The need for guidance on integrating structural health monitoring within military aircraft systems

Since September 2006, an international Aerospace Industry Steering Committee was assembled at Stanford University. Since February 2009, the committee has been formally working on developing guidelines for validating, qualifying and certifying structural health monitoring systems. Working within the G-11 division of SAE International, the committee has compiled guidelines for civil transport aircraft. Some of these guidelines can be used for military applications. However, military guidelines are needed to address specific military considerations including concept of operations. The military guidelines should also cover the wider spectrum of military aircraft types and should focus on the key elements required for integrating structural health monitoring within military systems. Therefore, a G-11 Aerospace Industry Steering Committee Military Aircraft Working Group was formed to develop such guidelines. This article describes the motivation, rationale, scope, milestones and initial work of the Military Aircraft Working Group. The results of the guidelines will form the future framework for the military community.