CMFF | Leonardo DRS

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Overview

As a trusted partner to the U.S. Army and other ground forces for over two decades, Leonardo DRS has designed, developed, manufactured, and delivered 300,000+ tactical computing systems and displays providing soldiers with improved situational awareness and networking on the battlefield.

Today, our intimate knowledge of the combat and wheeled vehicle fleet, coupled with our systems engineering rigor to meet the most stringent military requirements uniquely qualifies Leonardo DRS to provide the next generation of combat mounted computing platforms.

The next-generation combat computing platform is a ruggedized, lightweight, open architecture hardware system called CMOSS Mounted Form Factor, or CMFF, enabling users to insert plug-and-play networked capability cards including Assured PNT (APNT), mission command applications, and multi-band software defined radios. The Army plans to eventually replace several current tactical vehicle-based hardware systems with CMFF, which also brings significant size, weight, and power savings. Leonardo DRS’ solution is a CMOSS compliant CMFF system that has integrated Mounted Mission Command Software, APNT, Secure Communications, Electronic Warfare (EW) and offensive over the air Cyber. The new design is a 7 Slot CMOSS Chassis that supports a single board computer, 3 Payloads, APNT, Switch and Power Supply capabilities.

Definitions

C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS)

CMOSS refers to a set of standards developed to promote modularity, interoperability, and flexibility in command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) and electronic warfare (EW) systems. CMOSS provides guidelines and specifications for designing and integrating hardware and software components in military systems, particularly those related to C5ISR and EW functions. By adhering to CMOSS standards, developers and manufacturers can create systems and components that are compatible with each other, regardless of the specific platform or vendor. The aim of CMOSS is to enable rapid and cost-effective development, deployment, and upgrading of C5ISR and EW capabilities by facilitating the interchangeability of components and promoting common interfaces and protocols. This standardization enhances interoperability among different military systems and ensures that they can effectively communicate and cooperate in joint operations.

CMOSS Mounted Form Factor (CMFF)

The U.S. Army has defined a suite of open architecture industry and Army standards to enable the reduction of C5ISR/EW system size, weight, and power – cooling (SWaP-C) and ensure commonality across multiple platforms by enabling the sharing of hardware and software components among multiple C5ISR and Integrated Electronic Warfare System (IEW&S) missions. In January 2021, the Army approved an Abbreviated – Capability Development Document (A-CDD) for C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) to establish an initial set of Army requirements desired to develop and employ these standards in prototypes for operational assessment.

The CMFF A-CDD establishes requirements for a prototype that minimizes the need for platform specific integration and enables the fielding of evolutionary capabilities without the need for additional cabling or mounts, or upgrades to the CMFF chassis. This CMFF capability is governed by the CMFF Reference Architecture which is guided and derived from technical requirements found in the CMOSS Interoperability Requirements Specification (IRS), specifically including the Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA), Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE), Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY), and the Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA).

CMFF also includes requirements from the Standardized A-Kit Vehicle Envelope (SAVE) and the Mounted Mission Command (MMC) Environmental Specifications documents. These standards will enable CMFF to drastically improve the reliability, reusability, interoperability, and interchangeability of CMFF system components to include the chassis, payload cards, radio conditioning devices, radioheads, and key software modules. CMFF systems and their payload cards are planned to be simple and intuitive to install, operate, and maintain by Soldiers, and be resilient, reliable, and available to operate in all operational air and ground environments and against any enemy.

Open Standards

Our Commitment to CMOSS / CMFF

Leonardo DRS is committed to providing an extensive range of dependable, high-performance hardware that complies with MOSA, & SOSA open standards. This commitment ensures our products are primed to address future needs, mitigate interoperability obstacles, and offer diverse advantages to mission-critical C5ISR systems. Our products have been designed to meet CMOSS program requirements to ensure the hardware foundation for next-generation defense capabilities. As the prime contractor, Leonardo DRS will be the lead systems integrator and provider of the ruggedized computer chassis, plug in capability cards, and ancillaries. We will partner with best-in-class companies to develop the plug-and-play capability cards. Leonardo DRS will provide the Army with a technical low risk solution that will survive in the field for decades to come, as we have proven on the Mounted Family of Computer Systems program.

The Leonardo DRS commitment to open architecture standards will provide a low-risk solution for the U.S. Army. Leonardo DRS proudly supports Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and is a leading participant of the CMOSS efforts and architectures; and is a Principal Member of the SOSA consortium. This critical involvement ensures Leonardo DRS products are interoperable across all military branches, program offices, and commercial entities. Leonardo DRS has been a trusted partner of PM Mission Command for over 25 years. For the past two decades Leonardo DRS has designed, developed, manufactured, and delivered over 300,000 tactical computing systems, 800,000 LRUs, and Mission Equipment Packages for the FBCB2 and MFoCS programs. Leonardo DRS is the right choice to bring PM MC through the next 30 years of success. Leonardo DRS understands the warfighter’s needs for technology capabilities to be dependable without thought or hesitation. Leonardo DRS has proven for two decades we are committed to providing high performing products that are dependable and resilient to modern cyber and environmental challenges. Leonardo DRS proven past performance credentials ensures dependable Mission Critical computing capabilities are delivered. Leonardo DRS fully understands these combat platforms and the Soldiers that operate them. We are the reliable path to low risk CMFF solutions.

DoD Tri-Service Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) Directive

In January 2019 U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued the “MOSA for our Weapon Systems is a Warfighting Imperative” Tri-Service Memorandum, signed by the Secretaries of the Air Force, Army & Navy. The memo directed the inclusion of MOSA standards in all requirements, programming and development activities for future weapon system modifications and new start development programs to the maximum extent possible.

The Open Group SOSA Consortium

The SOSA approach establishes guidelines for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems. The objective is to allow flexibility in the selection and acquisition of sensors and subsystems that provide sensor data collection, processing, exploitation, communication, and related functions over the full life cycle of the C5ISR system.