Generating, developing and managing weapons systems’ configuration changes, variances and technical directives (TDs) just got easier thanks to an improved naval aviation configuration management tool.

“The upgrades ensure all configuration changes are fully documented, well thought out and addressed by all stakeholders for executability and supportability, as well as delineate realistic implementation schedules for the Configuration Control Board (CCB),” said Sustainment Group Configuration Management/Data Management (CM/DM) Department Head Daniel Christensen.

The Enterprise Change Management (ECM) Tool’s integrated digital environment (IDE) is collaborative, offering common capability and functionality across all 34 NAVAIR program offices (PMA) and offices of primary responsibility. Its IDE pulls information from multiple sources, including the development, reviews and archives of engineering change proposals, requests for variances, specification changes notices, reviews and approvals within CCB requests and directives packages.

The tool now includes auto-populated initial and secondary metadata entry and associated data fields. Users can search data fields to help develop metrics. These changes reduce the need for specialized training when users move from PMA to PMA and minimize the possibility of human errors, such as common discrepancies and contradictions of information across multiple forms within the package.

The formal CCB Change Request/Directive 4130 manual standalone process has been replaced by the 4130 Wizard which has been integrated into the IDE, streamlining the configuration management process and improving the dissemination of information across naval aviation.

The 4130 Wizard is the primary means by which inputs are compiled from all PMA and fleet support teams (FST) and is how maintainers receive instructions on configuration changes to fleet assets, Christensen said.

“Between 1,000 and 1,500 TDs can range from one to hundreds of pages are generated each year throughout NAVAIR by several hundred engineers. They include all types of changes and bulletins and consist of information that cannot be disseminated satisfactorily by revisions to technical manuals. Using the new Technical Directive Wizard will save time, cost and rework due to the TD Wizard structured environment,” he said.

“To ensure the Wizard’s tools meet users’ needs and aligns with other digital initiatives, the CM/DM Department and PMA CM leaders worked with the NAVAIR DAiTA Group/Digital Network Applications Department to standardize the 4130 CCB and TD processes into the virtual environment of ECM. The 4130 Excel forms transitioned into the digital environment that consolidates and summarizes tasks, cost, schedule and the proposed configuration changes into a digital format,” Christensen explained. 

Jennifer Heironimus, V-22 FST configuration manager/modification deputy integrated product team lead at Fleet Readiness Center East, said using the ECM tool with the integrated TD Wizard has been helpful in ensuring consistency, accuracy and compliance.

“It [the tool] not only reduces the likelihood of rework due to missing or improperly formatted content, but has also strengthened best practices for reviewing technical data and identified gaps and inconsistencies earlier in the process. This in turn supports smoother integration efforts and better coordination with other teams,” she said.

She added, “I now have a broader perspective on CM and team collaboration, not just as a technical requirement, but as a foundational element of successful program execution.”

CM/DM Department Deputy Head Ed Blackstone, a plankowner in the ECM tool’s development, said data shows the integrated tool is reducing users’ workload and improving responsiveness. 

“They are reporting quicker turnaround times and greater confidence in the accuracy of the data due to the auto population feature,” he explained.

The CM/DM Department and the DAiTA Group/Digital Network Applications Department continue to add functionality to the tool with an eye toward future trends, including harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. Plans are to increase the tool’s automated front-end validation, data collection and system-generated metrics capabilities, which will provide a greater range of traceability and accuracy of configuration change data.

The addition of validation coding will prevent common errors when staffing multiple cost and funding sheets spanning multiple years or countries, Common Aviation Support Equipment (PMA-260) Configuration Manager and co-developer Craig Davie said. It will also enable approved packages to be used as a template for a CCB revision or the next regular software update for the same product. These proposed software updates to the 4130 Wizard and the TD Wizard will further reduce the time to develop the change package, as well as the review time for all the members that must approve the package during routing. “Having new metadata fields in the ECM tool provides the opportunity to develop new reports, allowing for additional metrics to be extracted from the database,” he added.

“Increasing ECM’s change management processing performance,” said Christensen, “will help our workforce keep pace with the increasing complexity of today’s and tomorrow’s sixth-generation weaponry and deliver unmatched capabilities.”