Test Connections - June 2020

New SmartCan Features Advance Flightline Armament Test


SmartCan supports warfighter readiness
The MTS team has conducted live demonstrations of the MTS-3060A SmartCan™ Universal O-Level Armament Test Set on multiple platforms at military bases throughout the U.S., working with maintainers to show how the SmartCan can streamline maintenance and sustainment of complex weapon systems at the flightline.

While the SmartCan is already the most advanced flightline armament test set available today, we love to hear from maintainers themselves about features that would make test even faster, more comprehensive, and more reliable. We aim to understand the challenges that maintainers face every day, and our unrelenting commitment to warfighter support means that we strive for continuous improvement.

Here are some of the most recent SmartCan capability enhancements that have resulted from inputs from maintainers on the flightline:

SmartCan
Single cable to test AMRAAM and SIDEWINDER missiles
Feedback received from the field during SmartCan demos revealed the need for a single cable to perform all missile launcher functional checks on the LAU-127, LAU-128, and LAU-129 launchers. The new combined cable simplifies the test process, reduces the SmartCan's footprint, and further reduces the (already very short) test time.

Single cable to test F-15E CFT bomb racks
Conformal Fuel Tank (CFT) bomb racks on F-15E can now be more efficiently tested using the SmartCan with a single cable that enables the maintainer to check multiple stations simultaneously. All six BRU racks on the F-15E CFT can be tested while also monitoring crossover firing voltage, before the munitions are loaded. The requirement to perform these tests cannot currently be met without a large test set, and it requires hours to conduct the test. The handheld SmartCan with the new CFT cable accomplishes this mission in minutes and makes it yet again the test set of choice for military maintainers.

We Make Test Easy at the Flightline
Our goal is to consolidate and streamline O-Level test to ensure mission readiness for the warfighter. The latest enhancements to the capabilities of the SmartCan demonstrate our continuing commitment to that goal.

To learn more, contact our Warfighter Support Solutions Manager,  Adam Wells, or take advantage of these online resources:

  • Blog post: The Challenges of Fighter Armament Testing