On March 8, 2005, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) presented its 2004 Defense Standardization Program Achievement Awards. Of the 6 winning teams (2 Navy, 2 Army, 1 Air Force, and 1 Defense Logistics Agency), both Navy winners were from NAVAIR. The winners were the Integrated In-Service Support Program team (IISRP) led by Debbie Vergos in AIR 6.0 at PAX and the Mission Data Exchange Format (MiDEF) team led by Scott Millett in AIR 4.0 China Lake.

Mission Data Exchange: New File Format for Weapons Data

Scott Millett’s team was instrumental in developing the DoD Interface Standard for Mission Data Exchange Format, MIL-STD-3014, informally known as MiDEF. MiDEF is a standard for the mission data file format for use by joint/coalition weapons. It is a compact, flexible and powerful file format independent of communication channel protocols.

Millett and his team developed the file format and drafted the standard. They also acquired joint contacts and support for MiDEF’s development and approached the Joint/International Society of Automotive Engineers for review and consensus ratification of MiDEF as a technical standard.

The Universal Armament Interface (UAI) initiative has selected MiDEF as its mission data transfer standard. The UAI is becoming the common interface for air-to-ground weapons. By standardizing mission data transfer formats and armament interfaces, integration of future precision-guided munitions (PGM) will be decoupled from aircraft operational flight program cycles.

By establishing a common mission data transfer standard and armament interface, follow-on PGM integration time will be shortened by 1 to 3 years, and costs will be reduced by $20 million to $50 million.

In-Service Reliability Research Improves Readiness

Deborah Vergos (AIR 6.2, PAX) led a Navy team, using reliability as a force multiplier, to improve component reliability, lower fleet operational costs, and standardize and document the processes to accomplish these goals. The Integrated In-Service Reliability Program (IISRP) collocated a headquarters management team and three integrated analysis teams with naval air depots and fleet operations squadrons.

Within the Naval Air community, Aviation Depot Level Repairable component repair costs have consumed more than 54% of the Flying Hour Program (FHP) budget, with costs increasing annually in the range of 8%-11%. With Naval aircraft serving in harsh combat environments supporting the war on terror, the reliability and time-on-wing for many of these components continued to fall.

Through the IISRP, the team generated more than 1,000 reliability improvement recommendations. Those recommendations translate into a cost avoidance of $113.7 million to the FHP; development of standardized processes, analysis methods, and software analysis tools; and reversal of negative trends in reliability and time-on-wing for high-value, mission-critical aviation components. In addition, the team exported the standardized processes, tools and applications to other DoD and industry users for potential widespread application.

Photos
MiDEF-1 From left to right: Greg Saunders, Director, Defense Standardization Program Office; Lou Kratz. Ass't. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Logistics Plans and Programs; LCDR Don Parker, Advanced Products Team Lead, PMA-201, Precision Strike Weapons; Mike Griswold, Director, F-16 Improvements and Derivatives, Advance Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company; Scott Millett*, PMA-201 APT Support, Weapons Engagement Office, Weapons and Targets Department, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake; David Neel*, Principal Engineer, F-16 Improvements and Derivatives, Advance Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company; H. Wayne Willhite, Head, Weapons Engagement Office, Weapons and Targets Department, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake; Jeff Allan, Department of Navy Standardization Officer.

*Award Winners

Award Winners not shown: Mr. Mark Harrington, Technical Manager, Smiths Aerospace Electronic Systems, Cheltenham, UK; Mr. Pierre Miles, MBDA, UK.

Not present for photo: Nick Kunesh, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Navy (Logistics).

IISRP-1 From left to right: Greg Saunders, Director, Defense Standardization Program Office; Lou Kratz, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Logistics Plans and Programs; Nick Kunesh, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Navy (Logistics); Debbie Vergos, IISRP Program Manager; Les Wetherington IISRP Deputy Program Manager; James Schrope, NADEP North Island IISRP Team Lead; Steve Adamczyk, NADEP Jacksonville IISRP Team Lead; Bobby Brinson, NADEP Cherry Point IISRP Team Lead.