While the team was able to fix most of the selected damage, the most significant problem uncovered during this exercise was the difficulty in assessing and repairing electrical wires. This is not surprising since some of the M1 wire harnesses are 2 to 4 inches thick and contain up to 128 wires which are marked only at the connectors. While this tool was developed for the F-15 aircraft, modification for ground vehicles is straight forward. The computerized wiring assessment aid runs on any laptop computer using a DOS operating system. Such a tool can be a tremendous help to individuals at all levels involved in the damage assessment of the vehicle.
Crew members make the first assessment immediately after the damage has occurred.
The immediacy of the report is very important and this type of tool can help the crew make a quick assessment. Furthermore, if the vehicle is damaged in a forward battle area, it is imperative that the crew attempt to move the vehicle to a covered or concealed position. If the vehicle has suffered a mobility kill because of damage to the wiring, the computerized wiring assessment aid can help find ways to bypass the damaged components and make temporary fixes, allowing the vehicle to find cover or concealment until repairs can be made. The purpose of the workshop is to acquaint first time users with the models' capabilities and uses. An overview of a sample case will be presented.