The FACE Technical Standard has evolved through multiple editions, each building on the lessons learned from real-world implementation. Edition 3.2 represents the latest refinement of the standard, incorporating feedback from consortium members, government agencies, and industry partners to further enhance interoperability, portability, and safety.
Provides common services tailored to a specific platform, such as device drivers or platform-specific data management. Transport Services Segment (TSS):
: Guidance for systems integrators combining various FACE components.
At the heart of the FACE 3.2 standard is the . This layered blueprint divides avionics software into five distinct segments, separating hardware-specific tasks from core application logic. DOCUMENTS & TOOLS | www.opengroup.org face 3.2
The (Future Airborne Capability Environment) is a pivotal framework in the defense aviation sector, establishing the definitive standard for Modular Open Systems Approaches (MOSA) . Published and governed by The Open Group FACE Consortium , this specification redefines how military avionics systems are built. By standardizing interfaces across five critical architectural segments, the FACE 3.2 specification breaks down the barriers of proprietary, vendor-locked "stovepipe" code. This shift enables rapid software updates, extensive code reuse, and drastically lower procurement costs for safety-critical defense platforms. The Evolution of the FACE Technical Standard
One of the most significant achievements for this standard is the certification of the Wind River Helix Virtualization Platform . In October 2024, it was announced as the first product conformant to the FACE Technical Standard, Edition 3.2 Safety Base Profile. This certification is a major step forward, establishing the Helix Platform as a leading mixed-criticality hypervisor solution in the operating system segment.
of the real-world FACE 3.2 standard, or are you interested in more neuroscience facts about why we trust faces over text? The FACE Technical Standard has evolved through multiple
The FACE Technical Standard is often described as a "standard of standards," utilizing over 120 existing technical standards already proven in commercial and military aviation. The ARINC 653 Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) standard, proven on multiple Boeing commercial aircraft, serves as the basis of the safety profile, creating a broad ecosystem of suppliers. The standard also incorporates subsets of the POSIX standard to augment the multi-vendor partitioning strategy for rapid insertion of mission and sensor applications.
Software like the Wind River Helix Virtualization Platform was among the first to achieve conformance to this specific 3.2 standard. 2. Scientific & Industrial Research
[CALCULATING TRAJECTORY. ESTIMATED TIME: 42 SECONDS. PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS: 14%.] Transport Services Segment (TSS): : Guidance for systems
ARINC 661, which normalizes the graphical interface of a Cockpit Display System and defines the communication between the display and User Applications, is another enabling standard within the FACE ecosystem, supporting rapid and incremental technology insertion while reducing integration costs and risks.
Two limit cases were investigated: beam incidence on the main face. (3.2 × 3.2 mm2) and incidence on a side face (3.2 × 0.89 mm2). AIP Publishing
The , managed by The Open Group FACE™ Consortium , provides a framework for developing "plug-and-play" avionics software. Version 3.2 is a minor update to the Edition 3 series, refining the requirements for Units of Portability (UoPs) and their interactions within a standard execution environment [28]. Key Objectives
The FACE approach satisfies the DoD Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) mandate, which is required by U.S. law for all major defense acquisition programs. MOSA is a business and technical strategy for designing affordable and adaptable systems by breaking down large entities into smaller modules with standardized interfaces. FACE and ARINC 661 are open architecture enabling standards essential to supporting a MOSA for military airborne avionics systems.
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