The UK Royal Navy and Microsoft have introduced software that processes aircraft maintenance data much faster, in some cases reducing months to minutes.
Called the Motherlode, the capability is expected to “change the game” for aerial asset readiness by reducing naval engineers’ repair data burden.
“It’s been an exciting project for Microsoft, and we hope this collaborative endeavour will help the Royal Navy maximise aircraft availability,” Microsoft Client Delivery Partner Allen Hart said.
‘Smarter Decision Making’
The Motherlode was developed by the Portsmouth-based 1710 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), a forward support group specializing in aircraft overhaul, helicopter monitoring, and airborne-related scientific research.
The application’s concept was produced in RNAS Yeovilton, with the finalization of the program completed over a year.
“The launch of Motherlode is a significant development for naval aviation with the potential to transform the way in which aircraft maintenance is carried out using smarter decision making,” 1710 NAS Commander Cdr. Nicholas Almond stated.
“The collaboration between the Royal Navy and Microsoft has been fantastic and fundamental to the success of this project.”
Motherlode Training
After the launch, the Royal Navy will carry out simultaneous training to operate the Motherlode at RNAS Yeovilton and RNAS Culdrose.
The training will ensure that Motherlode personnel are knowledgeable about the application’s real-time data processing and advanced analytics to optimize maintenance timelines, predict material functionality, and bolster the navy’s overall fleet availability.
