Built-in-test adequacy-evaluation methodology for an air-vehicle system

Rapid improvement in built-in-test (BIT) system capability is probably one of the most important activities in an air-vehicle system development test and evaluation program. An effective BIT adequacy evaluation methodology can accomplish this. The methodology must provide the development tester BIT parameters that serve as indicators of air-vehicle BIT system performance. Deficiencies that are pinpointed can then be corrected to improve the overall BIT system's performance. A BIT adequacy evaluation methodology developed and implemented during a recently conducted Air Force development and test program did just that. It provided real-time technical information at a particular period that indicated the status of the BIT system in relation to specified requirements. It also served as a springboard to evaluate the BIT system, and to document the results, which provided the manufacturer with valuable data on the BIT system's performance. Finally, it gave the manufacturer the opportunity to implement corrective actions within the allocated schedule, and develop the air-vehicle BIT system concurrently.