A system comprising: a vehicle; a vehicle component (301A, 303B) for installation on the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a central maintenance computer ("CMC"); a configuration/maintenance module ("CMM") (303A, 303B) associated with the vehicle component (301A, 303B), the CMM (303A, 303B) comprising: a non-volatile memory including information regarding the vehicle component (301A, 303B), the vehicle component information comprising at least one of configuration data for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), maintenance records for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), usage history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), environmental history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), at least one damage model for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), and at least one remaining useful life ("RUL") value for the vehicle component (301A, 303B); a sensor configured to detect a condition of the vehicle component (301A, 303B) and generate data indicative of the detected condition; a microprocessor configured to process the data generated by the sensor and update the vehicle component information using results of the processing; and a communications interface (308, 312) configured to enable communication between the CMM (303A, 303B) and the CMC; and an RUL module associated with the vehicle, the RUL module being configured to periodically update the at least one RUL value for the vehicle component (301A, 303B) based on at least one of the information stored in the CMM (303A, 303B), current information obtained from sensors associated with the vehicle, and projected future use information, and communicate the updated at least one RUL value to the CMM (303A, 303B) for storage in the non-volatile memory; wherein the CMC is configured to communicate with the CMM (303A, 303B) to update the vehicle component information included in the non-volatile memory based on at least one of information input to the CMC by a user and changes in a condition of the vehicle, and wherein the CMM (303A, 303B) is physically located in or on the vehicle component (301A, 303B). a vehicle; a vehicle component (301A, 303B) for installation on the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a central maintenance computer ("CMC"); a configuration/maintenance module ("CMM") (303A, 303B) associated with the vehicle component (301A, 303B), the CMM (303A, 303B) comprising: a non-volatile memory including information regarding the vehicle component (301A, 303B), the vehicle component information comprising at least one of configuration data for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), maintenance records for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), usage history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), environmental history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), at least one damage model for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), and at least one remaining useful life ("RUL") value for the vehicle component (301A, 303B); a sensor configured to detect a condition of the vehicle component (301A, 303B) and generate data indicative of the detected condition; a microprocessor configured to process the data generated by the sensor and update the vehicle component information using results of the processing; and a communications interface (308, 312) configured to enable communication between the CMM (303A, 303B) and the CMC; and a non-volatile memory including information regarding the vehicle component (301A, 303B), the vehicle component information comprising at least one of configuration data for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), maintenance records for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), usage history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), environmental history for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), at least one damage model for the vehicle component (301A, 303B), and at least one remaining useful life ("RUL") value for the vehicle component (301A, 303B); a sensor configured to detect a condition of the vehicle component (301A, 303B) and generate data indicative of the detected condition; a microprocessor configured to process the data generated by the sensor and update the vehicle component information using results of the processing; and a communications interface (308, 312) configured to enable communication between the CMM (303A, 303B) and the CMC; and an RUL module associated with the vehicle, the RUL module being configured to periodically update the at least one RUL value for the vehicle component (301A, 303B) based on at least one of the information stored in the CMM (303A, 303B), current information obtained from sensors associated with the vehicle, and projected future use information, and communicate the updated at least one RUL value to the CMM (303A, 303B) for storage in the non-volatile memory; wherein the CMC is configured to communicate with the CMM (303A, 303B) to update the vehicle component information included in the non-volatile memory based on at least one of information input to the CMC by a user and changes in a condition of the vehicle, and wherein the CMM (303A, 303B) is physically located in or on the vehicle component (301A, 303B).