Spectral Autonomy

SOSA: The Sensor Open Systems Architecture

Part of the Open Architecture Field Guide. All information is derived from unclassified, publicly releasable (Distribution A) sources.

SOSA, the Sensor Open Systems Architecture, is an open standard for the hardware of sensor and C5ISR systems. It constrains how cards, slots, and backplanes are built so a card from one vendor fits the slot of another, covering EO/IR, SIGINT, electronic warfare, radar, and communications. It is a multi-stakeholder consortium standard from The Open Group.

What it does

Sensor hardware has usually been built specific to a platform. A new radar or electronic-warfare card meant a new integration effort, because the card, the connector, and the backplane were designed together for that system. Swapping a vendor or upgrading a sensor was slow and expensive.

SOSA fixes the interfaces. It selects a subset of OpenVPX card and slot profiles and adds requirements on top, so any card built to SOSA fits any SOSA slot. A program can then buy a sensor card from whichever vendor offers the best one and expect it to work in the chassis. The standard includes specific card profiles for electronic-warfare payloads, which need wide radio-frequency paths and low latency in both directions.

How SOSA builds on OpenVPXSOSA adopts and constrains a subset of OpenVPX profiles and adds sensor and electronic-warfare requirements. SOSA plug-in cards conform to the SOSA standard, which in turn builds on the OpenVPX slot, module, and backplane profiles.SOSA plug-in cardsPrimary / Secondary Payload profilesconform toSOSA Technical Standardadds sensor & EW requirementsbuilds on a subset of OpenVPX profilesOpenVPX (VITA 65)slot / module / backplane profiles
Spectral Autonomy
SOSA adopts and constrains a subset of OpenVPX profiles and adds sensor and electronic-warfare requirements; plug-in cards conform to SOSA.
SOSA slot and plug-in card profiles on an OpenVPX backplaneSOSA defines slot profiles and plug-in card profiles so that cards are interchangeable across vendors. Cards plug into a common OpenVPX backplane carrying data, control, and expansion planes: payload cards for RF and electronic warfare, payload cards for EO/IR, a switch, a single-board computer for processing, and a timing or PNT card.Slot profiles and plug-in card profiles (PICPs) make cards interchangeablePayload (RF / EW)Payload (EO/IR)SwitchSBC / processingTiming / PNTOpenVPX backplane: data, control, and expansion planes
Spectral Autonomy
SOSA slot profiles and plug-in card profiles let cards from different vendors share a common OpenVPX backplane.

Where it sits

SOSA is part of the hardware family. It builds on OpenVPX, which provides the physical foundation, and it aligns with the Army's CMOSS and the Navy's HOST. Because SOSA is governed by a consortium with a published specification and a ballot process, it is one of the more durable standards in the landscape. The electronic-warfare hardware built under AMS-GRA and Big Iron is built to SOSA.

Where this fits

FAQ

How much of OpenVPX does SOSA use?
SOSA adopts and constrains a subset, roughly 15%, of OpenVPX's profiles, and adds sensor and electronic-warfare requirements on top.
How is SOSA different from OpenVPX?
OpenVPX is the underlying physical standard. SOSA selects a subset of its profiles and adds sensor and mission requirements on top.
Does SOSA cover electronic warfare?
Yes. SOSA covers EW along with EO/IR, SIGINT, radar, and communications, and defines specific card profiles for EW payloads.
Who governs SOSA?
The Open Group SOSA Consortium, a multi-stakeholder body.

Sources