Software Architecture for Universal Plug and Play of Weapons

A high degree of electrical signal level interoperability has been achieved between aircraft and stores through the application of interface standards such as MIL-STD-1760. This has significantly reduced the need for hardware modifications to integrate stores on platforms, but software level integration remains a costly and lengthy process. Emerging technologies such as a common application programming interface (API) for store control software (as demonstrated under the previous WINTEC OASIS effort) and common interface function/messaging services (as being defined under the Air Force Universal Armament Initiative) offer the possibility to significantly reduce or eliminate platform software modifications typically required for each new store integration. For these technologies to provide maximum payoff, they need to be effectively integrated into legacy platforms. The Phase I Legacy Platform Weapon Integration (LPWI) effort developed and established initial feasibility of a software architecture for incorporation of such technologies into existing platform store control systems. The effort proposed here would provide for detailed design and demonstration of the Phase I concept, either in a platform system integration laboratory (SIL) or through modeling of a legacy system environment, ultimately paving the way for more of a “plug-and-play” approach to aircraft/store integration.