Electroncis Hardware Design

Since 1985 J.F. Taylor, Inc. has provided key technical design and integration support across the spectrum of Test Assets and Instrumentation development at NAS Patuxent River. Our engineers ensure efficient control of laboratory-based systems and supplemental live RF emissions, to help increase the effectiveness of individual flight tests or provide complementary laboratory data to reinforce data collected in-flight.   We develop on-board instrumentation for precise time stamping of events and post-mission reconstruction of event sequences across multiple platforms – often critical for understanding system performance.

RF Signal Generation Assets

On behalf of our customers we develop and maintain fully programmable signal generation systems to produce pulsed type RF signals for use in both laboratory and airborne test applications. Embedded microprocessors running UNIX/Windows C and C++ applications coupled with JFTI-designed Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based digital circuits form the heart of these systems.   The systems also include RF/Microwave and analog designs within the system architecture to complete the signal generation capability.  

JFTI-designed RF generation system used to support aircraft system testing.
 

 

Laboratory Based Test Controllers

JFTI engineers work with Navy personnel to design and operate laboratory based test controllers that collect and analyze data for aircraft systems being tested. We are verifying system level performance in a controlled laboratory environment, which compliments verifying the system performance in an aircraft integrated environment. These controllers provide:

  • Precise triggering/timing control of system specific (desired) event based transmissions to systems under test
  • Precise RF transmission control of desired transmissions
  • Precise RF transmission control of independent Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) signals

 

 

Instrumentation

JFTI’s instrumentation development and integration support to NAVAIR’s Communication/Navigation/Identification (Com/ Nav/ID) program includes the following projects:

  • F/A-18 PIDS/CAS
  • F/A-18 MIDS
  • KC-130T/VP-3/C-2 Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
  • Mode 5 Advanced IFF (AIFF) Flight Test
  • MH-60R IFF (APX-100 and Multi-Mode Radar)
  • S-3B CAINS II Upgrade
  • ATNAVICS Flight Test
  • NVH-3A
  • MH-53E

We have developed standard and fighter ruggedized Discrete Bus Formatter (DBF) systems for IFF events, MIL-STD-1553 bus, ARINC bus, and GPS position recording during flight test events.   These systems are 3 meter ownship position recording capable (post differential correction), can record up to 18 Gbytes of data per mission, timestamp events to within 4 μsec. of true GPS time, and record event-to-event spacing to an accuracy and resolution of 1/128 μsec.  

 

DBF system ready for installation.

JFTI has produced more than 15 units, and we fabricate and update the DBF II hardware and software as needed.   In addition, our employees reprogram or customize DBF-II Event Pre-Processor (EPP) firmware to meet the needs and specific events for each Nav and ID test program. We have the following in-house fabrication capabilities:

  • JFTI printed circuit board design and assembly
  • metal shop
  • FPGAL/PAL design
  • compiler/assembler/linker/debugger tools

Click on the icon for a PDF file on Instrumentation.

 

  
Home | Engineering & Technical Services