Aerospace & Defense Technology - May 2021 - 16

COTS Subsystems for UUVs

A typical scenario using unmanned underwater vehicles for mine detection.

For suppliers of the rugged electronic
subsystems that are used onboard UUVs
to support their critical missions, a key
design challenge is to optimize the system's size, weight, and power (SWaP),
while delivering the required level of
performance to satisfy the mission. Curtiss-Wright currently supports a number
of UUV programs with Modular Open
System Approach (MOSA) based solutions, with equipment currently deployed on UUV platforms that range
from open standard single board computer modules, to network routers and
data storage systems. Key to the success
of these solutions is their ability to
manage the right balance between minimizing size and heat dissipation and
delivering the optimal level of performance. Another key consideration is the
hardware's support for data encryption,
either for data-at-rest (DAR), as in a data
storage system, or for data-in-motion in
a network switch or router solution.
In one example of a COTS solution
deployed on an LDUUV, a system integrator required a small form factor network attached storage (NAS) solution to
handle terabytes of information. This
UUV required a high storage capacity
solution to store critical mission data on
long-range missions. In order to conserve power and allow for longer, sustained missions, the UUV has a narrow
cross-section that minimizes drag as it
moves along. This results in a spaceconstrained environment for onboard
systems, including the NAS. Weight is

also an important consideration, since
the lighter the UUV, the less power required for its propulsion. Minimizing
the power required for onboard embedded computing systems frees up more
power for propulsion, which in turn enables longer missions.
Modern UUVs are equipped with a
variety of sensors depending on the
mission profile. At a minimum, the
UUV's location, direction, and speed
must be measured. However, environmental sensing is also critical in order to
avoid obstacles (such as rocks, shoals,
and sand bars) and threats (such as surface vessels, other UUVs, and aircraft).
Collected by the UUV's sonar system,
this environmental sensing data is gathered and stored so that it can be
processed by one of five onboard compact Parvus DuraCOR 311 mission computers. The rugged DuraCOR 311, one of
the industry's smallest rugged mission
processors, features a low-power Intel
Atom quad-core CPU, and can be easily
modified for specific application requirements via multiple expansion slots that
support open architecture MiniPCIe (mPCIe) cards. The
sonar data is also
saved for postmission analysis at the base
station and
provides valuable insights
into the success
of the mission.

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As the 2016 capture of a UUV by the
Chinese powerfully illustrated, sensor
data must be protected, even if it's simple oceanographic information like
salinity or depth. Since their UUV
would be collecting top secret data, the
manufacturer required that the DAR be
protected by agency-approved encryption techniques. For this application,
Curtiss-Wright provided a SWaP-optimized Data Transport System (DTS1)
data storage solution to deliver certified
encryption and transportable high-capacity storage to protect the platform's
valuable mission data. The DTS1 is a
small form factor file server that weighs
just three pounds, occupies less than 50
cubic inches, and provides scalable storage of up to 8 TB on a single removable
memory cartridge (RMC).
The DTS1 is the industry's first COTS
DAR NAS solution that supports two
layers of full disk encryption in a single
device. It provides two layers of Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC)
approved encryption (one hardware
and one software layer). CSfC is an
NSA-approved approach for protecting
classified National Security Systems
(NSS) information. Because the DTS1
has been approved for protection of
top secret data, classified data can be
safely transported between the base
station and UUV. With adversaries targeting data during transport, this capability significantly lowers the data security risk.
The two DTS1 encryption layers have
each been certified by National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP)
under the Common Criteria (CC) program and are also listed as approved
NSA CSfC components. Because the
DTS1 layers are NSA CSfC approved,
the customer
can

Snakehead is a
long-endurance,
multi-mission UUV that
can be deployed from submarines.

Aerospace & Defense Technology, May 2021

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Aerospace & Defense Technology - May 2021

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