In the realm of large-scale combat operations, the US Army places utmost importance on the seamless integration of electronic warfare and robust communications. This integration is a necessity, required to adapt to the rapid evolution of technology and the array of combat scenarios. Over time, the Army has envisioned the development of an open architecture system, reinforced by a sustainable approach aimed at maximizing investments for continuous capability enhancements and obsolescence management—all while managing size, weight, and power (SWaP) considerations.
Within the Department of Defense (DOD), the concept of a Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) has gained significant attention. In addition to MOSA-aligned requirements prominently featured in industry requests for information and proposals, there's a growing consensus among different military branches on adopting best practices and standards.
The US Army embarked on the journey towards open systems architecture in the past decade, culminating in the introduction of the Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Modular Open Systems Standards, affectionately known as CMOSS.
CMOSS and CMFF: While CMOSS serves as a foundational standard, the term "CMOSS Mounted Form Factor" (CMFF) characterizes the implementation of CMOSS within the Army's programs of record. CMFF defines the physical layout and parameters of chassis designed to house interoperable C5ISR/Electronic Warfare (EW) cards. This strategy envisions multiple vendors supplying these cards and seamlessly integrating them into the CMFF chassis. The result is a flexible, adaptable, and reliable framework ready to serve the diverse needs of future warfighting vehicles.
The Milpower Source Advantage: The US Army supports the adherence of CMFF chassis to CMOSS standards with an emphasis on utilizing the VPX form factor for payloads. VPX represents a high-performance, rugged, and open-standard architecture backed by both government and industry players through organizations such as VITA and SOSA standards.
Milpower Source occupies a prominent position within these organizations by actively participating in the open architecture standards development. This provides us with a unique ability to offer valuable insights into upcoming specification changes and their impact on power and networking within the open architecture framework.
Within the CMFF chassis, you'll encounter a variety of components, including multiple transceivers, single-board computers, RF and Ethernet switches, and power supplies. The integration of these multifaceted applications within a single chassis poses complex RF and EMI challenges.
At Milpower Source, we proudly lead the industry in navigating these intricate environments with resilient, reliable, and capable solutions. We are industry leaders in addressing requirements in a mobile environment, such as MIL-STD-461 EMI requirements, MIL-STD-810 environmental requirements, and MIL-STD-1275 related electrical requirements. In addition, we understand the complex interface between CMOSS-compliant payloads and backplanes to distribute power and communications protocols between payloads and external interfaces through rugged connectors.
