Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Donald A Sofia

Stuart John Collar

Steven Frederic Davidson

Jeffrey Jay Stone

Daniel Gerard Maglaya

Richard Ghetzler

Kim D Volendorf

Terrance W Mollison

A communications interface adapter facilitates both wired and wireless communications between crew members of a vehicle having a wired intercom and has an intercom communications circuit having an input/output port for providing electrical communication between the interface adapter and the wired intercom and also has a fixed radio transceiver. The fixed radio transceiver comprises a receive circuit for receiving radio communications and for communicating the received radio communications via the intercom communications circuit to the wired intercom of the vehicle and a transmit circuit for transmitting communications received via the intercom communication circuit from the wired intercom of the vehicle. A crew member is provided wired communications with the wired intercom when the crew member's headset is in electrical communication with the wired intercom and is provided wireless communications with the wired intercom via the fixed radio transceiver and the crew member's portable radio transceiver when the crew member's headset is not in electrical communication with the wired intercom.

Communications interface adapter

Apparatus for simulating aerodynamic heating and cooling on the outer surface of equipment externally mounted on an aircraft or missile as if airborne and exposed to an air stream. A first proximately spaced enclosure substantially uniformly conforms to the outer surface of the equipment and defines a low pressure chamber. A second enclosure envelops the first enclosure and defines a high pressure chamber. An adjustable flow producing mechanism directs flow of pressurized inlet air into the high pressure chamber. A temperature control mechanism selectively heats and cools the inlet air. Vents in the second enclosure exhaust the air from the low pressure chamber to the ambient region and a plurality of spaced orifices in the first enclosure direct jets of the pressurized air from the high pressure chamber into the low pressure chamber which vigorously impinge on the outer surface of the equipment. A first sensor measures the temperature of the air in the high pressure chamber and generates a first proportional signal and a second sensor measures the heat transfer coefficient at a plurality of locations on the outer surface of the equipment and generates a second proportional signal. A processor containing known information concerning the temperature and heat transfer properties of the equipment if airborne and exposed to an air stream under specified operating flight conditions compares the first and second signals with the known information and operates the flow producing and temperature control mechanisms until the signals conform to the known information.

Apparatus to simulate aerodynamic cooling and heating effects on

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Sheboygan, WI, United States of America

Donald A Sofia