Integrated communication radio navigation and identification system (ICRNI)

A description is given of the integrated communication, radio navigation, and identification (ICRNI) system which has been developed to resolve operational and logistical problems arising from the large quantities of communication equipment in the modern airborne platform and the heavy workload required to operate them. The ICRNI system was designed to fulfil the following objectives: centralized operation using the avionics display system; operation and control of communication, radio navigation, and identification equipment, and audio devices; equipment/channel selection; synthetic voice and tonal warning function; definition of priorities and parameters for alarms; failure tolerance, enabling communication operation during major failures of the system; and integration with avionics. The system has the following operational advantages: easy, centralized operation and display; flexibility; dynamic equipment (channel) allocation; digital switching which allows complete flexibility in switching and control; synthetic voice and tonal alarms; priorities and parameter controlled alarms; availability and survivability; maintainability; fault tolerance with real-time reallocations and backup capabilities; and reduction of both space and weight in the aircraft