Every Type certified platform operating in the ADF requires an entity to hold the issued Military Type Certificate (MTC) and undertake holder obligations relating to continued airworthiness. This function ensures the continued airworthiness of the platform through its lifecycle. At a platform sustainment level supporting capability, the role of the holder is to ensure the platform remains consistent with its type certification basis and to facilitate design implementation (repairs, capability upgrades, safety rectification) with support from one or more aircraft design organisations. This is enabled through links back to the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) who have the type design data. Other functions where the holder is critical is the provision of technical risk advice and assessment to the Operator where the inherent level of safety is compromised or an elevated level of risk may/does exist against the type.
An organisation that has been assessed by DASA to undertake the MTC holder obligations is termed a Military Type Certificate Holder (MTCH) organisation. In the DASR construct, the nominated MTCH is nominally the System Program Office (SPO) that will manage the capability for the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG).
A MTCH organisation may hold an MTC when DASA is satisfied that the organisation complies with the requirements of DASR Part 21 Subpart B. The relevant DASRs describe the eligibility criteria, including requirements for a supporting arrangement with an appropriate design organisation (or multiple such organisations) with access to type design data.
DASA will not authorise a MTCH organisation where an MTC has either not been issued or is not expected to be issued.
The primary application artefact is the Type Continued Airworthiness Exposition (TCAE), which describes, directly or by cross-reference, the organisation and the relevant procedures for the undertaking of holder obligations. Furthermore, where partner organisations and/or subcontractors are inherent to the MTCH arrangement, the TCAE will also describe how the MTCH organisation proposes to collaborate with their design organisations to execute the obligations. Appendix 1 describes DASA’s expectations for a TCAE.
DASA Approval. DASA’s assessment of a MTCH organisation is based on a desktop assessment of the TCAE in concert with an on-site readiness review where the candidate organisation has been newly formed. DASA will then follow-up the initial approval through the regular oversight and enforcement functions.
Interaction and timing. Prospective MTCH organisations should engage with DASA soon after the formal decision is made for them to take on that role. DASA will educate and guide the prospective MTCH through eligibility requirements, and will assign an internal point of contact.
Existing MTCH organisations. DASA has not yet finalised its approach to authorising existing MTCH organisations. This is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
The responsibilities and obligations of a MTCH holder are described in DASR 21.A.44. For a comprehensive description on these, refer to DASPMAN Volume 3 Section 7.
DASA will carry out periodic oversight and enforcement (O&E) of the MTCH organisation to gain confidence that the MTCH remains effective in undertaking their obligations. While compliance with DASR is fundamental, DASA will also explore the broader safety outcomes that the MTCH is achieving, for example how the organisation supports the CAMO/MAO or co-ordinates system safety working groups.
DASA compliance assurance is normally achieved through on-site visits, remote assessments, and ongoing monitoring. Summarised:
On-site visits. On-site visits may be informal or formal. Informal visits are usually to provide regulatory support and guidance, and for engagement with an organisation, while formal visit are used to validate the management of previous DASA findings and to conduct oversight.
Remote assessments. Remote assessments may be suitable if a visit to the organisation is not feasible for reasons of security, health, budget and availability of personnel, or the area to be assessed doesn't justify a full onsite visit. Business Intelligence and the use of Strategic Data techniques are often used to assist in the targeting of areas to be reviewed.
Ongoing monitoring. DASA desk officers will identify other ways of gaining ongoing confidence in MTCH performance without necessarily engaging the MTCH directly. This may include, for example, monitoring the quality of MTCH applications (F31a, MPTFs), unsafe condition minimisation/rectification, and/or intelligence received from other DASA directorates and independent Review Boards. Intelligence on MTCH effectiveness in real-time will also be increasingly assessed as data mining methods mature.
DASA’s oversight processes for MTCH are contained in the DASA Instructions, DASA(I) SAPO 01-002, DASA Oversight (On-Site and Remote) and DASA(I) 01-009, DASR Findings. Both are available on the DASA intranet site.
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