An open system architecture for integrated RF systems

The PAVE PACE program showed that the cost and weight of an avionics system for a new aircraft can be cut in half and its reliability tripled by incorporating the concepts of common modules, resource sharing, and reconfiguration into the sensor domain. The sensor domain includes the classical RF boundaries of Communication-Navigation-Identification (CNI), Radar, and Electronic Warfare (EW). The Integrated Sensor System (ISS) program is a concept development and validation initiative to address the RF avionics affordability. The ISS goal is to define an Open System Architecture (OSA) based on a 2001 Technology Availability Date (TAD) which through number of unique module types, competition, and increased leverage of COTS based hardware and software. Architecture validation is achieved through a series of builds and demonstrations using the open system standards. This paper will describe the integrated RF sensor Open System Architecture for a 2001 TAD, how the architecture standards are being implemented using 1997 technologies, and the lessons learned to date