[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 118 (Friday, July 31, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2094-E2097]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 30, 2009

  Mr. TIAHRT. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the Republican Earmark 
Standards Guidance, I submit the following in regard to the Fiscal Year 
2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act found in H.R. 3326:


            Portable Military Radio Communications Test Set

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $1,500,000 for Portable Military Radio Communications Test Set 
in the Marine Corps, Procurement Account. The entity to receive funding 
for this project is Aeroflex at 10200 West York Road, Wichita, KS 
67215-8999.
  The Portable Military Radio Communications Test Set was developed 
with the military in mind with its portability, rugged build, and 
weight. The technician can easily perform maintenance checks of radio 
systems (including antennas & cables); perform diagnostics or 
troubleshooting of faulty radio systems in order to repair or restore 
the radio systems. The test set is portable, weighing in at only 8.5 
lbs (including the battery). It operates from a rechargeable battery 
with about 5 hours operating time. With the additional capability to 
perform quick testing of antennas and cables, the Portable Military 
Radio Communications Test Set provides for the tester to isolate 
problems and assess performance of the radio, cable, and antenna 
systems. It was designed to significantly reduce the number of radios 
incorrectly removed from vehicles where it was later determined to have 
no trouble found.
  The Marine Corps pays about $10,000 for each tester, with a 
requirement for 1600 units. This funding will go to procurement of the 
testers to meet this requirement.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


            Radio Personality Modules for SINCGARS Test Sets

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $3,000,000 for Radio Personality Modules for SINCGARS Test 
Sets in the Army, Other Procurement Account. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is Aeroflex at 10200 West York Road, Wichita, 
KS 67215-8999.
  The funds will fund Radio Personality Modules for SINCGARS Test Sets 
which capitalizes upon existing radio test sets by making them up to 10 
times more capable than they were before. Presently, the GRM-122 test 
set diagnoses only one type of radio--the SINCGARS. After the proposed 
upgrade, the very same tester will be able to test multiple radios in 
common use, including: UHF radios, VHF radios, high frequency radios, 
intercoms, survival vest radios, and four different types of navigation 
radios installed in aircraft on the flight line. This efficient program 
saves both time and money. Time, because the technician performing the 
test will have the entire test suite he requires at his immediate 
disposal on the flight line; and money because the Aviation 
Intermediate Maintenance locations equipped with Radio Personality 
Modules for SINCGARS Test Sets will not need to acquire nor carry 
entire test suites of disparate equipments.
  This funding is for procurement of these test sets. The cost of each 
test suite is $157,946--there is a need for about 80 test sets in all. 
The anticipated source of funding for the duration of the project is 
funding from the government; the customer is the US Army.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


                Directed Energy Systems for UAV Payloads

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $1,000,000 for Directed Energy Systems for UAV Payloads in the 
Defense-wide, RDT&E Account. The entity to receive funding for this 
project is ARC Technology at 13076 NW 120th St., Whitewater, KS 67154.
  ARC anticipates that federal funds will complete the research and 
development of this technology. This technology enables both offensive 
and defensive capabilities from UAV platforms that are either 
controlled or autonomous. Targets of interest include remotely 
controlled devices, communications systems, computers, electronics, 
radar systems, infrared and acoustic sensors, and GPS jammers. The FY 
10 funding addresses additional integration issues, range extension, 
packaging issues, and customer performance verification for 
incorporation into specific delivery platforms.


             Budget for UAV Payload Directed Energy Systems

Materials--5%
Labor--70%
Testing--15%
Performance verification*--10%
Total--100%

  * Per customer specifications, to simulate performance in end 
applications.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


                    B-52 Tactical Data Link Program

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $6,000,000 for B52 Tactical Data Link (TDL) Program in the Air 
Force, Research and Development account. This project is for The Boeing 
Corporation located at P.O. Box 7730 MC K71-33, Wichita, KS 67277-7730.
  The B-52 Combat Communications Network Technology (CONECT) 
Capabilities Description Document (CDD) identified mission area 
capability gaps that supplied rationale for Line-of-sight (LOS) 
Tactical Data Link (TDL) communications. These mission area capability 
gaps continue to exist for missions that the B-52 has been tasked to 
perform. Current planned B-52 CONECT Phase A capability, slated for IOC 
in 2011, relies on low-speed data links that are not jam-resistant and 
will not meet specific mission area goals. To meet mission goals within 
theater operations (300 nautical miles or less), a jam-resistant, low-
latency tactical data link capability is required.
  Original B-52 CONECT program effort included the integration of a LOS 
TDL capability per the CDD requirements. During FY2005, the LOS TDL 
component and associated funding was removed from the program. The 
current B-52 CONECT program includes a two phase delivery with the 
initial capability (Phase A) providing low-speed BLOS and LOS 
communications that are not jam-resistant followed by an additional 
phase that adds the Family of Advanced BLOS Terminals (FAB-T) Airborne 
Wideband Terminal (AWT) for enhanced jam-resistant BLOS reach-back 
capability to the B-52. The initial phase of the program provided 
significant computing hardware integration and infrastructure as the 
basis for future communications data link integration on the B-52.
  Full integration of a LOS TDL on the B-52 involves significant effort 
to design, test, and certify the system for operational use. The 
original B-52 CONECT program solution set involved integrating the MIDS 
JTRS terminal that has been under development since FY2004. This 
architecture involved integration of the legacy Link-16 Tactical 
waveform. Numerous platforms have integrated the Link-16

[[Page E2095]]

Waveform capability to participate in a LOS tactical environment.
  Since that time, new technologies and concepts of operation have been 
assessed by the DoD community. Assurance will need to be established as 
to whether the Link-16 waveform is the proper transport of choice or if 
alternate waveform transports will be required. When developing 
Network-Centric architectures, robust system engineering efforts will 
need to be performed to establish and obtain agreement on concepts of 
operations and operational needlines and timelines for interoperability 
(i.e. establish who we are talking with and how). Effort will need to 
be expended to determine these interoperability solutions.
Proposed Project Activities:

  Develop DoD architecture products within an Information Support Plan 
(ISP) to provide mission area justification for LOS TDL integration
  Perform analysis of alternatives (AOA) to determine terminal 
selection and transport/waveform requirements to meet operational 
needlines
  Develop candidate requirements/architecture definition utilizing 
original B-52 CONECT TDL architecture as a basis for integration and 
ensure stakeholder concurrence through design review.
  Perform aircraft installation trade studies to identify any potential 
issues with integration (size, weight, power, cooling, antenna 
performance)
  Perform lab demonstration of capability using government-supplied LOS 
terminal assets in the Wichita B-52 SIL
  Deliver draft SSS modifications and System Design modifications that 
will provide the basis for a follow-on proposal to complete integration 
of a LOS TDL capability
Project Estimates:

  Requirement integration with existing CONECT architecture ($1.8M--8 
folks for 6 months (about $1.4M to contractor with $0.4M to customer)
  Prototype design in SIL ($3.7M--12 months for 10 folks ($3.2M to 
contractor with $0.5M to customer)
  Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Equipment--$0.5M (Two TDL 
Terminals and ancillary equipment)

  At the completion of the project effort, a preliminary requirements 
definition and architecture design understanding will be established 
between the government and Boeing. This would serve as the basis for a 
follow-on Request for Proposal (RFP) for the full SDD development 
effort to integrate the LOS TDL capability on the B-52. In addition, 
the effort will establish an Information Support Plan which supports 
and validates the CDD requirements and addresses mission area gaps that 
would be filled with a LOS TDL capability.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


                    Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Aircraft

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $7,426,000 for Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Aircraft in the Air 
Force, Aircraft Procurement Account, of which $5,000,000 is a 
Congressional add. The entity to receive funding for this project is 
Cessna Aircraft Company at 3 Cessna Blvd, Wichita, Kansas 67215.
  The CAP provides the least expensive airborne emergency services and 
Homeland Security services of any agency at approximately $100 per 
flying hour. The CAP budgets through the USAF for acquisition of new 
aircraft to modernize the fleet, maintain operational readiness, and 
contribute to the Homeland Security. The additional funding will 
procure additional aircraft for CAP.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


 Demonstration Project for COHORT/ACIMS: Composite Occupational Health 
   and Operational Risk Tracking System/Advanced Concept Information 
                           Management System

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $3,000,000 for Demonstration Project for COHORT/ACIMS: 
Composite Occupational Health and Operational Risk Tracking System / 
Advanced Concept Information Management System. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is Spin Systems located at 3450 North Rock 
Road, Bldg #200, Suite 202.
  This project leverages the successes of the COHORT/ACIMS I & II 
projects that developed the Armed Forces Medical Analysis and 
Collaboration Tool (AFMAC) using the Spin Business Framework (SBF). 
AFMAC was designed by an AF/SG physician epidemiologist to analyze and 
track ``Injured Airmen'' as a proof of concept. Both tasks are 
necessary to fully realize the power of putting actionable information 
in the hands of doctors and nurses carrying for our sick and injured.

Task 1: Enterprise Medical Management Framework.

  This funding is to develop a clinical business intelligence and 
``bedside'' case management support tool for nurses and doctors using 
the SBF-AFMAC framework. This tool will provide access to real-time, 
consolidated health information and hands-on tools to assist them in 
coordinating care for wounded warriors and other MHS patients. These 
tools will assist with case management, care coordination, team 
collaboration, workflow management, secure messaging, notifications and 
alerts, documentation creation and management, metrics, dashboards and 
forecasting. Our clinical teams are missing these tools, which have 
been identified by the AF/SG's Family Health Initiative as essential to 
success. The AFMS has advised the need for additional work in the 
amount of $1.8M.
  Finance Plan: Labor--57%, ODC--5%, Materials (Enterprise License/
Hardware)--38%.

Task 2: Real-Time Data Delivery.

  This funding is to develop a modern solution to provide a quick, 
efficient, standardized and secure mechanism for delivering data from 
centralized information systems and databases into the hands of the 
doctors and nurses at the bedside and in the clinic. Providing a near-
real time data delivery system will take full advantage of valuable but 
separate data systems and put the information in the hands of 
clinicians, medical technicians and health administrators without 
delay, duplication or redundancy. Real-time data delivery will save 
manpower and resources in the IT community in addition to improving 
health and saving lives. The AFMS has advised the need for $1.2M in 
additional work in this area.
  Finance Plan: Labor--82%, ODC--5%, Materials (Enterprise Licenses/
Hardware)--13%.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


     Demonstration Project for Contractors Employing Persons with 
                              Disabilities

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $4,000,000 for Demonstration Project for Contractors Employing 
Persons with Disabilities in the Air Force, Operation & Maintenance. 
The entities to receive funding for this project is Cerebral Palsy 
Research Foundation located at 5111 East 21st Street Wichita, Kansas 
67208 and Envision located at 2301 South Water, Wichita, Kansas 67213.
  The program is authorized under H.R. 1588; Demonstration Project for 
Contractors Employing Persons With Disabilities. The purpose of the 
demonstration project is to provide jobs for people with severe 
disabilities who otherwise would not be fully employed. The national 
unemployment rate for people with severe disabilities is 70%. It is in 
the national best interest for the government to provide, and fund, 
programs which have as a purpose to lower this rate. Disabled 
individuals employed under the Demonstration Project are able to live 
independent lives and are able to pay their share of employment taxes 
and income taxes. These individuals, when employed, contribute to the 
growth of our economy. As a result of the Demonstration Project for 
Contractors Employing Persons with Disabilities, the U.S. Air Force 
Printing Office has engaged in an ongoing relationship with Envision 
Corporation in Wichita, Kansas. This relationship has been very 
successful in accomplishing not only the goal of furthering employment 
opportunities for the blind, but also in providing the U.S. Air Force 
Printing Office with funding and manpower it would otherwise not have. 
To date, the U.S. Air Force has advised of the need for additional work 
totaling approximately $8 Million.
  As a result of the Demonstration Project for Contractors Employing 
Persons with Disabilities, the U.S. Air Force Office of Personnel and 
Management has engaged in an ongoing relationship with The Cerebral 
Palsy Research Foundation in Wichita, Kansas. This relationship has 
been very successful in accomplishing not only the goal of furthering 
employment opportunities for the severely disabled, but also in 
providing the U.S. Air Force Office of Personnel and Management with 
funding and manpower it would otherwise not have for the purpose of 
digitizing all paper records of its personnel. To date, the U.S. Air 
Force has advised of the need for additional work totaling 
approximately $11 Million.
  The United States Air Force Personnel community is undergoing the 
most extensive reengineering effort in history. This effort includes 
streamlining processes and centralizing where it makes sense to do so 
by leveraging technology, and shifting the service model to a greater 
reliance on self-service. A key enabler to achieving the desired end 
state is a shift from paper-intensive personnel transitions and 
document storage to a near-paperless environment as spelled out in the 
AF/A 1 E-Records Strategy document. A key milestone in achieving an E-
Record environment is conversion of current paper document repositories 
into a centralized digital repository. There are approximately 13 
million pages of paper records that need to be scanned. Currently we 
are operating in option year three of a five year plan.
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.

[[Page E2096]]

      Laser Peening for Friction Stir Welded Aerospace Structures

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $2,000,000 for Laser Peening for Friction Stir Welded 
Aerospace Structures in the Department of the Air Force, RDT&E Account. 
The entity to receive funding for this project is Curtiss-Wright Metal 
Improvement Company at 1618 Ida, Wichita, Kansas 67211.
  The program will demonstrate the benefits of laser peening on 
subscale components with identical geometry of targeted DoD aircraft 
components, quantify anticipated improvement in performance, lifetime 
extension and cost reduction of full size DoD aircraft components, and 
demonstrate the technology for use with large wing structures to 
achieve substantial material and operational savings for the military.

  Funding will support the following activities:

       Engineering and Planning--$90,000
       Test Article Design & Analysis--$280,000
       Test Article Fabrication--$310,000
       Test Article Welding--$80,000
       Test Article Laser Peening--$120,000
       Test Article Fatigue Testing--$400,000
       Engineering Applications for Aircraft component 
     Evaluation--$270,000
       Analysis & Reporting--$220,000
       Overhead & Administration--$220,000
  No matching funds are required for this Department of Defense 
project.


                C-130 Active Noise Cancellation Systems

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $3,000,000 for C-130 Active Noise Cancellation Systems in the 
Department of the Air Force, Aircraft Procurement Account. The entity 
to receive funding for this project is Global Aviation Technologies, 
located at 2629 W May, Wichita, Kansas 67213.
  Justification of federal funding: ANCS is a program of record, and 
federal funds have been appropriated each year since the FY-06. The 
ANCS System is included in the Air National Guard FY-09 Weapons Systems 
Modernization Requirements desired capabilities list. The C-130 Active 
Noise Cancellation (ANC) is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product 
that will reduce crew fatigue and associated hearing loss by greatly 
reducing the unhealthy noise levels in the C-I30 cockpit. Over 700 ANC 
systems are in use throughout the world in commercial airline 
applications, and the system has been fully tailored for the C-130H 
with no additional non-recurring integration work required. The system 
has been proven highly reliable in commercial use and requires no 
scheduled maintenance. C-130 cockpit noise exceeds 100 decibels, a 
noise level at which it is difficult to communicate clearly, and which 
causes fatigue and loss of crew coordination. Additionally, this noise 
level is well above the permanent hearing loss threshold (established 
by OSHA at 85 decibels). The Ultra ANC system cancels noise by 
introducing equal amplitude/opposite phase sound into the cockpit via a 
distributed speaker system. A sophisticated control system samples the 
noise throughout the cockpit several times a second and drives the 
speaker outputs to provide maximum quieting. The anticipated installed 
price will be $260K per C-130 aircraft.
  No matching funds are required for the Department of Defense program.


      AT-6B Capabilities Demonstration for the Air National Guard

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $7,000,000 for AT-6B Capabilities Demonstration for the Air 
National Guard in the Air Force, RDT&E--Account. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is Hawker Beechcraft Corporation at 9709 E 
Central Ave, Wichita, Kansas 67201.
  The funding would be for the development of an AT-6B. The Air 
National Guard (ANG), has stated a requirement to fill equipment 
capability gaps in support of the mission to conduct for Irregular 
Warfare operations, Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) Training, 
as well as Homeland Defense, Homeland Security, and Civil Support 
mission capabilities training that support DoD, DHS, and State mission 
requirements. The AT-6B is an affordable, sustainable and responsive 
aircraft tailored to the NetCentric intelligence, surveillance and 
reconnaissance (ISR) and light attack missions. The AT-6B meets the 
needs of top level US National Strategic Guidance, including recent 
Quadrennial Defense Review recommendations, at a fraction of the cost 
and a fraction of the infrastructure requirements of conventional jet 
fighters. The AT-6B offers the US Air Force and Air National Guard an 
asset tailored to increase airman-to-airman engagement with partner Air 
Forces vital to meeting US national security objectives. It is a 
crosscutting enabler critical to expanding foreign partnerships and 
expanding partnership airpower capacity.
  Estimated cost of the AT-6B capabilities flight demonstration is 
approximately $21 million. Approximately $14 million = Industry costs 
to build and provide a mission system equipped AT-6B demonstrator 
aircraft. Hawker Beechcraft will provide this portion of the total 
cost. The capital investment required to deliver an operational flight 
demonstration aircraft also leverages a significant corporate IR&D 
investment made to develop the AT-6B aircraft which is not included in 
the $14 million industry contribution. In addition to the actual 
capital investment in building the aircraft, the contractor also 
intends to provide sensors and other mission equipment on loan to the 
Air Force in support of the demonstration, thereby further reducing 
government costs. Approximately $7 million = Government costs to fund 
government-run flight test, including: government program management 
costs, range instrumentation costs, aircraft operating costs, Air Force 
directed mission equipment integration costs, and contractor 
engineering and support services in support of demonstration.
  No matching funds are required for the Department of Defense program.


     Development of Improved Lighter-Weight IED/EFP Armor Solutions

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $2,000,000 for Development of Improved Lighter-Weight IED/EFP 
Armor Solutions in the Department of the Army, RDT&E Account. The 
entity to receive funding for this project is Leading Technology 
Composites at 2626 West May, Wichita, KS 67213.
  This funding is to develop and field Lightweight IED/EFP Armor 
Solutions for the US Military. These improved solutions will reduce 
weight, increase payload and maneuverability, and defeat the current 
battlefield threats. Innovative solutions to reduce current system 
weights result in increased payload, maneuverability.

Finance Plan:

     Materials--40%
  Processing--10%
  Test and Analysis--30%
  STE--5%
  Labor--15%

  No matching funds are required for the Department of Defense program.


              Accelerated Insertion of Advanced Materials

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $2,500,000 for Accelerated Insertion of Advanced Materials in 
the Department of the Air Force, RDT&E Account. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is Wichita State University at 1845 Fairmount 
St, Wichita 67260.
  This program will provide a breakthrough in technology integration 
and will achieve significant cost and cycle-time reductions in new 
material insertion through (a) data-sharing among multiple users, (b) 
statistical continuity from one length-scale to another and (c) reduced 
testing via increased capability and use of numerical/analytical 
simulation tools. Anticipated benefits include reductions in 
nonrecurring and recurring program qualification costs and introduction 
of multiple sources of new advanced material forms. Unlike structures 
that use metallic materials in the manufacturing process, the material 
properties of a composite are manufactured into the structure as part 
of the fabrication process. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that 
critical parameters pertaining to composite materials and their 
production processes are identified to facilitate adherence to 
standards in the final engineered part. Presently, each original 
equipment manufacturer (OEM) is responsible for this assurance, 
creating ``customized'', nonstandard procedures for quality and safety 
assurance.
  DoD aircraft repair and modification efforts are extremely important 
because (a) difficulty in this area can lead to the rejection of a 
structural or material concept in the preliminary design phase, (b) 
they form a significant part of the total ownership cost and can drive 
fleet life-cycle decisions, (c) they provide opportunities to insert 
new material concepts quickly and at minimal cost, and (d) the type and 
level of engineering effort for repair/modification qualification in 
large military and commercial transport aerospace applications closely 
equates to that of full-design efforts. This program will seek to 
provide the DoD with a solution to this problem and eliminate the 
costly material insertion that exists for new programs or retrofitting 
materials used on legacy aircraft as well as enable United States 
aerospace leadership. This program is also supported by the aviation 
industry and composite material supplier industry and has over a 1:1 
leverage factor.

Financial Plan:

  Labor (salary and fringes)*--41%
  Travel*--2%
  Materials & supplies*--20%
  Laboratory testing--37%
  Equipment--0%

Percent and Sources of Matching Funds:

  10%--State of Kansas; 60%--Aviation Industry; 60%--Composite Material 
Suppliers; 10%--FAA; 5%--NASA. No matching funds are required for the 
Department of Defense program.


                      Aging Aircraft Fleet Support

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $2,000,000 for Aging Aircraft Fleet Support in the Department 
of the Navy, RDT&E Account. The entity to receive funding for this 
project is Wichita State

[[Page E2097]]

University at 1845 Fairmount St, Wichita 67260.
  Most of the aging research being conducted presently is focused on 
metallic structures. In addition to the ongoing research in aging 
metallic structures, the requested appropriation will permit NIAR to 
partner with the NAVY and investigate the effects of aging on composite 
structures as well as composite/metallic hybrid structures. As more 
composite components are being certified and used on primary and 
``flight critical'' secondary structures, a future need of the military 
and commercial aviation industry will be the investigation of these 
composite structures and the assurance of the airworthiness of 
composite components. NIAR already has a background in this through 
partnerships with the FAA by investigating Boeing 737 composite tail 
structures which flew commercial service for over 20 years and by 
examining the first of all composite certified aircraft recently taken 
out of service, the Beechcraft Starship. Lessons learned from this 
research will provide insight into the aging aspects of other composite 
aircraft structures and influence the use of advanced materials on new 
aircraft being proposed for military service as well as maintenance of 
the existing fleet.
  The biggest concerns with aging aircraft are the unknowns that emerge 
with little or no warning, raising the concern that an unexpected 
phenomenon may suddenly jeopardize an entire fleet's flight safety, 
mission readiness, or support costs. The DoD can benefit from the 
direct application of the research results into fleet management 
strategies as well as proactively provide strategies that will reduce 
the cost of maintenance for advanced materials used on military 
aircraft.

Financial Plan:

  Labor (salary and fringes)*--32%
  Travel*--2%
  Materials & Supplies*--9%
  Laboratory Testing--39%
  Equipment--18%

  Percent and Sources of Matching Funds: 25%--FAA; 10%--Aviation 
Industry. No matching funds are required for the Department of Defense 
program.


                    Composite Small Main Rotor Blade

  The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3326, 
contains $3,000,000 for development of a Composite Small Main Rotor 
Blade in the Department of the Army, RDT&E Account. The entity to 
receive funding for this project is Kaman Aerostructures at 1650 South 
McComas Street, Wichita, KS 67213.
  It is my understanding that the funding would be used to continue 
development on the Composite Small Main Rotor Blade which would replace 
the legacy main rotor blade on the US Army's A/MH-6 Little Bird 
helicopter. The Little Bird, flown by the U.S. Army's 160th Special 
Operations Aviation Regiment, has been heavily modified to better meet 
operational needs; however, the main rotor blade, a critical dynamic 
component, has not been upgraded to modern standards. Constructed of 
metal, this blade is highly susceptible to damage and fatigue, and 
since metal lacks ballistic tolerance, the blades leave the aircraft 
especially vulnerable to enemy weapons in hostile action. Moreover, 
when gunners fire their weapons from the aircraft, expended shell 
casings can cause minor skin dents, and even these small dents require 
that the blades be replaced. The Composite Small Main Rotor Blade takes 
advantage of the inherent ballistic tolerance of composite 
construction, advanced aerodynamic design, and state-of-the-art 
erosion-resistant materials and will significantly improve the safety, 
reliability, performance--and survivability--of the aircraft. 
Specifically, the blades will increase damage tolerance, enhancing 
survivability in hostile environments, and improve hover performance, 
increase operating ceiling, increase maximum forward speed, all adding 
to the aircraft's maneuverability and performance envelope. The 
composite blades will also improve erosion resistance, experience 
better field reparability, and reduce the cost and logistics burden 
related to premature metal blade replacement due to damage.
  Funds are requested to fabricate production tooling, fabricate FAA 
certification blades, and conduct FAA certification ground and flight 
testing required to create Commercial-Off-The-Shelf acquisition 
capability for the military. Composite Small Main Rotor Blades will (1) 
make the A/MH-6 Little Bird helicopter more survivable in hostile 
environments; (2) expand the flight envelope of the aircraft; and (3) 
reduce logistics burden and cost associated with supporting the legacy 
blade.
  No matching funds are required for the Department of Defense program.

                          ____________________