Program ALIS initiated

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Marcy Copeland
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  No, it isn't the Program Alice from the "Resident Evil" movies. It is the Autonomic Logistics Information Systems, also known as ALIS, which enables F-35 Lightning II operators to plan ahead to maintain and sustain its systems over the life cycle of the fighter jet.

The program ALIS comes with the F-35 as a package deal. The program provides the ability to capture and analyze the F-35 fleet operational readiness, and provides support to the U.S. and its partner nations working with the F-35 program.

"It is great to see the program growing," said Master Sgt. Heather Tufty, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Unit tactical aircraft maintenance section chief. "I arrived here from Edwards Air Force Base (California), where I saw the program grow there. I arrived at Luke when there were just two jets. To be able to see the program expand and ALIS improve with each new arrival, including our partner nations' jets, is really impressive."

ALIS is the conduit between the aircraft, pilots and maintainers to provide information about the aircraft's maintenance, prognostics, technical data and training needed to keep the plane in good working condition. It also keeps humans on top of the training they need to maintain the fleet.

The information for the aircraft is contained within its personal computer. The information is stored in code format and is downloaded in a secured environment to provide up-to-date information on anything and everything with the jet.

The program also keeps track of maintenance actions, parts configuration and aircraft status.

The ALIS program's main server does not function on a military server but is housed at Fort Worth, Texas, with each standard operating unit housed within each aircraft maintenance unit. The input of data from every F-35 is transmitted through Lockheed Martin to engineers in charge of the program to read codes from the aircraft.

"Working with ALIS is much better than going back and forth between paper forms and other software," said Staff Sgt. William Harold Rotroff, 56th AMU F-35 dedicated crew chief. "The thinking speed is definitely one of the fastest programs I've used in the military. It brings more security and more coverage for maintainers as well."

The ALIS program results in less operation and sustainment life-cycle costs and removes the guess work from repairs and maintenance to the aircraft. Upgrades are a constant with any software program and the goal of ALIS is to one day transmit data during flight to ground operations to provide accurate intel of the plane in flight and what is needed when the plane lands to continue the mission.