Defense & Space Electronic Systems

Military Data Link

Integration Application
 Military Data Link Integration Application
(MDLIA)

James T. Sturdy

Honeywell International
Defense and Space Electronic Systems
9201 San Mateo Blvd., NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113-2227
(505) 828-5703 Office
(505) 828-5500 Fax
james.sturdy@honeywell.com

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 2

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Military Data Link Integration Application
(MDLIA)

A flexible, scalable, modular, low cost solution.

A unique integration approach providing a common

solution to interface new tactical data link radios with
legacy military equipment and systems.

An implementation that allows military users to

customize message processing on each unique platform
through user modifiable instructions.

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 3

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 The Problem
• Network Centric Warfare Initiatives
– Driving standardization in C4ISR messaging
– Link-16 has been designated as the primary tactical data link
– Over 27,000 platforms are being upgraded
• Joint Tactical Radio System
– Next generation data link terminal
– Will be installed on numerous platforms
– Will require integration with legacy subsystems (Displays,
Communications, Mission Systems)
• MIL-STD-6016B Message Set
– Defines the complete tactical data link J-Series message set
– Numerous legacy platforms either
Š Don’t implement any J-Series messages, or they
Š Implement a limited set of J-Series messages
2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 4
Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Bottom Line
• Military users are concerned about the high cost to
upgrade legacy subsystems (based on existing
stove-piped approaches and dependence on
traditional primes)
• A modular and common upgrade approach will save
money
• A solution that gives users control over changes will
reduce the cost of future upgrades as military data
link message sets evolve

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 5

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Military Data Link Platform Impact
30000

25000
Planned Upgrades

20000 TOTAL PLATFORMS

15000
NUMBER J-SERIES (J,
10000 VMF, 22)

5000

0
96

98

00

02

04

10
19

19

20

20

20

20
• Platform data based on DoD C4I Joint Tactical Data Link Management Plan
• An estimated 270 unique platform types
• Traditional point solution integration costs are very high
• A common integration solution (i.e. MDLIA) will result in an ~80% cost savings

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 6

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Common Solution Overview
HOST Legacy I/O
MESSAGE
PLATFORM UMI LEGACY IPM
PARAMETER
CONFIGURATION DATABASE
DATABASE
MISSION DATABASE Communications
APPLICATIONS Link 16
Subsystems
Messages

DATA LINK PLATFORM DATA LINK MESSAGE

INTEGRATION PROCESSING
LEGACY I/O
Legacy
MODULES
Subsystems
Legacy I/O

Data Loader
Cartridge
HOST APPLICATIONS PROCESSOR

Ground Based
HOST COMPUTER MODULE INTERCONNECTS Software Tool (GBST)

MDLI APPLICATION

MDLIA software hosted on an User modifiable data prepared on a

existing applications processor office computer

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 7

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Major Features
• A flexible, scalable & modular solution
• Common approach
– Versus traditional stove-piped solutions (i.e. different
solution for each platform)
– Gives military control over each platform configuration and
subsequent changes
• Integrates legacy subsystems
– Can be integrated into legacy host computer as a module or
software partition
– Provides automated I/O configuration control through API
database
– Provides standard video output for flexible data link display
formats

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 8

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Major Features
• Is based on the current civil CMF software application
– Model-based design and database-driven customization
– Modified to implement the full data link message set and
tactical data link terminal interfaces
– Modified to implement tactical data link legacy I/O interfaces
in a user modifiable database
– Modified to to implement user customization capabilities for
the data link message set in a user modifiable database
– Expanded to add special message processing functions
– Scalable for use in multiple configurations

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 9

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Implements Full Data Link Message Sets
• Integrates message subset implemented by legacy
applications
• Provides additional message processing for
messages not implemented by legacy applications
• Allows users to define specific message processing
with instructions database
• Allows users to create specific display data/formats
with instructions database
• Allows users to specify specific message routing with
instructions database

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 10

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Implementation - Link-16 Example
MILITARY DATA LINK INTEGRATION APPLICATION

Communications DATA LINK MESSAGE PROCESSING

Subsystems Implements full Link-16 message set with processing rules and special message functions

Joint Tactical SPECIAL MSG FUNCTIONS

Decode
Radio System
Messages
Automatically Data Fusion,
Standard Message Processing and
Configure Track Files,
Multifunction Link-16 Messages Platform
Link-16 Network Management Rules
Shared Situational
per MIL-STD-6016
Information Interfaces Awareness (SSA),
Encode User Defined Operations,
Distribution System
Messages Growth Functions

Joint Tactical
Information
Platform Message Handling
Distribution System Configurations
Message Parameters
Instructions
Control
and
HOST PLATFORM Status MESSAGE PARAMETER UMI DATABASE
Others CONFIGURATION Exchange DATABASE
Data UMI Data
DATABASE Loader Loader Message
Routing
Comm Equipment Updates Message 1 Parameters Updates Instructions
Processing
Instructions
Message 2 Parameters
Displays Equipment
Data Collection Display Format
Message 3 Parameters
Instructions Instructions
Mission Equipment

Platform Application Instructions

Legacy Platform Unique
Message n Parameters

Subsystems
Platform
Message Parameters Platform Instructions
Configurations
Display Subsystem

Crew Interface Decode

SPECIAL PLATFORM
Data
Devices Automatically FUNCTIONS
Configure Rules and Instructions for
Legacy I/O Platform Unique Host Platform Requirements Display Applications
Mission Applications Interfaces Mission Applications
Encode
Growth Applications
Data
Data Loader

DATA LINK PLATFORM INTEGRATION

Other
Manages interface to legacy systems and applications and implements special platform functions

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 11

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Civil CMU (ARINC 758) Implementation
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT UNIT / COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT FUNCTION

Communications DATA LINK MESSAGE PROCESSING

Subsystems Implements ACARS and ATN message sets with processing rules and special message functions

SPECIAL MSG FUNCTIONS

VHF Data Radio Decode
Messages ATC Functions,
Automatically
Standard Message Processing and AOC Functions,
Configure to
INMARSAT ACARS/ATN Messages Platform
Network Management Rules Data Management,
for ACARS and ATN FIS Functions,
SATCOM Interfaces
Encode Gatelink Functions,
Equipment User Defined Operations,
Messages
Growth Functions

HF Data Radio
Message Handling
Configurations Message Parameters
Instructions
Control
and
HOST PLATFORM Status MESSAGE PARAMETER AMI DATABASE
CONFIGURATION Exchange DATABASE
Data AMI Data
DATABASE Loader Loader Message
Routing
Comm Equipment Updates Message 1 Parameters Updates Instructions
Processing
Instructions
Message 2 Parameters
Displays Equipment
Data Collection Display Format
Message 3 Parameters
Instructions Instructions
End Systems

Platform Application Instructions

Legacy Platform Unique
Message n Parameters

Subsystems
Configurations Message Parameters Platform Instructions

Display Subsystem

Crew Interface Decode

SPECIAL PLATFORM
Data
Devices Automatically FUNCTIONS
Configure to Rules and Instructions for
Subsystem I/O Platform Unique Host Platform Requirements Display Applications
End Systems Interfaces End System Applications
Encode
Growth Applications
Data
Data Loader

DATA LINK PLATFORM INTEGRATION

Manages interface to legacy systems and applications and implements special platform functions

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 12

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Multiple Implementation Configurations
• Can be hosted as a software partition in a legacy host
processor
• Can be provided on a GPP and hosted in a legacy
host computer
• Can be provided on an IPM and hosted in a legacy
host computer
• Can be provided in an integrated system

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 13

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 MDLIA with GPP Host
HOST LINK 16 DISPLAY FORMAT(s)
MESSAGE
LEGACY PLATFORM LEGACY IPM
PARAMETER UMI DATABASE
MISSION CONFIGURATION
DATABASE DISPLAY SUBSYSTEM
APPLICATIONS DATABASE DISPLAY SUBSYSTEM I/O

DATALINK MESSAGE
PROCESSING
LINK 16 MESSAGES COMMUNICATIONS
DATA LINK PLATFORM DATA LINK MESSAGE SUBSYSTEM

LEGACY I/O MODULES

INTEGRATION PROCESSING (JTIDS, MIDS, JTRS)

DATABASE UPLOADS

DATA LOADER

MISSION RECORDING DATA

LEGACY APPLICATIONS
GPP PROCESSING HOST
PROCESSOR DATA LOADER CARTRIDGE
INTERCHANGE
(i.e. PCMCIA or equilavent)
HOST COMPUTER MODULE INTERCONNECTS

MDLI APPLICATION
GBST

Hosted on a General Purpose Processor (GPP) module

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 14

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 MDLIA with IPM Host
HOST LINK 16 DISPLAY FORMAT(s)

VIDEO MEZ
MESSAGE
LEGACY PLATFORM
PARAMETER UMI DATABASE
MISSION CONFIGURATION
DATABASE DISPLAY SUBSYSTEM
APPLICATIONS DATABASE DISPLAY SUBSYSTEM I/O

LINK 16 MESSAGES COMMUNICATIONS

DATA LINK PLATFORM DATA LINK MESSAGE SUBSYSTEM

LEGACY I/O MODULES

INTEGRATION PROCESSING (JTIDS, MIDS, JTRS)

DATABASE UPLOADS

DATA LOADER

MISSION RECORDING DATA

LEGACY APPLICATIONS
IPM PROCESSING HOST
PROCESSOR DATA LOADER CARTRIDGE
INTERCHANGE
(i.e. PCMCIA or equilavent)
HOST COMPUTER MODULE INTERCONNECTS

MDLI APPLICATION
GBST

Hosted on a Image Processing Module (IPM) module

2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 15

Architectures
June 15-17, 2004
 Benefits
– Common scalable design that can be used on multiple unique
platform types to reduce integration costs by ~80%
– Data link message set is user programmable without the need
to modify/recompile the operational software
– API database allows I/O re-configuration to legacy
subsystems without the need to recompile the operational
software
– Implements full message sets where each message can be
activated or deactivated within the MDLIA, or allocated to
legacy applications (if implemented previously) through the
instructions database
– Provides standard display system interfaces and video
outputs to support flexible and user programmable data
and/or display formats
– Utilizes ground based software tool to create the message set
instruction database
2004 CCRTS, Track 4 - C4ISR/C2 16
Architectures
June 15-17, 2004