Boeing

The T-45 Training Systems (T45TS) team is the recipient of a recent Department of Defense Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative, or COSSI, award.

The team - consisting of the U.S. Navy, Boeing, L-3 Communications (EDI), and Rolls-Royce -- received the funding award based on its design proposal to provide additional capability to the sensor data recording system avionics currently used on the T-45 Goshawk, which the Navy and Marine Corps use to train student aviators.

"COSSI awards are becoming yearly events for the T-45 program," said Capt. Dave Wooten, U.S. Navy T-45 program manager. "They are the result of a real team effort and innovation from industry and the U.S. Navy." The T45TS program is the recipient of two previous COSSI awards.

"This latest award - for the T45TS engine life monitoring system - is a tremendous success for our U.S. Navy-industry team," said Bob Feldmann, Boeing T45TS program manager. "The upgraded aircraft data recorder gives us the bandwidth to record more engine and flight data yet will result in a significant reduction in engine maintenance costs."

Engine data will be analyzed by ground system computers and used to determine when engine part replacements are necessary. The system will incorporate technology that will be common to both the T-45A (with analog instruments) and T-45C (with digital instruments) models. It is expected to be operational in 2003.

The COSSI program, administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, leverages commercial technologies to reduce military operation and support costs.

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