F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread

[Anlsvrthng]

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Project FoX Brings Tablet-Based Apps To F-35 Stealth Fighter Cockpits​

The new initiative envisages an air combat 'app store' that has software for all types of uses that can run on a tablet in the cockpit.​

Hard to imagine anything more surreal than this.

They spent a big pile of money for the touchscreens built in, for the head mounted display, and now they have to hang onto the pilot a third item in his lap , a real true head down tablet ?

It is an admission of the complete failure to design properly the aircraft software system. Easier to make an android app , than to modify and integrate new functions into the software of the helmet or any other built in system of the F-35.

What will be the next, a smart watch to control the life support systems, or an iphone to provide advanced communication capabilities ?

 

[voyager1]

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Hard to imagine anything more surreal than this.

They spent a big pile of money for the touchscreens built in, for the head mounted display, and now they have to hang onto the pilot a third item in his lap , a real true head down tablet ?

It is an admission of the complete failure to design properly the aircraft software system. Easier to make an android app , than to modify and integrate new functions into the software of the helmet or any other built in system of the F-35.

What will be the next, a smart watch to control the life support systems, or an iphone to provide advanced communication capabilities ?

While it is certainly a failure for having to use that tablet, I think their app-based approach can be very useful.

I imagine that the software for the aircraft is something like the firmware and an operating system. So after that, this FOX project can have many apps built on top of the aircraft's capabilities (something like an API I guess?)

I really like that idea as it could standardize the software development for the many new aircraft systems coming to the US military. Then they could do the same with drones so they dont need to waste valuable time on software every time

Really amazing capabilities

 

[Anlsvrthng]

While it is certainly a failure for having to use that tablet, I think their app-based approach can be very useful.

I imagine that the software for the aircraft is something like the firmware and an operating system. So after that, this FOX project can have many apps built on top of the aircraft's capabilities (something like an API I guess?)

I really like that idea as it could standardize the software development for the many new aircraft systems coming to the US military. Then they could do the same with drones so they dont need to waste valuable time on software every time

Really amazing capabilities

.....
You mean it makes sense to have restricted, internal android or iphone apps like "arming and set up nuclear bomb", or "autopilot", maybe "main gun targeting " , or "flight by wire " ?

Download from the USA Air Force app store ?

It is simply the complete failure of the Lockheed to make an easy to expand and reprogram software for the F-35.

 

[voyager1]

.....
You mean it makes sense to have restricted, internal android or iphone apps like "arming and set up nuclear bomb", or "autopilot", maybe "main gun targeting " , or "flight by wire " ?

Download from the USA Air Force app store ?

It is simply the complete failure of the Lockheed to make an easy to expand and reprogram software for the F-35.

I dont know why you are so dismissive of this

Obviously there are very good future prospects for this project. Why should the US Air Force build separate software packages for each of its aircraft projects?

Why not have a common API where you can use it to build "apps" to control the aircraft's capabilities? That way every time you build a new drone project, there is no need to build a new software for it. You can just standardize its capabilities and then "load" the app to the drone.

The way i envision it is that you can load a "night vision", IR, weapons control (BVR, WVR etc), communications, EW, loyal wingman app, autonomy app, dogfight modules etc

There are a lot of things which can be standardised among the fleet and it would tremendously reduce time and complexity in developing brand new capabilities and upgrades.

I believe that the future is this app-based approach if they can realise standardization on the firmware level and APIs

Maybe I am wrong here, so if anyone knows more about it feel free to correct me

 

[Anlsvrthng]

I dont know why you are so dismissive of this

Obviously there are very good future prospects for this project. Why should the US Air Force build separate software packages for each of its aircraft projects?

Why not have a common API where you can use it to build "apps" to control the aircraft's capabilities? That way every time you build a new drone project, there is no need to build a new software for it. You can just standardize its capabilities and then "load" the app to the drone.

The way i envision it is that you can load a "night vision", IR, weapons control (BVR, WVR etc), communications, EW, loyal wingman app, autonomy app, dogfight modules etc

There are a lot of things which can be standardised among the fleet and it would tremendously reduce time and complexity in developing brand new capabilities and upgrades.

I believe that the future is this app-based approach if they can realise standardization on the firmware level and APIs

Maybe I am wrong here, so if anyone knows more about it feel free to correct me

API means "Application Programming Interface".

It is a standardised way for a software to communicate with other software, including the elements of the operating system.

Example, if a software wants to draw a windows then it needs to request a resource from the operating system, by a predefined way , including the precise definition of the functions, methods, parameters, pointers and entry points of DLLs regards of it.

The multitasking capabilities of the operating system implemented as API as well, means example in the windows a thread exist and communicate with other threads through the relevant APIs.

Now, if the air force needs a tablet, with add on software to handle tasks originally designated to the onboard computer , then the API of the F-35 (and considering that it is the most advanced software package of the USA on all other aircrafts) incapable to handle certain functions, expansions , new software or capabilities, because of the bad system design from the begining.

It is like replacing the character CRT and the keyboard on an IBM System/360 with a modern PC, and fake to the bank mainframe a human operator for the online transactions - lot of banks doing this (or the equivalent with additional software).

If you ever wandered why the old, big banks has chunky and primitive online capabilities compared to the Transferwise or REvolut, then here is the answer.

 

[Andy1974]

British Tempest program doesn’t have a glass cockpit, they are allegedly using Augmented Reality. This tablet is similar and is an upgrade, imagine not having to develop cockpit instrumentation and control and just plug in your tablets instead.

This will be great for controlling drones, there is already apps for that!

 

[silentlurker]

The way i envision it is that you can load a "night vision", IR, weapons control (BVR, WVR etc), communications, EW, loyal wingman app, autonomy app, dogfight modules etc

My question is, why do you need apps for something like this and how would it be better than one software? Why would anyone ever go out on a patrol without IRST for example?

An app based system might be nice for faster changes, but defense programs don't appear out of nowhere. There is a long design and test process for every weapon/sensor.

 

[Andy1974]

My question is, why do you need apps for something like this and how would it be better than one software? Why would anyone ever go out on a patrol without IRST for example?

An app based system might be nice for faster changes, but defense programs don't appear out of nowhere. There is a long design and test process for every weapon/sensor.

the point is to transform the “long design and test process” into something fast and agile.

 

[silentlurker]

the point is to transform the “long design and test process” into something fast and agile.

And you think writing an app means that you won't need to design or test the hardware itself? Military procurement is not so wishy-washy as software development, the exact requirements and specifications for a component are known years in advance.

 

[Anlsvrthng]

the point is to transform the “long design and test process” into something fast and agile.

And why you need tablets to achieve this target ?