NAVAIR’s Avionics Component Improvement Program (AvCIP) recently completed another cycle of candidate proposal reviews and selected nine new projects to use the $4.7 million in funding for fiscal year 2010.

“The nine projects were selected by a board representing a wide cross-section of the Naval Aviation Enterprise,” said Captain Ralph Portnoy, Air Combat Electronics Program Manager, PMA-209. “They were evaluated and rated based upon executability, operational contribution, urgency, breadth of application across users, reduction of Fleet pain, and potential financial return-on-investment by a working group of NAVAIR experts and Naval Aviation Enterprise stakeholders.”

The AvCIP projects selected to receive FY10 funding include:

PMA-299 SH-60B AYK-14 Memory Upgrade
PMA-299 MH-60 Enhanced Software Configurable Air Data Unit (ESCADU)
PMA-213 MATCALS Digitizer Switching Set
PMA-265 F/A-18/AV-8B ALR-67 (V) 2 RWR Oscillator
PMA-265 F/A-18/AV-8B APG-65-73 Transmitter HVPS
PMA-265 F/A-18E/F MAGR2K 24 Channel GPS Receiver card (for Lots 26-29)
PMA-231 E-2C Cockpit Overhead Lights Controller
PMA-231 E-2C Emergency Escape Hatch Lighting Sensor
PMA-290 EP-3 Autopilot System Upgrade

With regard to the EP-3 project, the AvCIP team recently engaged in a partnership between Norway and PMA-290 to replace the EP-3 autopilot system. AvCIP will match the funds provided by Norway to PMA-290. These funds will support the development and test of an updated, more reliable autopilot system for two Norwegian P-3N and U.S. Navy EP-3 aircraft. As an additional benefit, after this initiative, all Norwegian P-3N and U.S. Navy P-3 variants will have the same autopilot system.

AvCIP funding covers non-recurring engineering costs for solutions to problem components, focusing on top readiness degraders, critical obsolescence/sustainability issues, and top cost drivers.

The data call for FY11 AvCIP projects will be released in December. Submissions will be evaluated and selected for allocation of nearly $5 million.

For more information concerning the AvCIP program or this year’s selections, contact Tom Maday, AvCIP IPT Lead, PMA209, at 301-757-0910.

(Article provided by AIR 1.0 Public Affairs)