Temperature and vibration results from captive-store flight tests provide a reliability improvement tool

The ALQ-131 electronic countermeasure (ECM) system has provided the United States Air Force with proven self-protection for many of its tactical fighter aircraft. The reliability and maintainability (R&M) improvements of the ALQ-131 Block II has produced a system with a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 120 to 180 h and greater than 95% availability for the 390 systems in theater during the Persian Gulf war. Classic R&M approaches have gotten the ALQ-131 to this high standard, but improved understanding of the environment experienced by the system will provide the next steps in reliability improvements. The capture of measured response data will provide a basis for development life cycle and customer warranty tests which will guarantee to the customer that the ALQ-131 system will continue to perform reliably from takeoff to landing and from mission to mission through the life of the system