Lightweight Gearbox for Air Cushion Vehicles Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Topic No.: N181-072 Topic Title: Lightweight Gearbox for Air Cushion Vehicles Proposal No.: N181-072-0484 Firm: AVX Aircraft Company 6310 Southwest Blvd Suite 106 Benbrook, Texas 76109 Contact: Ian Brown Phone: (817) 731-8003 Web Site: http://www.avxaircraft.com Abstract: SBIR N181-072 Volume 1 Cover Sheet AVX Aircraft proposes to define and develop a concept for a new gearbox for ship-shore connector (SSC) that meets or exceeds the stated baseline requirements for PMS377 LCAC lightweight gearbox that reduces fuel consumption and improves maintainability. AVX will capitalize on the company�?Ts experience designing and developing light weight, reliable drive systems for multiple rotorcraft applications including USMC MV-22. AVX is presently testing our designed 2000 SHP gearbox developed for the DARPA Tern UAV, with our end-to-end experience on design development and manufacture of lightweight gearboxes. AVX recently completed an ADD-AMRDEC contract for Ultra Reliable Design that included a complete review of all gearboxes on the UH-60, AH-64 and CH-47, including root-cause analysis of all field usage. All this combined experience will enable AVX to support PMS377 goals for significant performance and maintenance improvements for the SSC. Based on recent experience AVX would design the baseline gearbox and subcontract the manufacture of the gears, bearings and housings. AVX would then assemble and test the gearbox in a new facility in Fort Worth, Texas. This facility would provide AVX Aircraft the opportunity to provide gearboxes for commercial and military customers for rotorcraft and Naval vessels. Benefits: The SSC lightweight gearbox will have private sector commercial potential for hover crafts of this scale operating in the near or on-shore environment. Commercial applications include ferries, the oil and mineral industry, and cold climate research and exploration. Other industrial or military machinery in this power range like helicopters could also benefit from technologies developed during this effort. Return