Airmen from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Innovation Lab at McConnell Air Force Base invented a new remote start device for the KC-46A Pegasus called the Auxiliary Power Unit Start System this year.
The APRUSS uses remote activation, cutting down on mission response times and enhancing mission efficiency by ensuring the aircraft is ready when crews arrive at the aircraft.
"Our team has programmed, designed, developed and successfully conducted its first operational test on a KC-46 using the APRUSS," said Capt. Timothy Schwanke, 22nd ARW Innovation Lab chief. "This has already proven to significantly reduce the alert time for the KC-46 crews as they are conducting routine training. Prior to this, the KC-46 had a severe disadvantage to alert timing in comparison to its KC-135 Stratotanker counterpart, and the APURSS device has effectively reversed those statistics."
The Innovation Lab worked with FirePoint Innovation, a technology-based hub at Wichita State University, who set up a meeting and tour of the lab with the National Security Innovation Network president and team. The NSIN was intrigued by the APRUSS project and reached out to the Defense Innovation Unit, securing $250,000 from them to continue the research and development of the remote start device.
Staff Sgt. Hunter Diedrich, 22nd ARW Innovation Lab noncommissioned officer in charge, and Senior Airman Douglas Vargas, Innovation Lab intern, oversaw the designing and building of the prototype. While Diedrich tackled the physical design, Vargas focused on the software aspect. The first ever operational test of the APRUSS succeeded with no issues.
"We were relieved when the APRUSS worked the first time because we had a few unknowns if the actuator would be strong enough to press the button and if the unit was going to be able to stay on the aircraft," Diedrich said. "The design can work anywhere in the United States using cellular signals. We can trigger the APRUSS with a few seconds delay from states away."
FirePoint and the Innovation Lab have also recently partnered with another local Wichita company called PWI, who is taking the lead going forward on continued research and development, prototyping and commercialization of APURSS for McConnell AFB and the entire Air Force KC-46 fleet.
"McConnell AFB is the only base that is working this concept, but it is anticipated that all KC-46 units will want this device once it is developed at a larger scale," Schwanke said.
At its final stage, the remote starter would be used during exercise and real-world missions. Optimally, each base would have enough for each aircraft with backups and spares.
With the help of external companies to further develop and commercialize the APRUSS, the 22nd ARW Innovation Lab hopes to turn their ideas into reality for the entire KC-46 fleet.
