Boeing Delivers 100th Next Generation Automatic Test System

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Boeing, the U.S. Army, Teradyne, and Logisys, are celebrating the milestone delivery of the 100th Next Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS) at the Teradyne manufacturing facility in North Reading, Mass. NGATS, a mobile diagnostic tool, offers high-quality fault detection and isolation of electronic Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) in the field and serves as the standard off-platform test set for the U.S. Army.

The NGATS system eliminates the need for units in the field to return LRUs to depot and purchase replacements. The NGATS program began in 2015 and is currently producing a monthly cost savings of $22 million per U.S. Army reports, due to fault detection testing equipment provided by Boeing’s system integration capability.

"NGATS is a game changer for Army logisticians and maintainers because it reduces the total logistics burden. It is used both in the field and in our depots. NGATS is performing exceptionally well, saving taxpayer dollars, and significantly shortening maintenance turn-around times for the supported platforms by fixing faults forward instead of relying on the supply system for maintenance transactions," said Kyle Bruner, project manager, Force Projection, U.S. Army Program Executive Office Combat Support & Combat Service Support.

Currently in use with the U.S. Army Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT), NGATS quickly detects and isolates failures of electronic LRUs on M1 Abrams and M2 Bradley platforms. Able to test over 100 LRUs, NGATS lets field-level maintainers restore weapon platforms to full mission capability faster, while also reducing costs and supply chain constraints. NGATS use has given ABCTs an average turnaround time of 18.5 days, compared to the average time experienced by other combat teams of 90-120 days.

"NGATS has revolutionized fault detection and isolation, providing our Army partners with a powerful tool to enhance operational efficiency and save valuable resources. This achievement underscores Boeing's commitment to innovation and our dedication to supporting mission readiness,” said John Chicoli, senior director, U.S. Army/Marines & Special Operations/Missions, Boeing Global Services. “We look forward to advancing the capabilities of NGATS and delivering even greater value.”

In addition to M1 and M2 vehicles, NGATS is also being used at Tobyhanna, Letterkenny and Anniston Army Depots in support of sustainment maintenance for Paladin, CROWS and STRYKER systems. The testing technology has also been successfully demonstrated on AH-64E Apache and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter components. Boeing is working with the U.S. Army to identify other platforms for future NGATS implementation.

“Teradyne is pleased to partner with Boeing to deliver the NGATS to the U.S. Army. The delivery of the 100th system marks a milestone event for the Army, Boeing and Teradyne and is a tribute to how industry and government can work together to provide cost effective, optimal solutions for our warfighters,” said John Wood, vice president and general manager, Teradyne’s System Test Group.