Military Embedded Systems

The partnership between Curtiss-Wright and BAE Systems to develop a standardized Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) open architecture for next-generation ground vehicles is an example of how the benefits of MOSA-aligned open standards can be leveraged to deliver new capabilities to next-generation ground vehicles, such as the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).

The U.S. Army has long pursued a standardized infrastructure and architecture for ground-combat vehicle hardware and networking. While the VICTORY [Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability] standard helped make some progress and created some excitement, the need to converge on a more focused solution set soon became apparent. That reality resulted in hardware/software convergence which explored what such a solution set might look like, such as standardizing on 3U OpenVPX, as a way of driving a modular enough solution that could have a significant impact on interoperability. The next step was CMOSS [Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (C5ISR)/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards], which – in its effort to define the suite of standards for building the desired infrastructure and network – embraced the VICTORY, MORA [Modular Open RF Architecture], and OpenVPX standards.

There is a never-ending pursuit of reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) processing. Traditionally, what's been seen in the ISR application space: Complex, specialty-built systems which tended to be very large, very high-powered, and difficult to cool.

An industry perspective from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions

With SWaP so critical for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the goal is optimal design. Traditionally, system integrators provide a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) vendor with a set specification. A better approach is to involve the hardware supplier early in the system design process.

Today, defense and aerospace system integrators are under increasing schedule and budget pressure. While funding for new programs is harder to come by, the technical requirements for deployed systems continues to increase as platforms become more digitally connected and sensor rich. One frequently overlooked strategy that can significantly aid a system integrator’s efforts to develop an optimal system solution, especially when confronted with space, weight and power (SWaP) constraints, is to engage COTS hardware vendors early in their design process.

Open-standard Air Flow Through (AFT) cooling technology is a welcome addition to the options available to designers of rugged COTS systems for defense and aerospace applications. Northrop Grumman's AFT technology, incorporated in the ANSI/VITA 48.5-2010 standard, provides a cost-effective way to cool high-performance VPX boards used in C4ISR applications.