Collins Aerospace has received the first-ever FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval for a fully enabled multi-core processor. The Collins Multifunction Display, powered by Mosarc™, will enhance an aircraft’s flight deck with 75% more capability compared to traditional single-core processors, increasing speed, capacity and flexibility.
With this certification, the Multifunction Display becomes the world’s first multi-core processor certified for both civil and military aircraft, allowing simultaneous use of all processing cores across all design assurance level (DAL) standards. This milestone opens the door for future multi-core hardware advancements.
“On a military mission, every second counts and access to information is critical,” said Dave Schreck, Vice President and General Manager of Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “Collins’ display is the only multi-core processor on the market that is certified by the FAA and is being used by the U.S. Army. This translates to being much more efficient in integrating new capabilities while also being able to safely run more applications in parallel than ever before.”
The system processes data 12-times faster than a single-core processor while consuming 40% less power. It integrates multiple operating systems, allowing rapid third-party integration and reducing vendor lock. This flexibility enables mission systems to evolve in weeks, avoiding the lengthy recertification process.
Collins Aerospace has been a leading provider of civil-certified, high-integrity, safety-critical processors for military aircraft for over 20 years. The Multifunction Display has completed over 6,000 hours of flight tests and is optimised for rotary-wing, fighter, bomber and trainer aircraft.
