Boeing B-1 With FIDL Avionics Upgrade Completes 1st Phase of Flight Test

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Boeing B-1 With FIDL Avionics Upgrade Completes 1st Phase of Flight Test
UNITED STATES - 18 DECEMBER 2009

EDWARDS U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Dec. 18, 2009 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has successfully completed the first phase of flight test for a B-1 bomber upgraded with new digital avionics. The B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link (FIDL) flight test plan for Phase 1 concluded Oct. 16; it included nine sorties performed by the U.S. Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base.

"This upgrade replaces 25-year-old avionics processing, displays and keyboards," said Eric Vanderslice, B-1 FIDL program manager for Boeing. "Those old systems have very limited functionality. It also changes the configuration of the limited display space that helps the crew perform the aircraft's mission. We are going from bulky cathode-ray-tube screens to higher-functioning flat-panel displays, giving crews more situational awareness and more space."

Phase 1 included observations of how the crew acclimated to the new configuration; temperature and vibration tests on the new hardware; and functionality tests of all the display-related software upgrades, including the new moving maps. An 8-inch by 10-inch flat-panel display shows a picture of the terrain below that changes as the aircraft moves, much like a GPS system does in a car. B-1 crews will enter their destination and flight path before departure in order for the moving map to provide a continuously updated display of the route.

Now that Phase 1 testing is complete, the B-1 aircraft will go to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., for programmed depot maintenance. The remaining software flight-test objectives (emphasizing data link functionality) will be performed during Phase 2, which is scheduled to begin at Edwards in April 2010 and run for 10 months. The Air Force is expected to award a contract in November 2010 for the production of FIDL installation kits for the service's entire B-1 fleet.

Source: Boeing

File Photo: A U.S. Air Force B-1 Lancer Bomber

 

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GE Intelligent Platforms Completes Delivery Boeing Order Enabling Flight Testing of B-1B
UNITED STATES - 15 APRIL 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. | GE Intelligent Platforms today announced that it had completed delivery of a $6.5 million order from Boeing (Long Beach, CA). The order, to enable the development of upgrades to the US Air Force’s B-1B bomber, was received in March 2008, with a requirement for completion in time to enable planned flight testing early in 2011.

The upgrades, which are expected to generate production orders starting in 2011, will provide the B-1B with a Vertical Situation Display Upgrade (VSDU), giving aircrew improved protection against hostile action. Included are an adapted version of the GE Intelligent Platforms Octegra3 6U VME rugged video/graphics processor and VIM2 rugged video input mezzanine.

Importantly, Boeing’s requirement was that the subsystems were DO-178B certified, meaning that the development process used conforms to strict quality criteria designed to maximize the safety of airborne systems. GE Intelligent Platforms subcontracted with Ultra Electronics Controls to undertake the necessary development and qualification of the board support package (BSP). Ultra Electronics Controls was selected because of the company’s extensive experience and expertise in delivering DO-178B certified systems. In addition, Presagis provided a DO-178B compliant version of its OpenGL embedded graphics solution.

“Our ultimate goal was to provide a highly cost-effective solution to meet Boeing’s requirements,” said Peter Cavill, General Manager, Military & Aerospace Products at GE Intelligent Platforms. “By working with Ultra Electronics Controls and Presagis on aspects of the project, we simplified the process for Boeing. Because of the depth and breadth of the GE Intelligent Platforms product line, we were able to modify a standard product that precisely met Boeing’s needs, therefore providing a low risk solution that maximized the chances that Boeing could meet its commitment to its customer. ”

The Octegra3 video/graphics processor is designed for demanding applications such as aircraft cockpit displays that require multiple video inputs, multiple video outputs and high performance graphics overlay. It features both a general purpose computing processor from Freescale and a dedicated graphics processor. The VIM2 video input mezzanine card is specifically designed for operation with the Octegra3, providing five independent video input channels and four independent scalers.

The B-1B first flew in October 1984. It can operate at more than 30,000 feet and has a range of more than 7,000 miles. It holds 61 world records for speed, payload and distance. In March 2008, the B-1B became the first aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using synthetic fuel. The fuel was a 50/50 blend of conventional JP-8 petroleum and a synthetic fuel. The flight was part of an ongoing USAF program to certify the alternative fuel for all USAF aircraft. There are currently 66 B-1 aircraft in service.


File Photo: An U.S. Air Force B-1B LANCER Long-range Bomber

Source: GE Intelligent Platforms

 

[Rank]

LOVELY!! BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTIFUL B2 and B1

 

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Boeing Expands SDB I Weapon's Capability with Block 09 Software
UNITED STATES - 22 APRIL 2010

ST. LOUIS, April 22, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has begun fielding Block 09 software for the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) that adds to the weapon system's capability and updates its concept of operations.

"In response to the changing battlefield environment, Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have worked together to expand SDB I's mission capability from a long-range standoff weapon into a weapon that also minimizes flight time to target -- ideal for close air support," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing program director for Direct Attack Weapons.

The software upgrade is designed to minimize flight time so that the weapon reaches the target faster while maintaining accuracy and low collateral damage. The upgrade does not require any physical changes to the weapon or the carriage. Both fielded weapons and new productions of SDB I and its Focus Lethality Munition (FLM) variant will receive the upgrade.

SDB I is a 250-pound class, low-cost and low-collateral-damage precision strike weapon. It incorporates a steel case and penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead. The weapon's smaller size, coupled with its four-place carriage, enables more weapons to be carried on each aircraft to improve mission effectiveness and reduce the number of sorties required per mission. The FLM variant provides even lower collateral damage effects with the use of a composite case warhead.


Source: The Boeing Company

 

[adir]

Cool stuff

 

[WAQAS119]

sexy.........

 

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Production of SDB Firing Valve Continues
UNITED STATES - 27 APRIL 2010

Marotta Controls announced today that it was awarded a multi-million dollar follow-on contract for continued production of the pneumatic firing valve for the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). Under the new contract Marotta will deliver an additional 2,100 units starting in September 2010, following the completion of the current lot production.

The Small Diameter Bomb, the U.S. Air Force's low-cost direct-attack precision strike weapon, is designed to reduce collateral damage through its precision and accuracy. Its small size and weight allows more weapons to be carried on each aircraft, increasing the number of possible targets on each sortie. It is particularly useful in urban areas, and has been deployed during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for close air support missions.

The Small Diameter Bomb is ejected from the smart weapons carriage that uses Marotta's high-pressure pneumatic firing valve rather than conventional pyrotechnic ejection methods. High-pressure pneumatic systems increase the efficiency of the smart weapons station by providing consistent and reliable ejection profiles. Because the valve uses compressed air to release the bomb, there is no pyrotechnic residue or damage to the weapons station, thus reducing maintenance and logistics costs.

"The Small Diameter Bomb has proven to be one of the most successful weapons development programs of this decade," said Michael Leahan, vice president and chief sales officer of Marotta Controls. "We are proud to continue to contribute our pneumatic firing valves to this winning program and stand ready to keep pace with the growing world demand."

This follow on contract was awarded by Cobham Mission Systems, Orchard Park, New York, a leading-edge aerospace and defense technology manufacturer. To date Marotta has supplied thousands of pneumatic firing valves in support of the Small Diameter Bomb program.


Source: Marotta Controls

 

[SAUD-404]

its just one of a kind bomber. see it and fall in love.

 

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Boeing Honors 25 Years of B-1 Excellence
UNITED STATES - 29 APRIL 2010

DYESS U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, April 29, 2010 -- Members of the Boeing [NYSE: BA] B-1 Bomber Program team have joined the U.S. Air Force at Dyess Air Force Base today to mark the 25th anniversary of the B-1 bomber.

The B-1 has supported U.S. and allied warfighters around the world since it entered active service on June 29, 1985.

"The 25th anniversary of the B-1 brings back many memories of its service from the Cold War through today," said Boeing B-1 Program Manager Mark Angelo. "I remember when the first operational B-1B rolled out of Palmdale [California] in 1985, culminating an intense production effort that began soon after President Ronald Reagan took office in 1981."

Boeing's contributions to the program since Rockwell International delivered the first B-1 to Dyess include:

- Producing 99 additional B-1s at a rate of one per month. The 100th B-1B rolled out at the Palmdale facility on Jan. 20, 1988. It was delivered to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., on May 2, 1988.
- Supporting the initial deployment and fielding of the aircraft at Dyess; McConnell; Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; and Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
- Supporting the transition of the B-1 from a nuclear role with the Conventional Mission Upgrade Program from 1993 to 2005, which enabled the aircraft to use precision-guided conventional weapons.
- Supporting the stand-up of B-1s in the Kansas and Georgia Air National Guards.
- Supporting the B-1s in the "Composite Wing" at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
- Adding Beyond Line-of-Sight Radio capability to deployed aircraft in support of Operation Allied Force, Kosovo in 1999.
- Integrating the Lockheed Electro Optical Targeting Pod to B-1s deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, which significantly increased the types and numbers of missions that can be flown to support ground troops.

The B-1 serves as the supersonic component of the Air Force's long-range bomber dominance. Its swept-wing geometry allows the B-1 to travel at higher speeds and deliver more ordnance in a shorter amount of time than other platforms.

"Our Boeing team is proud of the heritage and the effective use of the B-1 for national security every day," said Angelo. "We congratulate the men and women of the Air Force on the first 25 years of B-1 operations, and we will continue to work with them to modernize the B-1 and maintain its profound combat advantage in support of the Air Force mission for decades to come."


Source: The Boeing Company

 

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Dyess U.S. Air Force Base B-1Bs train over New Mexico
UNITED STATES - 4 MAY 2010

OVER NEW MEXICO -- B-1B Lancers participate in a training mission over New Mexico Feb. 24. The aircraft are assigned to the 28th Bomb Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.


A two-ship formation of B-1B Lancers assigned to the 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, release chaff and flares while maneuvering over New Mexico during a training mission Feb. 24, 2010. Dyess celebrates the 25th anniversary of the first B-1B bomber arriving at the base.

 

[TheMiddleMan]

Beatiful Beast

 

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Tinker maintained B-1 milestone
UNITED STATES - 8 JUNE 2010

TINKER U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A B-1 Lancer will reach the 10,000-hour flying mark by early June.

Initially envisioned with a 20-year service life in 1985, the aircraft wasn't expected to reach such a milestone, Tinker officials said.

Through the dedication and hard work of the members of the 76th Maintenance Wing's programmed depot maintenance, the 427th Aircraft Sustainment Group and the 848th Supply Chain Management Group's structural pieces and avionics section here, the B-1 remains airborne and able to perform its combat mission.

"The B-1 is one of the most precise, lethal and in-demand conventional weapons systems in the world, fully engaged in the war against terror," said Brig. Gen. Bruce A. Litchfield, the 76th MXW commander. "The fact the B-1 has come so far and continues to improve is a true testament to the dedicated, hardworking folks we have here at Tinker. We must always keep in mind when an aircraft leaves here it could very well be in combat the next day."

The B-1 airframe, which is now scheduled to remain in operation until 2040, has an expansive history stretching back to the 1960s. It was initially envisioned as a replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress, but its development was delayed and restarted several times.

The B-1 took its first flight in December 1974.

Through the years, the aircraft has been upgraded to make it a more viable weapons system, and it remains the workhorse for combatant commanders.

Tinker is the home of the B-1 System Program Office where modernization and new capability engineering is accomplished.

"We turn our Air Force leadership's visions into realities at the SPO," said Col. Charles Sherwin, the 427th ACSG commander. "The future of the B-1 is bright, and it is going to get brighter."

Colonel Sherwin said the B-1 is slated to integrate directed energy, which transfers energy to its target for an intended outcome, in an Air Force Research Laboratory demonstration using a high power laser.

"In effect, uniting this capability with the sniper advanced targeting pod makes the B-1B a 'first generation' long-range, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance/strike aircraft," Colonel Sherwin said. "That is what is envisioned for the future arsenal of the Air Force: an aircraft that includes ISR, directed energy and network attack, all of which are being integrated or demonstrated on the B-1B in the immediate future."

While the SPO officials enable the future, much of the maintenance and sustainment work is also performed and supported at Tinker AFB.

Members of the 76th MXW perform roughly 13 depot refurbishments of the airframe annually, said Rick Cantwell, the 553rd Aircraft Sustainment Squadron B-1 System Program Management Logistics lead.

"Team Tinker processes are effective, and they are getting more effective, or we wouldn't have been able to make this possible," Mr. Cantwell said. "The B-1 is here to stay. It's not going anywhere anytime soon, as far as retirement. This, along with improving aircraft availability is why the B-1 was chosen as one of Air Force Materiel Command's prototype platforms for Repair Network Integration and High Velocity Maintenance, or HVM. We plan on sustaining and modernizing it for combatant commanders today and in the future."

RNI is part of the Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century campaign, and the purpose is to increase the number of spare engines, or war-ready engines, so B-1s in the area of responsibility are not grounded due to engine issues. HVM is a part of a campaign within air logistics centers to reduce the amount of time that aircraft spend at depots undergoing overhaul and repairs.

"The B-1 fleet is the backbone of today's deployed bomber operations," said Bill Barnes, the deputy director of the 427th ACSG B-1 Systems Program Office. "The fleet provides much-needed close air support to ground operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The milestone of the first B-1 airframe to pass 10,000 flying hours is a testament to the continuous service this fleet provides to U.S. and coalition ground forces."

 

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Boeing Begins Flight-testing B-1 with New Link 16 Communications
UNITED STATES - 21 JUNE 2010

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 21, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the start of flight tests for a B-1 Lancer bomber upgraded with new digital avionics for the aft cockpit, including a line-of-sight Link 16 data link. The B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link (FIDL) made its first flight test on June 4 at Edwards U.S. Air Force Base, Calif.

The four-hour flight was conducted by the U.S. Air Force around the local Edwards test ranges. The crew successfully tested the Link 16 data link by sending and receiving text messages and receiving virtual mission assignment data such as target coordinates for a weapon.

Link 16 adds line-of-sight capability to the B-1's existing beyond line-of-sight Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol (JREAP) data link, and integrates the JREAP data onto new, full-color displays with intuitive symbols and moving maps.

"Link 16 will allow the B-1 to be an active participant in a network that is commonly used by fighter, reconnaissance and command-and-control aircraft," said Mark Angelo, B-1 program manager for Boeing. "With Link 16, target coordinates can be sent directly to the weapon system from ground troops or forward operating bases, instead of the current method, where crew members type the coordinates in by hand after hearing them over the radio."

The program will conduct three flight tests this month. Additional flight tests will take place through January 2011. The entire Air Force fleet of 66 B-1s is expected to receive the FIDL upgrade.


Source: The Boeing Company

 

[Jazzbot]

B E A UUUUUUUUUUU Tiful bird..

 

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Deployed B-1 reaches 10,000 flight-hour milestone
UNITED STATES - 13 JULY 2010

A B-1B Lancer achieved 10,000 flight hours here, June 12.

After 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit professionals braved temperatures in excess of 110 degrees Fahrenheit preparing the aircraft for the flight, the aircrew stepped in and performed the milestone mission, despite an 18-hour duty day.

"The tremendous amount of man-hours spent maintaining the B-1 and the sacrifices the maintainers endure away from their families, working extremely long hours in austere locations, has facilitated this historic event," said Master Sgt. Mathias Stewart, 34 AMU Airframe Powerplant General B-1 flight chief. "I am an extremely big fan of all maintainers, especially the crew chiefs who work for me, who have enabled this historic milestone on the B-1."

One of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron's Thunderbird crews flew the 14-hour Operation Enduring Freedom mission which pushed the "workhorse" aircraft, number 85-0087, past the 10,000 flight-hour milestone.

"No other Air Force asset demonstrates the flexibility and adaptation to the counterinsurgency fight better than the B-1," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Hoog, Air Force Central Command's deputy commander. "It now boasts advanced targeting pods and communications systems while hosting payloads varying from lethal to low collateral damage munitions."

The B-1 came into the active Air Force inventory in the mid-1980s with an expected service life of 20 years, said Col. John Kubinec, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander. It now has surpassed its expected service life while reaching this important milestone.

"This accomplishment is all about making the mission happen through teamwork," he added. "The fact this milestone was achieved during a combat sortie is a fitting testament to the dedication of the entire B-1 enterprise, from the systems program office and depot to the amazing Airmen on the flightline who make all of this possible."

The B-1 has been rotating in-theater since the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001, and since August 2005, there has been a continuous B-1 presence. To date, the airframe has flown more than 7,500 combat sorties totaling 85,000 hours.

Since the 34th EBS arrived in theater January 2010, they have flown almost 500 combat sorties totaling close to 6,000 hours.

"The 34th EBS and its associated aircraft maintenance unit -- the folks that keep it flying -- are one of the best ops-maintenance teams I've ever seen," said Lt. Col. Steve Beasley, 34th EBS commander. "I attribute the historically high mission capable rates and combat mission effectiveness to that team."

The B-1 airframe, now scheduled to remain in operation until 2040, has an expansive history stretching back to the 1960s, Colonel Beasley said. It was initially envisioned as a replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress, but its development was delayed and restarted several times.

The B-1 took its first flight in December 1974.

Originally envisioned as a single-role nuclear bomber, it was modified to carry conventional weapons in 1994, and stood its last nuclear alert in 1997. Since then, it has flown operations in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Through the years, the aircraft has been upgraded to make it a more viable weapon system, adding GPS-guided weapons in 1999.

The 34th EBS led the initial deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, just days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and have been part of the combat rotation to Southwest Asia ever since.

On their last deployment, they were the first B-1 unit to employ the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, and on their current deployment, became the first unit to employ the low-collateral damage weaponry as well as their upgraded digital communications.

"In my more than 16 years on the B-1, I've seen its role changing from nuclear to conventional," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Justice, 34th AMU APG B-1 expediter. "I've had the opportunity to see the aircraft grow into what it is today. After being on the jet this long, I still get excited to see it takeoff on its mission, whether it be at home station on training sorties, or flying combat missions - maintenance made it happen!"

As the B-1's shelf-life grows, maintenance and ops professionals will continue to meet the needs of the Air Force and build upon the already storied legacy of the aircraft, said Colonel Beasley.

"The B-1 has an extensive history riddled with logistical challenges and myths of operational shortfalls," Colonel Beasley added. "The recent 10,000-hour milestone demonstrates the B-1 has evolved into a multi-purpose weapon system that has come of age over the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan as the backbone of the combat Air Forces. The credit for this transformation belongs to the B-1 maintainers and the crews that employ it."