WNUK-14-007 _Requirement_-_10_Dec_13.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

HEADQUARTERS AIR COMBAT COMMAND

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS VA

Agile Combat Power

MEMORANDUM FOR AFLCMC/WNU 10 Dec 13

FROM: ACC/A5A

130 Douglas Street Joint Base Langley-Eustis VA 23665

SUBJECT: 406 MHz Personnel Locator Beacon (PLB) Requirements Memorandum

This memo describes the requirements for the PLB. All values are specifically identified within the body of this requirements memorandum. The term “system” as used in this document means the PLB and all associated components.

1. General Description of Operational Capability.

1.1. Type of System Proposed. The Air Force requires a PLB providing immediate satellite notification of a downed aircrew member to the rescue coordination center. The system will integrate with emergency back-style parachutes and ACES II ejection seat survival kits. The system will be fully compliant in all 406MHz modes with Cosmitscheskaja Sistema Poiska Awarinitsch Sudow-Search and Rescue Satellites Aided Tracking (COSPAS-SARSAT). The PLB must be capable of operating through all emergency actions to include ejection, bailout, ditching and crash landing. The system will not require aircraft or aircrew flight equipment modifications beyond those currently allowed for URT-33/URT-44 beacons. Furthermore, the system must be fully compatible with aircrew flight equipment.

1.2. Operational Concept. The PLB is an over-the-horizon alerting device. The device will provide automatic and manual activation and transmit on internationally recognized emergency frequencies (121.5, 243.0, and 406 MHz). The device will have the ability to transmit on 406 MHz and sequentially on all hardwired frequencies. The procedures used by downed aircrew will be somewhat different depending on whether the beacon is installed in parachutes or seat kits.

2. Threat. The threats affecting the performance and survivability of the PLB system reflect the overall threats to the platforms and personnel on which it will be employed.

3. Capabilities Required.

3.1. Beacon Performance.

3.1.1. Frequencies. The PLB will transmit a modulated swept tone signal on 121.5 MHz, 243.0 MHz, and a phase pulse digital signal on 406 MHz in accordance with STANAG 7007 (2008) and C/S T.001/T.007 (2012). The device will have the ability to transmit on 406 MHz only and sequentially on all frequencies factory loaded in the device.

3.1.2. 406 MHz Global Positioning System (GPS) Accuracy. <100 meters with embedded GPS receiver.

3.1.3. Identification. Each PLB will transmit on 406 MHz with a unique identification and programmable number/code according to C/S T.001/T.007.

3.1.4. Transmitting range. The 121.5 and 243.0 MHz swept tone will be capable of being received LOS by an aircraft flying at 10,000 ft AGL, 60 nautical miles away.

3.1.5. Mode selection. The PLB will provide an automatic mode that activates the PLB upon man/seat separation (ejection) and parachute deployment (back style parachute). The PLB will provide a manual mode that enables the user to activate the beacon through the use of an on/off switch.

3.1.5.1. The mode selector switch will enable the user or technician to easily switch between automatic and manual modes. In the ejection seat configuration, the mode selector switch must be readily accessible/visible to the user during flight or on the ground. The mode selected must be clearly marked and visible to the technician or user on the ground and during flight.

3.1.6. The PLB will be equipped with an external light (i.e. LED) to indicate to the user the device is transmitting.

3.2. System Characteristics.

3.2.1. Environmental.

3.2.1.1. Temperature extremes. The PLB must meet operational temperature range as specified in C/S T.001/T.007 for Class 2 beacons. The PLB must meet a non-operational temperature range of -40C to +85C during its service life.

3.2.1.2. The system will be compatible with environmental conditions associated with flight/ejection/bailout/crash landing in accordance with MIL-STD-810G, MIL-STD-461 and MIL-Hdbk-310.

3.2.1.3. Water Immersion. The PLB will be capable of operation after 2 hours of exposure to 1 meter of fresh/salt water and after 5 minutes of exposure to 25 feet of fresh/salt water.

3.2.2. Weight. Will not interfere with the proper ejection sequence or parachute deployment sequence.

3.2.3. Operational Battery life. Meet Class 2 beacon operational battery life as specified in C/S T.001/.007.

3.2.3.1. Battery Life. The battery will have a minimum shelf-life of 5 years from date of manufacture. It will provide a minimum 3 years of service life.

3.2.4. Size. The PLB must conform to the fit, form, and function of current URT-33/URT-44 series beacons installed in seat kits, back style parachutes and life raft kits.

3.2.5. Color. Subdued coloring is required to facilitate concealment in a combat environment.

3.3. Safety.

3.3.1. The system will function as designed throughout the full performance envelope of all assigned Air Force aircraft.

3.3.2. The system will not interfere with operation of the ejection seat and all existing man/seat/aircraft disconnects during ejection. The device will not interfere with safe normal and emergency egress.

3.4. Reliability. The minimum system reliability shall be no less than 99.5% during its service life. System reliability shall be demonstrated through design analysis and verification testing.

3.4.1. Mean Time to Repair (MTTR). The MTTR of the repairable system components shall be .5 hr. MTTR is defined as the total elapsed time (clock hours) for corrective maintenance divided by the total number of corrective maintenance actions during a given period of time.

3.4.2. Service Life. The service life for the PLB will be a minimum of ten years.

3.5. Impact on Other Systems. The PLB will not require aircraft cockpit modification. The only integration required with other equipment will be less than or identical to the existing URT- 33/URT-44 series emergency locator beacons. Specifically, when the PLB is stored in the parachute or survival kit, the flexible antenna must be routed through kit container fabric loops or parachute riser flute as applicable to a storage pocket within the container/parachute.

3.6. Training. No increase in aircrew training is anticipated. As the PLB will be operated in a nearly identical manner as the existing beacon, the impact on the current curriculum and procedures is expected to be negligible. No increase in technician training is anticipated as the system is similar to currently fielded systems.

3.7. Equipment Compatibility. The system and its components must be compatible with current and planned Aircrew Flight Equipment.

3.8. Conventional, Biological, and Chemical Survivability. System must be able to survive/operate in all anticipated threat environments, to include chemical, biological, or radiological warfare environments. The system must be capable of being decontaminated to a safe level for reuse. The system must be operable by aircrew wearing CBRN gloves.

4. Program Support.

4.1. Support. The support infrastructure for the PLB will be similar to the existing URT- 33/URT-44 beacons. The Air Force will determine manning requirements with the goal of no net increases in overall Aircrew Flight Equipment or depot personnel. The system will be used in a wide variety of environments to include main operating bases, forward operating locations, etc. The system will be highly portable using standard mobility storage containers and require a minimal forward logistics footprint. The system will use existing transportation processes, both military and commercial, to expedite shipment between operating locations and repair depots.

Aircrew Flight Equipment technicians will be required to log the locations of each PLB into an approved centralized database/website.

4.2. Support Equipment. Fault diagnosis will be initiated through a Built-In-Test (BIT). BIT exercises all circuits and transmits a test encoded message over the COSPAS-SARSAT system at 406MHz. The go/no-go results of the BIT will be indicated by an external light on the actual beacon. Removal, repair and replacement (antenna, battery, headphones, etc…) will be accomplished using common shop tools..

4.3. Technical Data. Technical orders (TOs), user manuals, and vendor documentation for integration/operation and repair will include illustrated parts breakdowns, parts listings, diagrams, theory of operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting guides. The Technical Manual supplied by the vendor will be used as a baseline for the development of a USAF Technical Order (TO).