Raytheon is developing a service-oriented architecture (SOA) framework capable of providing unmanned aircraft systems with a mechanism that enables rapid integration of weapons and sensors.

The SOA framework on a UAS is analogous to the hardware and operating system used by a tablet computer. A domain manager is analogous to a computer application.

In this case, the framework provides the necessary infrastructure while the apps control the weapons, sensors, communications and other vital UAS mission-level functions.

"Raytheon's SOA solution could make expensive rewrites of UAS proprietary software a thing of the past," said Bob Francois, vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.

"Our open, service-oriented infrastructure can exist separately from the flight-critical software of the UAS. Raytheon's system is plug and play, non-proprietary and platform independent."

Raytheon's framework resides on a computing platform sized to fit within the available space on a wide variety of unmanned aircraft.

Raytheon has completed development of an effects domain manager for sensor and weapon integration and is creating other domain managers for key UAS functions.