Technical Services - Winter 2009 - (Page 15)

lcoe Warner Robins uses technology and process improvements to increase business C ombat multipliers – they’re what all warfighters seek and are essential to mission success. At Technical Services’ Warner Robins, Ga., site engineers and management recently conceived of new, innovative ways to provide warfighters with better solutions, while driving down costs and increasing Warner Robins capabilities. “Finding better ways to do business is part of our culture here,” said Kevin Benoit, Warner Robins Legacy RePLACEment Products business area manager. “Team members routinely interface with customers, listen and exchange ideas, and take back those lessons learned to develop better products and solutions.” 1 2 One recent example of this collaboration involved George “Butch” Ashwood, a test engineer assigned to the Warner Robins Avionics Engineering Sustainment Center (WRAESC), whose customer is the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WRALC) Electronic Warfare Directorate. Ashwood supports the ALQ-131 Countermeasures Pod program with engineering sustainment and is responsible for pod depot maintenance. During discussions with the WRALC customer, Ashwood developed a concept that drew from dif- ferent pod systems, when integrated together, would produce a synergy of multiple functional capabilities that would greatly increase the combat effectiveness of the integrated system. He then collaborated with engineering from WRAESC and NGES (Rolling Meadows) and developed a white paper describing a roadmap to bring together ALQ-184 and ALQ-131 pod capabilities. “His paper addresses a pod improvement program which combines the advanced technology of our newest electronic warfare capability with the best parts of two legacy systems,” added Benoit. “The technology transformation will allow the Air Force to modify current sustainment of three-level maintenance to two-level maintenance. In addition to eliminating the sustainment costs of the ALQ-184 pod, the maintenance life-cycle cost savings are projected to more than cover the development and production costs of the composite pod.” The combined efforts of the team resulted in a September award of $4 million for a demonstration program for the U.S. Air Force. After successful completion of the demonstration program, a multi-year, multi-million dollar production program should follow. TS 3 1 4 The electronic warfare pod is essential for jamming air defense systems and possesses a high-power multi-beam RF system. The ALQ-131 pod contributes to full-dimensional aircraft protection. The ALQ-131 Block II is an upgraded version of a pod configured electronics countermeasures system first fielded in the 1970s. 4 3 2 The ALQ-131 Electronic CounterMeasures Pod is modular in design containing various electronic receivers, antennas, and powerful transmitters designed to terminate the engagement of lethal threat systems. This modular pod-mounted system can be configured to protect the F-16 and A-10 weapon systems. Pictured is Butch Ashwood with a countermeasures pod. Northrop Grumman Technical Services 15

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Technical Services - Winter 2009

Technical Services - Winter 2009 Contents President's Column New Business Growth TS Implements Improvements to USPS Equipment Security Services Award in Southwest Asia; TS Awarded Qatar Contract Livermore Operations Provide Major Support to NSTec NSROC Team Achieves Technical Excellence NG Board Visits Nevada Test Site Fort Irwin Gains Efficiencies Global Hawk Award Lake Charles Reaches Significant Milestone TS Continues Expanding Hunter UAV Support Operations Warner Robins Uses Technology to Increase Business U.K. AWACS Accident Data Recording Systems Upgrade TS Continues to Support Injured Warfighters TS Transforms Army Training; Secures Key DHS Contract TS Trainers Deliver New Military Intelligence Instruction I'm In! TS Supports Joint Training Media Operations; BCTC Trainers Prepare for Combat Ethics OpenLine Results and Poster Contest Winners; Safe Harbor Annual Recertification TS Optimizes Operations Through ISO 9001:2000 Certification

Technical Services - Winter 2009

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