{"671581":{"#nid":"671581","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ARCM Facilitates Update of Radio Control System for Army\u2019s UH-60M","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsing a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach, researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are developing the software necessary to integrate new control, radio, and cryptographic capabilities into UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, which are mainstays of the U.S. Army\u2019s helicopter fleet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Aviation Radio Control Manager (ARCM) software will enable the sustainment of enduring fleet aircraft by employing a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to replace obsolete, out-of-production radio equipment and set the stage for future communications suite enhancements. The reusable and adaptable ARCM software is projected to be employed on additional Army aircraft in the future, providing benefits of software reuse, potentially leveraged for future efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow in its third round of software development, ARCM is due to be flight-tested next summer and installed on the first group of UH-60M aircraft in 2025. The project, supported by the U.S. Army\u2019s PEO Aviation in Huntsville, Alabama, will comply with the service\u2019s Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE\u2122) Technical Standard, Edition 3.1.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EModel-based approaches are being used across the Department of Defense (DoD) to accelerate the development of new platforms and updates to existing ones. Beyond reducing costs and getting new capabilities to warfighters more quickly, the process can streamline procurement by clearly spelling out system specifications and key interfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cModel-based approaches have been a very central part of how we\u2019ve approached ARCM, and the return on investment for ARCM generally and for the MBSEs specifically, is based largely on a business case in which you spend a little more to get the models in place and design the system to interface with multiple components,\u201d said Scott Tompkins, a GTRI senior research engineer who leads the project. \u201cInvestments in MBSE can provide huge savings when you reuse the work for other systems and shorten the cycle times to bring new capabilities to aircraft platforms.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this first application, the ARCM software will facilitate three major improvements for the UH-60M: (1) replacement of the control head unit (CHU) that aircrews use to operate radio equipment, (2) replacement of an obsolete tactical communications radio, and (3) upgrade of cryptographic systems used for secure communications. The replacement radio hardware, which is being built by multiple vendors, interfaces with the aircraft\u2019s unmodified flight management system (FMS) via the ARCM.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe aircraft needed a new radio, but the Army doesn\u2019t necessarily desire to change the approved and fielded Black Hawk FMS Operational Flight Program (OFP) to integrate that radio,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cIn this project, we are translating the radio\u2019s interface, so they don\u2019t have to change the main aircraft software. This will address three issues at once through software.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo different radios with comparable functionality will be available as options for replacing the existing ARC-201D unit. The ARCM software will make the difference between those two alternatives invisible to aircrews and other systems in the aircraft. The software will also allow transparent substitution of radio equipment on Black Hawks used by foreign nations, and it is designed for future support of alternate radio equipment used by National Guard Black Hawks for collaboration with civil defense and domestic first responder agencies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom the models, we generated the vast majority of the code used in the ARCM, and that code meets the FACE Edition 3.1 standard for MOSA software,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cWe have also deployed a development, security, and operations (DevSecOps) pipeline to support our software repository and perform automated testing of the products as part of best practices in software development and acquisition. We are also doing full end-to-end information assurance accreditation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough only the UH-60M work has been performed so far, the work done on ARCM could also be used with CH-47F Chinook and AH-64 Apache helicopters, as well as the Gray Eagle uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). The Army\u2019s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) platforms could also take advantage of the modeling done for ARCM.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe FACE model provides the ability to unambiguously communicate about interfaces,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cWe have all the contextual meaning for the data so that when we hand this over, there\u2019s no question about what the data is and how to interpret the messages. We have captured all of that in the model.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond ensuring compatibility with existing Black Hawk systems, GTRI is also making sure the replacement interface \u2013 graphics and buttons that control the radio equipment \u2013 makes sense to the aircrews that will use it. \u201cWe recently completed another round of crew station working group meetings where we had pilots review our graphical user interface (GUI) and the functionality,\u201d said Tompkins. \u201cIt was very encouraging, and we continue to get positive user feedback.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGTRI is scheduled to deliver its full technical data package (TDP) to the Army in January 2024. The ARCM program will submit the software and its associated development artifacts to the Army for an airworthiness qualification to a DO-178C Design Assurance Level \u2018C\u2019 level of rigor in Q3 of fiscal year 2024. It will then be reviewed for a first test flight in early summer of that year. Once flight testing is over, ARCM and the new hardware can begin rolling out to Army units in 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGTRI expects to be part of the test flights and then move on to support the development of additional capabilities, including new waveforms being developed by the radio vendors. Discussions are also underway regarding potential applications to other Army rotorcraft.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal is to have an ARCM release annually that brings new capabilities,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cWith software-defined radios, the vendors are constantly innovating and improving waveforms. We want to get those enhancements out to aircrews as soon as possible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ARCM program has involved multiple labs within GTRI, as well as Tucson Embedded Systems, which is a FACE Verification Authority.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have put together a great multidisciplinary team of modelers, software developers, information assurance experts, human factors specialists, and human systems engineers,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a spectacular project \u2013 working with a wonderful team \u2013 and I\u2019m really excited to see the first test flight.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDISCLAIMER: This article contains views and opinions that are not official U.S. Army positions.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWriter: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGTRI Communications\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUsing a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach, researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are developing the software necessary to integrate new control, radio, and cryptographic capabilities into UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, which are mainstays of the U.S. Army\u2019s helicopter fleet.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Using a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach, GTRI researchers are developing software to integrate new capabilities into UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, which are mainstays of the U.S. Army\u2019s helicopter fleet."}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-12-15 14:00:02","changed_gmt":"2023-12-15 14:08:44","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672602":{"id":"672602","type":"image","title":"GTRI Senior Research Engineer Scott Tompkins is shown reconfiguring an Air Ground Networking Radio (AGNR) for testing","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGTRI Senior Research Engineer Scott Tompkins is shown reconfiguring an Air Ground Networking Radio (AGNR) for testing at a lab bench. (Credit: Sean McNeil)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1702648118","gmt_created":"2023-12-15 13:48:38","changed":"1702648516","gmt_changed":"2023-12-15 13:55:16","alt":"GTRI Senior Research Engineer Scott Tompkins is shown reconfiguring an Air Ground Networking Radio (AGNR) for testing","file":{"fid":"255877","name":"ARCM_09_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/ARCM_09_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/ARCM_09_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1659607,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/15\/ARCM_09_0.jpg?itok=IQ0AqTt1"}},"672603":{"id":"672603","type":"image","title":"AGNR control head unit (CHU)","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAGNR control head unit (CHU) showing the pilot vehicle interface (PVI) for the GTRI-developed Aviation Radio Control (ARCM) software. (Credit: Sean McNeil)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1702648544","gmt_created":"2023-12-15 13:55:44","changed":"1702648618","gmt_changed":"2023-12-15 13:56:58","alt":"AGNR control head unit (CHU)","file":{"fid":"255878","name":"2023_0907_images_ARCM_Scott Tompkins_HRC_14.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_0907_images_ARCM_Scott%20Tompkins_HRC_14.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_0907_images_ARCM_Scott%20Tompkins_HRC_14.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":919548,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_0907_images_ARCM_Scott%20Tompkins_HRC_14.JPG?itok=LiVljyf1"}}},"media_ids":["672602","672603"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"3336","name":"army"},{"id":"193362","name":"Blackhawk helicopter"},{"id":"13180","name":"MBSE"},{"id":"193363","name":"MOSA"},{"id":"193364","name":"ARCM"},{"id":"193365","name":"Aviation Radio Control Manager"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}