A team of engineers at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently developed a new capability that is saving the fleet time and money, and increasing fleet readiness.  

The Test Program Set Development Team at FRCE recently developed the hardware and software needed to perform tests and diagnose the operational status of the H-1 helicopter platform’s recently upgraded mission computer, the technical refresh mission computer (TRMC).  

Serving as the central processing hub, the TRMC performs a wide range of functions on the Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters, and is considered the platform’s most technologically advanced computer. The TRMC improves performance by enhancing the aircraft’s mission, weapons and video processing capabilities, and is designed to accommodate future upgrades and new technologies. 

Andrew McIntyre, electronics engineer for the H-1 Fleet Support Team, said the program office chose FRCE to develop the capability because the test program used with the platform’s previous mission computer is not compatible with the upgraded TRMC. 

“At a general level, the mission computer is one of the aircraft’s brain boxes that controls a lot of the aircraft signals while flying. Without the mission computer, the aircraft is not going to be mission capable,” said McIntyre. “This test program gives the fleet heightened confidence in the performance of their mission computers.”  

According to Laura Fox, senior engineer for the Test Program Set Development Team, the test program is run using the consolidated automated support system (CASS) family of testers. These systems are used by the fleet to help sustain mission readiness by providing efficient, standardized and cost-effective automated testing capabilities. She said the team used the CASS testers in FRCE’s CASS Lab to develop the test program.    

“FRCE is one of the few organic sites with the capability to do this level of test program development,” said Fox.  
“We have equipment here and have a history of working with the H-1 Fleet Support Team, so it has worked out well. We were even able to reuse a lot of the hardware from the previous mission computer test program when developing the new hardware set, which saved money.”  

McIntyre said a unique feature of the test program is that it allows the fleet to test the mission computer’s functionality in the field, rather than returning it to the original equipment manufacturer for evaluation, saving time.   

“Before taking off, pilots and air crews run comprehensive checks of all the avionics and systems on the ground to make sure everything is working properly,” said McIntyre. “With this test program, the fleet now has the ability to test technical refresh mission computers on site, and it only takes four hours.”   

According to Fox, having the ability to test the TRMCs on site increases warfighter readiness by limiting the number of non-mission-capable H-1 helicopters.  

“With this program, the Marines can now simply pull the mission computer out of the aircraft, plug it back into the consolidated automated support system and see whether it needs repairs on site,” said Fox. “These aircraft are not fully mission capable without a mission computer, so unless the Marines had a spare mission computer on hand, they wouldn’t be able to fly that helicopter again until they received a replacement. Now, when a computer successfully passes the test, the Marines can just pop it back into the aircraft and continue flying.” 

In addition to saving time and increasing readiness, the TRMC test program is expected to save the fleet a significant amount of money per year, Fox said.  

“When sending the mission computer to the original manufacturer for testing, there’s a cost for the fleet,” said Fox. “The fleet will be able to save around $1 million per year by having the ability to test them on site. That’s a significant savings for the warfighter.”  

McIntyre said the test program is already being used by the fleet.  

“They’re already running the test program at Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 at Marine Corps Air Station New River and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39 at Camp Pendleton, California,” said McIntyre. “The Fleet Support Team gave them interim authority to use the test program before it is officially released since it’s so important.”  

Fox said they delivered the test program to the two original sites in September of 2024, and plan to deliver it to another soon.  

“We brought them directly to the fleet,” said Fox. “We flew out to the sites to check everything out and train the Marines on how to use it since they are the ones who will be running the program. We stayed in the background just in case they had questions. After that, they’re good to test the mission computers on their own, whenever they need. We are hoping to expand even more by the end of this year.” 

FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $865 million. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.