JOINT FRAMEWORK PROJECT: A FLIGHT TEST DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

Abstract

The Joint Framework Project (JFP) is an effort to conjoin the software data processing pipeline frameworks between Lockheed Martin’s Flight Test Data Centers. The JFP integrates the existing Data Processing Framework (DPFW) with the Joint Enterprise Test System (JETS) data products concept of pipelines. The JFP is constructed with simple governing concepts of data pipes and filters, engineered to manage post flight and real time test data for LM Aeronautics Flight Test mission support, and the results are presented here. The JFP is an Object-Oriented dynamically configurable framework that supports LM Aeronautics Flight Test programs. The JFP uses the Adaptive Communications Environment (ACE) framework, an open source high-performance networking package, to implement the components. The joint framework project provides a real time and an interactive / background post flight test data processing environment reproducing MIL-STD 1553, ARINC 429, Pulse Code Modulation (PCM), Time Space Position Information (TSPI), Digital Video, and High Speed Data Bus (HSDB) data streams for flight test and discipline engineers. The architecture supports existing requirements for the flight test centers, and provides a remarkably flexible environment for integrating enhancements. The JFP is a collaborative effort consisting of LM Aero Flight Test software teams at Marietta, Fort Worth, Edwards Air Force Base, and Palmdale. A prototype will be presented of the JFP addressing the data specific treatment of demultiplexing, decommutation, filtering, data merging, engineering unit conversion, and data reporting. An overview of the distributed architecture is presented, and the potential for the JFP extensibility to support future flight test program requirements is discussed.