Aircraft Interface Unit (AIU)

The Aircraft Interface Unit (AIU) provides a distributed, high-performing, light-weight and low-power avionics data acquisition capability that is dynamically configurable to the user’s requirements. The AIU provides receivers for AC/DC analog signals, open/short and voltage discretes, synchro signals, thermocouples and RTDs. This product also provides drivers for DC analog signals, 400 HZ analog references, DC voltage discretes and discrete open/short drivers.

The AIU interfaces to the aircraft Mission Computer over a dual-redundant, MIL-STD-1553 data bus and supports communication over aircraft RS-232, RS-422 and ARINC-429 serial buses. Providing user flexibility in distributed configurations, the AIU allows the user to configure the interfaces over the MIL-STD-1553 data bus in real-time, while installed on the aircraft with the configuration data stored in non-volatile memory. Typical aircraft configurations employ several identical AIU distributions over the airframe to minimize wiring lengths (aircraft weight) and unique configurations over the MIL-STD-1553 data bus.

Flexible and Scalable Flight Data Acquisition Units

The AIU employs a flexible System-On-Chip (SOC) architecture with 32-bit RISC processors on each CCA providing high-performance sampling (500 Hz) and very low latency between external signals and the MIL-STD-1553 data bus (guaranteed 2 millisecond).The AIU retains current mission, previous mission and complete BIT history in non-volatile memory, in-flight access and post-flight analysis. The AIU implementation provides a true, low-SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) solution by occupying 115 cubic inches, weighing 3.3 pounds and consuming only 14 watts. The AIU has two, 128-pin MIL-DTL-38999 connectors for input/output, power and maintenance signals.

Some additional benefits include:

  • High-channel density
  • Obsolescence program
  • Qualifications: MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, ADS-37A-PRF, MIL-STD-704, RTCA/DO-160D
  • Platform/program references: MH-53E, AH-64D, AH-6i