The migration of digital avionics data buses to low cost optical avionics data networks (the LOADNET project)

The objective of the LOADNET project has been the identification, adaptation and installation of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) networking components for optical avionics data networks. The aim of this paper is to recommend the use of the telecommunication layered approach to analyze and design future aerospace fibre-optic networks. This approach can also be applied to other platforms, given their respective requirements, which can be disseminated into sufficient detail and mapped into the layers. A correlation between the requirements and the capability of the COTS protocol can be made to assess its suitability and any modifications that may be required. From part of the initial work done on the project, we have selected three prominent COTS network technologies for illustrative purposes. Multiple protocols will be necessary in the network and, as a result, multiple protocols over LOADNET (MPOL) is currently under investigation.