DATA MULTIPLEX SYSTEM (DMS) —ASPECTS OF FLEET INTRODUCTION

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Data Multiplex System (DMS) is a general‐purpose information transfer system directed toward fulfilling the internal data intercommunication requirements of a variety of naval combatant ships and submarines in the 1990–2000 time frame. The need for a modern data transfer system of the size and capability of DMS has increased as various digital control systems throughout naval ships have adopted distributed processing architectures and reconfigurable control consoles, and as the quantity of remotely sensed and controlled equipment throughout the ship has increased manyfold over what it was in past designs.Instead of miles of unique cabling that must be specifically designed for each ship, DMS will meet information transfer needs with general‐purpose multiplex cable that will be installed according to a standard plan that does not vary with changes to the ship's electronics suite. Perhaps the greatest impact of DMS will be the decoupling of ship subsystems from each other and from the ship. Standard multiplex interfaces will avoid the cost and delay of modifying subsystems to make them compatible. The ability to wire a new ship according to a standard multiplex cable plan, long before the ship subsystems are fully defined, will free both the ship and the subsystems to develop at their own pace, will allow compression of the development schedules, and will provide ships with more advanced subsystems.This paper describes the DMS system as it is currently being introduced into the fleet by the U.S. Navy. The results of its design and implementation in the DDG‐51 and LHD‐1 class ships are also presented.