IFDIS Intermittent Fault Detection Incorporated into F/A-18 Engineering Specifications
The IFDIS (Intermittent Fault Detection and Isolation System) project reached a new milestone: The F/A-18 Fleet Support Team (FST) Avionics Branch, working closely with the Advanced Technology Innovation (ATI) Team at the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, incorporated full IFDIS testing into the Local Engineering Specifications (LES) of the Generator Converter Unit (GCU) of F/A-18A-D Block Super Hornet aircraft. The F/A-18 is a supersonic, multi-role combat aircraft used by the US Navy. The GCU supplies power to the aircraft’s electrical systems.
The next expected milestone for IFDIS will be its addition to GCU LESs for related aircraft models, the F/A-18E/F Block Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler.
IFDIS detects and isolates intermittent faults—recurring, off-and-on faults that are difficult to pinpoint or reproduce within an avionics system—in real time, pinpointing their exact location. Intermittent faults can lead to an unpredictable loss of functionality in operation; because they are hard to locate, they frequently result in No Fault Found (NFF) incidents when maintenance personnel try to repair them, leading to significant losses of time and efficiency. For more information about NCMS’ work with intermittent fault detection technology, check out our Joint Intermittence Testing Capability Tech Brief.