AIRCRAFT AVIONICS

Abstract

The FY 2014 budget request funds the development of Aircraft Avionics systems required to horizontally and vertically integrate the battlefield and the integration of those systems into Army aircraft. Tasks in this Program Element support research, development, and test efforts in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phases of these systems. Beginning in FY 2013, funding on this Program Element was split into Projects C97, Aircraft Avionics, and VU3, Networking and Mission Planning. The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) is the transformational system that provides Army Aviation interoperability capability for Future Force and Joint Force operations. The JTRS integration effort provides for the non-recurring engineering required to integrate and qualify the JTRS certified radios with Link 16 and/or other advanced networking waveforms into the AH-64E and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Funding in FY 2014 will complete the Apache Block III (AB3) Link 16 non-developmental item radio integration through AB3 Lot 4 Follow-On Operational Test and Evaluation. In addition, FY14 funding initiates integration activities to install and qualify a JTRS certified networking radio on the Grey Eagle and AB3 Lot 6 platforms and also supports continued development of common radio control software for use on multiple platform integrations. The Improved Data Modem (IDM) is the common solution for digitizing Army Aviation. It performs as an internet controller and gateway to the Tactical Internet and Fire Support internet for Army aircraft. With interfaces supporting a transmit/receive terminal, the IDM provides radio connectivity to the ARC-201D/231, ARC-186, ARC-164, and the Blue Force Tracker transceivers. IDM provides a flexible, software driven digital messaging system that is interoperable with existing Army and Joint forces battlefield operating systems. The IDM provides Situational Awareness and Variable Message Format messages capability to the cockpit. The Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) is a precision approach and landing system providing joint operational capability for U.S. forces assigned to conventional and special operations missions including those operating from fixed base, ship, tactical, and special mission environments under a wide range of meteorological and jamming conditions. The Army plans to integrate JPALS capabilities as defined by the Navy (Shipboard operations) and the Air Force (Land-based operations) through the JPALS Army Risk Reduction (JARR) and the JPALS Common Avionics Technology Development (JCATD) efforts. JARR defined implementation alternatives for aircraft integration. JCATD continues the alternative analysis. The Doppler Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigation System (DGNS) Upgrade program conducts system engineering trade studies to reduce space, weight, and power with the introduction of new navigation support capabilities such as inertial sensor, MIL-STD-1553 interface card, and Instrument Flight Rules map display, and prepares Engineering Change Proposals to the existing DGNS ASN-128D Line Replaceable Units as a result of those trade studies. The effort also derives DGNS compliance matrices for current and planned Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) capabilities for the upcoming decade. The Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE), previously referred to as Apache Block III, is a set of standards jointly developed by government and industry consortium members; conformance to this standard is Army Aviation's conduit to compliance with the Common Operating Environment (COE) directive. The mechanism for certification of FACE conformance is the FACE Ecosystem and the laboratory test environment, which is being developed, implemented, and updated as part of this effort. This will be accomplished through the integration of the selected middleware into Army Aviation Platforms. This includes the non-recurring engineering for integration, test, and air worthiness qualification. As part of the Army's migration to a net-centric fighting force, it is necessary for aircraft to access certain critical services that enable seamless access and operation on the future force network. The Aviation Data Exploitation Capability (ADEC) is an Army Aviation program to develop, integrate, and test specific capabilities needed at the Aviation unit level to implement and support improvements within aviation maintenance, operations, safety and training. ADEC will standardize data and information formats and provide a comprehensive and fully integrated automated information system. ADEC provides a common and interoperable capability required to implement Condition Based Maintenance, Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance, and Platform Maintenance Environment processes. The Aircraft Notebook (ACN) will provide users with an aviation centric suite of software utilized for streamlined documentation and completion of aviation maintenance activities

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2014
Source ID
0604201A_5_2040_PB_2014
Change Summary Explanation
Service Agency Name
Army

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Application Software
  • Army Aircraft
  • Army Aviation
  • Combat Support
  • Cost Analysis
  • Decision Support Systems
  • Detectors
  • Engineering
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Information Systems
  • Navigation
  • Radio Equipment
  • Situational Awareness
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs
  • Space

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