Cyber-Secure, Fault-Tolerant, Self-Healing Network Architecture for Propulsion Control Systems

Optical interconnects and networking solutions have been used effectively for years in the telecommunications, information technology, and computing industries. Optical fiber-based data communication links and networks are  capable of achieving extremely high speeds in the range of 10’s to 100’s of terabits per second (Tbps). These speeds are enabled by use of Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (DWDM), which involves the parallel transmission of data at different wavelengths. Moreover, optical fiber-based networks offer benefits in terms of cybersecurity performance, reliability, resilience, and safety. Such networks, being immune against the EMI/RFI-related problems, can be used to interconnect various avionics systems in an electrically hostile aerospace environment. The project involves enhancement of Honeywell’s Braided Ring Availability Integrity Network (BRAIN) through the latest photonic technologies developed by IFOS. The result is Enhanced BRAIN (E-BRAIN). We propose to incorporate commercially demonstrated optical networking technology into BRAIN to rapidly transition to government aerospace applications such as FADEC. Phase I will focus on customer discovery activities with stakeholders to establish value proposition and develop a pathway to product-market fit. Phase II will feature a field demonstration with a selected government end-user and Honeywell as supporting prime.