Digital Flight Control System ON U.S. Army CH-47F Helicopters To Use BAE Systems CsLEOS' Real-Time Operating System
28 Jun 2004
An open-architecture real-time operating system developed by BAE Systems has been selected for use on the newest version of the U.S. Armys CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopter, the CH-47F. The CsLEOS operating system will underpin the helicopters digital flight control system.
The digital control will replace analog flight controls on CH-47D helicopters as Boeing upgrades 300 of the aircraft to the F-model standard under contract to the U.S. Army. Its digital design will provide significantly greater reliability, maintainability, and flexibility than the existing analog control. The system also will incorporate a built-in diagnostic system for detecting and analyzing system failures and faults.
The operating system that runs an aircraft flight control computer must be exceptionally robust, said Milan Dedek, CsLEOS product manager for BAE Systems Aerospace Controls. Our operating system was developed specifically for use on flight control and other mission-critical aircraft systems and is ideally suited to this use. We are proud that CsLEOS has been chosen to demonstrate its capabilities on this important Army program.
An ARINC-653-compliant, fault-tolerant, hard-real-time operating system, CsLEOS was designed from the ground up for safety- and mission-critical applications that place a premium on security, predictable real-time response, and safety. Utilizing hardware memory protection, CsLEOS provides Brick-wall time, space, and resource partitioning between the kernel and applications operating on the same hardware platform. It also assures resource availability in both the time and space domains.
This combination facilitates the robust partitioning defined in ARINC 653, enabling applications with different DO-178B safety levels to run concurrently on the same processor. CsLEOS also supports on-the-fly application rescheduling, giving it the flexibility needed to meet a broad range of todays safety-critical applications.
To assure fast recovery for time-critical events without compromising system safety, CsLEOS synchronizes all redundant channels on a frame-by-frame, lock-step basis, ensuring that all channels process the same data concurrently. In the event of a fault on one of the channels, the RTOS restarts the channel within milliseconds. To further enhance fault tolerance, CsLEOS provides a built-in health monitor.
To streamline application development, upgrades, and D0-178B certification, CsLEOS supports independent loading of application modules. Unlike approaches in which a portion of the kernel must be linked to each application, CsLEOS interacts exclusively with applications through its applications programming interface. This enables existing applications to be modified and new applications to be built and installed without the entire system having to be recompiled and rebuilt.
About BAE SYSTEMS
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of advanced defense and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space. The company designs, manufactures, and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years and is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defense systems.
BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company employs more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately 12 billion through its wholly owned and joint-venture operations.
BAE Systems North America is a high-technology U.S. company employing more than 25,000 people who live and work in some 30 states, the District of Columbia, and the United Kingdom. The company is dedicated to solving its customers needs with highly innovative and leading edge solutions across the defense electronics, systems, information technology, and services arenas.
BAE Systems Platform Solutions Sector provides a wide range of products and capabilities that include fly-by-wire flight controls, digital autopilots and flight directors, full-authority digital engine controls, inertial sensors and navigation guidance systems, displays, integrated avionics, power management systems, unmanned aerial vehicle systems, low-visibility precision landing systems, air traffic management systems, launch-vehicle controls, and hybrid electric vehicle drive systems. The sector is based in Johnson City, N.Y., and employs more than 6,000 people at facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom.
For further information please contact:
Larry Stone, BAE Systems Platform Solutions
Tel: +1 607 770 3944 Mobile: +1 607 759 2545
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