STANDARD BACKPLANE BUSSES FOR NAVY TACTICAL HARDWARE

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE COMMERCIAL COMPUTER/PERIPHERAL MARKET HAS SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFITED THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF AN "OPEN ARCHITECTURE" WHICH IS BASED UPON THE USE OF STANDARDIZED AND WIDELY PUBLISHED BACKPLANE BUSSES. THROUGH BACKPLANE STANDARDIZATION, MANUFACTURERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING NEW PRODUCTS RAPIDLY FROM THE LABORATORY TO PRODUCTION. THE COST OF COMPUTER AND PERIPHERAL EXPANSION FUNCTIONS (MODEMS, MEMORY BOARDS, VIDEO BOARDS, CPU BOARDS, ETC.) HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO MULTIPLE VENDOR COMPETITION. THIS SBIR PROPOSAL OFFERS TO THE U.S. NAVY A MEANS BY WHICH THESE SAME ADVANTAGES CAN BE EXPLOITED IN NAVAL MILITARY HARDWARE WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE ABILITY TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE END PRODUCT FROM A CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW.