Experience on analyzing phased-array antenna range and diagnostic data through an expert system

The Antenna Repair Facility at McClellan AFB, which has been responsible for the repair and maintenance of Air Force antennas and radars over several decades, now faces the challenge of transferring their many years of skill in antenna maintenance from their closing base to an acquiring base. This is being done with the requirement of maintaining in-house expertise and production levels, while manpower decreases. To meet the challenge, an expert system called ANDES is being developed to help diagnose electronically steered phased-array satellite ground station antennas at McClellan. This paper covers the key issues in the design and development of ANDES and focuses on the expert system's use as a tool to help the human improve the diagnostic process.