NEW YORK...June 11, 2018 - United States Air Force aircraft may become safer and less costly to maintain through a groundbreaking research collaboration between Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to improve engine monitoring.
The three-year agreement will leverage advanced diagnostic and prognostic algorithms to monitor engine health and predict materials deterioration. Prof. Jacob Bortman, currently the head of BGU's Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, worked on the algorithms in the Israel Air Force as head of materiel command and will continue development in his lab.
"The agreement for developing advanced monitoring algorithms has the potential to affect a strategic change in aircraft maintenance while increasing the safety of flight," says Prof. Bortman. "We are proud to collaborate with the AFRL, a world-leading lab to bring the aeronautical industry closer to achieving 'condition-based maintenance'."
Prof. Bortman is also head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Flight Course Academic Program at BGU, and is leading the University's coordination with the IDF as it moves its technology and training units to Beer-Sheva next to the Advanced Technologies Park that is adjacent to the University's Marcus Family Campus.
The AFRL agreement was signed under the auspices of the Defense Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure.
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About Air Force Research Laboratories
AFRL is a global technical enterprise, leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for U.S. air, space and cyberspace forces. With a workforce of more than 10,000 across nine technical directorates and 40 other operations across the globe, the Air Force Research Laboratory provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology that ranges from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. AFRL has turned research into recognizable technologies that have changed the everyday lives of Americans, altering how they work and travel. AFRL focuses its research on developing new technology in aerospace; sensors; information; munitions; materials and manufacturing processes; directed energy; space vehicles, and improving human performance.
About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. As Ben-Gurion University of the Negev looks ahead to turning 50 in 2020, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia. It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. Visit vision.aabgu.org to learn more.
AABGU, which is headquartered in Manhattan, has nine regional offices throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.aabgu.org