Military products from commercial lines

Describes a pilot program within the Air Force Manufacturing Technology Directorate's Industrial Base Pilots Office. TRW's Military Electronics and Avionics Division (MEAD) will lead the program. This pilot program will demonstrate "dual use" manufacturing by producing F-22 military avionics modules on an automotive electronics production line operated by TRW's Transportation Electronics Division. To accomplish this requires a redesign of the modules so that they can be producible using commercial automotive electronics processes. Dual use manufacturing also dictates establishing compatible business policies and practices, manufacturing infrastructures and process technologies. Business Policies and Practices that must be changed involve accounting procedures, contracting requirements, audit requirements and quality control. Manufacturing infrastructure improvements include incorporation of advanced concurrent engineering tools and process control software to allow economic production of small lot sizes. Process technology changes involve designing production lines that are highly automated and compatible with commercial practices.