MIL 1760 is an open, published and non-propriety standard intended to maximize both interoperability and safety.
MIL 1760 was released by the DoD to help better integrate modern aircraft stores. Before MIL 1760, the traditional approach to such integrations was for each to be a standalone program. This meant for each program a unique interface would usually be implemented, usually also with a set of unique problems, such as the missile “ghosting” problems experienced during the F-16 to AMRAAM integration.
The primary MIL 1760 interface signal set comprises redundant data bus signals, high and low bandwidth signals, dedicated discrete signals, fibre optic signals and aircraft power.
MIL 1760 nominates certain signals as safety critical signal interfaces.
The MIL-STD-1760 protocol also offsets, to some degree, the disadvantages of using an event-triggered protocol for a safety critical application. While detecting errors and building fault-tolerant mechanisms for time triggered communication protocols is easier because more ‘a priori’ knowledge exists as to their behavior, the master/slave protocol does provide a more predictable communication protocol than other event triggered protocols such as bus contention or token passing.
This standard defines the connector, signal set definitions, topologies, types of interfaces, signal path requirements, and power along with special requirements for MIL-STD-1553 bus interfaces. This includes a command set with detailed message formats, along with a defined protocol for mass data transfer.
In 2008, the SAE AS-1A2 task group released AS5653, the High Speed Network for MIL-STD-1760, aka High-Speed 1760.
The standard also defines a gigabit-speed communication option for MIL1760. AS5653 specifies a network based on Fibre Channel, operating at 1.0625 Gb/s over a pair of 75 ohm coaxial cables. The choice of 75 ohm coaxial cable was based on environmental ruggedness (relative to fiber optics) and the availability of positions for coax cable inserts in the MIL 1760 connector.
Today there are several different groups of MIL1760 signals:
- MIL-STD-704 power connections
- MIL-STD-1553 data communications interface
- High and low bandwidth analog signals
- Discrete signals
- Fiber optics
Want to know more about MIL-1760? Tonex offers MIL-1760 Training, a 2-day course that covers technical aspects of the electrical interface between a military aircraft and its carriage stores.
Additionally, Tonex offers another 45 courses in Aerospace & Defense Engineering, including:
—Combat Systems Engineering Training (3 days)
—DO-178 Training/DO-178C Training/DO-254 Training (4 days)
—Applied Systems Engineering for Logisticians (3 days)
—Intro to Fiber Optics and Infrared Sensors (3 days)
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.