Development of a Standardized Electrical Interface for Miniature Munitions

A new family of miniature precision guided munitions (stores) intended for airborne delivery is entering development. Companion advanced dispensers will provide for carriage of a number of these munitions at a single aircraft weapon station. The dispensers will adapt a single existing aircraft/store electrical interface to multiple miniature munition electrical interfaces, which will facilitate pre-release initialization and monitoring of the munitions. Due to unique factors associated with this new class of stores including small size, low release force requirements, and stringent cost goals, a new approach to electrical interfacing is required. This paper describes an internationally supported effort to develop a common open system interface for this application.