Aerospace and Defense

As the aerospace and defense industry rebounds from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, technology is advancing on many fronts. Innovations in the commercial aerospace segment extend from space tourism to initiatives to limit airliners’ carbon emissions. PwC predicts a 4% long-term CAGR for the commercial aviation market with an estimated 43,000 new aircraft deliveries expected over the next two decades. For the defense segment, the firm cites the U.S. DoD’s modernization strategy regarding AI, directed-energy and hypersonic weapons, and 5G networks as well as the USAF’s sixth-generation fighter with a 2030 delivery timeline.

AMETEK Programmable Power serves a wide range of test applications throughout the aerospace and defense industry—from avionics test for carrier- and shore-launched combat-ready aircraft to power-system tests for commercial manned and unmanned spacecraft. The company’s offerings include high-performance, reliable, and flexible standard products:

• The 500VA to 36kVA Asterion AC Series, the 15kVA to 135kVA MX Series, and the 90kVA to 1MVA RS Series AC sources serve a wide range of commercial and military avionics test applications. The Asterion AC Series enables compliance testing to IEC61000-4-11 and -4-13 as well as MIL-STD-1399 requirements. The MX Series and RS Series enable testing in accordance with the MIL-STD-704 Aircraft Electric Power Characteristics standard and the DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment standard.

• The 3-channel 1.8kW Asterion DC ASA Series and 3-channel 5.1kW Asterion DC ASM Series programmable DC sources also serve a wide range of commercial and military electronics-test applications. These products feature advanced programmable sequencing, voltage and current ramps, and on/off delays.

• The 36kW to 240kW HPX Series DC sources address high-power satellite and other aerospace test applications.

 AMETEK Programmable Power also offers complete engineered systems and subsystems for aerospace and defense applications:

• The Elgar PSTE (Power Special Test Equipment) provides programmable DC power and loading to satellite electrical systems for functional testing.

• The Elgar SAS (Solar Array Simulator) emulates satellite solar-array outputs based on input conditions including orbital rotation, spin, axis alignment, and eclipse events.

• The Elgar BSS (Battery String Simulator) emulates safe, reliable battery power for spacecraft testing.

• The Avionics ATE Power Subsystem provides eight channels of programmable DC power with output isolation for transportable military test stands.

• The Spacecraft Power Bus Simulator provides power stimulus to a payload subsystem from three independent power sources.

AMETEK Programmable Power is poised to extend its more than 60 years of success serving the aerospace and defense industry, offering standard and custom test solutions for equipment destined for platforms ranging from submarines to commercial and military spacecraft. AMETEK Programmable Power is compliant with the international traffic in arms regulations (ITAR) and registered by the United States Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance.

For related information, visit the Aerospace and Defense industry page of VTI Instruments, an AMETEK Programmable Power brand.