Momentum - September 2019 - 27

TODAY'S
ENGINEERING

F-16 ANTI-COLLISION SOFTWARE
NOW USED IN THE F-35
THE FIFTH-GENERATION Lockheed
Martin F-35 Lighting II stealth multirole
fighter is now a safer aircraft to fly
thanks to collision avoidance technology
originally developed by NASA and the Air
Force Research Laboratory for the fourthgeneration F-16 Fighting Falcon. The F-35
Joint Program Office, U.S. Air Force, and
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics are currently
integrating life-saving Automatic Ground
Collision Avoidance Systems (Auto-GCAS)
on USAF F-35As.
Auto-GCAS uses terrain mapping,
geolocation, and automation to detect
and avoid potential ground collisions
in case of pilot spatial disorientation.
When the program recognizes imminent
impact, it prompts the pilot to take action.
If the pilot is unresponsive, Auto-GCAS
assumes temporary control and performs
emergency maneuvers to avoid ground
collision, returning control to the pilot
once the aircraft is on a safe trajectory.
The system has been operating
successfully aboard the F-16 for more
than five years and has already been
credited with saving eight F-16 pilots'
lives since 2014. Moreover, the joint
government and industry team successfully fielded the technology seven
years earlier than previously planned,
using an agile development, testing, and
contracting method.
"This is a great day for the warfighter
as the Auto-GCAS is a proven system
that is long overdue," said Lieutenant
General Eric Fick, executive office of the
F-35 Program. "Expediting this life-saving
technology into the F-35 across the
global fleet will bring more warfighters
home. Over the service life of the F-35
fleet, having Auto-GCAS is estimated to
prevent more than 26 ground collisions
from happening. It is indeed a remarkable
achievement in aeronautics which will
improve the performance, efficiency,
and safety of the F-35. The time and
effort expended to deliver this critical
warfighting capability is worth it. It will
save lives."

MOMENTUM

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

The U.S. Air Force
F-35A (shown) is
the first to receive
Auto-GCAS. The
system will next be
integrated into the
F-35B and F-35C
variants.

Image credit: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

The basics of Auto-GCAS.
Auto-GCAS was originally slated
for delivery in the 2026 timeframe. To
accelerate the technology, Air Force
Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin
conducted positive feasibility studies
and the F-35 Joint Program Office and
Lockheed Martin then implemented an
agile approach to develop the technology
for integration on the F-35. The 412th
Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base
then completed a rigorous flight test
program to validate its performance and
safety, which led to the wing's formal
recommendation to field Auto-GCAS
aboard the F-35.
"The F-35 is the most survivable fighter
jet in the world today, and the addition
of Auto-GCAS will further enhance
safety and save lives," said Greg Ulmer,

Lockheed Martin's vice president and
general manager of the F-35 program.
"The safe and effective acceleration of
this technology is a testament to the
joint government and industry team
partnering in an agile environment to
deliver life-saving capability to our men
and women in uniform, significantly
sooner than planned."
U.S. Air Force F-35As are the first to
receive Auto-GCAS, and the system will
next be integrated aboard the F-35B
and F-35C variants. The Auto-GCAS
team was recently recognized with the
National Aeronautic Association's 2018
Robert J. Collier Trophy and received the
prestigious award in June 2019.

By William Kucinski, content editor at SAE International,
Aerospace Products Group

September 2019 27
Momentum - September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Momentum - September 2019
