Introduction to Avionics Flight Test - Nato

AGARD-AG-300 Vol. 15
ADVISORYGROUPFORAEROSPACERESEARCH&DEVELOPMENT
7 RUE ANCELLE, 92200 NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE
AGARDograph 300
Fllght Test Techniques Series -Volume 15
Introduction to Avionics Flight Test
(Introduction aux essais des systèmes d’armes)
by
James M. Clifton, Ph.D.
Department of the Navy
Naval Air Wafare Center - Aircraft Division
Patuxent River
Maryland 20670-5304
United States
Tbis AGARDograph has been sponsored by the Plight Vehicle Integration Pane1 of AGARD
-
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Organisation du Trait6 de /‘Atlantique Nord

REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE
1. Recipient’s Reference 2. Originator’s Reference 3. Further Reference 4. Security Classification
of Dowment
AGARD-AG-300 ISBN 92-836-1045-8 UNCLASSIFIED/
Volume 15 UNLIMITED
5. Originator Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
7 me Ancelle, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine. France
6. Title
1. Presented atlsponsored by
Introduction to Avionics Flight Test
The Flight Vehicle Integration Pane1 of AGARD
8. Author(s)lEditor(s) 9. Date
James M. Clifton, Ph.D November 1996
0. Author’s/Editor’s Address 11. Pages
Department of the Navy 346
Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division
Patuxent River
Maryland 20670.5304
United States
2. Distribution Statement There are no restrictions on the distribution of this document.
Information about the availability of this and other AGARD
unclassified publications is given on the back caver.
3. KeywordslDescriptors
Avionics Extemal stores
Flight tests Military aircraft
Airbome radar Electric devices
Air navigation Design
Electre-optics Test facilities
4. Abstract
Modem military aircraft rely heavily on highly complex electronic systems to make them
effective. These systems cari comprise up 80% of the cost of the aircraft. As new systems are
developed, numerous tests are needed to provide feedback in the iterative design process and to
ensure that design parameters are met. This AGARDograph is an attempt to present the
tudimentary knowledge necessary for a test pilot or engineer to develop and execute a cost
effective, quick test of a modem avionics system.

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The content of this publication has been reproduced
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Published November 1996
Copyright 0 AGARD 1996
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 92-836-1045-8
Prinred by Canada Communication Group
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ii

Introduction to Avionics Flight Test
(AGARD AG-300 Volume 15)
Executive Summary
NATO’s Aviation forces rely heavily on avionics to accomplish their wartime and peacetime missions.
This reliance Will increase dramatically in the future. AGARDograph 300-15 is intended to improve the
ability of nations to rapidly and economically test today’s avionics systems, and those of the future.
This book is intended as an introductoty document to the subject of avionics flight testing. The target
reader is the novice tester, desiring an initial exposure to the subject. Reference is made throughout the
book to more in-depth documents, where they exist. In practical application, the new tester should use
this book as a primer and then refer to the more detailed documents relating to the class of avionics
under test or to the experience of more senior testers.
The first chapter provides a detailed discussion of the content and utility of the book. Chapters two
through fïve provide a discussion of the theory and techniques for testing airbome air-to-air and air-to-
ground radar, airbome navigation systems, electro-optical systems, and stores management sets,
respectively. Each chapter begins with an introduction to the theory of operation of each class of system
with suftïcient detail to understand the test techniques which are next presented. Each test technique is
developed in a largely self-contained fashion. Chapter six is a discussion of general considerations for
developing a flight test profile combining some number of the previously described techniques. Chapter
seven is a detailed case study and chapter eight includes some conclusions and recommendations.
As mentioned above, this book is intended as an introductory document for the novice. As such, caution
should be exercised when directly applying the techniques provided here. Further research is warranted
in most cases including more advanced documents relating to the theory and testing of the class of
avionics in question. Chapter one points out that adequate references do not exist for every class of
avionics, in these cases, it is important to search out persans with practical experience in testing similar
systems.

Introduction aux essais des systèmes d’armes
(AGARD AG-300 Vol. 15)
Synthèse
Les forces aériennes de 1’OTAN dépendent fortement de l’avionique pour l’accomplissement de leurs
missions en temps de paix et en temps de guerre. Cette dépendance sera beaucoup plus marquée à
l’avenir. L’AGARDograpbie 300- 15 a pour objectif d’aider les pays membres a réaliser rapidement et
pour un prix acceptable les essais des systemes avioniques modernes et futures.
Cet ouvrage est conçu comme une introduction au sujet des essais en vol de l’avionique. Il est destine à
l’ingbnieur d’essais novice, intéressé par une présentation préliminaire sur ce sujet. Dans la mesure où
ils existent, référence est faite tout au long de l’ouvrage a des documents plus détaillés. Dans la
pratique, l’ingénieur d’essais novice est censé se servir de cette AGARDographie comme guide général
et se référer ensuite soit aux documents plus détaillés concernant la catégorie d’avionique en question,
soit à la hiérarchie de ses collègues ingénieurs d’essais.
Le premier chapitre consiste en un exposé détaillé du contenu et de l’intérêt de l’ouvrage. Les
chapitres 2, 3, 4 et 5 examinent respectivement la théorie et les techniques des essais en vol des radars
de dttection air-air et air-sol, des systèmes de navigation embarqués, des systémes électro-optiques, et
des systèmes de gestion des emports. Chaque chapitre commence par une introduction à la théorie de
fonctionnement de chaque type de système, avec suffisamment de détails pour permettre la
compréhension des techniques d’essais qui sont présentées par la suite. Chaque technique d’essais est
développée de façon largement autonome. Le chapitre 6 est une réflexion sur les considérations
générales a prendre en compte lors du développement d’un profil d’essais en vol qui inclut un certain
nombre des techniques décrites plus haut. Le chapitre 7 présente un cas d’essai détaillé et le chapitre 8
fournit quelques recommandations et conclusions.
Comme il est indiqué plus haut, le présent ouvrage est conçu comme un document préliminaire, destiné
à l’ingénieur novice. Par conséquent, les techniques qui y sont décrites doivent être appliquees avec
prudence. Un complément de recherche serait souhaitable dans la plupart des cas, basé sur des
documents d’un niveau plus avancé, concernant la théorie et les essais du type d’avionique en question.
Il est précisé au chapitre 1 que des références adéquates n’existent pas pour chaque catégorie
d’avionique: il est important, dans ces cas, d’identifier des personnes ayant l’expérience pratique
d’essais de systemes similaires.