U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II aircraft receives software upgrade to mission system computer
NewsJune 03, 2015
FAIRFAX, Va. The third software release for the mission system computer (MSC) in U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier II aircraft was delivered to the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) by the General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) team.
The software upgrade uses the FACE technical standard, which according to officials provides portability, interoperability, and a less expensive integration of MSC applications.
"The goal of this capability will be for technical professionals working on the AV-8B Harrier to swap applications in a way that's similar to changing and upgrading applications on a smartphone," says Carlo Zaffanella, vice president of Maritime and Strategic Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems.
General Dynamics will now begin testing additional processor and core software in AV-8B Harrier MSCs. The government will follow testing to ensure that the upgrades support flight clearance and fleet introduction.