the results it would produce,”
says Powell.
However, executing ASE testing
across the vast array of environments
creates unique complexities, greatly
increases cost and lengthens the test
schedule. RTC has therefore created
a network of simulated environments
in its testing facilities. These facilities
allow for tower, in-flight and ground
simulation testing. Currently in
development, RTC’s Aviation Systems
Test and Integration Lab, AvSTIL, will
have ground simulation capabilities, to
stimulate ASE sensors as if the aircraft
were actually in flight. This capability
simultaneously provides multispectral
stimulation of aircraft sensors to
imitate threat systems against which
the aircraft ASE can react, according to
Lt-Col. Richard Bratt, commander for
RTC’s Aviation Flight Test Directorate.
“The new lab [AvSTIL] will provide
for rapid and iterative low-cost
stimulations for developmental tests of
new ASE with a potential certification
capability of ASE with fewer flying
hour costs,” says Bratt. “In the lab, we’ll
be able to provide ASE manufacturers
with large quantities of data that
may otherwise be unattainable due
to the relatively high cost of inflight
testing when compared with
ground simulation.”
Powell describes the three
categories of ASE threats that RTC
test experts test against:- Unguided threats: These may range
from rifle fire to a large unguided
rocket fired in the general direction
of an aircraft. While these threats are
basic in concept, they have the
capability for effective employment
against airborne targets and are
therefore an important threat category
to build defenses against. - Radar-guided threats: R adar-guided
weapons can range from medium
machine guns with radar guidance to
REDSTONE TEST CENTER
As the US Army’s primary test
agency for aviation, missiles
and sensors, RTC is uniquely
suited to the mission of
aircraft survivability. Through
an array of technical
expertise and many
advanced facilities, RTC
can rigorously test systems
from the component level
through subsystem testing
to full flight test.
“Our workforce is
comprised of pilots,
engineers and technical
personnel working with a
fleet of aircraft, laboratories,
open-air ranges and
component-level test beds
on more than 140,000ft^2 ofhangar space and test
ranges,” says Col. Patrick
Mason, RTC Commander.
RTC’s state-of-the-art
facilities and equipment
capabilities include
environmentally controlled
laboratories housing
standard and specialized
dimensional metrology
equipment, electrical and
optical components test
labs, a wide range of
static and dynamic
structural load test stands,
hydraulics and pressure
test laboratories, and
multiple high-bay facilities
that can accommodate large
test items.In addition RTC also has
extensive modeling and
simulation capabilities
allowing the integration of
hardware-in-the-loop testing
with virtual and constructive
environments. “Our facilities
enable us to leverage
simulation to test against
varying threats in differing
climatic environments similar
to what our soldiers would
face in the real world,” says
Mason. “Because of this
advanced simulation
capability we are able to
save costs and reduce test
complexity without
sacrificing the accuracy
of test results.”64
Aircraft used for test purposes5,000
The number of flight test hours
conducted by Redstone annually14,000
The size in acres of the test
site in AlabamaBELOW: A CH-47
ASE stimulation
event