Automatic Test Equipment Commercial Off-The-Shelf Replacement for Obsolete Instruments

"Test equipment obsolescence is a serious problem in NavyAutomated Test Equipment (ATE) systems today. In many systems theinstruments are now reaching end-of-life and are beginning tofail at increased rates. Often, critical components necessary torepair the original instruments are out of production, renderingthe instrument obsolete and unsupportable. These unsupportableinstruments result in a downed ATE system, impacting fleetreadiness. In Phase 1 research, an Obsolete InstrumentReplacement Technology was outlined that would enable standardCOTS instruments to effectively replace these obsoleteinstruments, restoring the ATE system to use. Vektrex proposes tobuild on the successful Phase 1 effort, by developing a firstarticle replacement for the RADCOM Signal Analyzer. In the courseof this development maintenance and support tools will bedeveloped that can be used to maintain the replacement SignalAnalyzer. These tools may also be used to develop additional COTS-based replacement instruments.This technology and the maintenance and support tools that willbe developed will greatly benefit the Navy in its efforts tomaintain aging ATE systems. With this technology, problem-proneNavy ATE systems can be upgraded without incurring thesignificant cost of modifying Test Program Sets (TPS), restoringthe ATE system to use.BENEFITS: This technology and the maintenance and support tools that will be developed will greatly benefit the Navy in its ef