See more, detect more, and decode more – these are the primary requirements being asked of unmanned systems in the military, and proprietary hardware and software can make achieving those goals a challenge. This is why Army, Navy, and Air Force leaders mandated a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for all new programs and upgrades. MOSA examples include the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard and the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard. These initiatives among others, aim to offer commonality of hardware to enable easier and more affordable technology insertion in unmanned systems.

With the adoption of a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), the standardization of electronics has pushed rapidly into new markets and platforms. Starting in traditional defense applications, MOSA systems have moved into more advanced systems and applications.

Electrical power onboard aircraft is traditionally generated from some type of engine and AC generator set. AC power is distributed and then converted to DC at or near the point of load, as every electronic system requires DC power. Increasingly, DC power distribution strategies are taking the lead in power-system design, especially for applications – like unmanned aerial systems (UASs) – where size, weight, and power (SWaP) concerns are paramount. Modular DC-DC options enable smart voltage trade-offs, flexible distribution architectures, and the ability to scale for reuse in various applications across aircraft used in military and civil arenas.

These days, program managers are trying to figure out how best to mitigate the potentially harmful effects of supply-chain disruption, while protecting their customer’s program schedule and supporting the warfighter.

Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charitable organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day.

Experts from the U.S. Army and defense industry discussed Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) strategies for defense electronic applications in air, land, sea, and spectrum domains at our first annual MOSA Virtual Summit.

Modern aerospace and defense platforms, especially in the growing field of unmanned vehicles, need more processing capability for compute-intense applications including AI, sensor processing, and fusion in avionics, that can be easily refreshed with new technology to meet new threats while keeping costs down and speeding time to market. Simplifying integration using an open architecture approach facilitates better affordability, scalability, interoperability, and sustainability across the entire military embedded ecosystem.