Aircraft Replacement Support Equip

The Aircraft Replacement Support Equipment program within the Air Force is dedicated to acquiring new support equipment for aircraft that are no longer in production. This initiative is crucial for maintaining aircraft readiness and availability by replacing outdated equipment that frequently fails and is uneconomical to repair. It supports various Air Force weapon systems by providing essential items such as avionics test stations, maintenance stands, and flight line compressors. The aim is to ensure that support equipment remains serviceable throughout the life of a weapon system.

A significant part of this initiative is the Flight Line HVAC program, which provides environmental control capabilities for aircraft during ground operations. This program addresses the need for new air conditioning units to replace legacy systems that have exceeded their life expectancy and are failing under harsh conditions. The primary objective is to procure new large and small air conditioners to support pre-flight activities and ground maintenance efforts, ensuring operational readiness and preventing mission delays due to equipment failure.

Another key element is the B-1B Advanced Radar/Electronic Warfare Test Station (ARTS). This automated test system replaces outdated radar/electronic warfare test stations, enhancing the ability to test and maintain avionics components critical to the B-1B's mission capability. The ARTS program aims to improve mission readiness by providing reliable testing solutions for radar and electronic warfare systems, addressing obsolescence issues, and ensuring continued supportability.

The Aerial Stores Lift Trucks program focuses on acquiring modern lift equipment used for loading weapons and other components onto various aircraft types. This effort seeks to replace aging lift trucks with updated models that offer improved reliability and mobility. By doing so, it enhances the Air Force's ability to efficiently load munitions and other payloads, supporting both conventional and nuclear missions across multiple aircraft platforms.