Common Avionics

PE 0605217N: Common Avionics is a Navy Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) program element focused on the identification, study, design, development, demonstration, test, evaluation, and qualification of standard avionics capabilities for Navy aircraft, with an emphasis on joint service applicability and potential Foreign Military Sales. The overarching goal is to modernize and standardize avionics systems, including communications, navigation, sensors, safety systems, and mission information systems, for both new and legacy platforms. The program seeks to reduce acquisition and life cycle costs by promoting modularity, commonality, and larger procurement quantities that satisfy multi-aircraft requirements. This approach enhances reliability, maintainability, and training efficiency.

The Joint Service Review Committee for Avionics Standardization (JSRC-AS) aims to control the proliferation of unique avionics solutions and improve coordination among the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard. The committee identifies and promotes collaborative development efforts, reviews new avionics requirements for joint service application, and updates the Core Avionics Master Plan. The Navy provides leadership and staff to ensure alignment with joint initiatives, focusing on interoperability, obsolescence management, and communications/navigation standards.

Tactical Communications (TACCOM) is dedicated to developing and integrating next-generation tactical communication systems for naval aviation. The program supports software development and NSA-driven crypto algorithm changes for multiple generations of radios, including Gen5A/B and Gen6 Crypto Mod, SINCGARS, SATURN, and MUOS, with a focus on Quantum Resilience and compliance with NSA Advanced Crypto Capability modernization. TACCOM also supports networking requirements, data links, and secure voice/data communications, ensuring platforms remain interoperable and secure against emerging threats.

Ground Proximity Warning System/Terrain Awareness Warning System (GPWS/TAWS II) focuses on developing, integrating, and testing advanced warning systems to enhance operational safety in degraded visual environments. The program tailors solutions to specific platform requirements, develops simulation models, and refines algorithms for real-time hardware and pilot-in-the-loop testing. Efforts include completing software development and integration testing for the H-1 platform, with additional support for integration and delivery milestones.

Avionics Component Improvement Program (AvCIP) targets high-value electronics component improvement projects to correct reliability, performance, and sustainment deficiencies in fielded systems. AvCIP mitigates operating and sustainment cost growth by funding technology insertion, redesign, and replacement initiatives that address critical readiness issues, obsolescence, and top sustainment cost drivers. Projects are selected based on urgency, warfighting contribution, and return on investment. Resources are allocated for engineering, prototyping, integration, and logistics support.

Avionics Architecture Team (AAT) provides hardware and software standards, product line development, and management for common operating environments, supporting compliance with Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) requirements. AAT manages open architecture standards such as FACE , HOST, OMS, SOSA , and WOSA, collaborating across services, industry, and academia. The team delivers subject matter expertise for design, integration, and acquisition strategies, enabling scalable, interoperable, and cost-effective solutions for DoD weapons systems and platforms.

Digital Interoperability (DI)/Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Agile Networking Gateway Link (MANGL) is a rapid prototyping and fielding effort to bridge multiple generations of technology using gateways, software-defined radios, and COTS/GOTS interfaces. DI/MANGL enhances digital connectivity, logistics tracking, and situational awareness, supporting real-time data fusion and artificial intelligence augmentation. Objectives include completing MV-22 prototype installation, waveform updates, software improvements, and flight demonstration testing, transitioning from rapid prototyping to major capability acquisition.

Critical Avionics Reliability Program (CARP) addresses obsolescence and reliability issues in aging mission systems, with an initial focus on developing the Next Generation Radar Altimeter (NGEN RADALT) to replace legacy systems. CARP aims to ensure continued operational capability for platforms operating into the late 2040s. Activities are centered on engineering analysis, acquisition documentation, and releasing a request for proposals for NGEN RADALT development.

Common Mission Computing and Displays (CMCD) enables the development and integration of commercial off-the-shelf mission computing and display products across multiple platforms. The Mission Computer Alternative (MCA) provides a technology refresh for legacy aircraft, supporting software development, multi-capability insertion, and cyber protection. The Common Display Alternatives (CDA) initiative evaluates commercial display technologies for military applicability, aiming to improve pilot situational awareness and interface reliability.