From Standard to Reality: Implementing FACE® and UDDL in Next-Generation Avionics

As the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) gains traction globally, understanding foundational standards and their practical implementation is critical to overcoming the challenges of large-scale, high-integrity Aerospace & Defense programmes. The Open Group FACE® Consortium's open standards enable software portability, reusability, and interoperability, improving affordability and reducing time-to-field for software capabilities through an open architecture approach.

This joint presentation offers a comprehensive journey from standard definition to industrial application. First, Alicia Taylor (FACE Consortium Program Director) will provide a high-level overview of the FACE Technical Standard and the Universal Domain Description Language (UDDL). This introduction will also highlight how FACE standards align with other global initiatives, such as the UK’s Pyramid, to facilitate international collaboration within the broader MOSA ecosystem.

Following this overview, Jean-Philippe Amouroux (Embedded Software Architect, Thales) will share practical, "from-the-ground" industrial experience. Moving beyond theory, this segment will focus on the engineering challenges and realities of implementing these open architecture standards in high-assurance avionics systems, sharing concrete insights and lessons learned from the successful application of the FACE Conformance process.

Speakers

Alicia Taylor

Program Director - FACE Consortium, The Open Group

Alicia Taylor serves as the Program Director for The Open Group FACE® Consortium. In this role, she is responsible for the strategic development and overall program management of the Consortium. She has authored several articles and conducted numerous presentations on the FACE Consortium and MOSA.

Prior to taking the current position with The Open Group, Alicia spent 6+ years as a contractor supporting US Army PEO Aviation where she was responsible for special projects, tracking budgets and tasks, coordinating the Army FACE & SOSA TIM and Expo, and providing expertise to the FACE Consortium & SOSA Consortium Business Working Group. She also spent nine months supporting the digital engineering and model-based system engineering program and contributed to policy, procedure, and SharePoint site updates.

Before joining the Defense world in 2015, Alicia spent 26 years in higher education as a mathematics professor, department chair, dean, and vice president. She also holds a doctorate in Instructional Leadership.

Jean-Philippe Amouroux

Embedded Software Architect, Thales

Jean-Philippe Amouroux is an Embedded Software Architect at Thales Avionics with over 30 years of experience in safety-critical, real-time embedded systems. Focusing on compiler and platform subjects, he manages the integration of the FMS200, a Thales Flight Management System product line, across multiple hardware and OS configurations, and is an active member of the ARINC 653 committee.

For several years, he has supported the enterprise-wide adoption of the FACE® standard and oversaw the FMS200 FACE data-package, achieving the first FACE conformance certification in Europe. He also teaches at his local university, bridging industry and education.