TPS solutions for aircraft controller system LRIs in conjunction with LM-STAR®

The new tester selected by the Italian Air Force to be the standard platform for depot level testing on several Line Replaceable Units (LRU) of European Fighter (EF2000) Tranche 2 configuration is the LM-STAR®. This solution, applicable for the second level of maintenance, is the result of joint cooperation between Lockheed Martin and Selex-ES, a Finmeccanica Company. To date, the acceptance and the delivery of seven LM-STAR stations (Galileo Euro Test Set variant) has occurred; two more are in progress. Currently, more than 25 Test Program Sets (TPS) have been designed, developed, integrated, and fielded using LM-STAR. For more complex LRU, which are part of Armament Controller or Visual and Display System, a new hardware solution has been designed and purchased, also based both on development and in-service experience of previous Tranche 1 TPS with another ATE. Redesigned holding fixtures with new internal circuit cards in addition to LM-STAR capabilities improved the TPS performances with results (self-check, execution time, automatic tests, software loading) better than the ones on dedicated platforms for LRU manufacturing. In this paper a brief overview will be provided about these choices and the benefits on TPS hardware composition and test management. The LM-STAR TPS development environment, which supports both C and ATLAS TPS, will also be analyzed. The underlying system software architecture that protects the TPS from costly hardware obsolescence will also be described. An overview of the support of a complex international program will be explored. We will describe both hardware and software technological obstacles that had to be overcome to achieve mission success while maintaining cost and schedule requirements.