An integrated services network is being developed for U.S. Government command and control aircraft. These aircraft require voice, data, and control systems to perform their missions. A future requirement for video is anticipated. The current systems' configurations are entirely point-to-point between the various pieces of equipment onboard the aircraft. A broadband network, known as the Onboard Connectivity Network (OCN), is being prototyped to consolidate communications within the aircraft. The OCN will significantly reduce aircraft weight and will simplify the process of new system integration. The initial OCN uses a unique broadband backbone topology based on a combination of single mode fiber and coaxial cable. A fiber cable interconnects active star units located in forward and aft compartments. The star units connect via fiber to coaxial conversion boxes located in each compartment. Coaxial cable interconnects network nodes within the compartments. Node configurations are being designed using a VMEbus topology. Use of VME facilitates the application of off-the-shelf interface boards and will simplify the evolution of the network to future backbone network standards. Automated workstations will be employed for network control and monitoring, voice subnetwork management, radio operations, and mission technical control.

Date Published: 2 February 1993
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 1786, Fiber Networks for Voice, Video, and Multimedia Services, (2 February 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.139290

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1786:
Fiber Networks for Voice, Video, and Multimedia Services
Aleksander T. Futro; Lynn D. Hutcheson; Howard L. Lemberg, Editor(s)