Submitted by TEAM Public Affairs, Patuxent River
Naval Air Systems Command has authorized Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the Integrated Mechanical Diagnostics Health and Usage Monitoring System (IMD HUMS) for the Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon fleets.

The LRIP decision follows the successful completion of the initial phase of the developmental test program of a prototype system on a CH-53E at NAVAIR site Patuxent River, Md. Delivery and installation is scheduled to begin in early 2001.

"IMD HUMS brings a tremendous capability to our helicopter crews and maintainers. We are very pleased that this decision puts the system one step closer to fielding to our Marines and Sailors," said, Col. Kevin P. Janowsky, program manager for H-53 and Executive Helicopters.

The system will improve flight safety and significantly reduce the operations and support cost for Navy helicopters by full-time monitoring of engines, mechanical drive train and rotor system components.

Monitoring and diagnostic capabilities include rotor track and balance, engine performance and health monitoring, gearbox and drive train health monitoring, structural usage and fatigue life tracking, and maintenance condition trending. It also provides timely and accurate information to the fleet operators, maintainers, and flight personnel.

Flight readiness and safety are also enhanced through early identification of degraded components. If the system detects severe degradation of a drive train component that jeopardizes flight safety, it can provide appropriate advisories to the crew, allowing critical time to perform a safe landing, if necessary.

In routine operations, system data is downloaded post-flight into a ground-based diagnostic system that ties directly into the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System maintenance management information system. The data products are available to a variety of maintenance and engineering users through the NALCOMIS/Automated Maintenance Environment computer database.

The recently approved system is a product of B.F. Goodrich Aerospace, Integrated Avionics Systems in Vergennes, Vt. BFG entered into a cooperative agreement with NAVAIR in 1997 to adapt their commercial system into a product suitable for use on Navy and Marine Corps helicopters.

The agreement was part of the office of secretary of defense sponsored Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative for military application of dual-use technologies and systems. Both the H-53 and H-60 helicopters are participating in the 1997 COSSI effort. Additionally, the system is also being adapted to the new UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters as part of their ongoing remanufacture by Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated.

An Integrated Product Team from H-53 (PMA-261) and H-60 (PMA-299) program offices jointly manage the IMD HUMS project. Developmental testing continues at Patuxent River through mid-2001, with operational evaluation scheduled toward the end of the year.