Method and system for aircraft weapon station testing
AssigneeHughes Missile Systems Company
InventorsR. Winston Monk, David P. Van Cleve
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weapon station testing system for testing the mission readiness of an aircraft (10) having a plurality of weapon stations including a first weapon station (12a) and a second weapon station (12b) comprises a common electronics module (14) and a plurality of interchangeable mechanical fixtures (16a, 16b). A first interchangeable fixture (16a) is operative for interconnecting the common electronics module (14) with the first weapon station (12a). A second interchangeable fixture (16b) is operative for interconnecting the common electronics module (14) with the second weapon station (12b).
Claims20
A weapon station testing system for testing the mission readiness of an aircraft having a plurality of weapon stations including a first weapon station of a first type and a second weapon station of a second type, the weapon station testing system comprising:
- a common electronics module external to the aircraft, the common electronics module electronically adapted to communicate with said first and second weapon stations;
- a first interchangeable fixture for operatively interconnecting the common electronics module with the first weapon station;
- and
- a second interchangeable fixture for operatively interconnecting the common electronics module with the second weapon station;
- whereby said common electronics module communicates with the first and second weapon stations to ensure that the first and second weapon stations are mission ready to receive a weapon.
A weapon station testing system for testing the mission readiness of an aircraft of the type including a plurality of weapon stations, a first weapon station of a first type at least including a first weapon interface adapted for electrically communicating with a first type of weapon and a second weapon station of a second type at least including a second weapon interface adapted to electrically communicate with a second type of weapon, the weapon station testing system comprising:
- a common electronics module external to the aircraft;
- and
- a first interchangeable fixture for mechanically engaging the first weapon station, the first interchangeable fixture adapted for interconnecting the first interface with the common electronics module;
- a second interchangeable fixture for mechanically engaging the second weapon station, the second interchangeable fixture adapted for interconnecting the second interface with the common electronics module;
- whereby said common electronics module communicates with the first and second weapon stations to ensure that the first and second weapon stations are mission ready to receive first and second types of weapons respectively.
A method for testing the mission readiness of an aircraft weapons system of the type having a plurality of weapon stations including a first weapon station of a first type and a second weapon station of a second type, the first weapon station having a first weapon interface adapted for electrically communicating with a first type of weapon and a second weapon station having a second weapon interface adapted to electrically communicate with a second type of weapon, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an aircraft weapons testing system including:
- i) a common electronics module external to the aircraft;
- ii) a first interchangeable fixture for engaging the common electronics module with the first weapon station, the first interchangeable fixture including a first input port adapted to selectively electrically communicate with the first weapon interface;
- and
- iii) a second interchangeable fixture for operatively interconnecting the common electronics module with the second weapon station;
- interconnecting the common electronics module with the first interchangeable fixture;
- mechanically engaging the first interchangeable fixture with the first weapon station;
- recording at least one data transaction occurring at the first weapon station;
- interconnecting the common electronics module with the second interchangeable fixture;
- mechanically engaging the second interchangeable fixture with the second weapon station;
- and
- recording at least one data transaction occurring at the second weapon station;
- whereby the steps of recording at least one data transaction occurring at the first weapon station and recording at least one data transaction occurring at the second weapon station permit subsequent analysis of communication between the first weapon interface and the first type of weapon and between the second interface and the second type of weapon, thereby confirming mission readiness of the aircraft weapons system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.