WHITE PAPER
Processing Evolution for the Future Electronic Battlespace
mrcy.com 5
The Growing Focus on Open Architectures
The Department of Defense (DOD) recognizes that deployment
of new electronic capabilities is often delayed by long
technology upgrade cycles. Many systems have been
designed in ways that makes replacement of individual
components difficult, or completely impossible.
A major underlying reason is the lack of interoperability
between components and subsystems. Variations in
interfaces, connectors, form factors, power requirements
and software support all create barriers to replacing
an individual piece of a system with new technology.
The result is that our warfighters are often using
technology that lags commercial electronics by several
generations. Replacement of complete systems, 'forklift
upgrades', have historically been the only option.
The DOD's response to this issue has been a growing
focus on open architectures. That focus is defined in
a set of sweeping new initiatives, including the DOD's
Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).
The Air Force is implementing the JADC2 doctrines through its
Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), which will be a
decentralized system-of-systems that draws on information
from multiple sensors to support real-time situational
awareness and decision making. While ABMS is still in its early
stages, one important piece that has already demonstrated key
benefits is open radar. The Air Force has established an open
standard for Airborne ISR radar which fosters hardware and
software reuse, resulting in reduced technology acquisition
costs and reduced new program development timelines.
In parallel to these new doctrines and program specifications,
efforts continue to define effective open standards for
deployable embedded technologies. The mature and
broadly adopted OpenVPX standard is probably the most
widely known standard for rugged embedded systems.
A new and comprehensive standard, the Sensor Open
Systems Architecture™ (SOSA™), is leveraging OpenVPX
and other standards; it is being driven by the DOD, with
industry support with a goal of assuring component and
subsystem interoperability, enabling faster technology
upgrades, avoiding vendor lock, reducing development
and deployment time and costs, and controlling system
lifecycle costs. The next generation of RF processing
systems will need to adhere to these doctrines.
SPEED
Rapid technology insertions at the
speed of innovation
LOW COST
Reductions in sustainment costs enable
more and better systems to be deployed
COMPATIBILITY
Enhanced compatibility so systems can
scale across platforms and domainst
What SOSA Delivers
SIZE, WEIGHT AND POWER (SWAP)
Specialty packaging designed to meet
systems engineering constraints at the edge
COMPETITION
Increase competition to drive
affordability and innovation
SECURITY
Improved security to enable
better threat mitigation
