The U.S. Army has signed new rapid prototype other transactional authority, also known as OTA, agreements with General Dynamics Mission Systems and Pacific Defense to build a chassis that would enable soldiers to plug and play capabilities into military vehicles.
Plug-and-Play Capabilities
The technology is dubbed CMFF, which is short for Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards Mounted Form Factor. It offers both hardware and software designed to converge multiple legacy systems into one chassis in ground and aviation platforms.
CMFF is equipped with power, networks and radio frequency to support Assured Position, Navigation and Timing; command and control; tactical communications waveforms; and force protection electronic attack systems.
Capabilities can be easily swapped to meet various mission requirements.
“CMFF will equip Soldiers in combat platforms with needed capabilities and do so in a way that is size and energy efficient, easy to use, and able to support new technologies as they emerge,” stated Mike Hartley, CMFF product manager at Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Network, or PEO C3N.
“CMFF offers flexibility, nests with the Next Generation Command and Control ecosystem, and is an important step in delivering capabilities at the speed of need,” added Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, head of PEO C3N.
Prototype OTA Details
Under the agreements, GDMS and Pacific Defense will work separately on the CMFF chassis and the capability cards. The OTA also covers the provision of a ruggedized smart display or tablet that would interface with the chassis and continuous updates to the CMFF Software Infrastructure.
The technologies will be validated through laboratory and field-based risk reduction events, operational demonstrations, and soldier touch points.
