4.1 It is not within the Authority’s charter to prescribe design requirements for capability and interoperability. Rather, these design requirements are usually identified by the procurement organisation using the capability manager’s specified performance requirements (ie Functional Performance Specifications (FPS)) as a basis, and with input from Defence domain specialists.
4.2 This chapter of the DASDRM describes how airworthiness design requirements may contribute to achieving capability and interoperability outcomes.
4.3 While many of the airworthiness design requirements in the DASDRM may have an effect on the capability provided by Defence aircraft, aviation safety not the achievement of capability outcomes is the principal purpose of Authority prescribed airworthiness design requirements.
4.4 Nevertheless, there are three circumstances where the Authority may identify capability design requirements and present these requirements in the DASDRM, as follows:
where implementing an Authority prescribed airworthiness design requirement, to the letter, could have an adverse impact on capability, or
where an Authority prescribed airworthiness design requirement inherently includes elements that focus on capability (eg missions system performance), in which case some guidance on the application of these requirements is reasonable, or
where a specific capability standard or requirement needs to be captured in the suite of design requirements as it will have a substantial influence on the final design solution.
4.5 Note that it may be useful to consider capability requirements as a means of treating hazards associated with mission outcomes (eg failure of an IFF system may result in battlefield fratricide), and therefore apply tailored airworthiness design requirements to treat these hazards. However, such an application does not contribute to airworthiness, and should not be confused with the requirements comprising an aircraft’s certification basis.
4.6 It is not within the Authority’s charter to prescribe design requirements for aircraft interoperability. However, as with capability design requirements, there may be occasions where Authority prescribed airworthiness design requirements impact Defence’s interoperability needs. In these circumstances, the Authority may identify the interoperability requirement at the end of the associated chapter in the DASDRM.
Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) standards
4.7 Defence aircraft interoperability requirements are largely satisfied through the application of the Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) series of standards. The AFIC aims to enhance interoperability between the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. AFIC standards are developed and published by AFIC within the following domains:
Agile Combat Support: capabilities and functions to establish, operate, sustain and close an airbase, including the deployment and recovery phases.
Air Mobility: movement of personnel, materiel and forces by air to, from and within a theatre of operations.
Counter Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-sUAS): address Air specific C-sUAS requirements and contribute to Joint and Combined c-sUAS activities of benefit to AFIC nations.
Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2): the art and science of decision making to rapidly translate decisions into action, leveraging capabilities across all domains and with mission partners to achieve operational and information advantage in both competition and conflict.
Live, Virtual and Constructive – Operational Training (LVC-OT): includes such elements as training policy and systems, airspace and ranges, pods/instrumentation, aggressors/contractor air, threat generators, networks, synthetics, operational training centres, workforce and so on.
Aerospace Medicine: all matters concerning aviation medicine such as anthropometrics, aeromedical evacuation, effects of altitude, breathing oxygen and exposure limits for noise, vibration, heat and cold.
Fuels: aviation fuels, oils, lubricants and gasses.
Airworthiness: mutual recognition of AFIC Nation’s Airworthiness Systems.
4.8 Defence aviation interoperability requirements are managed by the Air Capability Enablers within Air Force Headquarters. Organisations seeking to acquire or modify Defence aircraft that may be subject to interoperability considerations should seek advice from Air Capability Enablers in the first instance. Information related to AFIC standards and Defence aviation involvement in AFIC is available at the Air Force AFIC website.
4.9 Where a conflict exists between an Authority prescribed airworthiness design requirement and an AFIC standard, the Authority prescribed requirement takes precedence. Designers wishing to adopt the AFIC standard to satisfy interoperability requirements, in lieu of the Authority prescribed requirement, are to seek Authority agreement that the AFIC standard provides an equivalent level of safety or seek dispensation from the Authority for non-compliance with the prescribed requirement.