SBIR-STTR Award

In this SBIR proposal, Mathtech describes the current and proposed Intercommunication Systems (ICS) for the E-2C aircraft, and demonstrates its technical competence in this area. A discussion of Life Cycle Cost analysis, including information on types of models, types of costs, usefulness of various costing methodologies in the various life cycle phases, and brief descriptions of analogy, parametric, and engineering estimate cost estimating methodologies are then provided. Possible sources of input data for the analyses are listed, and deliverable products are described. This project contains a clear benefit to the government in that a rational basis for either retention of the current ICS or selection of a replacement ICS, will be demonstrated and documented.

The goal of the effort described in this proposal is to produce and demonstrate an Engineering Development Model of the next generation of military ICSs. This ICS will be significantly smaller (less than half the cube), lighter in weight 9 savings of 50% to 75%) and lower in cost (savings of 65% to 85%) than currently available ICSs, while retaining or improving on all current ICS reliability and performance capabilities. Our design uses state-of-the-art digital signal processing capabilities and software to achieve these goals. Risks in hardware design are low because the design is clearly feasible and is 90% complete; software development risks are moderate and are not technical in nature but rather impact the project schedule because software algorithms have not yet been written or coded; this is a major part of the Phase II effort. Payoff would be a clearly more desirable product for the E-2C and all other military aircraft; this intercom would become the first of its generation. The commercial potential of this effort is very significant as demonstrated by the fact that there are currently six major corporations which compete in the ICS market. All military and commercial aircraft use ICSs.