Typhoon Databus

Tender description

This project builds on existing UK MOD, US Air Force and Private Venture Capital investment and will develop a secure-by-design data bus Network Interface Card (NIC) based on the NATO STANAG 7221 (7221) Broadband Real-Time Data Bus (B-RTDB) protocol; suitable for exploitation in future Typhoon enhancements. The secure by design 7221 prototype NIC will demonstrate a cyber security enhanced databus that provides a 100x increase in bandwidth (~100Mbs physical layer and ~50Mbs application layer). This will be achieved using, and in parallel to, existing MIL-STD-1553B (1553B) data bus infrastructure (wiring, couplers, etc.) that are present in almost every UK military aircraft. Dstl has not identified an alternative solution to 7221 that can be incrementally deployed using existing bus infrastructure. The NIC will be developed as a cyber security enhanced, low size, weight and power (SWaP) prototype device suitable for subsequent exploitation in small form factor weapons, as well as computers in larger Line Replaceable Items (LRI) / Line Replaceable Units (LRU). The NIC will be developed in accordance with Typhoon software and hardware development processes to better enable future exploitation in safety-related applications. The design assurance evidence from this will similiarly be available to any UK aircraft programme that wishes to upgrade its existing 1553B based data buses. The delivered prototype will demonstrate how Typhoon, or indeed any UK military aircraft, may more securely communicate between multiple avionics sub systems, without the time, cost and risks incurred with current data sanitisation processes. The increase in data capacity will enable the optimal exploitation of current and future capabilities.