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A full-system, end-to-end blast modeling and simulation of vehicle underbody buried blast events typically includes detailed modeling of soil, high explosive (HE) charge and air. The complex computations involved in these simulations take days to just capture the initial 50-millisecond blast-off phase, and in some cases, even weeks. The single most intricate step in the buried blast event simulation is in the modeling of the explosive loading on the underbody structure from the blast products; it is also one of the most computationally expensive steps of the simulation. Therefore, there is significant interest in the modeling and simulation community to develop various methodologies for fast running tools to run full simulation events in quicker turnarounds of time.

This paper presents a Military Space Plane design concept. While the current military space plane activity is focused on rocket-powered concepts, the concept presented here is powered by a rocket-based combined cycle engine that uses both rocket and air-breathing engine cycles. The design concept is the reference SSTO design concept used in the NASA HRST ANSER study. The reference concept is a derivative of the NASA air-breathing Access to Space study SSTO design concept. The Access to Space air-breathing vehicle's combined cycle engine was replaced by the Aerojet rocket-based combined cycle engine. The orbital performance capability of the reference design concept is presented for 100 n mi., polar, and 225 n mi., 51 deg. orbits. The sensitivity of GTOW to payload and margin is also presented.

Potential regulations surrounding the development, testing and commercial launch of Highly Automated Vehicles and possible liability exposure for the manufacturing and operation of Highly Automated Vehicles are fluid and changing areas, that will continue to evolve over the next several years. The first half of this course reviews where regulations are at the state and federal levels, what actions are currently under consideration, how current regulations will need to change to accommodate HAV’s, and how and when new regulations might be implemented. The second half covers both common law and strict liability and how it may apply to HAV’s.

This course is verified by Probitas Authentication as meeting the AS9104/3A requirements for continuing Professional Development. AS13002 defines the process for qualifying an Alternate Inspection Frequency Plan for suppliers within the aero-engine sector.  This two-day course will provide common requirements for developing and qualifying an alternate inspection plan, other than 100% inspection of all features.  This course is designed to cover the basic elements of the process to be applied to design characteristics (as defined in AS9102), and parts or inspection processes as defined by the purchaser.

This course is verified by Probitas Authentication as meeting the AS9104/3A requirements for continuing Professional Development. Aerospace manufacturers seek to improve quality, efficiency, cost, and delivery of their products. The best way to scale production and keep your processes on track is using APQP and PPAP tools in product development. AS9145 standardizes the requirements for the Product Development Process (PDP) with these tools, and now the AESQ has also established and deployed the AS13100 Standard for engine suppliers which addresses how to apply the tools to their work.

This course is verified by Probitas Authentication as meeting the AS9104/3A requirements for continuing Professional Development. AS13100 and RM13000 define the Problem-Solving standard for suppliers within the aero-engine sector, with the Eight Disciplines (8D) problem solving method the basis for this standard. This two-day course provides participants with a comprehensive and standardized set of tools to become an 8D practitioner. Successful application of 8D achieves robust corrective and preventive actions to reduce the risk of repeat occurrences and minimize the cost of poor quality.

This course is verified by Probitas Authentication as meeting the AS9104/3A requirements for continuing Professional Development. In the Aerospace Industry there is a focus on Defect Prevention to ensure that quality goals are met. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) and Control Plan activities are recognized as being one of the most effective, on the journey to Zero Defects. This two-day course is designed to explain the core tools of Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Process Flow Diagrams, Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) and Control Plans as described in AS13100 and RM13004.

This course is verified by Probitas as meeting the AS9104/3A requirements for Continuing Professional Development. Production and continual improvement of safe and reliable products is key in the aviation, space, and defense industries. Customer and regulatory requirements must not only be met, but they are typically expected to exceeded requirements. Due to globalization, the supply chain of this industry has been expanded to countries which were not part of it in the past and has complicated the achievement of requirements compliance and customer satisfaction.

This 2-day foundational-level course teaches advanced geometric dimensioning and tolerancing topics as prescribed in the ASME Y14.5M-1994 Standard. 

The aerospace industry is facing immense challenges due to increased design complexity and higher levels of integration, particularly in the electrification of aircraft. These challenges can easily impact program cost and product time to market. System electrification and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) have become critical issues today. In the context of 3D electromagnetics, EMC electromagnetic compatibility ensures the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that radiated emissions from various electronic devices, such as avionics or the entire aircraft for that matter, do not interfere with other electronic products onboard the aircraft.

How Solid-State Technology Impacts A&D Equipment Testing The Role of Prototype/Test Systems in Next-Generation C5ISR Development Using Advanced Computational Engineering Software to Meet Aerospace & Defense Industry Challenges How Advanced Vacuum Bag Kits Streamline Composite Parts Manufacturing Replacing Multiple RF Receivers with Just One Using Channelization Air Force Technology Tracks "Sporadic E" Progress on Zirconia-Polyurea Matrix Hybrid Composites Incorporating zirconia particles into polyurea elastomers to form hybrid composites and designing them into state-of-the-art body armor has the potential to achieve lightweight ballistic efficiency. Bioenvironmental Engineering Guide for Composite Materials Developing a comprehensive baseline for identifying, evaluating, and controlling occupational and environmental hazards associated with composite fibers and materials for base-level Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) personnel.

Rad-Hard Microelectronics for Space Applications Outsourcing Plasma Treatments for Surface Modification Adding Context to Full-Motion Video for Improved Surveillance and Situational Awareness Implementing an Aerospace Factory of the Future 90° Hybrid Coupled Power Amplifier - Pros and Cons A New Network Design for the "Internet from Space" Future Advances in Electronic Materials and Processes - Flexible Hybrid Electronics Despite progress being made, there are still significant obstacles to the manufacture and use of flexi-ble hybrid electronics in military applications. Heterogeneous Integration Technology Integrating different types of devices and materials could increase their functional density, improving the performance of electro-optic systems for sensor applications. The Impact of Cyber Cameras on the Intelligence Community The ability to covertly access and manipulate cyber cameras could provide valuable strategic data for the US intelligence community.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, improvised explosive devices were used strategically and with increasing frequency. To effectively design countermeasures for this environment, the Department of Defense identified the need for an under-body blast-specific Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin (WIAMan). To help with this design, information on Warfighter injuries in mounted under-body blast attacks was obtained from the Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injury in Combat program through their Request for Information interface. The events selected were evaluated by Department of the Army personnel to confirm they were representative of the loading environment expected for the WIAMan. A military case review was conducted for all AIS 2+ fractures with supporting radiology. In Warfighters whose injuries were reviewed, 79% had a foot, ankle or leg AIS 2+ fracture. Distal tibia, distal fibula, and calcaneus fractures were the most prevalent.

The complete lifecycle of complex systems, such as ground vehicles, consists of multiple phases including design, manufacturing, operation and sustainment (O&S) and finally disposal. For many systems, the majority of the lifecycle costs are incurred during the operation and sustainment phase, specifically in the form of uncertain maintenance costs. Testing and analysis during the design phase, including reliability and supportability analysis, can have a major influence on costs during the O&S phase. However, the cost of the analysis itself must be reconciled with the expected benefits of the reduction in uncertainty. In this paper, we quantify the value of performing the tests and analyses in the design phase by treating it as imperfect information obtained to better estimate uncertain maintenance costs.

The modeling and simulation pyramid in defense states it clearly: Multi-Level modeling and simulation are required. Models and simulations are often classified by the US Department of Defense into four levels—campaign, mission, engagement, and engineering. Campaign simulation models are applied for evaluation; mission-level simulations to experiment with the integration of several macro agents; engagement simulations in engineered systems development; and engineering-level simulation models with a solid foundation in structural physics and components. Models operating at one level must be able to interact with models at another level. Therefore, the cure (“silver bullet”) is very clear: a comprehensive framework for Multiple Resolution Modeling (MRM) is needed. In this paper, we discuss our research about how to construct MRM environments.

After manufacture, every military vehicle experiences a unique history of dynamic loads, depending on loads carried, missions completed, etc. Damage accumulates in vehicle structures and components accordingly, leading eventually to failures that can be difficult to anticipate, and to unpredictable consequences for mission objectives. The advent of simulation-based fatigue life prediction tools opens a path to Digital Twin based solutions for tracking damage, and for gaining control over vehicle reliability. An incremental damage updating feature has now been implemented in the Endurica CL fatigue solver with the aim of supporting such applications for elastomer components. The incremental updating feature is demonstrated via the example of a simple transmission mount component. The damage state of the mount is computed as it progresses towards failure under a series of typical loading histories.

Abstract In the last decades we have witnessed an increasing number of military operations in urban environments. Complex urban operations require high standards of training, equipment, and personnel. Emergency forces on the ground will need specialized vehicles to support them in all parts and levels of this extremely demanding environment including the subterranean and interior of infrastructure. The development of vehicles for this environment has lagged but offers a high payoff. This article describes the method for developing a concept for an urban operations vehicle by characterization of the urban environment, deduction of key issues, evaluation of related prototyping, science fiction story-typing of the requirements for such a vehicle, and comparison with field-proven and scalable solutions. Embedding these thoughts into a comprehensive research and development program provides lines of development, setting the stage for further research.