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U.S. ARMY APACHE

Precision Approach - On Slope, on Glide Path

By Brad Rounding

The Flight to Demonstrate Apache Block III Technologies.

Awesome, and then some. This phrase was echoed routinely referencing the AH-64A Apache nearly three decades ago, when Apache technologies provided an integrated, day/night fighting platform that allowed the U.S. Army to coin the phrase "We own the night." Owning the night applied then to the overwhelming technologies and capabilities Apache had over any other major weapons system on the battlefield. Today, with the AH-64D Apache, the phrase is equally applicable as we continue to modernize the aircraft to the Block III configuration. An amazing journey has led this incredible aircraft to its legendary status, then and now. The aircraft is awesome, and then some, due to the dedicated U.S. government and industry professionals with the foresight to imagine, require, design, test, manufacture, and support the world renowned Apache helicopter.

These same "awesome, and then some" people continue to take the Apache to new heights, working to demonstrate the maturity of over 26 Block III technologies. These technologies are being demonstrated through various developmental testing activities documenting the ability to meet performance parameters established for the Apache Block III program. Apache Block III technologies continue to be demonstrated in 2010 and evaluated in two distinct ways – with the Limited User Test (LUT) and with developmental testing.

Initially, the LUT is designed to allow U.S. Army operational pilots and soldiers to evaluate the capabilities of the open systems architecture (OSA), radar electronic unit (REU) functionality, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Level IV connectivity. From the user’s point of view, these capabilities will satisfy the user needs of the performance parameters associated with Interoperability, Increased Performance, and Mission Reliability.

The Interoperability performance parameter requires a high level of interconnectivity with other land and air platforms. Capabilities being testing during LUT with the OSA will enable planned integration of network radios at production lot 4 and together will more than satisfy these needs. High rates of data transmission, bandwidth, and throughput are possible through the OSA and Mission Processor. Level IV UAV capability allows for enhanced battlefield situational awareness, through manned/unmanned teaming over extended distances. These connectivity and control concepts are being further explored within the Department of Defense with particular interest in the ability to control and re-task the unmanned aerial vehicle from the Apache Block III aircraft. This re-tasking can include rerouting the air vehicle to accommodate for changes in the mission and re-tasking the sensors on board the UAV to look where the Apache crew needs to see. These exciting capabilities will vastly expand current manned/unmanned teaming capabilities.

The aircraft flying in support of the LUT features the new OSA as the aircraft software architecture. OSA allows new capabilities to be introduced quickly into the aircraft, and at substantially reduced costs. The new OSA software architecture allows for rapid and cost effective integration of new or developing systems to meet the ever changing demands of the war fighter. Other technologies include the new Gun Subsystem Controller that provides greater precision, a reduced weight, and a new digital video recorder (DVR) that adds more channels and memory capacity than the current recorder. With the new OSA, all of these capabilities – as well as future improvements – can be integrated into the aircraft far more effectively. Many Block III network technologies/capabilities were demonstrated in an Army On-the-Move exercise conducted in late 2009 at Fort. Dix, N.J. In this exercise, an Apache with the Block III OSA successfully demonstrated all of the planned connectivity threads, including Joint Variable Message Format/Improved Data Modem (JVMF/IDM), Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW), and Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW). Boeing Joint Tactical Radio System Surrogate Radios (JSR) were used for WNW. This was the first demonstration of the actual WNW waveform from an Army aviation platform. The JSR radio with WNW allowed the Apache to appear as one of the combat operation network nodes within the experiment battle space.

In addition to the LUT, developmental testing is ongoing to demonstrate the portion of the Block III technologies that are not part of the LUT. These aircraft performance improvements/enhancements include the composite main rotor blade (CMRB), composite horizontal stabilator, -701D engine and the enhanced digital electronic control unit, and the improved drive system (IDS). These items are going through stringent developmental testing outside the LUT, but under demanding joint U.S. government/industry developmental testing standards.

At the center of the performance enhancements is the IDS, a newly designed split-torque, face gear transmission increasing the power throughput by more than 20 percent while maintaining the same size. Rigorous bench test efforts including pattern development, dynamic lube, and endurance testing accomplished on specially designed test stands, put stresses on the transmission well beyond those that the aircraft will ever demand, ensuring that the transmission will perform as advertised. The newly designed oil cooled nose gear boxes, an improvement over the older air cooled engine nose gearboxes are also being tested.

In addition to testing completed on the test stand, Boeing utilized a ground test vehicle (GTV), turning rotors in the test pit at the Boeing facility in Mesa, Ariz., demonstrating power and load distribution, dynamic testing, and much more. The GTV is an aircraft flown previously that is not currently airworthy that is bolted to the ground that tests the new improved drive system components. Through this manner of testing, many of the requirements associated with the "high/hot" performance requirement are being evaluated.

"One performance parameter requires the Apache Block III to carry a 3,400-pound useful payload while hovering at 6,000 feet at a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit," said Scott Rudy, Boeing Apache Block III program manager. "Teammates are working to ensure that the helicopter will have the ability to carry its mission load while hovering in the highest/hottest areas in the world."

The third leg of this improved drive system performance test uses a "structures" aircraft, putting all the improved performance capabilities, including the CMRB into the air. Designed and validated to reduce the operations and support costs and increase blade component life, the CMRB adds a margin of performance improvement as well. The addition of CMRB, at a lower acquisition cost, and lasting up to four times longer than the current blade, provides greater lift – another significant increase in the helicopter’s capability. This "structures" aircraft is where the final performance parameter will be demonstrated.

Another key part of the performance development testing was completed in September 2009 on a Block II aircraft that implements the same interface between the aircraft and all future aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) as Block III. This technology item is called the Aircraft Gateway Processor (AGP), and has been tested successfully at Fort Rucker, Ala. The AGP allows all future versions of ASE to be applied and fully integrated into the aircraft processors and displays and is another feature of the Block III concept: to allow future technology to be applied to the aircraft in the most efficient and timely manner. It will be a great benefit for the U.S. government and international customers.

The 26 technology insertions continuing the Apache legendary status are incredible, but they couldn’t be effectively integrated on the aircraft without the management of the critical assets – the awesome and then some people involved with multiple responsibilities with key components in both the LUT and the performance testing, for this is the real feat. Engineering professionals, John Schibler, Boeing’s chief Apache engineer, and Neale Bruchman, U.S. government Apache Project Office’s Chief Apache engineer, lead engineering teams conducting the day-to-day tasks for testing Block III technologies and capabilities enhancements. With a tremendous amount of coordination, these two senior engineers determine on a weekly basis where to focus engineering talent, carefully balancing their teams between accomplishing necessary tasks for the LUT, developmental performance testing, and all the necessary tasks to meet Milestone C requirements. And they have an extremely experienced staff to draw upon.

Awesome aircraft, awesome people. . . and then some. A lot is expected from the Apache Team. And still, exponentially more awesome than this aircraft and this group of people – are the courageous military men and women who fly, maintain, and depend on the AH-64 Apache

 

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