The Army and Lockheed Martin [LMT] yesterday celebrated one million flight hours for the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) carried by the AH-64 Apache.
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| Col. Jeff Hagar, Army Project Manager, Apache Attack Helicopters Photo: Lockheed Martin |
Initially fielded in 2005, M-TADS/PNVS is known as the eyes of the Apache attack helicopter. It provides Apache pilots with long-range, precision engagement and pilotage capabilities for mission success and flight safety in day, night and adverse weather missions, the company said.
Forward-looking infrared sensors provide improved image resolution that enables Apache aircrews to engage targets and provide situational awareness in support of ground troops outside detection ranges.
“This system has been touted as a ‘game changer’ for our aviators and soldiers on the ground,” said Col. Jeff Hager, Army project manager for Apache Attack Helicopters. “It has provided the Army with unprecedented situational awareness and targeting ability that has helped to save the lives of U.S. soldiers and our allies.”
In 2005, the first unit was equipped with M-TADS/PVNS system. The system then deployed to Iraq and most of the million flying hours racked up were combat flying hours, Hager said during a briefing for reporters after ceremonies at Lockheed Martin’s Orlando, Fla., facility
David Belvin, director of Apache Programs, Lockheed Martin, said the system has “earned the trust” of the aircrews, providing “greater clarity and definition” for situational awareness and prosecuting targets.
Lockheed Martin is working on production Lot 8 for the system and expects additional Army and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) orders, he said. Earlier this month the company was awarded a $223 million FMS contract for M-TADS/PNVS sensors and services to support Korea.
The company continues to improve reliability and maintainability, Belvin said. The focus now is on addressing system obsolescence and improving system performance with the integration of a
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| AH-64 Apache Helicopter With M-TADS/PVNS Photo: Lockheed Martin |
Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA).
Lt. Col. Steve Van Riper, Army project manager, Apache Sensors, said the M-DSA is in the final states of integration and development. The scheduled goal is to have the sensor integrated on the aircraft in November, with the first flight scheduled for January 2014.The projected First Unit Equipped is in Fiscal Year 2018.
Company metrics find the Performance Based Logistics program enhances system performance and reliability by more than 150 percent, reduces maintenance actions by nearly 60 percent, and will save the Army nearly $1 billion in operation and support costs over its 40-year system life, the company said.
Lockheed Martin in 2012 received a $111 million PBL contract for M-TADS/PVNS (Defense Daily, Sept. 25). The total four year contract is valued at approximately $375 million. It was the second PBL contract the company received for the sensor.
The M-TADS/PVNS shows “almost a 10-time increase in reliability,” Van Riper said. The system was initially developed to increase reliability and improve obsolescence mitigation, but also produced increased performance.
Operational reliability and supply availability for M-TADS has been cumulative over the past years, over 85 percent–“head and shoulders above our legacy systems,” Van Riper said. The design of line replaceable units provide almost 100 percent availability–“hard to believe”–but “our data clearly shows 99 percent for supply availability.”
The secret to the system’s success is “teamwork,” Belvin said, citing the cooperation and effort between company employees, suppliers, and Army personnel, many of whom filled a hangar to bursting for the ceremonies.