Test and Evaluation

Major System/ Platform Variant

Original Planned

Current Planned

Achieved/ Forecast

Variance (Months)

Test Readines Review

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

Full Flight and Mission Simulators

Jun 11

Feb 12

May 12

10

Acceptance

Type Acceptance Review Special Flight Permit 1

Oct 07

Dec 07

2

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 10

24

Full Flight and Mission Simulators

Mar 13

Oct 13

Jan 14

10

Ground based Mission planning and Management System Lot 1

Feb 09

Sep 09

Dec 09

10

Ground based 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 10

4

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 #11 (Most recent)

Nov 09

Dec 09

Mar 10

4

MRH aircraft #12 (Next aircraft)

Dec 09

Feb 10

Jul 10

7

MRH aircraft #46 (Final aircraft)

Jul 14

Jul 14

Jul 14

0

Variance Explanations

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

Acceptance of aircraft broadly remains on schedule, although some aircraft have been accepted several months behind schedule. Acceptance of MRH#11 was delayed due to: delays to previous aircraft, the 2009/2010 Christmas and New Year stand down periods, and the use of this aircraft to perform aeromedical equipment compatibility testing before acceptance. Acceptance activities on future aircraft (MRH#12) are currently pending resolution of an engine failure incident that occurred on an in-service aircraft on 20 April 2010. This is expected to be resolved in July 2010.

MRH Instrumentation System. 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.

Delays experienced through the FFMS design phase have flowed into development and production activities.