ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A strategic upgrade to a critical diagnostic system aims to significantly improve aircraft availability by bringing depot-level testing capabilities directly flightlines around the world.
A team of Airmen from Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and Hill AFB, Utah, are developing a new platform for the Versatile Diagnostic Automatic Testing System to enable faster repairs, reduce downtime and save the Air Force millions of dollars annually.
The team of Airmen from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center ATS Program Office and 581st Software Engineering Squadron at Robins AFB and the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group at Hill AFB presented the innovation in the 2025 Aether Sprint competition where their idea was selected as one of four finalists.
Their winning idea addresses the challenges of diagnosing and repairing aircraft weapons systems at forward operating locations. Currently, faulty parts are shipped to a maintenance depot for diagnosis and repair, resulting in significant delays and shipping costs.
To combat those challenges, the team is shrinking and ruggedizing the 7-by-3.5-foot VDATS Extensible Core platform down to a 25-by-25-inch platform called the VDATS Benchtop.
“The solution will give us a more transportable and still very capable test platform to provide depot-level repair at the warfighter level - where they need it - rather than having to ship assets overseas,” said Braden Mulvey, 309th Electronic Maintenance Group process engineer at Hill AFB. “The end goal is to support the warfighter and the technicians working to keep our planes in the air.”
The VDATS Benchtop is estimated to save the Air Force over eight weeks of downtime and more than $3 million each year in overseas shipping costs for more than 40 critical aircraft and system components, while also minimizing the risk of damage during transport.
Beyond the cost and time savings, Samuel Sheppard, 581st SWES ATS specialist at Robins AFB, says VDATS Benchtop maintenance will not require extensive training because it leverages the common components and software of existing VDATS testers.
“The real impact is in the field," said Sheppard. "By enabling faster on-site repairs, the portable VDATS minimizes downtime, keeps aircraft mission-ready and reduces No Fault Founds and Mission Impaired Capabilities Awaiting Parts, providing the flexibility and responsiveness we need in today's dynamic environment."
The project directly supports the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment strategy by providing a versatile and adaptable solution that can be deployed as needed.
Team Robins is playing a crucial role in the platform’s development. The Air Force Sustainment Center Software Directorate ATS Systems Integration Lab at Robins AFB oversees the design of all VDATS platforms under the direction of the AFLCMC ATS program office, also based at Robins.
“The ATS program office supports travel to the field to gather feedback, provides expert knowledge of existing testing equipment and offers technical insights for modernizing testing capabilities,” said Capt. Luis Tirado-Stoll, AFLCMC ATS program office avionics section chief.
The team plans to develop a functional prototype of the VDATS Benchtop, finalize the design, complete testing and field the benchtop system by October 2027.
The AFLCMC ATS program office is looking for ways to expedite deployment and bring the system to the warfighter as soon as possible.