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3.1 FRM Overview

The airborne reconnaissance FRM shown in Figure 3-1 breaks out the overall functional components into seven distinct areas:

• Front-end processing functions;
• Navigation, timing, and ancillary data;
• Networking functions;
• High performance processing functions;
• Operator-oriented processing functions;
• Reporting and connectivity functions; and
• System planning and control functions.

There is a high degree of commonality in the Operator-oriented and Reporting & connectivity functions which suggests these areas are the most important for applying standards.

Four key adaptations were added to the JASA functional model to accurately reflect and integrate functions for the other "INTs." The overall airborne reconnaissance functional reference model consists of:

• Different front-ends for SIGINT, IMINT, and MASINT;
• Product libraries for audio, imagery, MASINT, and SIGINT data;
• Multimedia network sized for data, digital audio, digital video, imagery, MASINT, and SIGINT data rates; and
• Integrated system planning and control functions.

The airborne reconnaissance FRM is a generic model intended to show only functional flow; it does not depict actual implementations of airborne reconnaissance systems. The generic model is intended to encompass all aspects of an airborne reconnaissance architecture that will meet the needs of manned aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as well as their sensors and associated ground/surface systems. The FRM provides the functional framework for achieving the goals and objectives of the ARITA cited in Section 1.1, Purpose.

A description of each functional block in the FRM is given in the following subsections together with discussions of applicable technology standards. This includes identification of those standards selected for airborne reconnaissance systems (i.e., mandated), and references to technologies which are not yet mature enough to select as standards but show promise for resolving key technical architecture issues.

Based on the technology standards identified in this section an overall roll-up of the selected and emerging information technology standards is provided in Section 3.9, Summary of Technology Standards.

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