Keeping the Royal Navy’s aircraft safe and in the air more often will become that little bit easier thanks to an updated and AI-enabled predictive maintenance tool.
Motherlode is the name given to an artificial intelligence tool being put into service to help keep the Fleet Air Arm’s platforms operationally available and in tiptop condition.
It is currently focused on the RN’s Merlin, Wildcat, Apache, and Chinook helicopters, but during this year will be rolled out to cover its Poseidon, Wedgetail and Protector aircraft too.
In its latest Version Three incarnation, Motherlode uses a predictive algorithm to flag up environmental factors likely to bring about excessive wear and potential parts failures.
The newly enhanced version has been developed in a collaboration between Defence Equipment & Support’s (DE&S) Automation and AI team and the RN’s 1710 Naval Air Squadron.
As per an RN press statement, its relaunch was announced at the Squadron’s recent ‘Innovation at the Core’ event held at HMNB Portsmouth.
The new version of Motherlode will also assist maintenance teams by suggesting efficiencies, for example by highlighting potential safe extension periods based on no-fault detection reports and aiding spare parts planning.
The Motherlode application will provide engineers and maintenance teams with access to aircraft data, predictive analytics and real-time, plain language data analysis.
Lieutenant Commander Sam Budd, from 1710 NAS, said: “We are giving maintainers the data, context and confidence they need to make rapid, informed decisions.
“It has the potential to improve aircraft availability, ease workforce pressure and strengthen our operational output across the Fleet Air Arm, and wider defence.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website