Released by NAWCWD Public Affairs Office, China Lake, Calif.
By Susan Read

The Memory Loader Verifier Set (MLVS) Development Team received a letter of commendation at the fourth annual Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Commander’s Award ceremony held recently. The team built, tested and delivered to the fleet new software that upgrades the MLVS, which loads both avionics and electronics software onto aircraft computers and is the common loader for all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.

Team members include sponsor Roger Hontz at PMA-260, chief engineer Faridullah Khan, software team lead Allen Larsen, shop lead Mike Powell, software engineers Rich Johnson (Foxen Solutions) and Tony Scanlan (L3 Communications), and electronics technician Mike Wall. Hontz and Khan are at Lakehurst, New Jersey and remaining team members are at China Lake, California.

Weighing just over five pounds and measuring nine by six inches, the MLVS can easily be carried to an aircraft on the flight line – a tremendous improvement over its two-foot-long, 65-pound predecessor. Connected to the aircraft via a single-point MUX connector or direct cable (depending on the aircraft being supported), the MLVS can load data in a few minutes. The set also has the ability to download data from various recorders and dispensers.

The MLVS concept grew out of fleet experiences in Desert Storm. The initial hardware design was done at NAVAIR Weapons Division Pt. Mugu, with development and integration testing carried out at NAVAIR Weapons Division China Lake. The set is used at both Weapons Division sites to load avionics software on the F/A-18, AV-8B and F-14, while other sites use it to load the V-22, UH-1, P-3 and other rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft.

Continued development of the MLVS as a common support item provides a proven capability that supports these aircraft platforms. Any simplification in the complex environment that the fleet faces in naval aviation allows the seaman to focus on the more important tasks that involve safety. The use of a common loader reduces the number of different loading devices, simplifying the loading task. The MLVS was also purposely defined to be lightweight and sturdy, making the loading task easier.

The Commander’s Award is the highest award given to recognize teams within the Naval Air Systems Command. In his letter to the MLVS Development Team, NAVAIR Commander VADM Wally Massenburg said, “I am pleased to see your team was considered this year for one of these prestigious awards. The accomplishments of your team are noteworthy and indicative of the dedication and expertise each of your members bring to the overall effort. I sincerely appreciate your hard work and continued dedication to NAVAIR and the Fleet. You have my heartfelt appreciation for a job well done.”

Photo cutline: MLVS Development Team members (l-r) Mike Powell, Allen Larsen, Rich Johnson, Tony Scanlan