The Navy has received the first of a new system for detecting and resolving problems with avionics systems at sea it believes will save money and time and keep aircraft at a higher levels of operational readiness.
The system, called the electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS), was provided by Lockheed Martin [LMT] with the first one being recently delivered. The Navy currently has plans to buy as many as 67 eCASS units and eventually reach a total of 341 stations.
They will be deployed on every aircraft carrier as well as at on-shore depot centers.
Chris Ciggey, the deputy program manager for automated testing systems at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), told reporters Wednesday that eCASS could save money by allowing more onsite repairs and lessening the need to ship parts back to manufacturers.
“With eCASS, the Department of the Navy will enable a cost avoidance of more than $1 billion annually by averting the repair of avionics at the next level of maintenance or sending the parts back to the original equipment manufacturer,” Giggey said.
More than 750 avionics components and other electronic equipment can be serviced by eCASS, Lockheed Martin said.