Boeing has demonstrated a low-cost avionics upgrade technique that allows existing software to run unmodified on new commercial processors.
The technique involves a computer program which "wraps" around the legacy software and allows it to operate with new commercial software and hardware.
Boeing's demonstrations involved the C-17 Globemaster and F-15 Eagle. The technology is being considered for avionics upgrades in both aircraft.
The wrapper technique is expected to reduce the cycle time and the cost of upgrading avionics by allowing an incremental introduction of new technology as new commercial processors can be introduced without the need to rewrite an aircraft's software.
Boeing has previously demonstrated that avionics can be upgraded by rewriting the operational flight programmes (the aircraft's software) to run on commercial processors, "but we do not expect every programme to discard the existing software", says Don Winter, Boeing Phantom Works manager, open-system research and development programmes.
The wrapper approach makes it easier and cheaper to install a new commercial processor to overcome obsolescence and increase capacity, because it can still run the existing software.
"Over time, as later upgrades touch more of the legacy software, it can migrate through the wrapper until we get rid of it entirely," Winter says.
In the F-15E flight demonstration, the existing overload warning system function was wrapped and combined with new software to run on Boeing's Bold Stroke commercial processor. The C-17 ground demonstration involved wrapping a software emulation of the 1750A avionics computer so that it could run on a commercial processor.
Winter says the product of the demonstrations is a "visual" tool set that allows programmers to assemble wrappers automatically.
Source: Flight International
