TABLE OF CONTENTS An extensive ESS program has been successfully conducted on an electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod system, the AN/ALQ-184 ECM pod system, using the procedures of DOD-HDBK-344 at Raytheon Company, Goleta, California. This dynamic ESS program includes the following tasks:
Prediction of the number of latent defects in the system before screen.
Various baseline screen setups at the subassembly and system levels with the required test strengths to precipitate the latent defects.
Establishment of control charts for the screen fallouts based on the latent defect and test strength estimates.
Periodic monitoring of the screens using control charts.
Implementation of corrective actions and screen modifications upon any exceedance of the control limits.
The AN/ALQ-184 ECM pod system was developed to provide self-protect countermeasures to Air Force fighter aircraft. This pod resulted from a major modification and updating program for the AN/ALQ-119 pod, which was developed and fielded in the 1960's, to provide improved ECM performance and increased pod reliability. The AN/ALQ-184 pod is 13 feet long, weighs 95 pounds, and is made up of the following assemblies:
Eighty seven (87) printed wiring assemblies (PWA's).
Eighteen (18) traveling-wave tube (TWT) assemblies.
Major radio frequency (RF) assemblies.
Five (5) power supplies.
The pod generates 10 KW of heat in the transmit mode and 1 KW in the standby mode. The ESS program includes lower-level screens on 50 unique types of PWA's and 32 unique subcontracted assemblies and a top-level screen at the pod assembly level.
