Self-repairing flight control system program overview

A description is given of the Self-Repairing Flight Control System Program, which began in 1984. The program objective was to improve the reliability, maintainability, survivability, and life cycle cost of aircraft flight control systems through aerodynamic reconfiguration and maintenance diagnostics. A description is given of the four program tasks designed to satisfy the objective. Reconfiguration technology development for future fighters addresses the reliability, survivability, and life-cycle cost objectives. Maintenance diagnostics tasks address the maintainability objective. The proof of concept flight demonstration and advanced flight demonstration tasks support the transition to new weapon systems. The technology is being applied to current and advanced fighter aircraft through feasibility studies, development studies, design criteria development, ground simulations field demonstrations, and fighter flight tests