The partnership between Curtiss-Wright and BAE Systems to develop a standardized Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) open architecture for next-generation ground vehicles is an example of how the benefits of MOSA-aligned open standards can be leveraged to deliver new capabilities to next-generation ground vehicles, such as the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).
A redesign already trimmed the troop compartment from nine passengers to six, BAE says. Want to upgrade the engine? Load new software? Add a drone-killing laser? Unlike on the old Bradley, there’s plenty of room.
Vetronics systems today are increasingly focused on C4ISR [command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance], interoperability with other battlefield elements, and the capability to be optionally unmanned if necessary. They are also more likely to be built on open architectures as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) continues the push toward a modular open systems approach (MOSA) in upgrades and new designs.
See more, detect more, and decode more – these are the primary requirements being asked of unmanned systems in the military, and proprietary hardware and software can make achieving those goals a challenge. This is why Army, Navy, and Air Force leaders mandated a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for all new programs and upgrades. MOSA examples include the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard and the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard. These initiatives among others, aim to offer commonality of hardware to enable easier and more affordable technology insertion in unmanned systems.