V-22 Dynamic Display Simulation (VDDS)-avionics program risk reduction and life cycle support through the use of commercial off the shelf (COTS) equipment

Abstract

V-22 Dynamic Display Simulation (VDDS) is a family of display simulation products developed to emulate any combination of the V-22 aircraft's cockpit displays. VDDS was developed early in the V-22 program to emulate real "glass cockpit" displays. It uses Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology and is being maintained for the life of the V-22 aircraft. Our experience with VDDS has proven it to be an invaluable tool for risk reduction and life cycle support and has validated the product's potential for reducing avionics integration costs and risk on other military platforms. VDDS provides a windows-based simulation of five avionics display processors and the eight display surfaces that comprise the V-22 glass cockpit. The use of COTS technology significantly decreased program risk by allowing the prime contractor to use a functionally equivalent glass cockpit well in advance of integrating real display systems. This allowed early verification and validation of the V-22 mission-critical software and the various avionics display system requirements, thereby reducing risk to both the prime contractor and all display subcontractors. VDDS also supports quick updates to resolve issues in support of lab integration, software test, and on-aircraft integration test.