Ada 95 Transition Support


SECTION 5
Modular Mission Computer
(USAF - Rockwell)


5.1 Executive Summary

The Modified Miniature Receive Terminal (MMRT) project began in late August 1996 and will continue for several years. The MMRT project office is located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and technical work is being performed by Rockwell Communications Systems Division in Richardson, Texas. The MMRT project involves the re-engineering and enhancement of a real-time embedded communications and signal processing system.

The project is currently in the training phase.

5.2 Project Introduction and Overview

The MMRT project involves the re-engineering and enhancement of a real-time embedded communications and signal processing system. The existing system, the Miniature Receive Terminal (MRT), is written in Ada 83 and assembly language. The MRT has three components/processors:

  1. An Executive Process (EP) which runs on a 186 processor and is programmed in Ada 83,

  2. A Signal Processing (SP) component which runs on a bit-slice processor and is programmed in assembly language, and

  3. A Transfer Module/Crypto (TM/C) unit which runs on a 186 processor and is programmed in Ada 83.

The new MMRT will consist of five components:

  1. An EP running on a 186 processor. The EP software may be re-engineered into Ada 95 if a cross compiler for the 186 is available. The EP code may also be changed to reduce the load on the EP processor, transferring some functionality to the new Interface Processor (IP).

  2. The SP software will be re-engineered in Ada 95 and ported to a SMJ320 C40 chip DSP.

  3. The TM/C will continue to be hosted on a 186 processor. Some minor changes in functionality may be implemented and the TM/C code may be re-engineered into Ada 95 if a cross compiler for the 186 is available.

  4. An Interface Processor (IP) hosted on a SMJ320 C40 chip DSP which will implement a 1553-based interface. The IP software will be implemented in Ada 95. Some functionality currently performed by the EP may be transferred to the IP.

  5. A user interface targeting Windows NT. The interface will be hosted on a laptop computer communicating with the system over the 1553 bus.

5.3 Staffing

Discussion

The full project staff will include approximately 20 programmers. About half have previous experience with Ada. All have experience in real-time software development.

5.4 Training

Discussion

Ada 95 training is being provided September 9-27, 1996 at the Rockwell facility in Richardson, Texas. The training is provided by Mr. Patrick Rogers of Software Arts and Sciences and will last three weeks. Training will include an introduction to Ada 95 for non-Ada programmers, an Ada 95 overview for Ada 83 programmers, and a real-time Ada 95 class for each group.

5.5 Conclusions

The project, as of September 1996, is still in the training phase. No significant conclusion can yet be drawn.


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