Baton Inspection Toolset for Conducting Timely Aircraft Maintenance

Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) will develop the Baton Inspection Toolset to optimize aircraft sustainment operations, namely Outer Mold Line (OML) coating inspection, leading to reduced operating costs and increased aircraft availability rates. CRG will develop the Baton Toolset leveraging commercially available, hand-held surface metrology sensors and will ruggedize them for routine use in the global military operating environment. CRG will also implement novel data processing methods within the hand-held tool in order to reduce typically complex data types into simple metrics which can more reliably entered into maintenance databases. This will result in objective and reliable communication between aircraft maintainers and the Program Office representatives responsible for forecasting and resourcing sustainment needs. In Phase I, CRG will partner with Lockheed Martin and Brighton Science to evaluate candidate surface metrology tools using representative OML coating coupons subjected to accelerated aging. CRG will assess the data generated and verify which sensors are most appropriate for integration within the Baton Toolset. Finally, CRG will coordinate with DoD customers and end-users in order to establish plans for product refinement and field trials. In Phase II, CRG will provide operational training and will facilitate on-aircraft testing at multiple Air Force customer locations. CRG and Brighton Science will outline manufacturing, sales, and sustainment plans for the Baton Inspection Toolset product leveraging lessons learned from the Surface Analyst ® product’s adoption into the F-35 Program. In Phase III, the Baton product will undergo pilot production, certification, and a technical data package will be delivered to the Air Force to facilitate application of National Stock Numbers (NSN) streamlining acquisition by Air Force customers through GSA Global Supply.