Fully mission-capable!

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Sarah Smith
  • 48th Component Maintenance Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Col. Matthew Cox, 48th Maintenance Group commander, joined the Avionics Intermediate Section Oct. 10, 2012 to celebrate the section achieving a 100 percent fully mission-capable test station status.

The final test station to be repaired passed all self-tests the day prior, after long hours of work and years of parts availability issues.

"I appreciate all the hard work that [the Avionics Intermediate Section] put into making this station fully mission-capable," said Cox, before he cut the ribbon across the Enhanced Aircraft Radar Test Station, number 4. "I know it was difficult working with limited parts availability and support from depot."

The Avionics Intermediate Section uses different test stations to function test and repair line replaceable units, from the wing's F-15s. The Enhanced Aircraft Radar Test Station supports the F-15's radar systems, and the AIS has two of them, serial numbers 1 and 4. The EARTSs are the dedicated Centralized Repair Facility in support of the radar transmitter. They can also support AC-130 transmitters, if needed.

"Since 2006, AIS has had to flip-flop work between the two stations while working parts were swapped back and forth," said Maj. Ron Llantada, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron commander. "As of today (Oct. 10), with EARTS4's recovery, both stations are fully operational."

By sharing the work load, each station will prove more reliable. Avionics will also be twice as efficient at turning out fully mission-capable radar transmitters.

"EARTS4's recovery was a long process," Llantada continued. "AIS patiently waited for a signal generator to issue for six years. One circuit card, the critical Total Time Logic Input/Output circuit card, went through the state-side depot and the manufacturer to troubleshoot and repair an elusive software glitch. Because of budget delays, they had to borrow a frequency counter from Seymour Johnson (AFB, N.C.)."

Replacement and repair of the TTL I/O, frequency counter, Transmitter Control Display Panel and Antenna Low Voltage Control Display Panel was also delayed.

"We are grateful to the engineers back in the States," said Master Sgt. Brett Wilburn, 48th CMS avionics flight chief. "Despite the delay due to time differences, they always replied to our questions and helped us troubleshoot EARTS4's malfunctions."

After all the parts finally came in, AIS dedicated a team to repairing EARTS4. The team, comprised of Dan Foraker, 48th CMS avionics equipment specialist, and Staff Sgt. Joshua Simmons, 48th CMS avionics team leader, spent two weeks repairing, calibrating and verifying EARTS4's broken components.

"All of the equipment in that shop is worth $64 million," commented Senior Master Sgt. Zachary Capogna, former 48th CMS superintendent. "EARTS4 is about $4 million all on its own. It's incredible that they got all 18 test stations in the shop fully mission-capable."