Editing Avionics (section)

==Mission or tactical avionics==
[[Military aircraft]] have been designed either to deliver a weapon or to be the eyes and ears of other weapon systems. The vast array of sensors available to the military is used for whatever tactical means required. As with aircraft management, the bigger sensor platforms (like the E‑3D, JSTARS, ASTOR, Nimrod MRA4, Merlin HM Mk 1) have mission-management computers.

Police and EMS aircraft also carry sophisticated tactical sensors.

===Military communications===

While aircraft communications provide the backbone for safe flight, the tactical systems are designed to withstand the rigors of the battle field. [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]], [[Very high frequency|VHF]] Tactical (30–88&nbsp;MHz) and SatCom systems combined with [[Electronic counter-countermeasures|ECCM]] methods, and [[cryptography]] secure the communications. Data links such as [[Link 11]], [[Link 16|16]], [[Link 22|22]] and [[Bowman (communications system)|BOWMAN]], [[JTRS]] and even [[TETRA]] provide the means of transmitting data (such as images, targeting information etc.).

===Radar===

Airborne [[radar]] was one of the first tactical sensors. The benefit of altitude providing range has meant a significant focus on airborne radar technologies. Radars include [[airborne early warning]] (AEW), [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW), and even [[weather radar]] ([[Arinc 708]]) and ground tracking/proximity radar.

The military uses [[Terrain-following radar|radar in fast jets to help pilots fly at low levels]]. While the civil market has had weather radar for a while,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-07|author-first=Chris|author-last=Woodford|author-link=Chris Woodford (author)|title=How radar works {{!}} Uses of radar |url=http://www.explainthatstuff.com/radar.html |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Explain that Stuff}}</ref> there are strict rules about using it to navigate the aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=14 CFR § 121.357 - Airborne weather radar equipment requirements. |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/121.357 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |website=Legal Information Institute |language=}}</ref>

===Sonar===

Dipping sonar fitted to a range of military helicopters allows the [[helicopter]] to protect shipping assets from submarines or surface threats. Maritime support aircraft can drop active and passive sonar devices ([[sonobuoy]]s) and these are also used to determine the location of enemy submarines.

===Electro-optics===
Electro-optic systems include devices such as the [[head-up display]] (HUD), [[forward looking infrared]] (FLIR), [[infrared search and track]] and other passive infrared devices ([[Passive infrared sensor]]). These are all used to provide imagery and information to the flight crew. This imagery is used for everything from search and rescue to [[navigational aid]]s and [[target acquisition]].

===ESM/DAS===

Electronic support measures and defensive aids systems are used extensively to gather information about threats or possible threats. They can be used to launch devices (in some cases automatically) to counter direct threats against the aircraft. They are also used to determine the state of a threat and identify it.

===Aircraft networks===
The avionics systems in military, commercial and advanced models of civilian aircraft are interconnected using an avionics databus. Common avionics databus protocols, with their primary application, include:
* [[Aircraft Data Network]] ([[Aircraft Data Network|ADN]]): Ethernet derivative for Commercial Aircraft
* [[Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet]] (AFDX): Specific implementation of ARINC 664 ([[Aircraft Data Network|ADN]]) for Commercial Aircraft
* [[ARINC 429]]: Generic Medium-Speed Data Sharing for Private and Commercial Aircraft
* [[Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet|ARINC 664]]: See ADN above
* [[ARINC 629]]: Commercial Aircraft ([[Boeing 777]])
* [[ARINC 708]]: Weather Radar for Commercial Aircraft
* [[ARINC 717]]: Flight Data Recorder for Commercial Aircraft
* [[ARINC 825]]: [[CAN bus]] for commercial aircraft (for example [[Boeing 787]] and [[Airbus A350]])
* [[Commercial Standard Digital Bus]]
* [[IEEE 1394b#Military Aircraft|IEEE 1394b]]: Military Aircraft
* [[MIL-STD-1553]]: Military Aircraft
* [[MIL-STD-1760]]: Military Aircraft
* [[Time-Triggered Protocol|TTP]] – Time-Triggered Protocol: [[Boeing 787]], [[Airbus A380]], Fly-By-Wire Actuation Platforms from Parker Aerospace