Photo By Senior Airman Jacob Wood | U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing work with contractors to...... read more read more
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ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England – Liberty Wing innovators recently partnered with contractors to streamline detecting stray debris on RAF Lakenheath’s flightline with a solution that promotes readiness and spends Airman’s time more effectively.
The Laser Foreign Object/Debris (LFOD) system builds off of an already existing technology otherwise known as the Road Measurement Data Acquisition System, which is a mobile unit used to detect cracks and abnormalities in roads, pavement and asphalt. The difference is the LFOD system has the ability to monitor for FOD as well.
“Traditionally, this is a pavement condition surveying system, so we’re able to maintain all of those features as well as adding in the FOD detection. Essentially, its dual purpose,” said Ben Clotworthy, one of the project developers.
With a combination of high-end laser sensors and road-surveying equipment, the LFOD system can gather precision-information about surface conditions regardless of the time of day.
“What that allows us to do is drive at normal traffic speeds, and collect very detailed 3D profiles of the surface,” said Clotworthy. “From there, we have a new algorithm to apply those 3D profiles to identify small objects on top of the pavement surface”
The current process for FOD detection is known as a FOD walk, where Airmen will have to personally look over a segment of tarmac on-foot, using up a significant amount of man-hours. With a price tag of around $30 million, preventing FOD-related damages to RAF Lakenheath’s F-15’s remains a pressing issue.
“How can we do this more intelligently?” said Tech. Sgt. Jacob Garcia, 48 Fighter Wing Flight Safety noncommissioned officer and the developer of the innovation project.
Garcia started research on finding a viable solution for FOD detection in early 2019 as the 48th Fighter Wing FOD Manager. After going through several channels, Garcia was able to get funding from USAFE Innovations.
As the team continues to test and improve upon the capabilities of the LFOD, Garcia has high hopes for the project’s future.
“I see this project expanding through, not only the Air Force, but the Department of Defense as a whole,” said Garcia. “This system is not only a viable solution for FOD mitigation, but also pavement, airfield and road infrastructure inspections as well.”
Garcia expects the LFOD system on to save the Air Force thousands of dollars per year by not just reducing FOD-related mission delays and damages, but by drastically slicing the amount of man hours required to perform FOD detection and collection.
The LFOD detection system is a showcase of the Liberty Wing’s empowerment through innovation. Through the system’s testing and implementation, its developers are paving the way to a rapid, resourceful and more-thorough means of detecting and preventing FOD on RAF Lakenheath’s flightline.
| Date Taken: | 12.08.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2021 09:26 |
| Story ID: | 410698 |
| Location: | RAF LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 1,387 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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