Key considerations in the design of an integrated diagnostics test facility

Current inefficiencies in the United States Navy maintenance system have led to an increase in false removal maintenance actions. With the goal of reducing diagnostic ambiguity between multiple Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRAs) at the Organizational level of maintenance (O-Level), the Integrated Diagnostics and Automated Test Systems (IDATS) team at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Lakehurst has established an integrated diagnostics test facility where avionics can be operated in an emulated maintenance environment. This paper describes the processes which were used to define, capture, document, and fulfill these requirements. Decisions were driven by these requirements, ranging from construction methods and materials to the selection of test equipment and test programming environment. The procedures followed and decisions made during the formation of this laboratory can serve as lessons learned and help form a road map for future facilities of this type.