This proposes research and development of solid-state light emitting diodes (LEDs) for combat aircraft light sources such as navigation and high-visibility running lights. The proposed project is to investigate how best to employ LEDs as light sources that would economically replace current technology light sources employed, for example, as wing tip navigation and position lights. More generally, it is desired to seamlessly replace all aircraft lights with long-lasting and more cost effective LEDs, so as to effectively reduce maintenance costs of replacing burned-out light bulbs and reducing energy employed to operate present-day light sources. The application of the technology to military aircraft is intended to be practical, and comply with existing incandescent bulb form, fit, function, and integration requirements. Integrated deployment viability is to be demonstrated to assure approach technical merit and risk assessment. This project provides an opportunity to update existing aircraft technology and apply newer and more current technology that satisfies such things as lighting brightness as a function of viewing angle in strobe modes of operation. More specifically, the overall, long term goal is to develop a drop-in replacement for aircraft lamp M6363/2-2 (28 volt DC, 26 watt lamp) configurations, as well as many other lighting opportunities.
Benefit: The anticipated military benefits of the proposed research and development of LEDs and their application to military aircraft are significantly lower costs of maintenance (frequent periodic incandescent bulb replacement is now required) and significantly lower costs of operation (less power and wasteful heat) for many such things as navigation and position lights. Strobe lights impose a significant ongoing operational strain on current lighting components that sharply limits their life and effectiveness. The expected benefits in maintenance and operating costs apply to all non-military commercial aircraft as well. Strobe lights are also widely used in law enforcement and other emergency vehicles. Strobe lighting has also been used to see the movements of the vocal cords in slow motion during speech, an important medical application. A strobe light flashing at the proper period can appear to freeze cyclical motion. Calibrated strobe lights, capable of flashing up to hundreds of times per second, are used in industry to stop the motion of rotating and other repetitively-operating machinery so as to measure their rotation speeds or cycle times. The practical use of LEDs in place of other modes of lighting is currently limited largely by institutionalized production facilities that are barriers to change.
Keywords: Light Emitting Diodes (Leds), Incandescent Light Bulbs, Combat Aircraft, Technology Update, High-Visibility Running Lights, Navigation, Strobe, Long Life
