Claude Pichavant

ICAO FSMP– February , 2018- Mexico city

Next Generation Radio Architecture

Framework

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

This presentation on Next Generation Radio Architecture was made last week during the AEEC Systems Architecture and Interfaces (SAI) Subcommittee (8-9 Feb)

New concepts of distributed architectures are emerging for the CNS

(Communication, Navigation, Surveillance) radio systems, which show very promising benefits in terms of costs, size, weight, and power consumption.

Need to keep this momentum to launch standardization activities on Airborne side

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

Introduction Opportunities and

Challenges

Aircraft carry many radio equipment

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

COM :

NAV :

SURV:

VHFx3 HFx2 SATCOM WIFI/4G Ka/Ku/A2G

GNSS/LOC/GLIDEx2

VOR/MARKER

DMEx2

TCAS/XPDR/MODE S/ADS-Bx2

+ AeroMACS LDACSx2 SATCOM2/IRIS 5G …

…

Feb, 2018

Airbus study: How to lower SWaP (Size Weight and Power) and Costs of

CNS radio systems ?

Suppliers consensus =

– Encourage « distributed » architectures with parts of the RF processing placed close to the Antenna

– Simplify radio physical interfaces (digital audio distribution, multiplexed avionics interfaced)

– Simplify packaging (ARINC 600)

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

May, 2017

Radio

Transceiver

(LRU)

Antenna

Coaxial

PA Analog Section

(amplification, filtering, analog

up/down conversion, channel

selection, ….)

Digital Section (digital up/down conversion,

modulation/demodulation,

coding/decoding, ….)

DAC ADC

Computing platform

Antenna

RF Head

Feeder/Coaxial

Digital

Link

Radio

software

Feb, 2018

Distributed architectures benefits

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

Simplified RF section

Reduction of signal amplification needs

Direct reduction of Size, Weight, Power consumption & Cost

Full reusability across different Aircraft platforms (common P/N)

Simplified Aircraft Wiring

Reduction of interference issues

Thinner, lighter, and bundled digital cables

Reduction of installation burden

Less specific hardware platform in the avionics bay

Platform costs factorization

Weight/size/power reduction with multi-software integration

Adaptability to Aircraft platforms specificities (eg Short range

vs Long range) and evolutions

Flexibility for evolutions, options, decommissioning (software

update)

Easier transition to simpler interfaces and packaging

Computing platform

Antenna

RF Head

Feeder/Coaxial

Digital

Link

Radio

software

Vertical distribution options , and … questions ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

Analog Signal

processing

Digital Signal

processing

Amplification

Link/network

protocols

Radio interfaces

mngt

Antenna

Long

coaxial

Analog Signal

processing

Digital Signal

processing

Link/network

protocols

Antenna

Long

coaxial

Amplification

Digital Signal

processing

Link/network

protocols

Antenna

Digital

link

Amplification

Analog Signal

processing

Link/network

protocols

Antenna

Digital

link

Amplification

Analog Signal

processing

Digital Signal

processing

Link/network

protocols

Antenna

Digital

link

Amplification

Analog Signal

processing

Digital Signal

processing

Legacy radio architecture options New distributed architecture options (not exhaustive)

What are the (best) option(s)

for the future and why ?

Which fit and form options for

distributed radio front ends ?

Which digital link technologies ?

Possible genericity of

processing platforms ?

Feb, 2018

Radio interfaces

mngt

Radio interfaces

mngt

Radio interfaces

mngt

Radio interfaces

mngt

From “Vertical” distribution to “horizontal” concentration of radio components

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

RF

Front End

Radio

Software Unit

System#1

CO

AX

D

igita

l L

ink

Data / audio

Avionics interfaces

RF

Front End

Radio

Software Unit

System#2

CO

AX

D

igital Lin

k

Data / audio

Avionics interfaces

SHARED FRONT ENDS

INTERFACE NETWORK

Horizontal

concentration

of the digital links

SHARED AVIONICS

DATA INTERFACE

NETWORK

SHARED DIGITAL AUDIO

DISTRIBUTION

NETWORK

Horizontal

concentration

of the radio

interfaces

SHARED COMPUTING PLATFORM

Radio

Software

#1

Radio

Software

#2

Horizontal

concentration

of the radio software

units

Shared

services

Possible horizontal

concentration of some

antennas and RF Front

Ends ?- even across

CNS domains RF

Front End

CO

AX

RF

Front End

CO

AX

?

!

But no change to

supplier/airframer

roles/responsibilities

wrt radio certification

!

No impact

on Ground

infrastructure

Feb, 2018

“… which bring additional questions

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

SHARED FRONT ENDS

INTERFACE NETWORK

Horizontal

concentration

of the digital links

SHARED AVIONICS

DATA INTERFACE

NETWORK

SHARED DIGITAL AUDIO

DISTRIBUTION

NETWORK

Horizontal

concentration

of the radio interfaces

SHARED COMPUTING PLATFORM

Radio

Software

#1

Radio

Software

#2

Horizontal

concentration

of the radio software

units

Shared

services

Possible horizontal

concentration of some

antennas and RF

Front Ends ?- even

across CNS domains

RF

Front End

CO

AX

RF

Front End

CO

AX

?

Can we find consensus ?

Feasability ?

Security ?

Safety ?

Which standards should be planned ?

Which groups should be involved

Characteristics required from

shared components ?

Preferred orientations

for solutions ?

roles/responsibilities in certification impacted ?

Feb, 2018

Example of the vision of a future globally distributed radio architecture

1-2x LDACS 3x VHF 1-2x SATCOM 1x AeroMACS 2x HF

Possible Evolution of Communications and Surveillance Systems

1 TCAS-2 XPDR

Universal Main Radio Unit

(Hosting multiple radio software)

Integrated Multi-Band

Antenna

Remote

RF Units

Digital Interconnection

(weight reduction)

A Vision of Architecture for Future Radios and Smart antennas

TCAS / XPDR SMART

Antennas

From the legacy, federated architecture

Toward a distributed, flexible architecture with smaller footprint

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

Feb, 2018

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

APIM proposal Future radios architecture

framework

The need for standardization (1/3)

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

Distributed architectures concepts for radio systems are emerging and show promising

benefits

Supplier proposals for first distributed radio products are “on the radar”

Risk: disparate supplier proposals may lead to a variety of supplier specific solutions,

detrimental to:

Products interchangeability and open suppliers competition

Supplier market size, NRC amortization, and resulting costs for Airframers and Airlines

Consistency of the overall A/C systems architecture

Airlines trust in these new products

Certification processes simplification

For future aircraft

programs

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

The need for standardization (2/3)

Future standards

for horizontal

concentration of

the radio

systems

Future

standards for first

distributed

radio products

Justified by immediate

and notable SWAP

and cost benefits

… Potential next phases

APIM Future

Radios

Architecture

Framework

Framework

development

Vision/direction

/consensus

on Future

radio

architectures

ARINC

ARINC REPORT xxx

Future Radios

Architecture Framework

For current aircraft

improvement

The need for standardization (3/3)

Feb, 2018

ICAO FSMP - Next Generation Radio Architecture

APIM proposal: Framework document for future distributed radio systems architectures

Develop and ARINC Report,

An “overarching standard”, ahead of future individual CNS radio equipment standards to establish an industry

consensus on common elements of these architectures

Which would define:

• A typology/classification of radio architectures

• An assessment of the best architecture option(s) for each CNS radio in the future

• Potential targets for “horizontal” combination/integration of CNS radio components

• Constraints for RF Front Ends installation and identification of Fit/Forms solutions

• Requirements on the digital interfaces to RF Front Ends

• Requirements on future avionics interfaces for the radio systems (data/audio)

• Characterization of the radio computing platforms

• Identification of potential opportunities for the factorization/rationalisation of common services for the radios

• (Data) Security of the architectures, and approaches for isolation of the aircraft systems from attacks

through RF interfaces

• Safety considerations on the architectures

APIM New Radios

Architecture Framework

Thank you

Copyright mention