Technology Update
March 2002
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Hamilton Sundstrand provides power to airship
Hamilton Sunstrand's electrical power generation and distribution system for the CL 160 airship will consist of 150 kVA variable-frequency generators and control units, plus primary and secondary power distribution assemblies. |
CargoLifter Development GmbH of Brand, Germany, has selected Hamilton Sundstrand's Electrical Power Generation and Distribution System (EPGDS) for its CL 160 airship. According to Hamilton Sundstrand, the CL 160 airship will be the largest cargo airship in the world, making its first test flights in 2004.
The overall size of the airship—850 ft in length— requires unique electrical power distribution methods. Hamilton Sundstrand's EPGDS will consist of 150 kVA variable-frequency generators and control units, plus primary and secondary power distribution assemblies. In addition to the manufacture of the solid-state power controllers used by the system, the company's facility in Nordlingen, Germany, is being evaluated for assembly, test, and repair of the end product.
The company was also selected by CargoLifter to supply several engine system components such as the FADEC, the fuel metering unit, and fuel pump.
- Frank Bokulich
TRW emulation technology demonstrated on F-117
Lockheed Martin has recently completed a series of F-117 flights to evaluate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and emulation technology in the execution of the existing F-117 operational flight program. |
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. has recently completed a series of F-117 flight demonstrations to evaluate the ability for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and emulation technology to execute the existing F-117 operational flight program (OFP). The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is addressing the problems associated with legacy/obsolete embedded information systems by using newly developed emulation technology hosted on the latest commercial processor hardware. AFRL enlisted Lockheed Martin to evaluate TRW's Reconfigurable Processor for Legacy Applications Code Execution (RePLACE) technology as part of a concept demonstration using a full F-117 OFP. The flight demonstration program has generated interest for potential upgrades of the F-117 processors.
TRW's RePLACE technology enables legacy software to run unaltered on open-systems hardware—maintaining desired functionality and preserving existing software investment. This capability allows users to replace obsolete computers with COTS-based systems; continue use of legacy software, such as existing operational flight software, without change; and incrementally upgrade hardware and software to support new and modified capabilities. According to the company, RePLACE technology can potentially save the DOD hundreds of millions of dollars in software redevelopment costs.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics completed five flight demonstrations that exercised and stressed the navigation and weapon systems, dropped BDU-33s (Bomb Dummy Units) to revalidate the aircraft's bombing accuracy, and concluded with a dual full-scale weapon release (two Guided Bomb Unit-12s). The flight demonstration program was performed successfully—no OFP updates were required and no anomalies were discovered.
- Frank Bokulich
March 2002
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