> Subject: F-22 AEF Deployment
>
> Date: 12 Feb 07
>
> To: CC
>
> Info: CV, DS
>
> Narrative:
>
> 1. A 1st Fighter Wing AEF 6-ship (Petro 91) departed Hickam AFB
> enroute to AEF location on 10 Feb. Approximately 4 hours into the
> mission and coincidental with crossing over the International Date
> Line, all six aircraft experienced a significant avionics failure
> including:
>
> Both GINS 1 and 2 Fail
> FLCS Degrade
> Radar Fail
> Fuel Degrade
> Loss of all attitude references
> Loss of Flight Path marker
> Loss of all navigation aides (TACAN, ILS, Computed, etc.)
> Loss of all heading indications
>
> 2. Aircraft communications were available via backup radio only.
> Only navigation available was via cockpit airspeed and altitude
> indications (both deemed accurate). All other aircraft systems, to
> include engines, electrical system and air refueling, were nominal.
>
> 3. Flight Lead, Lt Col Tolliver, initiated via the tanker a
> CONFERENCE HOTEL (CH) call with LM Aero. All CH team recommended
> workarounds (avionics restarts, date and time resets, etc.) did not
> resolve the problem.
>
> 4. Lt Col Tolliver assessed pressing to the AEF location but decided
> to turn back and return to Hickam. He also directed the second
> deployment cell, a 2-ship approximately one hour behind him, to return
> to Hickam. NOTE: This 2-ship never crossed the International Date
> Line.
>
> 5. Enroute back to Hickam, after crossing back over the International
> Date Line, avionics restarts were unsuccessfully attempted.
>
> 6. All aircraft successfully recovered at Hickam, shut down (cold
> iron), restarted engines and all avionics malfunctions cleared.
>
> 7. An F-22 Crisis Management Team (CMT) has convened. Two telecoms
> (1300 and 1700 EST) were conducted on 11 Feb. Participants included
> F-22 Program Office, LM, Boeing, NG and A8F personnel.
>
> 8. The F-22 Program is working 24/7 to resolve this issue. Both F-22
> avionics integration labs (RAIL and AIL) have successfully duplicated
> the problem. The problem resides within the GINS software when the
> aircraft transitions between East/West Longitude. NOTE: Most RAIL
> and AIL testing simulate GINS inputs and past testing discovered no
> issues with over flying the Dateline or Poles. It took testing this
> weekend using actual GINS hardware and software to duplicate this
> problem.
>
> 9. A fix for this software problem has been developed at NG and
> currently is being evaluated in the RAIL. We should find out at our
> 1300 CMT telecom today if this fix works.
>
> 10. This fix will require an OFP update to be loaded on the aircraft.
> Currently no IMIS OFP loading support is on-site at Hickam. 1 FW IMIS
> was previously deployed to AEF location.
>
> 11. F-22 Program currently expects software fix, OFP loading hardware
> and LM support team in place at Hickam by mid-week. Aircraft possibly
> will be able to depart Hickam for their AEF location by the end of the
> week.
>
> 12. Updates to this issue will be provided as additional information
> becomes available.