Pre-validated hardware and software eliminate risks of new system capabilities

Story

December 17, 2013

Lee Brown

Curtiss-Wright

Adding new critical capabilities such as digital mapping, Human Machine Interface (HMI), and cross domain guard data security solutions into rugged deployed systems for defense and aerospace applications can be a challenge – both to development schedules and program budgets. The most costly and time consuming approach for adding new capabilities is to develop the hardware and software for the desired solution completely inhouse.

Adding new critical capabilities such as digital mapping, Human Machine Interface (HMI), and cross domain guard data security solutions into rugged deployed systems for defense and aerospace applications can be a challenge – both to development schedules and program budgets. The most costly and time consuming approach for adding new capabilities is to develop the hardware and software for the desired solution completely in-house. Because that approach requires in-house expertise in a range of disciplines, especially if the design is initiated from the ground-up, it poses a host of potential failure risks.

A better approach is to source the software solution, and the hardware it will be hosted on, from vendors who specialize in the design of the system elements required. While this approach offers a far less risky way forward than attempting to develop the system capability completely in-house, there still remains those risks associated with ensuring that the sourced hardware and software solutions will work together optimally.

Reducing integration risks

One of the constants in the design of rugged embedded systems for defense and aerospace applications is the risk involved, both in terms of time and cost, when attempting to integrate a third party software solution with Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) modules. The time required to develop the needed software components, including BSP, RTOS, and graphics drivers – and then after integration is completed, test and validate the resulting solution, can add numerous unknowns and uncertainty to the process of bringing critical capabilities to deployed systems.

There are more efficient approaches for integrating new capabilities in open architecture-based systems that can eliminate the risk to system development schedules without the additional costs and risks typically associated with integrating and modifying multiple software components (that may come from multiple vendors) on COTS hardware. For many of the most desired critical capabilities, leading COTS hardware board and subsystem vendors have already solved the integration/testing/validation problem in advance for the system designer and can rapidly deliver what Curtiss-Wright terms “System Ready Applications.”

System Ready Application approach

The use of pre-qualified and validated System Ready Application (SRA) capabilities based on off-the-shelf hardware modules and third-party software solutions accelerates the integration of critical applications for rugged embedded systems while eliminating the risks associated with getting the hardware and software to work together.

Figure 1: An example of Curtiss-Wright’s SRA is a new Cross Domain Solution with pre-tested and validated support for Radiant Mercury on the rugged VPX3-1257 3U OpenVPX single board computer.

(Click graphic to zoom by 1.9x)

The SRA approach enables system integrators to choose from a list of pre-validated capability solutions, each addressed with a qualified software and hardware set, to identify which COTS module and pre-qualified SRA partner software package has already been verified. Because the test and verification process has already been performed for the desired capability this pre-validation approach allows system designers to increase the integration speed of new capabilities into embedded systems.

By eliminating the design risk associated with adding applications to new and existing systems, pre-verified SRAs will reduce the upfront costs and development schedule.

Pre-validating application solutions

The availability of pre-qualified and validated SRAs (featuring proven capabilities such as HMI, digital maps, and cross domain guard solutions for use with specific COTS modules) can significantly speed the integration of new capabilities into embedded systems designed for demanding deployed applications. This approach effectively addresses the growing demand for critical digital moving maps, situational awareness, and cockpit and vehicle display capabilities.

Examples of SRAs currently available under the Curtiss-Wright’s initiative include hardware/software solutions for Radiant Mercury; a UCDMO-listed CDS-T cross domain guard software solution developed by the U.S. Navy and serviced by Lockheed Martin for industry use; Ensco Avionics’ IData Tool Suite HMI and digital map capabilities; and General Dynamics UK’s SoftMap digital mapping and situational awareness visualization software.

Lee Brown Business Unit Director of C4 Solutions Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions www.cwcdefense.com