A key component of GE Aerospace’s contribution is the Digital Backbone, a high-speed, modular avionics architecture designed to support rapid upgrades and integration. “The maturity of the digital backbone for the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft was critical to passing Milestone B and entering the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the program,” said Matt Burns, general manager of Avionics Systems for GE Aerospace.
The Digital Backbone uses Time-Sensitive Networking to deliver fast, reliable data transfer within the aircraft, supporting current and future mission demands. It also enables users to implement system changes without relying on the primary systems integrator, thereby reducing costs and speeding up modifications.
“Entering this next phase enables us to continue advancing the digital backbone for the U.S. Army’s future vertical lift programs,” said Tanika Watson, general manager of Future Vertical Lift at GE Aerospace. “The Digital Backbone provides the framework to make aircraft system modifications and realize the benefits of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) designs from the outset of Future Vertical Lift programs.”
In addition to the avionics suite, GE Aerospace will also supply the Health Awareness System for FLRAA, aimed at improving reliability and lowering operational costs. Based on decades of experience in both military and commercial aviation, this predictive maintenance tool helps improve mission readiness and has already saved operators millions of dollars.
