Conformance Testing

Open standards are required by the UK MOD to provide a framework for enhanced capabilities within Military Vehicles. The MilCAN protocol is a good example of an Open Standard and has reached the stage of deployment. Current upgrades and future military vehicles programmes have identified MilCAN A as a control network technology of benefit.

A MilCAN network installed on a Military Vehicle there will contain a number of nodes or devices operating on any particular subnet. The correct functioning of each node or device is essential for proper operation of the network. Ensuring the correct operation of the network is achieved through system integration of all of the nodes or devices on the subnet. System Integration can be significantly de-risked by ensuring that each node has been tested for compliance against the MilCAN spec prior to system integration of the complete subnet. Thus, by requiring all nodes/devices to be compliance tested, the Platform Integrator can have a high degree of confidence that the fully populated subnet will be easily integrated. Similarly, the node or device supplier can gain significant confidence that gaining MilCAN compliance will minimise the need to become involved in integration at the subnet level.

The MilCAN Working Group (MWG) recognised the need to be able to certify MilCAN A enabled devices and assure compliance to specifications. The MWG has invited the Vetronics Research Centre (VRC), with its expertise and impartiality, to become the Conformance Test House in respect of providing certification and advice for MilCAN A enabled devices.