By B.C. Kessner
The reuse of existing ordnance systems and tailoring of proven technologies, such as Ultra Electronics‘ High Pressure Pure Air Generator (HiPPAG), are key performance and cost-saving factors in the Raytheon [RTN]-led Multi-Purpose Bomb Rack (MPBR) program for the Navy, according to executives from the firms.
“With the design, we took basically the existing BRU-33 bomb rack, pulled out the parts that were pyrotechnic and replaced them with Ultra-designed pneumatic systems and valves,” John Webb, program manager, Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC), told Defense Daily last week.
“I believe our reuse level was [about] 85 percent of the existing bomb rack,” Webb said. “There’s a whole logistics tail to that that the Navy is going to experience savings from…as well as with the training [and] experience with the bomb rack”
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) recently awarded Raytheon a $32.4 million contract for engineering and manufacturing development of the BRU-69 MPBR, a potential $2 billion program that could begin low-rate initial production in 2014 (Defense Daily, Dec. 10). Raytheon gave teammate Ultra’s Precision Air Systems business unit about $6 million to build a HiPPAG variant that produces the pneumatic energy for MPBR’s release system.
Similar to how the overall design was adopted from the proven government-owned BRU-33, Ultra’s non pyrotechnic energy source for MPBR was derived from existing HiPPAG solutions to reduce technical risks and life cycle costs, according to Andy Yates, managing director of Precision Air Systems.
“The technology that we’re offering–basically, it was a repackaging–provides a reliable, safe pneumatic ejection solution based on equipment that we have in service in the U.S. or in the U.K,” Yates added.
The HiPPAG typically has a stand alone electronics box, but for MPBR Ultra has worked with Raytheon to integrate a package that fits the outer mold line and reduces overall mass, Yates said. “This integral solution is one of the delightful things we’ve come across while working with Raytheon–that we’ve been able to share technology and work together to come up with an innovative and creative cost effective solution.”
Precision Air Systems and Raytheon also collaborated on a new filter design for the system.
“We’re offering a regenerative filter which gives unique characteristics in that it’s fitted for life,” Yates said. “It reduces logistics support, it reduces maintenance, and basically it’s capable of regenerating itself in a dead part of the mission, or an operation,” he added.
“This is something that we’re really excited about as an organization, both Raytheon and Ultra, in that one, it provides us an opportunity to take what we have been developing as a relationship over many months and bring forward a solution, [and two] to enhance that relationship for potential other opportunities,” Rudy Lewis, director of depot support services at RTSC, added.
Precision Air Systems is already talking to its existing customer base about the regenerative filter as an upgrade, Yates said. “At the moment they have to change the filters [on] an hours [of] operation basis, and we believe by offering this regenerative filter we could reduce life cycle costs, including maintenance costs, and hence, offer greater operational capability,” he added.
“We are talking to the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, and European markets where we have existing products, targeting them for upgrade parts for both cryogenic cooling as well as stores ejections products,” Yates said.