Ufuk's Notes

first generation 1940s 1950s

2 min read

first generation 1940s 1950s

Key Aircraft: MiG-21 (early forms), F-111 (late edge of era)

  • Analog electronics.
  • Hard-wired functionality, minimal flexibility.
  • Little to no computerization.
  • High weight, lots of wiring, difficult upgrades.
  • Poor reliability.❌
  • Any upgrade required rewiring the entire aircraft.❌

second generations 1960s 1970s

Key Aircraft: F-16 A/B, F-4 upgrades, Mirage III/5, early MiG-23

  • Digital electronics began entering avionics.
  • Early computer-aided fire-control systems.
  • MIL-STD-1553 began appearing → first standard data bus.
  • Digital flight control compared to old analog.
  • Reduced wiring harnesses.
  • Improved maintainability.

third generation 1980s 1990s

Key Aircraft: F-22 (late development), Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale Use of high-speed digital buses:

PAVE PILLAR Architecture

  • Standardized, modular avionics** architecture proposed by United States Air Force (USAF).
  • Encouraged reuse, common modules, scalable processing, reduced cost.
  • Introduced Integrated Core Processing.
  • Significant software complexity — software becomes more important than hardware.

fourth generation architecture post 2005

Key Aircraft: F-35, modern F-16V, Gripen E, modern UAVs

  • Open systems architecture (OSA).
  • High modularity → plug-replace-play.
  • IP-based networks, high-speed fiber.
  • Integrated Core Processing (ICP) with multiple redundant processing clusters.
  • Time and Space Partitioning (ARINC 653).

PAVE PACE Architecture

The evolution of PAVE PILLAR.

  • Plug-and-play avionics
  • Open systems, reusable software, COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) hardware
  • Much lower life-cycle cost
  • Faster update cycles
  • Multi-level sensor fusion.
  • Full-digital cockpit.
  • Health monitoring / prognostic systems.
  • Seamless integration with AI, autonomy, and advanced mission systems.

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