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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

T-45 TRAINING SYSTEM (T-45TS)

	Navy ACAT IC Program 187 systems Total program cost (TY$) $5.96B Average unit cost (TY$) $25.8M Full-rate production 2QFY95 SEP production 3QFY99 Prime Contractor Boeing

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The T-45 Training System (T-45TS) is an integrated training system with five main subsystems: the T-45A aircraft, flight simulators, an academics package, the Training Integration System, and contractor logistics support. The T-45TS is intended to provide Navy intermediate and advanced student jet flight training, replacing the T-2B/C and TA-4J aircraft and associated training systems.

The T-45A Goshawk, a derivative of the existing British Aerospace Hawk, is a tandem-seat, light-weight, single-engine aircraft modified for aircraft carrier operations. It incorporates an on-board oxygen generating system, a heads-up display, and a weapons delivery capability for training.

The simulator subsystem includes the 2F137 instrument flight trainer and 2F138 operational flight trainer. The 2F138 is a ground-based flight simulator equipped with a wide-angle visual display system. The 2F137 is essentially a 2F138 without the visual display system.

The academics subsystem is intended to provide a totally integrated multi-media system capable of training students and instructors under training. Classroom lectures, workbooks, computer-aided instruction, training devices, and audio-visual media are integrated with the simulator and flight training phases.

The Training Integration System is a management information system using computer hardware, software, communications, and peripheral equipment to facilitate efficient scheduling and use of all training resources (including instructors and students), maintain student and instructor records, and manage the curriculum and student flow.

The T45-TS is intended to support Joint Vision 2010 objectives of preparing joint warriors to meet the challenges of future battlespace by ensuring they are properly trained.

Contractor support will be provided for all levels of maintenance and logistics for the T-45TS subsystems. The integrated logistic support resources will be established by the contractor, funded by the Navy, and turned over to the contractor for integrated logistic support management.

The digital Cockpit 21 upgrade to the T45A involves replacement of dedicated gauges and data entry panels with two 5 inch square monochrome multifunction display (MFD) units in each cockpit, incorporation of a dual redundant MIL-STD-1553B multiplex data bus, integration of a display electronics unit, and removal of some single purpose analog hardware. In addition, a combined Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS) replaces the standard attitude and heading reference system. Software modifications include improvements to the Heads Up Display (HUD) in the front cockpit.

The T-45TS entered EMD in 1984. Initial operational testing (OT-IIA) in November 1988 identified several major deficiencies in aircraft handling qualities during carrier wave-offs and missed arrested landings. Consequently, the program acquisition schedule experienced several slips to allow for redesign of the aircraft by Boeing (then McDonnell Aircraft), the prime contractor. Subsequently, OT-IIB in 1990 and OT-IIC in 1991 verified improvement of the identified performance deficiencies. The T-45TS was determined to be both operationally effective and operationally suitable, and recommended for fleet introduction during OT-IIC (OPEVAL) in May 1994.

Future activity in the program will consist of an evaluation of the effectiveness and suitability of the Cockpit 21 digital upgrade to the T-45TS. The Navy desires to incorporate this engineering change to new production aircraft in October 1997 and to modify an existing flight simulator to the Cockpit 21 configuration. There are also plans to eventually retrofit the existing aircraft.

The OT&E of the T-45TS has been conducted in compliance with the TEMP Revision 6, which is current and was most recently approved by DOT&E on July 8, 1997. This TEMP will support OT-IIIA, the OPEVAL of the Cockpit 21 upgrade, in 1998.

No OT was conducted during FY97. DOT&E activities involved monitoring status of DT of improvements made as a result of the OA conducted in FY96, TEMP revisions and test planning for the Cockpit 21 OPEVAL (OT-IIIB ) in FY98.

The primary concern from early DT testing is a problem with blinking/blanking of cockpit multi-function displays. This issue remains an open Part I deficiency going into testing of the first production Cockpit 21 aircraft in NOV97. Baring any continued problems with the displays, accumulated flight time on the test bed digital aircraft and the first production aircraft is expected to be sufficient to close this open deficiency prior to OTRR.

The T-45TS is operating in the fleet at NAS Kingsville, Texas. A description of the T-45TS and the adequacy of the operational test conducted, together with amplifying information on the operational effectiveness and suitability of the system, is contained in our B-LRIP report to Congress, dated January 12, 1995. Some deficiencies reported in the B-LRIP have not been corrected with material changes:

• Engine thrust response and arresting hook skips at low gross weights have not been addressed with material changes. Student pilots are briefed on engine characteristics throughout training and the tendency for the aircraft to hook skip is addressed in procedure manuals and with restrictions. No significant comments on this issues have come from the Training Command.

• Three attempts have been made to correct the directional control on landing roll-out deficiency, but this problem remains a Part I deficiency. The problem, which is characterized by an over sensitivity of rudder inputs resulting in erratic directional control, is inherent in the basic aircraft design and may only be corrected with design changes to the landing gear layout.

• HUD video recorder failure rates have been tracked by logistics. An ECP may be recommended if the replacement is determined to be more cost effective than repair. Currently, there are no plans to replace the cockpit HUD recorder.

Cockpit 21 is intended to improve the quality of training received by student naval aviators; as the majority of those winged in the training command will progress to further training and fleet operations in aircraft that incorporate digital cockpits. It makes sense to include modern cockpit technology earlier in the training continuum and should result in safer, more efficient operations. DOT&E concurs with COMOPTEVFOR's early operational assessment of the potential effectiveness and suitability of the digital cockpit. Planned OT&E is adequate to support a final determination during OT-IIIB. Results of this testing will be included in the DOT&E FY98 Annual Report.