Test and Evaluation

Major System / Platform Variant

Original Planned

Current
Planned

Achieved /Forecast

Variance
(Months)

Notes

System
Integration

MRH aircraft - Phase 2

Jul 06

Nov 06

Dec 06

5

MRH aircraft - Phase 4/6

N/A

N/A

N/A

MRH Software Support Centre

N/A

Oct 08

Nov 08

1

Electronic Warfare Self
Protection Support System

N/A

N/A

Nov 07

N/A

Ground based Mission planning and Management System

N/A

N/A

N/A

MRH Instrumented System

Nov 08

May 09

Dec 09

13

1

Full Flight and Mission Simulators

Jun 11

Sept 11

Sep 11

4

2

Acceptance

Type Acceptance Review
Special Flight Permit 1

Oct 07

Dec 07

2

3

Type Acceptance Review Special Flight Permit 2

Jun 08

Jun 08

0

Extension Special Flight Permit 2

Feb 09

Feb 09

0

Australian Military Type Certificate

Dec 08

Dec 10

Dec 11

36

4

Full Flight and Mission Simulators

Mar 13

Mar 13

Mar 13

0

5

Ground based Mission planning and Management System Lot 1

Feb 09

Sep 09

Dec 09

10

Ground Mission planning and Management System Lot 2

Feb 09

Dec 09

Apr 10

14

MRH Software Support Centre

Feb 09

Feb 09

Dec 08

(2)

Electronic Warfare Self Protection Support System

Dec 07

Dec 07

Dec 07

0

MRH Instrumented System

Mar 10

Jun 10

Jul 11

16

Aircraft
Acceptance

MRH aircraft #01 (First aircraft)

Dec 07

Dec 07

0

MRH aircraft #05 (First Australian built aircraft)

Dec 08

Dec 08

0

MRH aircraft #13 (Most recent)

Mar 10

Sep 10

Sep 10

6

MRH aircraft #14 (Next aircraft)

Jul 10

Jul 11

Jul 11

12

6

MRH aircraft #46 (Final aircraft)

Jul 14

Jul 14

Jul 14

0

Notes

1

The 13 month delay to closure of Test Readiness Review was due to electronic compatibility test design issues not resolved until November 2009. This delay was mitigated by the development of an interim MRH Instrumentation System capability used for a test activity in October 2009.

2

Delays experienced through the FFMS design phase have flowed into development and production activities. Some schedule recovery has occurred as the Contractor has adopted parallel development of FFMS#1 and FFMS#2.

3

The first Airworthiness Board (for a Special Flight Permit) was conducted in November 2007 and granted in December 2007.

4

Achievement of the Australian Military Type Certificate has proved problematic due to insufficient levels of Rate of Effort. Rate of Effort is required to validate that in-service support arrangements for the fleet are sufficient to cope with current numbers of aircraft and are growing in maturity to meet fleet requirements. Further, the numbers of trained aircrew have been limited by the low Rate of Effort and are a criterion for Australian Military Type Certificate. Operating under the Special Flight Permit rather than an Australian Military Type Certificate has not caused any project delay to date.

5

FFMS schedule compression has occurred due to the adoption of a parallel integration and testing program for both simulators. The testing program is ambitious and the likelihood for success can be better gauged once testing commences in the second half of 2011.

6

Acceptance of aircraft ceased on 22 November 2010 due to Contractual non conformity. Resumption of aircraft acceptance will commence when the Contractor demonstrates the capability in accordance with the contract.