BEYOND A COMMON OPERATING ENVIRONMENT


begun working with the platform owners and equipment developers to establish a suitable architecture that could leverage common


software components and


standard interfaces in a variety of ways through software to create C4ISR/EW applications. (See Figure 1.)


T is approach envisions that military


platforms of the future will have similar characteristics to today’s smartphones, in that they will provide a wide variety of functions and capabilities on a single platform, using common components and interoperable software and hardware. T is new approach


is a natural but


signifi cant evolution of the Army’s current COE implementation plan. It allows for common interfaces, hardware subcomponents and software components for developers that are traditionally within the C4ISR/EW systems domain.


T ree key elements are required in order to realize this new approach:


 A modular, open-hardware architecture and associated standards that can sup- port all required C4ISR/EW capabilities with signifi cant room for growth.


 A modular, open-software architecture and associated software tools and librar- ies suffi cient to implement all required C4ISR/EW capabilities.


 Resource management tools and algo- rithms that enable multiple capabilities to share common hardware and soft- ware resources.


EXPLOITING COMMONALITIES At fi rst glance, C4ISR/EW systems, such as counter radio-controlled improvised explosive device electronic warfare (CREW),


tactical


Management Cameras


Power Common UI PNT communication,


and position, navigation and timing capabilities, may appear to have nothing in common. In reality, these systems


72 Army AL&T Magazine April–June 2013 RF Distribution LEGEND: RF - radio frequency | PNT - positioning, navigation and timing | UI - user interface


Currently the military uses a single-box approach to electronic warfare and communication systems, which results in numerous items with different functions but the same or similar components. With a common interface box, systems could leverage shared components. (SOURCE: CERDEC)


Receiver


Amplifiers Transmitter


FIGURE 1


GPS Units Displays Comms Device Sensors CURRENT APPROACH


MULTIPLE


FUTURE APPROACH


Vehicle “peripheral” are now building blocks using standardized data and power bus


CONTROLLER FLASH


INTERFACE RxA RxB RxC ADC


PROCESSOR PROCESSOR PROCESSOR PROCESSOR DAC TxA TxB TxC


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