Military Avionics I/O Evolving in 2 Different Directions

Military-specific I/O – and most particularly military avionics – is evolving in two different directions at the same time. COTS Journal’s July 2005 article “Military-Specific I/O Evolves in Two Directions” notes that this is the result of two opposing pressures: [1] a continuing and accelerating need for data accuracy and reliability and, separately, [2] a significant increase in data rates flowing to the platforms.

The first direction is centered around the continuing and even growing use of the slow but reliable 1960s-era MIL-STD-1553 for communications. The other direction is toward the adoption of newer, faster data communications methods as the demands of net-centric warfare pass more data to a platform. This and other factors have led to serious consideration and some use of Fibre Channel, 1394b (FireWire), Ethernet and AFDX (Avionics Full Duplex Switched Ethernet), other switched fabrics and MMSI-the Miniature Munitions/ Store Interface data bus. Read the full article for a more in-depth briefing.