Engineers in the Warfare Systems Development and Integration Division at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) built an innovative software tool that increases the interoperability of network enabled weapons.

“We created an interactive software tool that helps with compliance and understanding,” said Pete Lesniak, head of the Warfare Systems Development and Integration Division.

The reference tool called Network Enabled Weapons Controller Interface Module (NEWCIM) ensures that messages passing over a radio frequency network between aircraft, network enabled weapons, and third-party target sources meet specific requirements. Previous tools verified that the messages could be received but did not verify their content.

“The software reference model was conceived to be an engineering tool that defines how systems interact with one another,” Lesniak said.

The team began by writing code for 1,500 lines of required network enabled weapons specifications. Next, they ran verification checks to determine that the code logic was correct. Once the logic was verified, the team created a software program that could decode incoming messages and identify whether the correct logic was included or if it was a “broken” message with incorrect information.

“With network enabled weapons we have to do transaction management,” said Lesniak. “You have to know what the message content is and equally important with network enabled weapons, you had to have the correct transaction logic flow or you couldn’t do the mission.”

The next step was to obtain certification of the tool.

“We found out that the test community normally only tests one object to one object and gives a certification,” explained Lesniak. “What we were asking them to give us was a certification of messages that could be used across multiple platforms; they had never done anything like that. We were breaking new ground.”

After working extensively with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, and the Joint Interoperability Test Command, NAWCWD attained certification for this tool.

“The whole idea was to provide a system engineering tool up front in the development stage, that, by definition, will propagate through the manufacturing of these capabilities,” said Lesniak. “By the time programs get to developmental testing and operational testing interoperability should be built in resulting in reduced test costs.”

Now that the tool has received JITC certification, the next phase is incorporating it into the acquisition process. Those programs working with network enabled weapons have started to incorporate the tool. Those who have a requirement to work with network enabled weapons will receive the tool as well as information on how to use it. The team will continue to manage the tool, ensuring it remains current, and helping the workforce with its application.

“We built this innovative NEW reference model,” said Lesniak. “We tested it, validated it, and got certification that it was functional. Now it will be used within the Naval Air Systems Command to test compliance within network enabled weapons systems in an effort to increase interoperability and integrated weapons capabilities.”