Vertical test integration

Today, most every weapon system is electronics intensive. Digital computers are at the core of military aircraft, ship, and vehicle weapons systems. Indeed, each weapon system's performance is largely determined by its digital computers and other electronics. This electronics dependency is necessary in order to provide the speed, functional compliance, and accuracy to achieve the required weapon system performance. Historically, test systems required for the various maintenance levels and also at the manufacturing site have each been uniquely developed, employed, and sustained for only one area of weapon system electronics support. There are a number of reasons for this situation including different organizations responsible for the levels of support, different funding sources, timing limitations, and technical feasibility. In recent years, however, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) advances in measurement and stimulation hardware, personal computers, Windows operating systems, flexible test programming languages, and more, have made it technically feasible to develop a family of test systems that provide common weapon system electronics support at all levels. Some use the phrase Vertical Test Integration to describe this concept of factory/field/depot integration     

Software architecture requirements for DoD automatic test systems

The DoD has achieved success with recent automatic test equipment (ATE) families, as evidenced by the navy's consolidated automated support system (CASS) and the army's integrated family of test equipment (IFTE) programs. However, as these systems age, the increased requirements for technology insertion due to instrument obsolescence and the demands of advanced electronics are becoming evident. Recent advances in test technology promise to yield reduced total ownership costs (TOC) for ATE which can incorporate the new technology. The DoD automatic test system (ATS) executive agent office (EAO) objective is to significantly reduce total ownership cost. Several objectives have been identified including use of synthetic instruments, support for legacy test product sets (TPSs), and more efficient ways of developing TPSs. The NxTest software architecture will meet the objectives by providing an open systems approach to the system software. This will allow for the incorporation of commercial applications in the TPS development and execution environments and support current advances in test technology     

Integrated Avionics: Watershed in Systems Development

For aeronautical weapon systems now entering development, avionics will equal or surpass airframe, propulsion, and weapons in establishing system effectiveness, both in terms of mission accomplishment and in terms of reliability, availability, supportability, and life cycle cost. Emerging technologies created the opportunity to satisfy demanding operational needs and to provide the means to upgrade systems against an evolving threat. This requires, however, basic changes in the skills, design methods, and constraints applied to avionics development. This paper highlights trends in avionics technology and systems and suggests some of the new ground rules which must be imposed to realize their full potential. Avionics considerations must be a central element of system development from the very outset, and the process of conceptual planning and program estimation must take the new realities of avionics into account.     

Open system concepts for modular avionics

Advanced communications, guidance and navigation systems play key roles in determining superiority of one combat aircraft over another. The use of advanced technology is essential to meeting the mission requirements of present as well as future aircraft. Modular avionics are being used in next generation aircraft, such as the Air Force F-22 fighter and the Army Comanche helicopter, as the means of achieving higher levels of performance, including reduced volume and improved adaptability, maintainability, and expandability. New system acquisitions such as Joint Strike Fighter will attempt to achieve these same performance levels but at dramatically reduced life cycle cost. Retrofit applications will also take on increasing roles in meeting this affordability need as the Department of Defense (DoD) struggles to maintain readiness in the face of the shrinking defense budget. The government is encouraging the use of open standards practices as a means of addressing the affordability issue. The Open Systems Joint Task Force (OS-JTF), formed in September 1994, is chartered to “sponsor and accelerate the adoption of open systems in weapons systems and subsystem electronics to reduce life-cycle costs and facilitate effective weapon system intra- and interoperability”. The purpose of this paper is to relate the concept of open systems to modular avionics. It discusses the key attributes of an open systems approach and identifies key technologies necessary for its success     

Low-cost technology for multimode radar

A flexible test bed radar architecture is described which includes an integrated RF electronics package that can support multiple radar applications, including surveillance, fire control, target acquisition, and tracking. This type of architecture can significantly reduce the cost, power, size, and weight of electronics on future weapon delivery platforms. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is developing technology to support multimode radar requirements. These requirements include the detection and location of moving or stationary low radar cross section targets in heavy ground clutter and the classification and/or recognition of these targets. We address these requirements with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products and the integration of several enabling technologies. The test bed radar includes a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) for frequency-diverse waveform generation, a flexible wideband transceiver for bandwidth extension and frequency translation, and an open architecture signal processor with embedded wideband analog-to-digital converters for real-time acquisition and processing. Efficient signal processing algorithms have been developed to demonstrate multimode radar capability. This paper discusses the various subassemblies, algorithm efficiency, and field experiment results     

Mechanical engineering's role in multi-disciplinary radar design

Successful execution of a program and full satisfaction of the customer's requirements is a challenge for any contractor. Raytheon Company responds to this challenge by following a proven program execution methodology. The methodology includes all program aspects from financial planning to engineering to validation and test. This discusses the engineering team and the role of the mechanical engineer. A radar system is ultimately an assembly of advanced electronics and software. However, the design, fabrication, assembly, integration, and test Of this complex system requires a coherent multi-disciplinary approach. Raytheon, like many contractors, chooses to assemble an integrated product team (IPT) including all engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineering is integral to satisfying performance requirements, performing preliminary and detailed design, transition of the design to manufacturing, and implementation of the hardware in the field. During definition, mechanical engineering assists fundamental architecture development, conceptual design, and requirements development which precludes issues that are sometimes ignored to the detriment of many programs. These design issues include environmental protection, structural stiffness to meet deflection requirements, cooling system capacity to properly remove dissipated heat, manufacturabilit3' to control cost, maintainability to enable repair in the field, and transportability. Recognizing and trading off these issues early greatly increases the Probability Of satisfying customer objectives. This discusses the approach Raytheon is taking to ensure an overall multi-disciplinary solution to our design challenges from the perspective of the mechanical engineer.     

国外通用开放式结构标准的应用情况

SAE AS4893标准定义的通用开放式结构（GOA）是嵌入式系统的层次化体系结构模型。通过对GOA领域目录集的开发与维护标准化过程的分析,结合GOA在航空电子领域的应用案例展示其标准化技术的应用现状;并考虑到先进综合式航空电子系统在任务功能划分和系统工程方法方面的应用要求,探讨并展望GOA标准化技术应用于新一代航空电子系统开发过程中的注意事项。     

Feature analysis on US military aircraft engine advanced technology programs

US military aircraft engine advanced technology programs were overviewed and analyzed from light weight gas generator (LWGG) program initiated in 1960s through integrated high performance turbine engine technology (IHPTET) program started in 1980s, then to versatile affordable advanced turbine engine (VAATE) program. Some features and trends were summarized and concluded by literature statistics method, such as teams based on closely corporation among government, industries and academics, goals oriented with national defence strategies and weapon system development requirements, engineering manufacture and development including all relative disciplines and areas, verification measured by technology readiness level, the application extending to military aircraft engine, civilian engine, gas turbine and space vehicle, etc. The experience and lessons obtained can provide reference and guide for technology research and engineering manufacture and development of military aircraft engines in the world.     

Air traffic management design considerations

An air traffic management system (ATMS) is a network-centric system being used to manage another network-centric system, namely, an air transportation system. We are developing a design language for network-centric systems and design guidelines for the development system of engineers and domain specialists involved in designing and integrating systems. Note: this development system with today's technology is also a network-centric system. An outline of the design language under construction and the design guidelines being studied is provided. Specifically we discuss ATMS mission objectives (e.g., average yearly throughput of people and freight for a high demand scenario); ATMS sample usage scenarios (e.g., ATMS reroutes air traffic in time and space in reaction to major weather deviation along the northeast coast); and system objectives for an ATMS (e.g., timelines of a specific high volume of messages from aircraft, weather sensors, and airports). We lay out some key design decisions associated with both the development system of engineers and domain specialists and the operational ATMS. Examples of key design decisions for the engineering system are: 1) appropriate partitioning of functional/physical architectures of the engineering system; 2) appropriate degree to telecollaboration and collaboration among design/integration groups; 3) appropriate incremental delivery packages for an incremental delivery schedule of ATMS elements; and 4) appropriate levels and thrusts of the risk management program. Examples of key design decisions for the operational ATMS are: 1) throughput and security trades of the ATMS and 2) throughput and resiliency to weather changes. Finally, we relate network-centric architecture issues to both of the above sets of design decisions.     

Present needs,capabilities, and future prospects in rocket technology for space research

The paper is a review of the past, present, and future of rocket technology, relating these to the propulsion requirements for exploration of the solar system. It reviews the U.S.A. approach to planning its launch-vehicle programs for space exploration, covers the present capabilities of the U.S.A. family of launch vehicles, and discusses some technology possibilities for future propulsion systems.     

新一代战斗机全机地面强度试验技术

介绍了全机地面强度试验及验证要求，分析了试验的新问题和新挑战。通过试验顶层规划，采用全新设计模式、先进的加载技术，从试验的边界条件、综合平台、动力系统、测量与控制、损伤检测与监测等方面制定了总体技术方案。研究并应用了全硬式单侧双向加载技术、试验综合平台设计技术、试验边界条件模拟技术、动力系统设计技术等多项新技术，提高了设计效率、加快了试验实施速度、提升了试验安全性和可靠性。这些新技术在新一代战斗机多架次全机静力/疲劳试验中成功应用，结果表明各试验系统安全、可靠，达到了试验要求和预期试验目标，实现了全机地面强度试验技术的跨越式进步，技术成果为后续型号试验提供了较高参考价值。     

机载反导拦截武器的发展与思考

考虑机载反导拦截武器在目标拦截匹配性、作战使用灵活性方面的优势,借鉴美国机载反导拦截系统在定向能和动能拦截武器两条路线的发展思路,分析机载反导拦截武器系统在空基平台、预警探测、指挥控制和拦截武器等方面的能力需求,引发依托岸基飞机平台和舰载飞机平台发展机载反导拦截武器的思考,梳理出发展机载反导拦截系统所需的关键技术,从而对反导防御体系和机载武器体系的发展具有良好的参考和借鉴价值。     

Future fighter fable: a day in the life of a future fighter-how dowe get there from here?

The intent of this tongue-in-cheek paper is to stimulate thought about technologies that may be included in future weapons systems and how the weapon system developer is impacted today. It explores a day in the life of a future generation fighter aircraft (year 2015-2025 time-frame). The scenario starts from the perspective of the ground crew awaiting the return of their future fighters: the new A/F-2, “Thunderchief II”-to a dispersed operations location (DOL) from a combat air patrol (CAP) mission in the fictitious country of Crad. A nonrestrictive technology view is assumed, tempered with as much realism as one can logically include in the scenario, with some of today's evolving technology thrusts     

航空武器装备顶层论证技术发展现状与趋势

航空武器装备顶层论证是航空武器装备论证的重要内容,是航空武器装备发展的顶层设计与型号发展的先期论证。开展航空武器装备顶层论证,是实现航空武器装备体系对抗的需要,也是航空武器装备由跟踪发展向自主创新跨越的需要。分析了航空武器装备顶层论证技术面临的挑战,回顾了航空武器装备顶层论证技术从产生到逐步完善的发展历程,剖析了航空武器装备顶层论证当前面临的技术难点与可能的应对策略,探讨了航空武器装备顶层论证技术当前及今后一个时期的研究重点与发展趋势。     

潜基武器体系对抗仿真技术研究

在潜基武器体系对抗相关背景分析的基础上，提出了潜基武器体系对抗仿真的系统框架。重点阐述了体系结构驱动的体系对抗概念建模技术、体系对抗半实物仿真技术和体系对抗仿真网格计算技术等相关关键技术，分析了体系对抗仿真的若干技术发展趋势。最后，给出了研究进展和下一步工作。     

深空探测器自主技术发展现状与趋势

深空探测器距离地球远、所处环境复杂、苛刻,利用地面测控站进行深空探测器的遥测和遥控已经很难满足探测器控制的实时性和安全性要求。深空探测器自主技术即通过在探测器上构建一个智能自主管理软件系统,自主地进行工程任务与科学任务的规划调度、命令执行、星上状态的监测与故障时的系统重构,完成无人参与情况下的探测器长时间自主安全运行,自主技术已经逐渐成为深空探测领域未来发展的一项关键技术。本文首先分析了传统测控模式对深空探测的约束,回顾了深空探测器自主技术发展的现状,分析了实现深空探测器自主运行的关键技术,包括在轨自主管理系统设计技术、自主任务规划技术、自主导航与控制技术、自主故障处理技术和自主科学任务操作技术。然后结合深空探测工程实施和技术发展需求,提出未来深空探测器自主技术发展的趋势和重点。     

Avionics Development and Integration System Methods

This paper describes a set of life cycle methods that were developed in 1980 and 1981 and used in the later phases of the 757/767 airplane programs. They have been used as a framework to establish and guide the introduction of a wide use of similar methods for the future avionics of Boeing's next airplane, the 7J7. The methods were designed to improve communication of the system's requirements, architecture and implementation to a wide group of interested parties ? not just the development engineers but also the users, maintainers, customers and support organizations. A major aspect of these methods is that they were designed to be used for systems in general not just software systems. This paper will describe the background and goals and objectives leading to the need for systems engineering methods, describe the methods and give an example of their use. It will conclude with remarks on steps taken to introduce methods of this type on a wide scale to support the next Boeing airplane.