Over the last five years, Avion has played an integral role in the development, implementation, fielding and sustainment of Automated Information Systems (AIS) in the Army Aviation community. Our support has encompassed the complete system life cycle, including: concept development, design, prototyping, test and evaluation, production, integration, fielding, training and system sustainment. Under DAAB07-98-D-H502, Avion, Inc. completed the AIS - Automated Identification Technology (AIT) - Aviation Maintenance Automated Tracking System (AMATS) Demonstration Program. This work effort was performed for the PEO-AVN Army Attack Helicopter (AAH) Project Management Office (PMO) and the AMRDEC – MPAIL Office (subsequently transitioned to the Sustainment Engineering Division). The Avion Team designed, developed and implemented a product using an Aviation Maintenance Management System (MMS) and Contact Memory Buttons (CMB) as an AIS solution for improving the U.S. Army DA Form 2410 business process. Avion’s experience and knowledge of Army Aviation logistics and Army aircraft technical expertise allowed us to provide independent, technical leadership in the development and implementation of this system.

During the development of AMATS, Avion was tasked with evaluating Automatic Identification Technology’s (AIT) ability to enhance component tracking within The Army's Maintenance Management System - Aviation (TAMMS-A). The legacy TAMMS-A system (DA PAM 738-751), includes the manual tracking of finite-life, time-sensitive rotorcraft components through a paper based system for input into the AMCOM Integrated Material Management Center (IMMC) Maintenance Consolidated Database System (MCDS). Avion developed and implemented the prototype AIT enabled tracking system based upon the existing TAMMS-A system. Since its inception, Avion has become a recognized leader in understanding the complex issues associated with integrating today’s technology into legacy military logistics systems. The development process included an in-depth investigation into the current business processes at several aviation units including the Aviation Technical Test Center (ATTC), Fort Rucker; the Aviation Training Brigade, Fort Rucker; 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell; 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Fort Campbell; and the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). Analysis of the unit business processes allowed the Avion team to develop the AIT system to be as non-intrusive as possible to the units’ daily activities and provide tangible benefits. Avion provided the necessary laboratory for initial prototype AMATS ground and operational testing.

Avion employed trade-off analyses as systems integration approaches were evaluated to optimize Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware/software component selection and integrate today’s technology into legacy military logistics systems. The AMATS system employs COTS AIT in the form of CMBs (EEPROM microcircuit) attached to components on and off the aircraft to feed historical data into the local MMS via a handheld AIT device. CMBs are currently being attached to selected high dollar, DA Form 2410 tracked, time-critical components on AH-64 helicopters. CMBs contain the complete historical data for the associated component (including associated tracked subcomponents) and are updated when the component is removed, repaired, installed, or overhauled. The Avion Team developed a software product, the AMATS 2410 Transfer Tool that automatically transfers data from the local MMS database to the national maintenance level database, MCDS. Avion provided the necessary laboratory (facility and equipment) for initial AMATS ground testing. This laboratory simulated the maintenance environments associated with Army Aviation, providing a dynamic test environment. During ground testing, maintenance actions were duplicated, and the AMATS software was thoroughly tested. This simulation aided in identifying software issues so that they could be resolved before operational testing began, optimizing software product stability for operational field-testing. In addition, prior to being released at ATTC, Beta testing was performed by the local users.

In the implementation and fielding of AMATS, Avion provided the Aviation Engineering Directorate (AED) with the appropriate documentation to be granted airworthiness releases (AWRs). Avion completed the necessary tasks to obtain AWR approvals and received the AH-64 Fleet-wide AWR from the AED. This was followed by the publication of technical bulletin (TB) 1-1520-238-20-140. Avion developed and provided documentation (IAW MIL-STD-498, Software Development and Documentation) for a fully compatible software interface application that automatically transmits data from the local MMS database to the AMCOM IMMC MCDS. The Avion Team has provided test plans, technical reports, fact-finding summaries, and leadership briefings on program results. Avion actively supported the DoD data standards environment and has coordinated with the DoD Logistics AIT Office on the drafting of both American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Material Handling (MH) 10.8.2/International Standards Organization’s (ISO) international standard (IS) 15418 as the data semantics standard and ANSI MH10.8.3/IS 14434 as the data syntax standard. Avion provided comprehensive training to the users of the AMATS system. This system has performed successfully within the Apache 2--101st Battalion during OEF and OIF. The AMATS product has been fielded globally to the Apache Attack Helicopter (AAH) fleet under AMCOM Omnibus 2000, PM-AIT and AMCOM EXPRESS Delivery Orders. This system is being implemented within the AAH fleet to support Recapitalization requirements and coordinated during RESET operations, post deployment to hostile environments.

The Avion Team has developed and implemented a product using the CMB as an AIT solution for improving the DA Form 2410 business process. The Avion Team successfully developed a deployable capability to automate the DA Form 2410 process and significantly reduce the administrative burden associated with critical asset tracking and historical record keeping. This end-to-end process that tracks critical Army aircraft components from the original aircraft manufacturer, through operational usage, and during the maintenance and overhaul processes and has automated the migration of component historical data from the unit to the consolidated database at AMCOM headquarters. Analysis of the unit business processes allowed the Avion team to develop the AIT system to be as non-intrusive as possible to the units’ daily activities and to provide tangible and intangible benefits to the unit. Over 15,000 electronic DA Form 2410s have been transferred to MCDS using the automated procedures developed by this team. This not only reduces workload at both the unit level and the IMMC, but also greatly enhances the accuracy of data input from these transactions, supporting the Army’s objective of improving Aviation Maintenance through improved field data acquisition and analysis. The AMATS goal continues to be a more user-friendly, less burdensome system for the soldier that collects more accurate data and transmits it to IMMC in a more timely manner. The improved data quality and transmission will ease the transition to Global Combat Support System – Army (GCSS-A). In the meantime, more accurate, complete, and timely data will be used by all levels of management, from the aviation unit level to the fleet management level. The AMATS system is a key modular element of the Unit Level Logistics System – Aviation (ULLS-A), Software Change Package-06 (SCP6) logistics initiative that has been approved and mandated by G-4 for global implementation across all Army Aviation rotorcraft fleets.