Weapons System Open Architecture - Using Emerging Open System Architecture Standards to Enable Innovative Techniques for Time Critical Target Prosecution

Introduction This paper describes a demonstration program Weapons System Open Architecture (WSOA) funded jointly by AFRL, DARPA, and the Open Systems Joint Task Force. WSOA provides an open systems “bridge“ between legacy embedded mission systems and off-board C31 sources and systems. This “bridge” is used to support internetlike connectivity between command and attack nodes. The foundation of this bridge is the creation of a CORBA layer over Link 16. In addition, application of quality of service techniques and resource management technologies will ensure the timely exchange and processing of mission critical information by both attack and command nodes in even the most time sensitive situations. Figure 1 shows the elements of WSOA.