Technology Title
GRIT Solution for Deployed Aircraft Inspection & Repair
Tech Focus Area
Expeditionary Repair of aircraft structural components
Abstract
Problem Statement:
In deployed environments, MRO services are often limited or unavailable, leaving aircraft vulnerable to mission-impacting damage. The DoD faces growing sustainment challenges from aging fleets, shrinking budgets, and reduced manpower. Corrosion hidden beneath coatings compromises airworthiness, increases downtime, drives up costs, and shortens airframe life. Traditional methods—visual, dye penetrant, eddy current, and ultrasonic—are labor-intensive, inconsistent, and often require hazardous coating removal (e.g., hexavalent chromium), exposing maintainers to health risks and reducing readiness. A deployed aircraft loss has strategic consequences, requiring a portable, accurate inspection tool for rapid checks between sorties.
Innovation Solution:
The Grey Gecko Real-Time Inspection Tool (GRIT) 125v2.5 is a lightweight, battery-powered NDT system for expeditionary inspection and repair. Using patented spread-spectrum infrared technology, GRIT penetrates coatings over 20 mils thick to detect corrosion, cracks, and deformities—including battle damage and bird strikes—on aluminum, steel, titanium, and composites. It provides real-time, high-resolution imaging without coating removal or complex setup, integrates into existing workflows, and requires just one hour of training. GRIT’s scalable, cost-effective design enables fast detection and repair in the field.
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Benefits to the DoD:
GRIT delivers measurable gains in cost, safety, and readiness. At the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center (ALC), it reduced HC-144 wing joint inspection time by 80% (30 to 6 hours), saving $240,000 and 120 labor hours across five 2024 depot cycles while eliminating toxic exposure. On the C-27J, it identified spar cap cracks missed by legacy methods, avoiding $1.2M in repair costs per incident. GRIT is being adapted for USAF C-130s and evaluated on F-35 and H-60 platforms with Lockheed Martin, targeting corrosion and damage on wing skins, fuselage joints, and rotor assemblies. In austere environments, GRIT reduces downtime by 25% and labor by over 50%, extending benefits across DoD fleets.
Innovation Challenges:
Some maintainers and managers hesitate to uncover previously undetected damage. GRIT addresses this with intuitive controls and actionable real-time data. At ALC, it revealed moderate HC-144 wing joint corrosion, prompting timely repairs and reinforcing trust in the tool.
Technical Maturity & Results:
With 32,000+ inspection hours and TRL 9 maturity since its 2019 AFWERX Flightline of the Future award, GRIT reflects extensive DoD and OEM feedback. At ALC, it confirmed OEM bulletin compliance and found corrosion at wing-to-fuselage fasteners missed by visual inspection. During 2023–2024 NAS Jacksonville demos, GRIT proved effective on P-8 Poseidons. Success across HC-144, C-27J, F-35, C-130, H-60, F/A-18, F-16, F-15, T-38/F-5, and limited use on F-22 confirms GRIT’s readiness for fleetwide deployment.
