Munitions Research - Open Architecture Store Integration Software for Miniature Munitions on Multiple Aircraft Carriage Platforms

"The MIL-STD-1760 aircraft/store electrical interface standard and an evolving standard for dispenser/miniature store electrical interfaces are providing for cost effective interoperable integration of smart munitions at the electrical signal and low levelcommunications interface levels. There remains, however, little commonality at the aircraft/store application software level. Some government estimates attribute approximately 40 percent of the non-recurring cost of aircraft/store integration to softwaredevelopment, indicating that substantial additional savings could be achieved through enhanced commonality and standardization in these application level interfaces. In fact, increased standardization in aircraft/store software interface softwareincluding the incorporation of such commercial techniques as plug and play capabilities was specifically recommended by a 1999 NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) study of potential interoperability improvements. The proposed effort would furtherdevelop the open architecture store integration software concept defined under Phase I, demonstrate key elements of the associated software framework in a realistic example application, and coordinate relevant issues with the international aircraft/storeintegration community. It would also support transition of the evolving miniature store electrical interface definition to a military standard, since it is a key underlying element of the defined