MIL-STD-1553 establishes requirements for digital command/response time division multiplexing (TDM) techniques on military vehicles, especially aircraft. The existing MIL-STD-1553 network operates at a bit rate of 1 Mbps and is limited by the protocol to a maximum data payload capacity of approximately 700 kilobits per second. The limited capacity of MIL-STD-1553 buses coupled with emerging data rich applications for avionics platforms plus the expense involved with changing or adding wires to thousands of aircraft in the fleet has driven the need for expanding the data carrying capacity of the existing MIL-STD-1553 infrastructure. This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) will examine the characteristics of MIL-STD-1553 buses relative to their ability to carry data at significantly higher data rates when compared to MIL-STD-1553. Practical issues such as frequency response of 1553 bus networks and their components, signal-to-noise ratio, EMI constraints, and concurrent operation with existing MIL-STD-1553 will be discussed. Various telecommunication standards that could be appropriate for adaptation to MIL-STD-1553 buses are discussed. Early research by various companies into increasing the data carrying capability of existing MIL-STD-1553 buses is summarized as well as ongoing research. Potential applications that could benefit from increased bandwidth on MIL-STD-1553 buses are discussed.