Trade.Information

Product Name: AN/UYQ-70 Advanced Display Systems

Product Description

Leading the Transition to COTS-based Open Systems Solutions

Effective, cost-efficient display and computing solutions for varied modern combat system environments require commonalty, the latest commercial technology and open architecture system design. Solutions must be configured to meet the demands of severe environments in airborne, land, surface and undersea platforms, and must support both real-time and nonreal-time applications.

COTS and Commonality

The AN/UYQ-70 (Q-70) integrates Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology and components with various mission critical, real-time requirements which can be configured to meet a wide range of configurations and mission requirements. The Q-70 is one of the first standard combat system elements implemented with an open-system architecture. This flexibility and openness allows the Q-70 family of systems to provide the most flexible computing and display infrastructures for new combat system development or the retrofit of existing systems. The Q-70 family is developed by a Lockheed Martin-DRS Technologies-Raytheon team.

Common Benefits

Q-70 solutions mean common benefits throughout the system life cycle resulting in significant savings, lower cost of ownership, improved maintainability, faster and simpler technology insertion, and the flexibility to adapt to new environments and smooth integration with legacy systems.

The Command and Decision variant of the Q-70 family of display and computing systems has been selected and deployed as the tactical workstation on the U.S. Navy's new Aegis Cruisers and Destroyers. Additional variants of Q-70 systems have been selected and will be deployed in the E-2C Hawkeye, New Attack Submarine (NSSN) Demonstration Program, Aegis cruisers and destroyers, CEC, carriers and amphibious assault ships.

The Q-70 offers a single source for a wide-range of flexible solutions for multiple platforms using a variety of configurations. Whatever the requirement - air or water cooling, console or rack mounting, horizontal or vertical displays - and whatever the net-working or connectivity requirements, the Q-70's open architecture and commonalty of components create the optimum display and computing solution.

Q-70 Common Elements

- Open Architecture
- Operating System Environment
- Processors and Interfaces
- Components
- Logistics
- Spares
- Repairs
- Training
- Support

The AN/UYQ-70 Family of Solutions

The AN/UYQ-70 hardware and software architecture provide the cornerstone for solving the problems of modernizing combat and mission-critical systems for the U.S. Navy, as well as other Department of Defense applications, including other sea, land, airborne military platforms. The Q-70 workstation is currently playing a key role in the modernization of combat systems on major Navy programs such as Aegis (forward fit and back fit), Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS), Advanced Combat Direction System (ACDS), E-2C Surveillance Aircraft, AN/SQQ-89(V)X, and the New Attack Submarine (NSSN) Demonstration Program. All of these platforms are now planning for or already deploying the Q-70 equipment.

The Q-70 workstation is based on an open-system architecture which uses the latest available COTS components for mission-critical functions. A ruggedized tactical display and computing system, the Q-70 supports the common operating environment that is being implemented in surface, subsurface, land and airborne platforms. The Q-70 program also addresses the transition of legacy systems to new architectures by removing prohibitive cost barriers normally involved with system level upgrades. In addition, the transition to the Q-70's open operating system does not require that legacy architectures be abandoned to achieve the high level of modernization necessary for older platforms to effectively participate in the latest warfighting applications. The common, open-system COTS architecture enables the use of common components and configurations in various Q-70 display systems. This design approach leads to savings in logistic support, reduced cross training between different legacy display systems, and more flexibility in crew staffing assignments.

Q-70 Processor

The processing family for the Q-70 has been based upon the Hewlett Packard 743 and successor processors. These processors were selected for their outstanding performance and compatibility and will support open-system evolutionary products that are being deployed in all branches of the U.S. armed services. These processors have a strong evolutionary path that brings a compatible UNIX and real-time software base to bear on the problems of today's computing fabric. The Q-70 family has no boundaries with regard to growth to other processing elements, as the user community migrates through the ever growing, commercially-based technology advances. A core theme in the Q-70 product family is the commitment to implement, wherever responsible and cost-effective, changes that benefit the user. Technology insertion programs will provide an evolutionary path to incorporate other processor types and operating system environments to meet mission requirements.

Q-70 Graphics and Video

High-resolution combat support graphics and video capabilities are required by users and will migrate to new technologies as they become available. In addition, increased radar scan capabilities have been incorporated in the Q-70 product base line planning. New concepts are also being researched and recommended, including new flat panel technologies and the transition to or support of mature PC-based graphic engines. Multimedia capabilities, advanced video bus technologies and video compression will bring exciting new display product capabilities into mainstream military applications. The transition to flat panel technologies is greatly simplifying some aspects of ruggedized packaging for consoles, as well as improving magnetic immunity performance for shipboard needs.

Q-70 Network Interconnect

All new workstation components will have to be able to transition to ATM, SONET, Fibre Channel, and other future network topologies and protocols. The Q-70 is helping to pioneer the evolution of these interconnect architectures and is not limited to external, cabinet-to-cabinet communications. All of the Q-70 family of products have the capability to support internal system architectures with multiple missions in each enclosure and to employ back-panel networking or internal networking of multiple processing elements, either loosely connected by network(s) or tightly coupled as symmetric multi-processing nodes.

Legacy Interfaces

The Q-70 will continue to support the legacy interfaces as long as the need remains. The move to incorporate newer interfaces, replacing the slower, lower-performance interfaces of the past is progressing forward at a pace dictated by responsible transition and affordability.

Q-70 Human-Machine Interface

The Q-70 program has introduced many changes to improve the comfort and efficiency of the equipment's operators. These include ergonomic trackballs, adjustable footrests, redesigned layout for touch screens and monitors, headset connection and storage improvements. In addition, new user-friendly display technologies are being evaluated for near-term introduction into the family.

Q-70 Software

The importance of the common operating environment cannot be understated. Currently, with HP, UX and HP, and RT, the Q-70 program provides full software compatibility between on-board systems, as well as cross platform compatibility for shipboard and air-borne applications. Our operating systems and tools work together to provide the most cost-effective system growth possible. Over time, the commercial industry will grow its huge product base, providing new, less expensive and more powerful alternatives. Windows NT® is a good example of technology evolution that the Q-70 could implement to achieve commonalty with the lower cost hardware and software that is able to support many of the Q-70 workstation requirements. The program supports growth in native mode applications, using the full benefit of technology advances available to the program, and also supports back-fit by providing emulation capabilities of older workstation and display architectures.

Q-70 Packaging

In addition to the COTS and system support items, the Q-70 is specifically designed to provide enclosures that are ruggedized with strong emphasis on protecting COTS hardware in the mission-critical environments. The Q-70 has been integrated in surface, subsurface and airborne environments and can be ruggedized for other mission-critical land-based operations, as well. Software development, training and land-based (non-mission critical) can be accommodated using Q-70 components in commercial packaging or can be converted easily from commercial equivalent workstations to the ruggedized enclosure versions. The Q-70 enclosure support includes both workstation form factors and unattended equipment rack protection for full system/subsystem integration. This allows significant system design flexibility for integrators of large, complex systems.

Q-70 Reliability

Constant attention is given to reliability improvement of COTS components within the Q-70 enclosures. This is a primary contribution that the Q-70 program makes to the effective use of these components when employed in military applications.

Q-70 Logistics

The Q-70 program provides outstanding full logistical support of program-unique items, or items specifically developed for certain applications, to ensure the greatest benefit possible. The Department of Defense logistic support requirements focused on COTS items is a rapidly changing, dynamic process. The Q-70 program will quickly align with new concepts and acquisition strategies.

Q-70 Support Services

Responsive, on-call engineering services and product improvement/technical advisory services are available for hardware, software and system concerns.

Technology Insertion

The Q-70 program is founded on the principle of incorporating the evolving display and computer improvements that benefit the user community of mission critical products. The program attains its focus from both user-defined requirements and a constant evaluation of products from the commercial marketplace. Our approach to Q-70 evolution remains focused on open-system architectures and technology evolution. As part of the Q-70 product integration strategy, it is fundamental that users be able to integrate unique items within the architecture provided. The Q-70's ability to change rapidly to new standards make the program the ideal solution to cost-effective and responsible combat system evolution well into the next century.