Pre-Integrated SyStemSChart a

Transcription

Tech Focus:
OpenVPX SBCs Roundup
The Journal of
Military Electronics & Computing
Pre-Integrated
Systems Chart a
Function-Specific Course
RUGGED
PACKAGESD
SYSTEM
SIDE
POSTER IN
PLUS:
Standards and Tools Bolster
Military Software Security
—
Volume 13 Number 7 July 2011
An RTC Group Publication
cotsjournalonline.com
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Intel Core 2 Duo cpuModules
The Journal of
10
COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf. Terminology popularized in 1994 within U.S. DoD by
SECDEF Wm. Perry’s “Perry Memo” that changed
military industry purchasing and design guidelines,
making Mil-Specs acceptable only by waiver. COTS
is generally defined for technology, goods and services
as: a) using commercial business practices and specifications, b) not developed under government funding,
c) offered for sale to the general market, d) still must
meet the program ORD. 2. Commercial business
practices include the accepted practice of customerpaid minor modification to standard COTS products
to meet the customer’s unique requirements.
—Ant. When applied to the procurement of
electronics for the U.S. Military, COTS is a procurement philosophy and does not imply commercial, office environment or any other durability grade.
E.g., rad-hard components designed and offered for sale
to the general market are COTS if they were developed
by the company and not under government funding.
Function-Specific Integrated Systems
Get Closer to End Application
CONTENTS
July 2011
Volume 13
Number 7
SPECIAL FEATURE
Function-Specific vs. General Purpose Pre-Integrated Systems
10Function-Specific Integrated Systems Get Closer to End Application
Jeff Child
18Pre-Integrated Subsystems Step Up to Meet Demanding Requirements
Departments
6Publisher’s Notebook
Changing of the Guard
8
The Inside Track
58
COTS Products
66Editorial
The Power of Joint Perspective
Mike Southworth, Parvus
24Networked-Military Calls for More Complex UPS and Power Distribution Tech
Michael A. Stout, Falcon Electric and David J. Proli, Marway Power Solutions
TECH RECON
Software Security Standards and Solutions
32Focus on Attack Paths Improves Military Software Security
Dale Brenneman, McCabe Software
38CWE Initiative Helps Secure Code Development Efforts
Deepu Chandran, LDRA Technology
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Rackmount Bladed Systems Meet Compute Density Needs
46Rackmount Systems Push the Compute Density Envelope
Jeff Child
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
OpenVPX SBCs
50OpenVPX Moves Forward as Second Wave of Products Hits
Jeff Child
52
OpenVPX SBCs Roundup
Digital subscriptions available: cotsjournalonline.com
Coming in August
See Page 64
On The Cover: The Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 is the
primary electronic warfare system used on U.S. Navy
ships—including the now decommissioned aircraft
carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). The modular General
Dynamics’ Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement
Program (SEWIP) builds on the existing SLQ-32 hardware
and technology in an evolutionary fashion. Shown here,
the USS Kitty Hawk receives fuel from the Military Sealift
Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (TAO 200) while in the Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo).
The Journal of
Publisher
PRESIDENT
John Reardon, [email protected]
PUBLISHER
Pete Yeatman, [email protected]
Editorial
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jeff Child, [email protected]
MANAGING EDITOR
Marina Tringali, [email protected]
POWER YOUR LAPTOP & CHARGE YOUR BB-2590
MILITARY BATTERY WITH SOLAR POWER
LIND’S SOLAR CHARGE SYSTEM
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Maream Milik, [email protected]
LEAD WEB DEVELOPER
Hari Nayar, [email protected]
Advertising
POWER SPECIALISTS FOR MOBILE COMPUTING
1/11/11 11:40:44 AM
Ruggedized 3U Fibre
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t)[UP)[7"$*OQVU0QFSBUJPO WESTERN REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
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(+852) 2548 5100
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(949) 226-2000
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[ 4 ] COTS Journal July 2011
Untitled-3 1
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The Lind Solar Charge System
is used in conjunction with the
BB-2590 rechargeable battery (not
included). The system consists of
the combination charge control/DC
output module, a foldable 60 watt
solar panel and related cabling for
complete connection between the
battery, laptop and solar panel.
For more information, please contact
Lind at 1.800.897.8994, via email at
[email protected], or visit us
online at www.lindelectronics.com.
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Published by THE RTC GROUP
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Publisher’s
Notebook
Changing of the Guard
L
eon Panetta is going to have a hard
keep military spending in line with the natime filling his predecessor’s shoes
tion’s overall health and well-being. It will
when he gets affirmed as Secretary of
be necessary for him to push even harder
Defense. Robert Gates has always been an
to get more of what Gates started in place.
enigma with some of his actions—at least
This requires getting the industrial side of
until you started to dig. The digging usuthe military complex on board—let them
ally starts out with an attempt to disclose
know what their role will be and how they
why Gates’ decision was a bad one. But
can best profit in that role. Meanwhile
usually you’d find out that it was only bad
more of the military brass needs to unfor some groups, not bad for the military
derstand what it is that they require to be
or the nation. FCS was just one of many
effective—and less on what they would
programs with flaws that made it more
like to have if some future scenario comes
prudent to kill it and start over than to fix
about. Procurement must be re-worked
it. FCS vehicles were under-armored, flat
(for the umpteenth time, but for real just
bottom designs, over complicated and so
once) so that development phases take
on. Ending it was a good decision for the
years and not decades and use established
military—not so good for industry.
technologies. The concept of just cutting
Gates was aware that the defense bua percentage from everything is what got
reaucracy is a problem—a bureaucracy that Incoming Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
us into the 70s and 90s catastrophe of rerewards developing programs over decades,
duced military effectiveness and caused
that attempt to use yet-to be-developed technology to resolve yet-to- the pendulum swing of over spending in the other direction in
be envisioned issues on the battlefield. He was aware of the bureau- the 80s and 00s.
cracy’s habit of not providing solutions to current military problems,
I know this will sound like my usual monthly sermon, but
and instead making concept and design changes that are both costly the prospects for our industry are still strong and should get poand constant. Those changes usually stemmed not from attempts to tentially stronger. After we ride out this period of new programs
meet the changing military needs, but rather to overcome technology being flushed—or put into review for re-application to more relissues that could not be resolved as originally conceived. While Gates evant need—our industry will be more important and more necwas aware of the problems, he was only able to achieve marginal suc- essary than ever before. What we offer and provide are effective
cess. At least by killing programs he forced the military to start think- solutions that serve a reduced military budget and an increased
ing: “What do we really need to get today’s job done?” “How can we need by the military for the most effective materials quickly. Exget it in a time frame that affects the current issues we have?”
cept for this last decade’s uptick in military spending, our indusLike all other defense secretaries before him, Robert Gates try usually doesn’t get any advantage of the increased available
has had to deal with Congress and its efforts to force military funds. The primes absorb it by providing similar products to
procurement that satisfies political needs rather than focusing ours. Now the primes’ focus will shift more to system integration,
on what is best for the military. That said, overall Congress— software and support, and less on developing the readily available
both sides of the aisle—has been very pleased with Robert Gates, electronic subsystems that our industry provides.
both publically and even more so behind the scenes. Leon Panetta has support from both parties, but he will have to prove
himself once in the position. Afghanistan won’t go away just because Bin Laden is gone. And no boots but plenty of money is
going into Libya. Then Yemen is next, and then the question of
what to do when the civil war breaks out in Iraq.
Panetta cannot even conceptualize a similar dismember- Pete Yeatman, Publisher
ment of the military like that of the 70s or 90s. But we have to COTS Journal
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The
Inside Track
Army Releases Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (SUGV) for Operational Use
The U.S. Army’s TACOM Life Cycle Management Command has approved the Conditional Material Release for forty-eight XM1216 Small
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (Figure 1). The systems were distributed to
the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, and the U.S. Army Infantry School.
The Material Release process assures that Army materiel is safe for the
Warfighter, suitable to meet operational performance requirements, and
supportable within the environment it is intended to operate.
The SUGV is a lightweight, portable robotic system designed to aid
the dismounted Warfighter or Infantryman in the performance of urban
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and assist with
providing situational awareness/understanding. The Soldier or Marine
sends commands to the SUGV from a handheld controller and receives information through live and still imagery. The SUGV can investigate buildings, vehicles, tunnels, sewers, caves or personnel to seek out potential
threats. Weighing 32 pounds, the SUGV is designed to be transported
in a standard Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE)
backpack. The SUGV program is managed by RS JPO, under the direction
of the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems.
Figure 1
The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle is operated from a handheld
controller and can send information through live and still imagery.
PEO Ground Combat Systems
Warren, MI.
(586) 282-9520.
[www.peogcs.army.mil].
National Instruments to
Acquire RF Design Tool
Vendor AWR
National Instruments has
signed a definitive merger
agreement under which NI
will acquire AWR Corporation
(AWR). AWR is a leading supplier of electronic design automation (EDA) software for designing RF and high-frequency
components and systems for
the semiconductor, aerospace
and defense, communications
and test equipment industries.
Upon the closing of the transaction, AWR will continue to
operate as a wholly owned NI
subsidiary under the leadership
of the existing management
team.
The acquisition is expected
to strengthen both companies’
core software brands, NI Lab[ 8 ] COTS Journal July 2011
VIEW, AWR Microwave Office
and Visual System Simulator,
as well as the NI RF testing
hardware platform. The full
suite of AWR design tools in
combination with a complete
RF testing platform from NI
will give customers a platform
to decrease the time-to-market
of their RF designs. NI will
also augment its current academic and university RF and
communications initiatives to
include AWR software tools,
so educators and students can
benefit from the improved
teaching and learning experience for the rapid design and
prototyping of RF systems. The
aggregate purchase price to
be paid at closing is approximately $58 million, which
includes $7 million in cash on
the AWR balance sheet.
National Instruments
Austin, TX.
(512) 794-0100.
[www.ni.com].
Navy Selects Lockheed
Martin for Submarine
Technology Upgrade
Lockheed Martin received a
U.S. Navy contract to provide submarine combat and sonar systems
designed around commercially
available hardware and software.
The indefinite delivery/indefinite
quantity contract has a ceiling
value of $758 million. The Navy’s
Technology Insertion Hardware
program includes design, development and production of hardware for the next two submarine
technology insertions planned for
Seawolf, SSGN, 688/688i, Virginia
Figure 2
Shown here is the control station
in the torpedo room of the USS
Virginia (SSN-774).
Class (Figure 2), and future
submarine systems and platforms.
The U.S. Navy will provide the
Royal Australian Navy with similar
technology insertions for the Collins Class submarines through the
Foreign Military Sales program.
Through seven previous
technology insertions on programs
such as the AN/UYQ-70 combat
Inside Track
computer server suite, Lockheed
Martin has delivered 8,000 workstations and servers on schedule
to the U.S. Navy over 14 years. In
addition to Lockheed Martin, subcontractors DRS Technologies and
Progeny Systems will play key roles
in the production of hardware.
Lockheed Martin
Bethesda, MD.
(301) 897-6000.
[www.lockheedmartin.com].
U.S. Army Taps DRS
Technologies to Develop
Handheld Computing
Systems
DRS Technologies has announced that its DRS Tactical
Systems business unit received a
cost-plus fixed-fee award for the
development of an ultra-rugged
handheld device for the U.S.
Army’s Joint Battle Command
– Platform (JBC-P) program.
The company received the order
from the CommunicationsElectronics Research, Development and Engineering Center
(CERDEC) at Aberdeen Proving
Ground, Maryland. As one of
two companies selected for this
contract, DRS will develop a
solution for dismounted situational awareness requirements
for Soldiers and Marines that is
interoperable with the current
Figure 3
A soldier types a message into
the Force XXI Battle Command
Brigade and Below (FBCB2) Blue
Force Tracking (BFT) system.
Force XXI Battle Command
Brigade and Below (FBCB2) Blue
Force Tracking (BFT) system
(Figure 3).
As part of the requirement,
the handheld system must include an ultra-rugged computing
device, software, suite B security,
and have the ability to support
various communications solutions in order to receive and send
friendly force position location,
and provide communication capability to and from Soldiers and
Marines. DRS Tactical Systems
will design and manufacture the
systems with initial prototype
deliveries scheduled for September 2011.
DRS Technologies
Parsippany, NJ.
(973)898-1500.
[www.drs.com].
Northrop Grumman
Completes Successful JSF
Sensor Testing at Joint
Exercise
Northrop Grumman has
successfully participated in
the 2011 Northern Edge joint
military exercise by demonstrating key F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter (JSF) sensor capabilities
in a demanding operational
environment. The AN/APG-81
active electronically scanned
array (AESA) radar and AN/
AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture
System (DAS) were mounted
aboard Northrop Grumman’s
BAC1-11 test aircraft (Figure 4)
during the exercise. The radar
was tested featuring Block 3 and
developmental software, and the
DAS was tested with JSF Block 2
delivery software.
Participating in the Northern Edge exercise for the second
time, the AN/APG-81 radar
demonstrated robust electronic
Event Calendar
August 9
Real-Time & Embedded
Computing Conference
Denver, CO
www.rtecc.com
August 11
Figure 4
Northrop Grumman’s BAC 1-11
test aircraft was equipped with
AN/APG-81 AESA radar and AN/
AAQ-37 DAS. The white fairings
placed on the nose and aft of the
nose gear contain the DAS IR
sensors mounted in alignment
with the viewing angles of the
F-35.
protection, electronic attack,
passive, maritime and experimental modes, and data-linked
air and surface tracks to improve
legacy fighter situational awareness. The AN/AAQ-37 DAS
displayed its spherical situational
awareness and target tracking
capabilities during its operational environment debut at
Northern Edge this year.
The United States Pacific
Command, the Alaskan Command and the Joint Electromagnetic Preparedness for
Advanced Combat organizations
supervised the biennial exercise, which involved over 6,000
airmen, sailors and Marines. As
the United States’ largest and
most complex airborne electronic warfare environment,
this exercise encompasses mass
air combat scenarios conducted
across diverse platforms to test
their effectiveness within challenging environments.
Salt Lake City, UT
www.rtecc.com
August 16-19
AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems
North America 2011
Washington, DC
www.auvsi.org
August 23
Irvine, CA
www.rtecc.com
August 25
San Diego, CA
www.rtecc.com
September 13
Ottawa, ON
www.rtecc.com
September 15
Montreal, QC
www.rtecc.com
To list your event, email:
[email protected]
Northrop Grumman
Los Angeles, CA.
(310) 553-6262.
[www.northropgrumman.com
2011 COTS Journal [ 9 ]
Special Feature
Special Feature
Function-Specific
Integrated
Systems Get
Closer to End
Application
While not replacing military systems’ end
functionality completely, a slew of new
function-specific system offerings are
providing significant time and cost savings for
military system developers.
I
n parallel with the trend toward rugged box-level systems is
another trend toward “pre-integrated subsystems.” These
are defined as a set of embedded computing and I/O boards
put together and delivered as a working system to provide
a certain function, but intended to be used in a military
customer’s larger system. Some of these are function-specific,
whereas others are more generic computing/networking platforms. The emergence of the function-specific type of system
doesn’t mean that the more general-purpose approach is going
away. Most vendors that offer function-specific offerings also
continue to develop a robust set of general-purpose pre-integrated systems.
Driving the function-specific system demand is the trend
among prime contractors to an ever greater reliance on embedded computing suppliers. They’re asking for integration
expertise and a level of software development as part of those
integration efforts. This is driven in part by the need for primes
to contain their costs. And that’s expected to continue as more
and more military programs are structured as fixed-price rather
than cost-plus.
New DoD Policies Drive Trend
Also driving this trend are DoD procurement policies that
drive increased interest in preconfigured subsystems from COTS
vendors. These new policies demand more demonstration of new
technologies. The policy also pushes for demonstrations earlier
in the program development phase. Technologies also used to
July 2011 COTS Journal [ 11 ]
Special Feature
Figure 1
An early example of function-specific integrated systems was the SMU (Sensor Management Unit) subsystem deployed aboard the Global Hawk
UAV. The SMU works essentially as an interface fusion box, routing various interfaces and fusing them together.
Figure 2
The current Network Centric Mission
Management Computer is a 6U 21-slot
system with Serial RapidIO mesh, VPXconduction-cooled solution. It integrates
6U SBCs with 6-port Dual Redundant
MIL-STD-1553 Interface 8-port, 1
Gbit/s Fibre Channel interface, internal
64 Gbyte solid state SATA storage and/
or 32 Gbyte RAM High-speed serial
interface.
have to show higher technology readiness
levels (TRLs) than previously required.
The result is ever greater demand for prepackaged and prequalified subsystems as
primes find themselves without the time
or the DoD funding to develop a prototype subsystem internally.
One of the earliest examples of this
function-specific integrated system trend
was Curtiss-Wright’s SMU (Sensor Management Unit) subsystem. Deployed
aboard the Global Hawk UAV (Figure
1), the unit offers the capability to support Gbit Ethernet and High-Speed Fibre
Channel links while interfacing with legacy interfaces such as 1553, RS-422, ECL
and Fast Ethernet. In this way, the SMU
works essentially as an interface fusion
box, routing various interfaces and fusing them together. The SMU’s fully ruggedized aluminum chassis evolved from
the original version (used in Global Hawk
Block 20), adding significant capacity for
system expansion (planned for BAMS
Global Hawk) while addressing demanding environmental requirements.
Need for Scalability
Helping to drive this evolution has
been an increased demand for modularity and scalability. UAV system integrators are being called on to enable both
scaling up and scaling down of particular subsystems as required by the mission
and payload configuration of other UAV
platforms. This trend has driven designs
to use VPX-based I/O-centric processors
with multiple and widely supported highspeed fabric I/O interfaces and expandable high-bandwidth memory.
The current Network Centric Mission Management Computer (Figure 2) is
a 6U 21-slot system with Serial RapidIO
mesh, VPX-conduction-cooled solution.
It integrates 6U SBCs with 6-port Dual
Redundant MIL-STD-1553 Interface
Special Feature
UAV System Development with Model-Based Design
Joy Lin, Aerospace and Defense Industry Marketing Manager, MathWorks
TEST AND VERIFICATION
The next generation of unmanned aerial
level dependencies. For example, a typical
RESEARCH
REQUIREMENTS
vehicles (UAVs) is expected to fulfill a numsystem-level requirement for an imaging
ber of potentially conflicting performance
payload is to maintain a certain level of
DESIGN
and robustness requirements, such as
quality for the video transmission throughlonger flights with increased redundancy for
out the mission. A high gain, sophisticated
Environmental Models
more autonomy. Engineers are finding that
control algorithm that enables the UAV to
Physical Components
development methods that rely on domaintrack the target within a few millimeters of
Algorithms
specific tools for subsystem-level optimizaaccuracy coupled with a low-power antenna
tion are no longer sufficient to address these
would be one design option. At the other
new challenges. Many of these engineers are
end of the option spectrum is a design with
IMPLEMENTATION
adopting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
a high-power antenna and a less accurate
VHDL,
Structured
tools for Model-Based Design. A primary
target tracking algorithm.
C, C++
VERILOG
Text
advantage of this switch is that it enables
Because these design options are
MCU DSP FPGA ASIC
PLC
engineers to develop and optimize designs
interdependent, performing design tradeoffs
at the system level. In Model-Based Design
using static analysis in a spreadsheet may
(Figure 1), engineers create multidomain
lead to a suboptimal design. In some cases
INTEGRATION
models in a shared environment, which enthis fairly traditional approach may lead a
ables subsystems from different disciplines Model-Based Design supports system-level and team to conclude that the requirements are
to be integrated into a common system-level component-level design and simulation, automatic not achievable at all. With a Model-Based
model early in the development process.
code generation, and continuous test and verification. Design approach, teams create a multidoUsing this system-level model, teams can
main system-level model by connecting
explore the design space to conduct tradeoff studies and gain insights
guidance, navigation and controls (GNC) models, communications
that are not revealed by analyzing individual subsystems in isolation.
models, and other interdependent subsystem models. By trying a
Increasingly, UAV subsystem requirements are highly dependent
variety of subsystem-level model components and running parameter
on other subsystems. However, during a traditional design process
sweep simulations, engineers can evaluate the output video image
the UAV is optimized for a specific subsystem without regard for any
quality of numerous design alternatives to determine which one best
subsystem interdependence. For instance, subsystem requirements for
meets the system-level performance requirement.
a communications component may specify a maximum bit error rate
Model-Based Design enables UAV engineers to iterate rapidly
(BER), but the power needed to achieve that requirement is not given
earlier in the design process, work in a multidomain modeling environconsideration in the same context. To avoid design rework and iterament to optimize system-level performance, and use a single system
tions late in the development process, systems engineers must perform
model as a golden reference for the design. Compared to a traditional
design tradeoffs at the system level.
approach, Model-Based Design helps teams identify errors earlier in
For a design tradeoff study to yield valuable and actionable rethe design process and deliver higher quality, optimized UAV systems
sults, it must be based on system-level models that capture subsystem
in less time.
8-port, 1 Gbit/s Fibre Channel interface,
internal 64 Gbyte solid state SATA storage and/or 32 Gbyte RAM High-speed serial interface (up to 16 Mbit/s in HDLC/
sync mode) ECL Interface. The unit has a
28 VDC MIL-STD-704E Power Input and
has a power consumption under 1000W.
Weight in a typical configuration is 80
lbs, and MTBF ranges from 1500 to 2000
hours depending on configuration.
DSP-Centric System
Another twist on the function-
specific approach is to tailor the system
for a particular kind of technology such
as digital signal processing (DSP). With
that in mind, Kontron offers a system designed for the needs of compute-intensive
DSP-based systems. The Kontron HPEC
platform (Figure 3) is a VPX-based super
computer-like system that accommodates up to 18 Kontron 6U VPX VX6060s,
powered by Dual Intel Core i7 processor
computing nodes, and employs 36 tightly
coupled processors.
Using its VXFabric technology, the
system uses a simplified API that allows
high-speed socket-based communication between blades by using multiple
switched fabric interconnects within the
backplane. The 72 core, 18-blade Kontron
HPEC platform provides a breakthrough
in compute density, up to 1.44 Teraflops
(1.44 Trillion Floating Point Operation
per second) in a small 19-inch footprint
that delivers the high-performance computing power that is a critical capability
for many of today’s military systems. Potential applications include radar, sonar,
Special Feature
SIGINT and video processing for various
aircraft or UAV programs.
Payload Choices
Another example of getting closer to
the end application needs of the military
system developer is Themis Computer’s
Mission and Payload System initiative.
It includes preconfigured versions of the
3U VPX and mezzanine modules, backplanes, I/O controllers, front panels and
chassis cooling options. These systems allow customers to buy true COTS systems,
with a standardized option set, suitable
for many Mission Computer, Display
Processor, Digital Map, EW Controller,
SIGINT Recorder, Bus Data and Voice
Recorder, and Payload Management applications.
The initial conduction-cooled 3U
VPX MPSI product suite includes a highperformance Intel Core i7 (Arrandale)-
Figure 3
This DSP-centric system accommodates
up to 18 6U VPX Dual Intel Core i7 SBCs.
It uses a simplified API that allows highspeed socket-based communication
between blades by using multiple
switched fabric interconnects within the
backplane.
based SBC, an AMD E4690-based GPU
module, an 8-Port SATA/SAS RAID
Controller and XMC/PMC Carrier module, and a Mass Storage Carrier for 256
Gbyte flash or 500 Gbyte non-rugged rotating media. I/O options are extended,
through the use of the XMC/PMC I/O
Carrier, which hosts a wide range of I/O
controllers, including MIL-STD-1553,
ARINC 429, High Speed Serial, ATDS,
Discrete and Analog I/O. Included in the
MPSI suite is a series of third-party Software Defined Radio and FPGA Modules.
Packaging options for the MPSI suite include two new Themis designed chassis
systems, an 8-slot, ½ ATR high-power
chassis with multiple cooling and storage
options; and a 5-slot convection-cooled
chassis intended for smaller footprint and
lower power applications.
Service Approach to FunctionSpecific
Taking a more service-oriented approach to function-specific systems, Mercury Computer Systems takes what it calls
an Application Ready Subsystem (ARS)
[ 14Untitled-4
] COTS1Journal July 2011
2/16/11 9:51:50 AM
STACKED
IN YOUR
FAVOR
ACCELERATE YOUR EMBEDDED
GRAPHICS DELIVERY WITH
PRE-INTEGRATED SOFTWARE
DEVELOPING GRAPHICS ON-TIME AND
ON-BUDGET IS KEY FOR MISSION AND
SAFETY CRITICAL AVIONICS. PRESAGIS
OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE HELPS YOU
COMPLY WITH STANDARDS AND SPEEDS
DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMBEDDED DISPLAY
STACK FOR DELIVERY OF NEXT GENERATION
F I X E D O R R OTA RY W I N G CO C K P I T AV I O N I C S .
VAPS XT ,
THE LEADING SOFTWARE FOR RAPIDLY
DEVELOPING HMI, HAS BEEN CERTIFIED ON MAJOR
AIRCRAF T WORLDWIDE. ENGINEERED FOR SAFET Y,
PERFORMANCE AND CERTIFICATION, SEAWEED SEAWIND
DRIVERS FROM PRESAGIS ARE ALSO AIRBORNE AND
SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF GPUS.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.PRESAGIS.COM/EG
OR CALL +1-800-361-6424 | +1-514-341-3874
© 2011 PresagisTM Canada Inc. and/or PresagisTM USA Inc. All rights reserved.
Presagis, the Presagis logo, Seaweed, SeaWind, and VAPS XT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Presagis
in Canada and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Special Feature
approach. An ARS is a customizable
configuration designed for a specific application area—EW, radar, EO/IR, C4I
or sonar. In a recent example, last year
Mercury engaged with a major prime as
they started to develop a solution for an
Electronic Warfare program. The EW
Application Ready Subsystem was packaged in a 6U VXS chassis. It included two
sets of Echotek Series RF tuners and signal processing FPGA modules, each set
handling eight coherent input channels.
For high-capacity, low-latency intrasystem bandwidth, the ARS used a RapidIO
switch fabric backplane and included two
RapidIO switching modules. This system
design could be modified to address EW
applications covering various frequency
ranges and channel capacities.
Figure 4
The Mission & Payload System Initiative
suite includes an 8-slot, ½ ATR highpower chassis with multiple cooling and
storage options.
Kontron America
Poway, CA.
(858) 677-0877.
[www.kontron.com].
Curtiss-Wright Controls Electronic Systems
Santa Clarita, CA.
(661) 257-4430.
[www.cwcelectronicsystems.com].
Middleton, WI.
(608) 833-1155.
[www.xes-inc.com].
Mercury Computer Systems
Chelmsford, MA.
(978) 967-1401.
[www.mc.com].
Parvus
Salt Lake City, UT.
(801) 483-1533.
[www.parvus.com].
RadiSys
Hillsboro, OR.
(503) 615-1100.
[www.radisys.com].
Themis Computer
Fremont, CA.
(510) 252-0870.
[www.themis.com].
[ 16Untitled-5
6/29/11 10:23:20 AM
GE
Intelligent Platforms
From proposal
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be built around Freescale or Intel processors
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provide enough options to handle most
applications. The CRS series takes the risk out
of rugged system development with a fully
tested computing platform that integrates
with our own wide range of COTS products
as well as those of third-party providers.
Finally, a rugged system that puts “off-theshelf” back into COTS.
For white papers and application details, visit:
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© 2011 GE Intelligent Platforms, Inc. All rights reserved.
All other brands or names are property of their respective holders.
Special Feature
Pre-Integrated Subsystems
Step Up to Meet Demanding
Requirements
While modularity and SWaP remain critical factors, pre-integrated system designs
are moving closer to end-applciations needs.
Mike Southworth, Director of Marketing
Parvus
A
dvances made in embedded computing technology continue to push
pre-integrated subsystems further
into demanding applications where only
the most durable, powerful systems will
suffice. These COTS-based systems continue to gain traction within the governd
ment especially since Defense Secretary
Robert M. Gates in 2009 called on the
military to forget the “exquisite” platform and instead seek the “80-percent
solution”—equipment that’s affordable
andsolutions
can benow
fielded quickly and in large
nies providing
quantities.
movement
within
ion into products,
technologiesThe
and companies.
Whether
your goalthe
is to research the latest
tion Engineer,military
or jump to to
a company's
technical
goal of Get Connected is to put you
focus on
pricepage,
andthe
capability
you require for
whatever
of technology,
over
ideal,type
envelope-pushing
systems has
and products you are searching for.
led to the design of sophisticated pre-inwww.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
tegrated subsystems to meet the military’s
stringent requirements.
Figure 1
The ability for customers to tailor
Military tilt-rotary aircrafts benefit from the flexible platform of pre-integrated subsystems.
their device with specific I/O has proven
to be a key motivator for the rapid adoption of pre-integrated subsystems. Parvus
has noticed an increase of customers mi- upgrades may have to be requalified and integrated subsystems provides superior
grating away from sole source, proprietary retrofitted to the system—a lengthy and longevity and flexibility as components
rugged computing technology as long- expensive process.
can be upgraded in the future without a
term lifecycle support is questionable and
complete system redesign—an especially
Modularity Spurs Increased
attractive feature to organizations faced
Get Connected
Adoption
with tightening budgets. To date, more
with companies mentioned in this article.
The
modularity
of
some
prethan 100 COTS-based vendors produce
www.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
ploration
your goal
k directly
age, the
source.
ology,
d products
End of Article
Special Feature
Figure 2
New designs of pre-integrated subsystems must consider the CPU-intensive applications required by UAV control systems.
products based on modular PC/104 standards. With this broad base of PC/104compatible options, modularity for preintegrated subsystems is optimal.
As an example, one manufacturer
of a military tilt-rotary aircraft (Figure
1) specifies the multicore version of the
DuraCOR pre-integrated subsystem with
COTS PC104+ modules supporting MILSTD-1553 avionics bus interfaces and
MPEG video encoding. The prime contractor leverages the unit to provide platform mission processing, among other
capabilities. In a recent quick-reaction
capability (QRC) demonstration for the
U.S. Government, the DuraCOR unit was
repurposed to link with a stand-alone
Ethernet switch subsystem to expand
the aircraft’s situational awareness capabilities by sharing and receiving real-time
video feeds with ground commanders.
To further reduce size, weight and power
(SWaP), the customer is looking at also
integrating the Ethernet switch (also
based on PC104 architecture) into an
open card slot within the DuraCOR computer housing, eliminating the need for
separate computer/switch boxes. As this
customer demonstrates, the flexibility
of pre-integrated subsystems allows this
computing platform to perform a variety
of functions for various applications.
Debating Power vs. Performance
In today’s military platforms, reducing a system’s size, weight and power
(SWaP) is critical for operational life
and budgetary constraints. The number
of electronic payloads within the military’s combat vehicles has increased significantly, and designers of pre-integrated
subsystems must include greater embedded processing power while trying to
mitigate large power consumption. Plus,
the growing need for mobility eliminates
the option to increase the footprint to
make room for more power or more performance.
As a result, multicore processing
technology is experiencing a significant boost in deployment within preintegrated subsystems. While previous
multiprocessing solutions involved one
or more physical chips, which doubled
he amount of board space consumed or
more, the introduction of multiple processing cores in a single chip allows operating systems and applications to leverage
increased computing power. It also has
provided access to additional computing
resources without noticeably increasing the size or weight of the system. For
demanding applications, mobile Core 2
Duo or Core i7 processors, as examples,
provide attractive solutions. While presenting a challenge to manage the 10-55
watts of thermal design power (TDP) of
these processors, they offer a level of performance that pushes the boundaries of
traditional rugged computing required
by new applications.
With the high level of performance
offered by multicore processors, high
power requirements become an issue.
Low-power options such as Intel’s new
Atom processor family inject more possibilities for rugged stand-alone boxes.
This low-power processor has a thermal
design power (TDP) specification in the
0.6-2.5 watt range and scales to 1.8 GHz
speeds depending on customer need. By
comparison, today’s mainstream mobile
Core 2 Duo processors have a TDP in the
17-35 watt range. New multicore Atombased single board computers (SBCs) are
also entering the scene, which promises
the best of both scenarios with lower
Special Feature
power consumption than the Core 2 Duo
yet better performance metrics compared
to legacy single core Atom processors.
Atom-based solutions, however, don’t
typically support the PCI Express Graphics (PEG) bus for certain graphics-intensive applications.
Need for Prompt, Fresh Designs
To bridge the divide between power
vs. performance, suppliers of pre-integrated subsystems are engineering solutions that offer some middle ground. For
its part, Parvus is designing new Intelbased pre-integrated subsystems that
provide greater performance while still
maintaining power efficiency. To support the military’s escalating Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
efforts, which include compute-intensive
applications such as sonar, radar, SIGINT
and UAV control systems (Figure 2), these
new subsystems will include PCI Express
capabilities to support higher speed addon cards for graphics, SATA, video and
other removable media.
As with any computing system designed for the military, new products
continue to focus on minimizing size
and weight. Some traditional limitations
for pre-integrated subsystems have been
providing a COTS design that supports
the right number of cards, enough connector interfaces and sufficient thermal
and shock/vibration ruggedization—all
while being optimized to meet military
customer requirements.
Taking a cue from the “Lego-like”
stacking architecture of PC/104, the mechanical design for Parvus’ next-generation subsystems aims to overcome these
hurdles and maximize flexibility of a
rugged COTS subsystem. The approach
incorporates a modular rugged enclosure
with building block chassis segments that
have pre-integrated card sets, along with
MIL connector interfaces and optimized
thermal management devices. Depending on customer requirements, a particular functional card set can be configured
for stand-alone use—for instance as a
computer, router, or Ethernet switch—or
attached to each other and consolidated
within a single, compact mechanical solution. Compared to the traditional ap-
Figure 3
The operating system used in pre-integrated subsystems is dictated by the application’s
requirements. Vehicle needs are very different than aircraft needs for example. Pre-integrated
subsystems are designed to accommodate the many varieties of operating systems currently
available.
proach of working around a fixed-sized
box with a pre-defined number of open
card slots, this modular approach provides greater flexibility, superior technology reuse and provisions for mechanical
adaptations.
Application Engineering Fills the
Void
The ability for customers to optimize
COTS subsystems is a key motivator for
the further adoption of this technology
as it reduces costs and speeds time to deployment as compared to custom designs.
However, many companies are facing human resource constraints or aggressive
project schedules that restrict their engineering groups from modifying products
in-house. Application engineering groups
at Original Equipment Manufacturers
(OEMs) fill this void by assisting system
integrators with application-optimized,
turnkey solutions that reduce development time while increasing customer interface and feedback, ultimately lowering
the costs of modifications and the risk
associated with third-party subsystem
integration.
Subsystem integration services, also
called application engineering, are becoming increasingly popular as customers witness the cost benefits of leveraging
qualified COTS subsystem platforms. Application engineering teams quickly become experts at understanding requirements and proposing the most rugged
yet cost-effective approach to meet their
program’s functional and environmental
requirements. Common requests of Parvus application engineers include the integration of application-specific boards,
loading of custom operating systems, upgrading of memory/mass storage devices,
and handling mechanical, connector or
interface customizations.
Application engineers provide accessibility between design engineers and
customers to ensure their integrated subsystem will meet user demands and provide the best deployment possible. Since
these engineers often serve as the technical point of contact when optimizing systems, communication between the manufacturer’s resources and the customer is
greatly improved. This communication
not only ensures that customers’ expecJuly 2011 COTS Journal [ 21 ]
Special Feature
sume valuable CPU bandwidth—and
incur extra costs—military contractors
need to be cognizant of how an OS can
affect overall performance. OS optimization services can be rendered by application engineering teams to create an OS
image size based on the feature sets the
customer requires.
Tough Requirements Push
Innovation
Figure 4
The DuraCOR 810 includes up to six spare PC/104(+) slots and a large spare DTL-38999
expansion connector conveniently routed to an internal breakout board and headers.
tations are being met, but also provides
valuable market trend information to
the teams developing the next-generation
products.
Customizing OS for Mil
Applications
Among the many variables that
comprise pre-integrated subsystems is
the Operating System (OS). The open
architecture of pre-integrated systems is
hugely beneficial to military customers as
they can choose the OS that works best
for a particular application (Figure 3).
Military customers have a diverse set of
OS preferences varying from “roll your
own Linux” to commercial Windows OS
depending on the customer’s unique application and requirements.
Real Time Operating Systems
(RTOSs) are proving to be particularly
popular among aerospace programs that
demand application-specific tasks be
executed reliably, consistently and pre[ 22 ] COTS Journal July 2011
dictably. This is especially true in terms
of flight software and complying with
avionics certification standards such as
DO-178B and its follow-on standard DO178C. The ability of an RTOS to boot up
within nanoseconds and respond quickly
to events is proving critical to mil-aero
applications where each second can translate into saved lives.
The influx of multicore processors
in pre-integrated subsystems has also
spurred RTOS offerings to include technologies and capabilities to take advantage
of the performance gains of multicores.
For example, Wind River’s VxWorks 653
now supports multicore architectures
that will allow the addition of more applications to a single platform.
To maximize the performance of
pre-integrated subsystems, the OS needs
to be optimized to contain just the functionalities required by the application
without any unnecessary features. As
added complexities of an OS can con-
An example product that’s part of this
pre-integrated systems trend is the DuraCOR 810 (Figure 4) rugged computer
offered by Parvus. It includes up to six
spare slots and a large spare DTL-38999
expansion connector conveniently routed
to an internal breakout board and headers. This allows for application-specific
PC/104(+) cards to be integrated without having to make external mechanical
changes. For this reason, customers are
not only interested in these rugged boxes
as stand-alone computers, but also as an
upgradeable computing platform.
Military applications present engineers of pre-integrated subsystems with
some of the most intense design challenges in the COTS world. Not only do
modern military customers demand that
pre-integrated subsystems withstand extreme conditions, but they must reduce
SWaP—all without sacrificing performance. As the military continues to push
the limits of computing system requirements, pre-integrated subsystems will
continue to evolve to endure the toughest
conditions.
Parvus
Salt Lake City, UT.
(801) 483-1533.
[www.parvus.com].
Copyright © 2011 Kontron AG. All rights reserved. Kontron and the Kontron logo and all other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are recognized. Rev. # D110eu01
» Who can solve my SWaP-C challenges? «
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If it’s embedded, it’s Kontron.
Special Feature
Networked-Military Calls for
More Complex UPS and Power
Distribution Tech
In this era of mission-critical networked systems, uninterruptible power supply
technology and power distribution are moving to center stage.
Michael A. Stout, VP of Engineering
Falcon Electric
David J. Proli, Engineering Manager,
Marway Power Solutions
N
apoleon once stated that “an army
travels on its stomach.” Today’s
new high-tech military travels
on its communications capabilities.
The spectrum of these capabilities encompasses the entire radio frequency
(RF) spectrum, from wired and wireless
land-based digital systems to proprietary satellite data networks. These systems include radios, computers, servers,
telco systems and every network device
imaginable. Every facet of the military
depends on these critical communications and data systems. Since the digital revolution of the 80s and 90s, the
military budget for these systems has
exploded. Further, the large availability
of low-cost off-the-shelf network infrastructure products has allowed the
military to keep the cost of the systems
at a minimum, while maximizing their
effectiveness. When it comes to communications networks, the U.S. military
operates and maintains one of the largest networks on earth.
The diversity of their network is becoming mind-bending. While one facet
of the network supports the remote con-
Figure 1
The Land Warrior System incorporates a real-time helmet including mounted audio elements
and a video display. It can display maps and images from the weapon-mounted camera. A
mouse-type control lets the soldier toggle between screens on his video display.
trol of UAVs from remote locations, another facet supports the real-time tracking of logistical support. And yet another
supports secure communications, ad
infinitum. A great example of the power
and diversity of the network is the Army’s
Land Warrior System.
Network Support
The Land Warrior System can out-
Special Feature
fit each individual soldier with his own
digital network (Figure 1). The system
incorporates a real-time helmet including mounted audio elements and a video
display. It can display maps and images
from the weapon-mounted camera. A
mouse-type control is also part of the
weapon, allowing the soldier to toggle
between screens on his video display.
The system further supports weapon
aiming, a laser range finder, night vision
and multiband radio capabilities. The
soldier’s personal network can be connected to a transceiver that can connect
to a local area network and other soldiers, or in some cases can be connected
to a satellite network. The amount of
distributed network infrastructure required to support the Land Warrior System alone is massive. Network support
elements can be land, air, sea or satellite-based.
It takes a massive amount of distributed networking and computer hardware
to support such a monstrous network,
and the military looks at the commercial market for its procurement whenever
possible. The low cost and fast delivery of
off-the-shelf equipment is preferred over
proprietary solutions. When commercial
equipment is selected for use, there are
some considerations that must be made
prior to its deployment.
Temperature Issues
Of primary concern is that most
off-the-shelf network products are designed to be installed and operated in a
temperature-controlled and protected office environment. In a large military base
located in Europe or the U.S., this usage
would be perfectly acceptable providing it
was installed indoors and powered from a
local utility source. However, should the
equipment be part of a system that can
be deployed anywhere in the world, this
may not be the case. Environment and
power could result in the equipment’s
unreliable operation or its failure. As an
example, should the base be located in a
third-world country and powered from
a questionable local utility or generator
source, there is a good chance the equipment operation will be compromised. The
addition of a high-grade on-line uninterruptible power supply (UPS) would have
to be configured in the system to clean up
power problems and supply power during
periods of utility power loss and generator startup.
Should the base be located in a desert region or the Middle East, where temperatures can reach 120° to 130°F, further
considerations must be made. Most commercial computer, server, networking and
UPS equipment is designed to operate in
a temperature range of 32° to 104°F (0°
to 40°C). The Uptime Institute, a leading data center authority, states that for
every 18 degrees Fahrenheit increase in
temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the long-term reliability of data center equipment is reduced by 50%. In these
locations, to ensure reliability, computer,
network and power conditioning equipment must be rated for wide temperature
operation.
1
[ 26Untitled-11
] COTS Journal
July 2011
7/5/11 1:55:34 PM
Harness improved processing and SWaP efficiency in the
free-air-cooled Aitech NightHawk RCU™ Rugged Computing
Unit – without sacrificing durability or versatility. The Remote
Interface/Data Concentrator capabilities of this PC-based
embedded unit are ideal for demanding applications in
defense, aerospace, and rugged industrial environments,
such as CBM, GPS, and RFID monitoring in manned or
unmanned vehicles.
Take rugged to greater extremes... with an environmentally
sealed, extruded aluminum housing and innovative convection/
radiation cooling design that dissipates more than 22 W at +55°C.
With MIL-DTL 38999 connectors, the sealed NightHawk protects
against windblown fine dust and sand particles, while numerous
EMI/RFI features meet MIL-STD 461 emission and susceptibility
limits, all in a shock-, vibration-, and corrosion-resistant design for
harsh mechanical, climatic, chemical and electrical environments.
Minimize weight... at just 4.5 lbs., this space-saving unit delivers
Limitless applications... maximize your options with the
exceptionally efficient SWaP performance in a slim-profile
195-in.3 package.
Expand I/O versatility... with 18-36 vdc input, standard PC I/O
interfaces, video-cam input, independent hi-def XGA and standard
TV video outputs, plus extensive internal expansion support to add
peripheral I/O interfaces for military/industrial embedded apps.
Enhance your processing efficiency... with a low-power Intel®
Atom™ (Navy Pier) 1.6 GHz RISC microprocessor, 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM
and 8 GB SSD memory, plus optional CompactFlash or 250 GB Solid
State Disk (SSD) storage with room for customization.
Photography Courtesy of Lockheed Martin
flexibility to configure the NightHawk RCU™ into the control
unit you need it to be. Contact us today for detailed power
and I/O specifications.
Aitech Defense Systems, Inc.
19756 Prairie Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
email: [email protected]
Toll Free: 888-Aitech8 - (888) 248-3248
Fax: (818) 407-1502
www.rugged.com
Special Feature
Wider Temp Ranges
Since the military has been deployed
in the Middle East for over 10 years, the
demand for equipment rated for operation over a wider temperature range has
increased. The demand for network infrastructure and UPS power conversion
products rated for operation in higher
temperature environments has not gone
unnoticed by some equipment manufacturers. The market demand has been
increased even further as many non-military industrial applications have the same
operational temperature requirements.
This is driving more and more network,
computer and UPS manufacturers to address the demand. This is resulting in
new families of products specifically designed to operate reliably over a wider -4°
to 131°F (-20° to 55°C) temperature range.
Figure 2 shows an example product from
Falcon Electric along those lines.
Due to the extreme levels of vibration
and shock present in some military applications and tied with the requirement for
a wide operational temperature specification, most commercial-grade equipment
is prevented from being used as is. However, many manufacturers are finding
that the commercial-grade circuit board
level electronics may be repackaged into a
new more protective enclosure. Thermal
concerns are addressed with the addition
of thermal management devices.
Power Distribution
Moreover, often due to the large
amount of commercial-grade server, networking and communications equipment
that must be plugged in and powered at
a given location, power distribution is a
perpetual challenge. Most installations
use one or more power distribution units
(PDUs) to feed power to each device in
the system. The power connector styles
of each piece of equipment in the system
can vary with some using commercial
styles and some using MIL-STD styles.
Additionally, the required power configuration for each piece of equipment can
vary from numerous AC configurations
to various DC voltages. Figure 3 shows
an example PDU product from Marway
Power Solutions.
Since the PDU is a common point
at which this equipment is tied together,
it can be beneficial to resolve these challenges in the PDU itself. This can be done
by using a modified commercial-grade
PDU to help integrate the various connector styles and power configurations
required by the equipment. The PDU
itself can be configured to provide the
appropriate mating connectors for each
piece of equipment, thus avoiding the
need for adapter cables. If DC power is
required for some equipment, the PDU
can also be configured with an internal
power supply, thus eliminating the need
for external power supplies. Both of these
approaches help to simplify the overall
system.
Design Complications
Of course the environmental concerns present for the other equipment in
the system also apply to the PDU. In many
[ 28Untitled-4
5/6/11 9:57:19 AM
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Special Feature
Figure 2
The SSG Series UPS is designed to operate reliably in an operational temperature range of
-4° to +131°F (-20° to 55°C). The SSG is ideal for harsh military power environments.
cases commercial-grade components used
within the PDU are analyzed and repackaged or replaced to add extended capability to meet adverse temperature, shock
and vibration requirements for the target
installation. Other applications such as
ground transport, airborne, submarine
and shipboard further complicate design
considerations. These environments can
be conducive to salt spray, EMI, humidity,
sand blasts, icing and freezing rain, which
can further impact the enclosure design
as well as internal component selection. In
many cases traditional electromechanical
control devices used in commercial-grade
PDUs cannot meet the criteria and thus
the need for solid state technology becomes more appropriate. However, these
devices carry the challenge of managing
additional thermal dissipation, which can
drive unique airflow requirements.
Other features are often desirable to
help simplify the design, installation and
maintenance of the overall power system.
Depending on the installation location
and available power quality, additional
power conditioning may be required in
the PDU itself. This can include transient
voltage suppression through the use of
a surge protection device (SPD). It can
also include power line noise suppression through the use of an EMI filter. In
multi-phase applications it is helpful for
the PDU to include some local monitoring capability to allow efficient installation without the need for user-provided
power measurement tools. A local monitor can provide input current values for
each phase providing an easy means to
ensure the entire system is balanced during setup.
Despite the increasing desire for
value-added features inside the PDU, it
is important to recognize that space is always at a premium. As the high-tech military continues to expand its capability,
suppliers of network and power conditioning products are faced with challenges
to minimize footprint, reduce weight and
increase capacity. Certain applications,
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and storage applications.
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[ 30Untitled-8
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4/28/11 11:15:23 AM
Special Feature
especially those for field locations have
extreme size constraints that restrict the
“one size fits all” approach. Flexibility
in form factor allows installation of the
power distribution units in back or corner areas allowing critical space to be
occupied by more frequently accessed
equipment. The continuous trend to provide maximum system capability in the
minimum available space while meeting
the environmental challenges has driven
requirements for a class of military offthe-shelf products.
Falcon Electric
Irwindale, CA.
(626) 962-7770.
[www.falconups.com].
Marway Power Solutions
Santa Ana, CA.
(714) 917-6200.
[www.marway.com].
Untitled-3 1
Figure 3
Power distribution units (PDUs) are often used to feed power to each device in the system.
PDUs can be configured to provide the appropriate mating connectors for each piece of
equipment, avoiding the need for adapter cables.
7/5/11Journal
11:42:36
AM ]
July 2011 COTS
[ 31
ploration
your goal
k directly
age, the
source.
ology,
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Tech Recon
Focus on Attack Paths Improves
Military Software Security
By identifying and securing paths that link attack surfaces to attack targets, military
system developers can improve software security.
Dale Brenneman,
Vice President, Software Quality Solutions
McCabe Software
T
he U.S. government has said its networks are probed and attacked millions of times a day, and that other
nations, terrorists and cyber criminals
are getting more adept at penetrating
military and government networks to
d
spy, steal critical data or affect critical
infrastructure. The consequences of such
attacks are growing greater as the military
increasingly moves from private networks
to the Internet to take advantage of lower
initial
investments,
higher reliability and
nies providing
solutions
now
ubiquity.
ion into products,
technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest
tion Engineer, or jump
a company's
technical
page, the Security
Theto result
is that
Software
you require for
whatever
type
of
technology,
Analysis (SSA) is becoming increasingly
Figure 1
important in military software applicawww.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
This structure chart of an attack map shows attack surfaces, attack targets and the functions
tions. SSA typically includes the identification of attack surfaces, entry points
that link them.
into the system that a malicious user can
exploit by providing malformed data to
trigger deviant behavior; and of attack assess their correctness and robustness. attack targets need to be investigated in
targets, areas of the system that can cause The challenge is that a complex piece of detail, rather only those that are conadverse critical impact if exploited. The code typically has a large number of po- nected to attack surfaces. Path-based
task of the analyst is to review these en- tential attack surfaces and attack targets, methods can be used to quickly and accutry points and critical impact areas, and often far more than can be thoroughly rately generate mappings (“attack maps”)
analyzed in the time available.
that identify linkages between attack
surfaces and attack targets, and therefore
Get Connected
Using Attack Maps
which attack targets are at risk and which
Fortunately,
not
all
of
the
potential
are benign. This makes it possible for sewww.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
End of Article
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Tech Recon
curity analysts to concentrate their efforts
on ensuring the robustness of the at-risk
attack targets. The result is that they are
able to substantially improve the security
of the code with reduced resources.
Today virtually every military software application connects to a network
and an increasing number connect to the
Internet. So what used to be external in-
terfaces are now potential points of attack.
Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University
and others pushed forward the concept
of the attack surface for identifying areas
of potential vulnerability. SSA provides a
method of identifying the attack surfaces,
which encompasses code, interfaces, services and protocols.
From the standpoint of code analy-
sis, a significant concern consists of areas
where the system obtains external input,
such as functions that accept data or read
configuration files, environmental variables or registry entries that affect application behavior. Malicious attacks often
originate from these entry points, so it is
important to review them to assess their
correctness and robustness. But today’s
software can also have hundreds of potential attack targets inside the application, and there is rarely if ever enough
time available to thoroughly check them
all out. SSA typically ends when the team
runs out of time, money or finds a specified number of bugs.
Path-based methods enable an approach that much more effectively leverages the available SSA resources. The attack targets are analyzed based on their
connections to attack surfaces through
call relationships. The value of this approach is that a large proportion of attack
targets does not interact with attack surfaces, and therefore is completely benign.
The identification of these trivial attack
targets makes it possible for security analysts to focus their energies on the typically small proportion of attack targets
that present a real danger.
Identifying the Critical Paths
The critical areas of code requiring
analysis for potential security remediation are identified through the creation of
an attack map that links attack surfaces
to attack targets. The creation of the attack map begins with the identification
of functions that characterize the attack
surfaces and attack targets. For example,
create a set called AttackSurface and add
to its contents the functions from the
input space that you wish to trace. In a
network application, the recv() function,
which receives data from a socket, may
be of interest. Next, create a set called AttackTarget and specify target functions
that identify critical areas of the code.
An attack map (Figure 1) is created by
requesting the tool to provide a reduced
view, consisting only of functions in the
attack surface set, the attack target set,
and the functions that link them through
call relationships. All other functions will
[ 34Untitled-9
5/6/11 10:05:28 AM
Tech Recon
be filtered from view. Further analysis
and reporting can proceed from this focused view.
The attack map clearly identifies the
functions and paths that are potentially
exercised in the execution flow of an attack, and therefore should be carefully
analyzed and tested. Less attention needs
to be paid to functions that are filtered
out. This approach can substantially improve the security of an application by
enabling security analysts to focus their
attention on areas of code that could potentially be utilized in an attack.
Securing the Critical Paths
The paths of execution control
identified on the attack map are potentially critical to application security, and therefore should be carefully
analyzed and tested using a path-based
approach. A program metrics report
can be produced to show the program
integration complexity for the subset
of functions of interest. The program
integration complexity represents the
number of unique, linearly independent paths exercising all calls through
the functions shown in the chart. This
can be used to help estimate the effort
of further analysis.
A metrics report (Figure 2) helps
determine which functions of an attack
map or subset have a high risk due to their
complexity. The report in Figure 2 shows
that one of the functions in this rooted
subset of the attack map has a cyclomatic complexity (v(G)) greater than 15.
Refactoring could be used to break down
complex functions in the attack map into
smaller functions, many of which will
likely be outside the attack path of execution, reducing the security risk.
The next step is investigating each
root level function and examining the
integration paths that reach the attack
target. The structure chart (Figure 3)
shows a hierarchical call tree of functions. Alternatively, a chart showing class
relationships can be displayed. To focus
analysis on an individual call tree, filter
the structure chart to show only the functions in a call tree rooted at the specified
function.
Figure 2
This report shows functions in an attack map, including their cyclomatic complexity.
Figure 3
This structure chart rooted at a function shows calls exercised for each call tree sequence.
Tech Recon
Visualizing the Data
Specific control flow paths can be
analyzed by highlighting them, and by
displaying the sequences of decision
outcomes needed to exercise them thoroughly. The structure chart can show the
linearly independent integration paths
through the functions in the current
chart. The user can step through the vari-
ous subtrees and the chart will highlight
lines connecting the boxes that represent
the calls exercised for the selected call
tree sequence. Special attention should be
paid to integration subtrees that highlight
calls to both the attack target and attack
surface. The chart can also be used to
generate a test report on any design subtree listing the calling and called func-
tions and the test conditions needed to
exercise the subtree.
For further code and path analysis,
drill down into the details of a function
by right-clicking on a box on the structure
chart or on a function name in a report,
to bring up a context menu for selection.
Selectable details include a graphical representation of the function’s control flow
and the source code for the function.
The user can also step through sets of
integration of cyclomatic paths through
the function. The flowgraph, annotated
source coding listing and test path details
can be used to carry out a thorough analysis of each function in the attack map to
ensure the control flow paths shown are
valid, consistent with requirements and
secure.
Path-based code coverage analysis
should also be applied to all code in an
attack map, to further reduce your security risk. At a minimum, testing should
be required through all integration paths
in an attack map; that is, with a goal of
100% integration path coverage, with exceptions only where certain path combinations cannot be attained. If resources
permit, it is suggested to apply code coverage analysis at the cyclomatic path level
for functions in an attack map.
Reduced Security Risk
The path-based methods described
here can make a substantial improvement to SSA by identifying potential vulnerable code based on linkages between
attack surfaces and attack targets. Pathbased methods can also be used to assist
in securing the critical paths by providing a methodical approach to analyzing
integration paths linking attack surfaces
and attack targets. The end result is an
improvement in military application security while working within the existing
SSA resources.
McCabe Software
Cranston, RI.
(401) 572-3100.
[www.mccabe.com].
[ 36Untitled-2
7/8/11 1:48:34 PM
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Tech Recon
CWE Initiative Helps Secure Code
Development Efforts
With cyber threats a new part of today’s military landscape, the Common
Weakness Enumeration standard is helping to shape and mature the code security
assessment industry.
Deepu Chandran, Field Applications Engineer
LDRA Technology
T
hroughout the developed world, governments, defense industries and
companies in various sectors are increasingly targeted by cyber attacks seeking economic or military advantage. The
number of attacks is now so large and their
sophistication so great that many organizations have trouble determining which new
threats and vulnerabilities pose the greatest
risk and how resources should be allocated
to ensure that the most probable and damaging attacks are dealt with first (Figure 1).
In August 2003, a rolling blackout affected 10 million people in the Canadian
province of Ontario and 45 million people
in eight U.S. states, raising concern of a cyber
attack. Although the causes of the blackout
traced to a slew of system, procedural and
human errors and not an act of aggression,
the event brought home the vulnerability of
critical infrastructures that had become dependent on Internet communication for control and monitoring. This event helped raise
awareness of the need for secure system components that are immune to cyber attack.
An Entrenched Problem
Software security exploits have existed for years, with the first documented
Internet virus appearing in 1971. In 1988,
the Morris worm brought 10 percent of
Internet systems to a halt, infecting Internet-connected DEC VAX and Sun ma[ 38 ] COTS Journal July 2011
Figure 1
Air Force personnel update anti-virus software for Air Force units to assist in the prevention
of cyberspace hackers at Barksdale Air Force Base, LA.
chines running BSD UNIX. It became the
first worm to spread extensively “in the
wild” and was one of the first programs
to exploit buffer overrun vulnerabilities.
Given that software and connectivity
are now integral to many critical and noncritical applications, organizations want assurance that the software products they acquire and develop are free of known types of
security flaws. With that in mind, it’s helpful to look specifically at the best practices
and knowledge for building secure software
that is free from vulnerabilities.
Enter the CWE Standard
One of the security initiatives gaining
momentum is the CWE standard. CWE, the
Common Weakness and Enumeration database, is a project that incorporates an international community-developed formal list
of common software weaknesses developed
from an all-inclusive database recording all
exploits and vulnerabilities captured over a
number of years. CWE is a software assur-
Tech Recon
ance strategic initiative maintaining a database of security vulnerabilities by the MITRE
Corporation under a Federal grant and cosponsored by the National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. The CWE effort aims to help shape
and mature the code security assessment industry and to dramatically accelerate the use
and utility of software assurance capabilities
for organizations in reviewing the software
systems they acquire or develop.
According to research directed by the
National Institute of Security Technology,
64 percent of software vulnerabilities stem
from programming errors. To help identify
core weaknesses contributing to software
vulnerabilities, MITRE Corporation, a public interest not-for-profit organization, created the CWE list. MITRE manages several
federally funded research and development
centers, including one for the Department
of Homeland Security that is mandated
with developing the CWE project. CWE was
created to address the concerns of organizations that want assurance that the software
products they acquire and develop are free
from known types of programming errors.
Common Vulnerabilities and
Exposures
The MITRE Corporation has been
involved in the area of software security
for many years, including the creation
and maintenance of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database.
Created before CWE, the CVE database
is a repository of security exploits that
have been identified, whether the exploit
was identified in a laboratory or “in the
wild”—meaning an attack that occurred
before the vulnerability was known about.
After the CVE database had been in existence for a while, the MITRE Corporation
analyzed the documented vulnerabilities
and exploits and identified the core weaknesses that made the exploits possible.
The result is the CWE database, a repository of the core security weaknesses
that have led to exploitable security vulnerabilities. CWE targets developers and
security practitioners, offering a common
language for describing software security
weaknesses in architecture, design, or
code and serving as a standard measuring
stick for software security tools targeting
these weaknesses. It provides a common
baseline standard for weakness identification, mitigation and prevention efforts.
How CWE Is Structured
The organizational structure of the
CWE elements is defined for leveraging by various audiences and for various
purposes through the use of axonometric
layering where the errors are grouped according to categorical similarities. It has
been described as a three-tiered approach
from all axis, in which: (1) the lowest level
consists of the full CWE List (hundreds of
nodes), which is primarily applicable to
tool vendors and detailed research efforts;
(2) a middle tier consists of descriptive affinity groupings of individual CWEs (2550 nodes), useful to software security and
software development practitioners; and
(3) a more easily understood top level consisting of high-level groupings of the middle-tier nodes (5-10 nodes) to define strategic classes of vulnerabilities and which
is useful for high-level discourse among
software practitioners, business people,
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Tech Recon
Security
Safety
Performance
Readability
System
Quality
Availability
Portablility
Maintainability
Readability
Figure 2
System quality is affected by a number
of metrics, including security.
tool vendors, researchers and so on.
Despite this high-level outline, there
is no formal structure to the CWE database; each weakness is added to the database as it is discovered. And the database
is maintained in XML format, so there are
a number of filters that can be applied to
review the results. This can either be done
on the CWE website (cwe.mitre.org), or
by downloading the full CWE XML file
and applying filters locally.
Note that the content and format of the
CWE database is under constant review to
help maintain the accuracy and relevance
of the data. One of the latest initiatives adds
qualifying data to each entry that paints a
picture of how a weakness appears in the
field and how it could be exploited.
The CWE database is an all-inclusive
database that encapsulates all security
weaknesses that have been proven to
lead to exploitable vulnerabilities. These
weaknesses could be at the infrastructure
level—such as a poorly configured network and/or security appliance—, policy
and procedure level (sharing usernames
and/or passwords) or coding level. For
the coding level, all of the software languages that are associated with contemporary enterprise deployments are considered, including but not limited to C,
C++, C#, Java and PHP. What the CWE
database does not do is capture known
coding weaknesses that have NOT been
traced to an exploitable weakness.
Federal U.S. contracts, and I’m sure
for other governments too, are increasingly
Figure 3
The TBreq tool provides traceability from requirements to design, verification plan,
verification reports and source code.
calling for security compliance. Securityrelated issues are at the forefront of decision making for military and aerospace
systems development. Software developed
for the defense market often requires systems to mitigate the risk of one component
of the software affecting another. To fulfill
these contracts, customers must demonstrate how they have achieved a minimum
level of software security, and CWE compliance is one means of doing this.
To do this, developers need a tool that
is CWE compliant, such as the LDRA tool
suite, which is the key to demonstrate and
document how the software under development has met a minimum security requirement. Other security standards such as the
CERT-C secure coding rules complement
this objective, extending the security characteristics of an application even further.
Writing Secure Software
The only way to write secure software
is to build security in. Typically, the sources
of vulnerability rise from coding errors,
configuration errors, architecture or design flaws. Developers or programmers
normally assess quality without considering security as a part of quality code. The
functionality of the application is the focus
for developers during development and
testing, but they ignore the fact that security also plays an important role in overall
system quality. Security problems can occur even if complete functionality of the
system is satisfied and even due to the occurrence of an unintended functionality.
Figure 2 illustrates the metrics contributing to system quality. By focusing
on these measures at all phases of the
software development lifecycle, developers can help eliminate known weaknesses. A common understanding of the
security goals and approaches to be taken
during development within the team can
contribute to eliminating these flaws. In
approaching a secure programming focus, developers need to establish the risk
assessment and secure coding practices.
Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment evaluates the security
risks associated with the software under development and determines the quantitative
or qualitative value of a risk in relation to
a concrete situation and recognized threat.
The nature and impact of security breaches
can be determined prior to deployment and
helps to identify the security controls necessary to mitigate any identified impact, location, intensity and probability of a threat.
Once risk is determined, the identified
Tech Recon
security controls become part of the system’s
requirements. By adding a security perspective to software requirements, the entire development process is affected. Translation of
these requirements roll out into architecture
design, coding, and are subsequently checked
at analysis and testing phases. The capacity
and resources available to address or manage
threats is known from this assessment.
Secure Coding Practices
An essential element of secure software development involves well docu-
mented and enforceable coding standards.
Coding standards encourage programmers
to follow a uniform set of rules and guidelines as established by the requirements of
the project and organization, rather than
by the programmer’s familiarity or preference. Once established, these standards can
be used as a metric to evaluate source code
(using manual or automated processes) to
determine compliance with the standard.
While CWE does not mandate an automated standard checker, secure coding
practices do require both static and dy-
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[ 44Untitled-5
namic assurance measures. Using a static
analysis plug-in that confirms CWE compatibility ensures that the rules checked for
are consistently and systematically applied
to the code. The dynamic analysis takes
place on the target and provides assurance
that errors that would only show up during execution are not present in the code.
However to fully meet the software development and verification requirements,
it is necessary to include traceability, static
source code analysis, dynamic coverage,
data flow, control flow analysis and testing
facilities. Figure 3 illustrates how requirements traceability maps requirements to
design specification, verification plan, verification reports and source code in LDRA’s
TBreq. Such graphical representation makes
it easy for developers to immediately spot
such things as code that does not map to
requirements, failed tests or code that lacks
tests, which the software clearly flags.
©2011 Themis Computer. All rights
reserved. Themis Computer, Themis
and the Themis logo are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Themis
Computer. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
7/6/11 5:53:13 PM
By mapping CWE into requirements,
developers have the option of taking advantage of tools that automate requirements traceability, which in turn manages
the relationships between all components
in the development lifecycle. The amount
of time saved in manually tracing and verifying relationships is significant, cutting
time costs and automatically documenting
the development process for subsequent
verification by standards organizations.
As the implementation of standards
like CWE becomes more widespread, a
tool vendor’s experience and reputation in
security- and safety-critical expertise will
be invaluable. Use of qualified and well-integrated tools ensures that the developers
can automate the process more easily and
efficiently. Creating a secure development
community using standards, technologies
and a well-integrated development environment promotes a continuous process
of improvement. And, a focus on secure
development lifecycle principles and practices will result in the ongoing production
of software systems that are more dependable, trustworthy and extensible.
LDRA
Monks Ferry, Wirral, UK.
+0151 649 9300.
[www.ldra.com].
R7E-100 PCI Express NetLogic XLR Packet Processor Card
• Netlogic XLR732 Processor Family featuring eight 64
bit Processing Cores
• Up to 1.2 GHz with 2MB L2 cache
• Up to 8GB of DDR2 memory w/ ECC on dual-channel
x72 bus per XLR732
• Autonomous Security Acceleration Engine® (SAE) @ 10
Gbps
PRM-121 AMC Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Card
• AMC.3 Dual SATA channels (Lanes 2, 3)
• AMC.1 Type 4, PCIe x4 (Lanes 4-7)
• AMC.1 R1.0 and R2.0 compatible
• Non-PCIe configuration (no FCLKA) available
• AMC.2 Dual 1000Base-BX Ports configured as Type E2
(Lanes 0, 1)
• Dual 10/100/1000Base-T Port on Front Panel
• Serial Protocols
• USB on Front Panel
• RS-232 on Front Panel
R7R-400 Quad NetLogic XLR 732 Rack Mount 1U Server
with Integrated Fulcrum FM4224 10GigE Switching
• NetLogic XLR732 Processor Family
• Eight 64 bit Processing Cores
• Up to 1.2 GHz with 2MB L2 cache
• Autonomous Security Acceleration Engine® (SAE)
@ 10 Gbps
• Quad XLR732 processors
• Up to 8GB DDR2 memory w/ ECC on dual-channel x72
bus per XLR
• DDR2 clock rate up to 800MT
www.JumpGen.com
[email protected]
Jump to the Front of the Pack!
2111 Palomar Airport Rd, Suite #140
Carlsbad, CA 92011, U.S.A.
+1 (760) 931-7800
JumpGen Systems is an Executive Member of PICMG® and a General Member of the Intel® Embedded and Communications Alliance
System Development
Rackmount Bladed Systems Meet Compute Density Needs
Rackmount Systems Push the
Compute Density Envelope
Offering a better compute density story than alternative approaches, rackmount
bladed systems are finding a solid place in military system applications.
Jeff Child
Editor-in-Chief
W
hen the goal is packing in as much
compute density as possible into
a system, it’s hard to beat a rackmount blade computer architecture. A
wealth of product and system solutions is
available targeting military applications
with these requirements. Blade server
d
based computing solutions and other
rackmount boards are rapidly finding a
niche in a variety of military applications
such as SATCOM-On-the-Move systems.
Now that complete server-level computers are
available
nies providing
solutions
now in a 1U blade, it’s possible
to pack
a lot ofand
computing
in a convenient
ion into products,
technologies
companies. Whether
your goal is to research the latest
ation Engineer,
or jump to a company's
technical page,
the goal of Get Connected is to put you
rack-based
space alongside
off-the-shelf
you require 1U
for whatever
typerouting
of technology,
network
and advanced comand products you are searching for.
munications boards.
One advantage of the 1U form factor is that it makes it easier to put together systems that incorporate existing
Figure 1
IT-based 1U boards, such as specialized
encryption systems, precision timing
At AUSA Winter, Editor-in-Chief Jeff Child examines a rackmount military communications
boards or tried and true networking gear
system mounted on the back of a Humvee.
like Cisco routers. Rackmount systems of
larger sizes such as 2U, 3U and 4U are also
gaining acceptance in military systems where compute density is paramount. In link boards with one another. The lack
contrast to backplane-based architectures of a backplane also significantly reduces
like VME or CompactPCI, rackmount overall system weight. These types of conGet Connected
systems are busless and typically use Eth- figurations are becoming popular in miliwith companies mentioned in this article.
ernet or other cable-based technology to tary comms gear in vehicles where every
ploration
your goal
k directly
age, the
source.
nology,
d products
End of Article
System Development
pound of weight is precious (Figure 1).
PCI Express Bladed Server
Exemplifying this trend is the
TCS4500 industrial server from Trenton
Technology. Trenton configures, integrates and validates this shallow-depth,
high-performance computer with longlife processors installed on Trenton’s
JXT6966 single board computer. The system features the BPC7041 PCI Express 2.0
backplane plus multiple storage options.
The TCS4500 (Figure 2) enables faster
system deployments in many diverse applications such as shipboard navigation
and submarine communications. Up
to four front-access, hot-swap 2.5-inch
storage drives are provided. The shallowdepth design of the TCS4500 chassis plus
the high-performance computing capability of the system’s SBC, backplane
and storage options creates an industrial
server platform that is ideal for spaceconstrained applications.
Illustrating the compute density
advantages of rackmount systems, the
Kontron Industrial Silent Server KISS 4U
KTC5520 has up to 12 processing cores
designed with new 32 nm technology.
The system allows formerly separate apps
to be moved onto a single, cost-effective
system. It is a highly robust and longterm available open standard platform,
offering up to two dual Intel Xeon 5600
Series processors. It features an operating temperature range of 0° to 50°C, an
operating humidity range of 10-95%, allaround IP 20 protection (optionally upgradeable to IP 52 at the front), and high
shock and vibration protection, which
makes the server perfect for applications
where more ruggedized systems are necessary.
The server board can be fully managed remotely. The Industrial Silent
Server is available with up to two Intel
Xeon (5500 or 5600) series processors
and up to 48 Gbytes of DDR3 ECC registered SDRAM per processor. The server
paves the way for a wide range of extensions, thanks to 1x PCI Express x16 (PEG)
(configurable as 1x PCI Express x8), 3
PCIe 2.0 x8, 1 PCIe x4 (using x8 slot) and
1 x PCI. Also on board are 2 x Gbit Ethernet, 6 x USB 2.0 (2 on the front) and 1 x
Figure 2
The TCS4500 enables faster system deployments in many diverse applications such as
shipboard navigation and submarine communications. Up to four front-access, hot-swap
2.5-inch storage drives are provided.
COM (RS-232).
Compact LAN-Based Solution
Offering a line of 1U rackmount offerings, Win Enterprise features a series
of LAN-connected units. Its latest is a 1U
rackmount platform with the Intel Atom
D510 dual-core or D410 single-core processor, including six GbE LAN ports and
an externally accessible PCI slot. The PL80300 (Figure 3) provides externally accessible PCI card support for the D410 or
D510 Atom Pineview low-voltage processors plus the Intel 82801HM Controller,
external access to the PCI card slot and a
maximum of six GbE LAN ports via PCIE x1. In addition, the unit includes USB
2.0, a 3.5-inch SATA HDD bay, CF socket,
mini-PCI slot and Console port.
ATCA has secured a solid niche in
the military market, particularly for applications that stress high-performance
communications and networking. By
designing on ATCA-based systems, developers can deliver significantly lighter
command and control stations that allow
for improved mobility in the field. ATCA
computer modules offer capabilities and
processing power comparable to rackmount systems servers built on multicore
server class processors. Because ATCA
is a bladed architecture, multiple ATCA
modules can be incorporated into a single chassis. Since the ATCA blades share
a common enclosure, fan and power supply, they offer a simpler architecture that
Figure 3
The PL-80300 is a 1U rackmount
platform with the Intel Atom D510 dualcore or D410 single-core processor,
including six GbE LAN ports and an
externally accessible PCI slot.
weighs significantly less than comparable
solutions.
Along those lines, the RadiSys Promentum C2 Server (Figure 4) is a preintegrated, portable ATCA platform
specifically designed for ground mobile
applications, and delivers a 33 percent
weight advantage over equivalent rackmount server systems. With an average
weight of 46 kg, the C2 Server is light
enough for two people to lift, while a
rackmount server solution delivering the
same performance and memory weighs
up to 85.8 kg. This weight savings directly
translates to improved field mobility for
a tactical advantage to military troops.
The pre-integrated C2 Server consists of
a Ruggedized 6U 6-slot AC LCR Chassis, two RadiSys Promentum ATCA-2210
10 Gigabit Ethernet Switch and Control
Modules with optional COM Express
module, which can support platform
management functions, up to four RadiSys Promentum ATCA-4500 series sinJuly 2011 COTS Journal [ 47 ]
THE MILITARY ELECTRONICS
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2011 PREMIERE EVENT SERIES
Targeting the World of Military Electronics
MILESTONE is a single-day conference focused on the challenges and solutions
critical to mission success for the most rugged and decisive computing
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and vendors of military and defense electronic projects to discover, discuss and
demonstrate the computing technology that will shape future battlefields.
• EDUCATION: Learn about technology trends and design issues in the
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System Development
t
n
u
o
M
e
c
a
Surf
-In
g
and Plu
z
H
0
0
8
/
400
rs
e
Transform
Figure 4
The Promentum C2 Server is a pre-integrated, portable ATCA platform specifically designed
for ground mobile applications. It consists of a ruggedized 6U 6-slot AC LCR Chassis, two
RadiSys Promentum ATCA-2210 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switch and Control Modules with
optional COM Express module.
gle board computers (SBCs) and Astute
Networks’ Caspian R1100 Edge Storage
Blades.
Putting GPUs to Work
Graphics processing units (GPUs)
combined with advanced switched fabric interconnects are emerging as an
interesting technology option for processing massive sets of data in military
systems. However, they require a system
architecture that serves those needs. One
Stop Systems offers a 2U PCI Express acceleration platform that supports up to
eight PCIe x16 Gen 2 I/O cards. There are
three versions of acceleration platforms
that include either one or two PCIe x16
Gen 2 interfaces, allowing more than
one host computer to access cards. Host
cable adapters and one-meter cables are
included with the platform. The 2U platform supports both single-wide and double-wide boards. Dual 850W power supplies provide redundant power for GPUs
or other high-speed I/O cards requiring
high power output.
The 21-inch chassis allows all boards
to be accessed through the rear, allowing
cables to be connected to I/O ports. Removable trays allow easy installation of
any full-length PCIe x16 add-in boards.
The three versions of the 2U accelerator
are the “4-1,” which supports four doublewide cards with a single PCIe x16 inter-
face, the “4-2” supporting four doublewide cards with two PCIe x16 interfaces,
and the “8-2” supporting eight singlewide cards with two PCIe x16 interfaces.
Kontron America
Poway, CA.
(858) 677-0877.
[www.kontron.com].
One Stop Systems
Escondido, CA.
(877) 438-2724.
[www.onestopsystems.com].
Now...
up to
150
Watts
• 0.4 Watts to 150 Watts
Power Transformers
• 115V/26V-400/800 Hz Primary
• Secondary Voltages
2.5V to 300V
• Manufactured to MIL-PRF 27
Grade 5, Class S, (Class V,
1550C available)
• Surface Mount or Plug-In
RadiSys
Hillsboro, OR.
(503) 615-1100.
[www.radisys.com].
• Smallest possible size
ll Catalog
fu
See Pico’s
w w w.p ic o
e
ly
immediate
.c o m
le c t r o n ic s
PICO
Trenton Technology
Gainesville, GA.
(770) 287-3100.
[www.trentontechnology.com].
Electronics, Inc
143 Sparks Ave., Pelham, NY 10803
Call Toll Free 800-431-1064
E Mail: [email protected]
FAX:914-738-8225
WIN Enterprises
North Andover, MA.
(978) 688-2000.
[www.win-ent.com].
Delivery - Stock to one week
INDUSTRIAL • COTS • MILITARY
Untitled-12 1
6/2/11 1:57:15 PM
Technology Focus
OpenVPX SBCs
OpenVPX Moves Forward as
Second Wave of Products Hits
As the second wave of OpenVPX SBC products rolls out, several vendors are
joining the ranks of VPX providers. With VPX REDI ratified, the technology is
moving closer to becoming the next dominant computer form factor for new
military system designs.
Jeff Child
Editor-in-Chief
Figure 1
As an OpenVPX data plane for radar processing systems, RapidIO is the fabric most suitable
because radar relies heavily on shared memory and tightly coupled computing. RapidIO is a
low-latency, memory-address-based protocol.
As OpenVPX gains acceptance, it’s
still early days for this emerging form
factor. Although VPX has had a rocky
start, in the past couple years the goal of
bringing together advanced switch fabric interconnects and all the features of
a modern, rugged embedded computer
d
architecture, finally came together in
the form of OpenVPX. Early adopters
are now on their second round of VITA
46-compliant products, and new vendors have joined the game with their first
VPXsolutions
products
nies providing
nowjust in the past six months
or so.
ion into products,
technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest
ation Engineer, or jump
company's
page, the
Lateto alast
year,technical
OpenVPX
achieved
you require another
for whatevermilestone
type of technology,
with the ratification
by ANSI and VITA of the VPX REDI
base specification and several dot specifications. VPX REDI is a computing standard defining mechanical specifications
for cooling and maintenance strategies
for VPX systems. VPX is an embedded
computing platform utilizing the latest
in a variety of switch fabric technologies
in 3U and 6U Eurocard format modules.
VPX REDI was inspired by the need for
higher density electronics, increased
ploration
your goal
k directly
age, the
source.
nology,
d products
End of Article
Get Connected
Technology Focus
power draw that requires more effective cooling strategies, and
rugged and maintainable modules. VPX REDI targets the requirements of COTS platforms for defense and aerospace, defining mechanical design implementations for embedded computing modules.
The following VPX REDI specifications have been ANSI/
VITA ratified: ANSI/VITA 48.0-2010: Ruggedized Enhanced
Design Implementation Mechanical Base Specification;
ANSI/VITA 48.1-2010: Mechanical Specification for Microcomputers Using Air Cooling Applied to VPX; ANSI/VITA
48.2-2010: Mechanical Specification for Microcomputers Using
Conduction Cooling Applied to VPX; and ANSI/VITA 48.52010: Mechanical Specification Using Air Flow-through Cooling
Applied to VPX. Companies that develop VPX products are encouraged to contact VITA to join the VPX Marketing Alliance.
For more information, visit the VPX Marketing Alliance website
at www.vita.com/vpx. The ANSI/VITA48.x-2010 documents are
available from VITA.
The VPX standard was developed to define a new generation
of computing systems that employs high-performance switch
fabrics over a new high-speed connector, as well as operates in
harsh environments. Which OpenVPX fabric to use will be dictated by the application area of the system. And on an architecture level, the fabric choice will be driven by how tightly or
loosely coupled the processing and memory needs to be. For applications like radar (Figure 1) that require shared memory, RapidIO will be the data plane of choice. In contrast, if the system
requires parallel processing—where very little data exchange is
required between computing nodes—a fabric like PCI Express,
Gbit Ethernet or 10 Gbit Ethernet is a better choice.
For OpenVPX implementations that are distributed systems,
PCI Express would be a natural fit depending on what size and
what latency tolerances a system has. With PCI Express, each
time you go through a switch or a bridge means more latency
through the PCI hierarchy. That latency can be minimized using
non-transparent PCI Express bridges or by “tunneling” through
address spaces. Distributed processing is common in systems
where size, weight and power are critical—like UAV flight controllers and other systems that have motors and distributed control nodes. In such systems computational density is important,
but not to the level of high-performance computing.
PMC and XMC
Boards Gallery
Featuring the latest in
PMC and XMC Boards
technologies
4S-XMC: Altera Stratix®
IV GX XMC with 4 SFP
Transceivers
High density Altera Stratix IV GX
FPGA
4 SFP transceivers on front panel
8 multi-gigabit serial transceivers
On-board oscillators for Fibre
Channel, PCI Express, and Serial
RapidIO
44 general purpose digital I/O
BittWare
Phone: (603) 226-0404
Fax: (603) 226-6667
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.bittware.com
6U VME Intel® Core™ i7
Single Board Computer
Kontron
Phone: (888) 294-4558
Fax: (858) 677-0898
Kontron VM6050 brings increased
performance and reduced development
time to new and existing VME system
designs. With 100% I/O compatibility with
VM6250, its PowerPC sibling, both featuring
VITA57 FMC interface, VM6050 is the ideal
bridge between all existing VME designs
and modern CPU and I/O performance
and price, regardless of the software legacy.
It combines extremely high x86 computing
and graphics performance with flexible
and modular expansion possibilities in four
different ruggedization levels.
Web: www.kontron.com
Model 71640: XMC Module
with 3.6 GHz 12-bit A/D
and Virtex-6 FPGA
One-channel mode: 3.6 GHz, 12-bit A/D
Two-channel mode: 1.8 GHz, 12-bit A/Ds
Supports Xilinx Virtex-6 LXT and SXT
FPGAs
2 GB DDR3 SDRAM
Clock/sync bus for multimodule
synchronization
PCI Express interface x8 wide
Additional user-configurable gigabit
interface
Pentek, Inc.
Phone: (201) 818-5900
Fax: (201) 818-5904
Web: www.pentek.com/go/cots71640
Technology Focus:
OpenVPX SBCs
VPX Boards Pair Virtex-5 FPGA
with PCIe Interface
Rugged 3U VPX SBCs Boast
Hyperthreading Dual-Core CPUs
3U VPX Board Serves Up Stratix
FPGA and FMC Support
A new series of 3U VPX FPGA boards
features a configurable Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA
enhanced with multiple high-speed memory
buffers and a high-throughput PCIe interface.
Field I/O signals interface to the FPGA via the
rear P2 connector and/or with optional front
mezzanine plug-in I/O modules. The result
is a powerful and flexible signal processor
card. Three models provide a choice of logicoptimized FPGAs to match the performance
requirements. Cards can be ordered with a
Xilinx VLX85T, VLX110T, or VLX155T FPGA
featuring up to 155,000 logic cells and 128
DSP48E slices.
OpenVPX provides a unique mix of ruggedness
and extreme data throughput—both critical
requirements for network-centric communications,
high-definition avionics displays, mission and
controls systems computers, data concentrators and
condition-based maintenance (CBM) applications.
Feeding those needs, Aitech Defense Systems now
offers a 3U VPX product family based on the lowpower Intel Core i7 processor that enables extremely
high computing within very compact environments.
The new Core i7 can process data using two cores and
four threads via Intel’s hyperthreading technology.
FPGAs as processing engines and the FMC
mezzanine for expansion make a nice onetwo punch on a VPX platform. With just that
in mind, BittWare’s S4-3U-VPX (S43X) is a
commercial or rugged 3U VPX card based on
the high-density, low-power Altera Stratix
IV GX FPGA. The Stratix IV GX is designed
specifically for serial I/O-based applications,
creating a completely flexible, reconfigurable
VPX board. BittWare’s ATLANTiS FrameWork
and the FINe Host/Control Bridge greatly
simplify application development and
integration of this powerful board. The
board provides a configurable 25-port SerDes
interface supporting a variety of protocols,
including Serial RapidIO, PCI Express and
10 GigE. The board also features 10/100/1000
Ethernet and up to 4 Gbytes of DDR3 SDRAM.
Providing enhanced flexibility is the VITA
57-compliant FMC site, which supports 10
SerDes, 60 LVDS pairs and 6 clocks.
oration
ur goal
directly
ge, the
urce.
ogy,
products
Based on the latest in OpenVPX serial fabric
architecture technology, the new 3U VPX family
includes the C870 SBC with a Core i7 dual-core
processor configured to run at either 2.53 GHz for
high performance, 2 GHz for low power or at 1.33
GHz where ultra low power is required. As standard,
the board provides up to 4 Gbytes of DDR3 SDRAM
with ECC operating at 1066 MHz, 4 Mbytes of BIOS
Flash and 8 Gbytes of onboard SATA SSD for mass
storage. Standard onboard I/O is also plentiful with
four GbE ports (two 1000Base T, two 1000Base BX/
Each model is available in a format designed
KX), two SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 ports and
for use in air-cooled or conduction-cooled
eight discrete I/O lines as well as two UART ports
systems suitable for -40° to 85°C operation. 64
es providing
and HDMI/DVI and CRT interfaces for graphics
I/Osolutions
lines arenow
accessible through the rear (P2)
n into products,
technologies
and companies.
Whether your
goal is to research
the latest
requirements.
connector.
A series
of AXM extension
modules
on Engineer, are
or jump
to a company's
technical
page, the
goal of Get Connected
put3U
youVPX family of products, the
As partisoftothe
available
to provide
additional
front-end
ou require forA/D,
whatever
type CMOS,
of technology,
OpenVPX-compliant CM870 is a low-power, rugged
RS-485,
or LVDS I/O channels
nd products you
are searching
for.
PMC/XMC carrier board designed to plug into
through
a mezzanine
connector on the front of
an adjacent 3U backplane slot in order to expand
the board. Acromag’s
Engineering Design Kit
system functionality by enabling the addition of I/O,
provides utilities to help users develop custom
graphics and SSD memory PMC/XMC cards. Both
programs, load VHDL into the FPGA, and to
the SBC and carrier card are single-slot modules and
establish DMA transfers between the FPGA and
are available in air- and conduction-cooled formats,
the CPU.
per ANSI/VITA 46.0-2007 and ANSI/VITA 65.0-2010
respectively. The carrier card weighs less than 0.7 lbs
Acromag
in both formats, while the air-cooled SBC weighs 0.66
Wixom, MI.
lbs and the conduction-cooled version weighs 0.7 lbs.
(248) 295-0310.
End
of Article
[www.acromag.com].
Get Connected
Aitech Defense Systems
Chatsworth, CA.
(888) 248-3248.
[www.rugged.com].
The FMC (FPGA Mezzanine Card) site
provides 8 high-performance SerDes, 60 LVDS
pairs, 6 clocks, I2C, JTAG and reset to the
Stratix IV GX. The connector is compliant with
the VITA 57 mezzanine standard for FPGA I/O,
enabling designers to customize the S43X to
their individual needs with optional FMC I/O
boards. A debug utility header provides 10/100
Ethernet, RS-232 and a JTAG port for debug
support. The rear panel VPX interface includes
GigE to the FINe, and 15 SerDes channels and
32 LVDS pairs (16 in, 16 out) to the Stratix IV
GX FPGA.
BittWare
Concord, NH.
(603) 226-0404.
[www.bittware.com].
OpenVPX SBCs
Second Gen iCore Processors on
3U OpenVPX SBC
6U OpenVPX SBC Offers QuadCore i7 Performance
A new 3U OpenVPX high-performance
embedded Single Board Computer features
the second generation Intel Core processor
and 6 series chipsets from the Intel embedded
roadmap. The TR 80x/39x from Concurrent
Technologies features the enhanced processing
and graphics performance of the quad-core
Intel Core i7-2715QE processor and the
dual-core Intel Core i5-2515E processor while
maintaining the power consumption of the
previous Intel Core processors. The TR 80x/39x
is a 3U OpenVPX processor board providing
support for quad-core or dual-core second
generation Intel Core processors, up to 8
Gbyte of ECC DDR3 SDRAM, configurable
PCI Express fabric interface supporting 1 x8,
2 x4, 1 x4 + 1 x4 at Gen 1 or Gen 2 data rates,
dual Gigabit Ethernet or dual 1000Base-BX
channels, dual SATA600, single XMC slot,
serial RS-232/422/485 port, dual USB 2.0 ports,
independent VGA and display port all in a 3U
VPX form factor.
Multiprocessing is the new way of doing
business when it comes to today’s SBCs. Along
those lines, Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded
Computing (CWCEC) has introduced the
new VPX6-1956 high-performance rugged 6U
OpenVPX single board computer (SBC). The
VPX6-1956 is the third recently announced
product in CWCEC’s family of boards based
on Intel’s new Core i7 next-generation quadcore processor, joining the CHAMP-AV8 6U
OpenVPX DSP engine and the 3U OpenVPX
VPX3-1256 SBC. The VPX6-1956 speeds and
simplifies the integration of advanced processor
systems for deployed harsh environment
military applications.
The TR 80x/39x is available in three
temperature grades: 0° to +55°C (N-Series),
-25° to +70°C (E-Series), -40° to +85°C
(K-Series). For extreme rugged applications the
TR 80x/39x is available in VPX-REDI variants
(type 1 and type 2): The VPX-REDI Type 1
Conduction-Cooled VITA 47 Class CC4 -40°C
to +85°C (RCS - Series) and the VPX-REDI
Type 2 Conduction-Cooled VITA 47 Class CC4
-40° to +85°C (RCT - Series).
Concurrent Technologies
Woburn, MA.
(781) 933-5900.
[www.gocct.com].
The VPX6-1956 is a full featured 6U
OpenVPX SBC, designed for harshenvironment, air and conduction-cooled
aerospace and defense applications. Each
of the Core i7’s four cores delivers 2.1 GHz
of performance, providing advanced Intel
Architecture processing on the increasingly
popular 6U OpenVPX form factor. With a wide
complement of onboard I/O, Gen2 PCI Express
(PCIe), Serial RapidIO (S-RIO) and XMC/PMC
expansion, the VPX6-1956 satisfies the most
demanding fielded applications from unmanned
aerial and ground vehicles, tactical aircraft and
armored vehicles to rugged naval systems.
The board’s quad-core processor features
Intel’s newest 256-bit Advanced Vector
Extensions (AVX) floating-point instructions,
and delivers unmatched performance. The
VPX6-1956 is available with up to 16 Gbytes of
high-bandwidth DDR3 SDRAM (1333 MHz)
and comes with a rich complement of high-speed
I/O, including dual Gigabit Ethernet (GbE),
Gen2 PCIe, S-RIO, four USB 2.0 ports, and dual
XMC/PMC sites supported with x8 PCIe Gen2.
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Ashland, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
[www.cwcembedded.com].
6U Open VPX Intel Quad-CoreBased SBC Sports 24-Port
Ethernet
This year has turned out to be the year of
OpenVPX with more new products rolling out
than ever before. For its part, Dynatem, recently
acquired by Eurotech, is now shipping the
VPQ, a 6U SBC based on the 6U VPX (VITA
46) form factor. It is Open VPX compatible
per profile MOD6-PAY-4F2T-12.2.2.4.
This profile indicates a 6U Payload Module
having four fat pipes (10 GBase-BX4) and
two thin pipes (1000Base-T). Offered in
both convection-cooled and ruggedized
conduction-cooled variants, the VPQ will
meet the needs of numerous commercial and
military applications. At the heart of the VPQ
is one quad-core Intel L5408 Xeon Processor,
an Intel 5100 Memory Controller Hub (MCH)
and an Intel ICH9R I/O Controller Hub (ICH),
forming the central processing backbone of
the design. Up to 4 Gbytes of DDR2 SDRAM
are supported with the MCH running at up to
1066 MHz double data rate speeds. The VPQ
supports two fully capable PMC/XMC sites
with extensive user I/O.
An onboard Fulcrum FM3224 24-Port 10
Gigabit Ethernet Switch provides full-mesh
backplane data-layer interconnectivity. This
allows up to eight VPQ SBCs to be integrated into
a single chassis without the use of an additional
switch board. A PLX PEX8624 PCI Express Switch
provides connectivity to the XMC Sites and an Intel
82599EB Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet controller, which
connects to the 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switch. The
Intel 82599EB supports the IEEE 1588 Precision
Time Protocol standard allowing all node boards
to be synchronized in the sub-microsecond range.
An 82571EB Dual 1Gigabit Ethernet controller
provides 1000Base-T or 1000Base-KX connectivity
to the backplane via the VPX P4 connector. Pricing
starts at $11,120 in quantity.
Dynatem
Mission Viejo, CA.
(949) 855-3235.
[www.dynatem.com].
OpenVPX SBCs
Core i7 OpenVPX SBC Features
Rich I/O
3U VPX SBC Leverages Intel
Advanced Vector Extensions
6U VPX Multiprocessor Board
Delivers 260 Gflops Performance
Intel processors have shed the past hurdles to
acceptance among military system designers. Lowpower offerings are the main reason. Emerson Network
Power has released a set of OpenVPX (VITA 65) SBCs.
The iVPX7220 (shown) and iVPX7223 feature the new
second generation Intel Core processors and are part of
a growing family of VME and OpenVPX/VPX (VITA
46) boards for rugged applications from one of the
leaders in embedded computing.
A conduction- or air-cooled 3U VPX
Single Board Computer (SBC) is based on the
second generation Intel Core i7 processor.
The XPedite7470 from Extreme Engineering
Solutions utilizes the processor’s quad-core
technology operating at 2.1 GHz to deliver
enhanced performance and efficiency.
XPedite7470 customers will benefit from
the performance boost provided by the Intel
Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel AVX)
incorporated into the second-generation
Intel Core i7 processor. X-ES has teamed with
RunTime Computing Solutions to support
applications that can take advantage of the
SIMD architecture of Intel AVX. VSI/Pro, the
premier math and signal processing library
available from RunTime Computing, will be
supported on the XPedite7470 and all X-ES
products based on the second generation Intel
Core i7 processor.
Applications such as ISR, radar, sonar, and
image and sensor processing all have something
in common: an almost endless appetite for
high-performance real-time processing. With
that in mind, GE Intelligent Platforms has
announced the DSP280 rugged dual socket
quad core 6U VPX multiprocessor, the fifth new
product from GE to harness the extraordinary
performance of the second generation Intel
Core i7 chip set. The dual quad-core platform
is capable of more than 260 Gigaflops peak
performance and delivers main memory
The 6U iVPX7220 and 3U iVPX7223 boards
feature the dual-core 2.20 GHz Intel Core i7 2655LE
processor with integrated graphics and memory
controller, and the Intel QM67 PCH chipset for
advanced I/O functionality. The iVPX7220 also
supports the quad-core second generation Intel Core
i7 2715QE processor. Both of the products are rugged
SBCs for extreme environments with extended shock,
vibration and temperature ratings, and conductioncooling. The iVPX7223 and the dual-core variant
of the iVPX7220 feature up to 8 Gbytes DDR31333, while the quad-core processor variant of the
iVPX7220 is designed to support up to 16 Gbyte
DDR3-1333 memory. Fabric connectivity includes
Gigabit Ethernet to the control plane and PCI Express
to the data plane, while the iVPX7220 also offers PCI
Express to the expansion plane.
The iVPX7220 also offers 4 Gbytes of embedded
USB flash and 256 Kbytes of non-volatile Ferroelectric
Random Access Memory (F-RAM). Additional
connectivity includes up to nine USB 2.0 ports,
five serial ports, five SATA ports, ten GPIOs, three
DisplayPort connections, VGA and dual XMC sites
for maximum flexibility. An optional 2.5-inch SATA
solid-state disk is also available. The iVPX7223 offers
4 Gbytes of embedded USB flash and 256 Kbytes of
non-volatile F-RAM. Additional connectivity on
this board includes three USB 2.0 ports, two serial
ports, three SATA ports, eight GPIO, one DisplayPort
connection, one VGA and one XMC site.
Emerson Network Power
Tempe, AZ.
(602) 438-5720
[www.emersonnetworkpower.com/
embeddedcomputing].
The XPedite7470 initially will be based on
the Intel Core i7-2715QE processor and Intel
QM67 Express chipset. Other XPedite7470
processor options will be available later in
1Q11. The XPedite7470 features include a
quad-core Intel Core i7-2715QE processor with
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and up to
8 Gbytes of DDR3-1333 ECC SDRAM in two
channels along with 32 Mbytes of boot flash
and up to 16 Gbytes of user flash. The board
supports an XMC/PrPMC site, two x4 Gen2
PCI Express VPX backplane interconnects and
two optional 10/100/1000BASE-T or 1000BASEBX Ethernet ports. In addition, there are two
DVI graphics ports and, optionally, two each
USB 2.0 high-speed ports and SATA 3.0 or 6.0
Gbit/s ports.
Middleton, WI.
(608) 833-1155.
[www.xes-inc.com].
bandwidth of up to 21 Gbytes/s per CPU node.
The board’s HPEC architecture can scale
from one to many processor nodes per
enclosure via RDMA-enabled 10 Gigabit
Ethernet and Double Data Rate (DDR)
InfiniBand dual port NICs, delivering up
to 1.8 Gbytes/s data rates per channel with
memory-to-memory latencies of approximately
1µs. The board’s 16 Gbytes of ECC memory,
along with 16 Gbytes of solid state disk, can
obviate the need for traditional hard disk
drives. Support for 3D high-resolution graphics
further enhances the utility and flexibility of
the DSP280, widening its potential application
footprint.
GE Intelligent Platforms
Charlottesville, VA.
(800) 368-2738.
[www.ge-ip.com].
VPX-REDI SBC Enables Network
Connectivity Mobile Apps
1 GHz PowerPC MPC8536E Rides
3U VPX
The ecosystem for VPX continues to grow
as more and more vendors roll out their VPX
offerings. Designed to withstand the rigors
of mobile and tactical environments, General
Dynamics Canada introduces the new rugged
and powerful PX3030 VPX-REDI single board
The PowerPC platform enjoys a rich legacy
among military programs. Interface Concept
has introduced the IC-PQ3-VPX3a, ultralow-power Processor VPX 3U board based on
the Freescale PowerQUICC III MPC8536E
processor. The IC-PQ3-VPX3a is designed
to offer both the gigahertz-class complex
application processing abilities and high-speed
connectivity in a small board footprint. Typical
consumption in full-operational configuration
(1 GHz) is 10W.
Index
computer. The PX3030 harnesses the computing
Get
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power of the Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile processor
companies
providing solutions now
and 8 Gbyte RAM to easily handle today’s
Getdemanding
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into products,
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The board is aimed at applications such
of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource.
as tactical wheeled vehicles including tanks,
hever level of service you require for whatever type of technology,
expeditionary fighting vehicles and Stryker
Connected will help you connect with the companies and products
platforms as well as armament platforms such
are searching for.
The IC-PQ3-VPX3a is ideally suited for a
large range of embedded applications such
as compute-intensive solutions requiring
high-speed I/O transactions, Gigabit Ethernet
as mobile gun systems and cannons. Other
interfaces for high-performance network
w.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
applications include airborne command and
connectivity or redundant failsafe links,
control for combat helicopters, aircraft and
powerful control element for network switches,
unmanned aerial vehicles. Features of the
storage subsystems, network appliances, print
board include dual Gbit Ethernet 10/100/1000
and imaging devices, etc.
connectivity, onboard storage up to 16 Gbytes
Other features include up to 1 Gbyte DDR2of SATA NAND flash, six USB 2.0 and four
ECC, 128 Mbyte Flash, 4 Gbytes of NAND
RS-232/422 ports.
The card meets
VITA 47 CC4
Flash
and upnow
to three Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Get Connected
with technology
and companies
providing
solutions
vibration, shock and temperature specs. It’s a
The IC-PQ3-VPX3a is available in standard,
Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest
3U module per VITA 48.2 (conduction-cooled),
extended and rugged grades. Interface Concept
datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you
Type
1,
0.85-inch
pitch.
Compatible
software
VxWorks and Linux operating
in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require forprovides
whateverBSP
type for
of technology,
includes
Microsoft
Windows,
systems.
Other RTOS
can be ported on request.
Get Connected
will help
you connect
with theLynuxOS,
companiesLinux,
and products you
are searching
for.
HHEL, VxWorks and other operating systems.
General Dynamics C4 Systems
Scottsdale, AZ.
(480) 441-3033.
[www.gdc4s.com].
s
cted with companies and
ed in this section.
alonline.com/getconnected
Interface Concept
Briec de l’Odet, France.
+33 (0)2 98 57 30 30.
[www.interfaceconcept.com].
End of Article
Get Connected
Untitled-2 1
6/2/11 11:37:44 AM
OpenVPX SBCs
6U VPX Board Offers 16 Gbyte
RAM and Dual Processors
OpenVPX Cards Offer Solution for
EW/SIGINT Applications
Kontron’s latest offering is its 6U VPX dual
processor node VX6060 with 16 Gbyte soldered
ECC RAM. All versions support the Kontron
VXFabric API for IP-based data transport
over PCI Express to accelerate application
development. Each of the independently
implemented dual-core Intel Core i7 processing
nodes of the Kontron VX6060 has full access to
8 Gbyte ECC RAM. The two processing nodes
are connected via PCI Express to each other and
to the data plane. By using Kontron VXFabric,
OEMs can implement efficient inter-board
communication at hardware speed, leveraging
PCI Express for the highest bandwidth.
Engineers developing electronic warfare/
signals intelligence (EW/SIGINT) applications
need the right combination of performance
and ruggedness. With that in mind, Mercury
Computer Systems has announced new 3U
and 6U OpenVPX modules. Mercury’s new
subsystem enhancements are based on powerful
building-block components in both 3U and 6U
OpenVPX standard form factors. Two new 3U
OpenVPX modules support sophisticated EW/
SIGINT functionality on platforms with limited
Size, Weight and Power budgets. The Ensemble
HCD3210 processing module combines a
Virtex-6 FPGA with a Freescale dual-core 8640D
general-purpose processor. The Ensemble
SFM3010, an advanced multi-plane switching
module, supports a low-latency, deterministic
SRIO fabric data plane, a GigE switching control
plane and an IPMI-based system management
plane, enabling very sophisticated applications in
the small 3U form factor.
OceanServer Digital
Compass Products:
• Low Cost Family
of Electronic
Compasses
• Solid State
Package
• High Accuracy
Offered in Serial,
USB or TTL
• Under $200.00 in
Low Volume
• Hard & Soft Iron
Calibration
• Fully Engineered
Solution For
Embedded
Applications
VXFabric is equivalent to an Ethernet
network infrastructure mapped over a switched
PCI Express fabric. It implements the layers
allowing the user to handle the communication
with an IP socket programmatic interface.
Combined with the power of 6U VPX
backplane infrastructure, the Kontron 6U VPX
dual processing node VX6060 enables a new
range of outstanding HPEC applications using
only standard technology (Linux or RTOS on
x86 and TCP/IP) for a shorter time-to-market.
The Kontron 6U VPX dual processing node
VX6060 is available in forced air-cooled and
conduction-cooled versions.
Kontron America
Poway, CA.
(858) 677-0877.
[www.kontron.com].
Larger 6U OpenVPX subsystems are
enhanced with the new Echotek Series
SCFE-V6-OVPX module, which supports
three powerful Virtex-6 FPGAs, two industry
standard VITA-57 FMC sites and a Linuxbased control processor. The FMC sites can be
configured with an extensive set of A/D and
D/A converters, supporting a wide range of IF
bandwidths and channel densities. Multiple
6U modules can be configured in scalable
subsystems supporting multichannel coherency,
a critical capability for many EW/SIGINT
applications.
Mercury Computer Systems
Chelmsford, MA.
(978) 967-1401.
[www.mc.com].
ocean-server.com
(508)-678-0550
Untitled-9 1
1/12/10 10:03:31 AM
VPX Board Family Packages
Virtex-6 FPGAs for Mil Apps
UltraSPARC T2-Based VPX SBC
Targets Mil Apps
The OpenVPX ecosystem has grown leaps and
bounds over the past 12 months. In synch with
that trend, Pentek unveiled the first in a family of
ruggedized boards for high-performance military
and avionics applications utilizing the industry’s
most advanced FPGA technology. Pentek’s 53xxx
Cobalt board family incorporates Xilinx’s Virtex-6
FPGAs for onboard signal processing, delivering
digital sampling rates to 1 GHz in a compact 3U
VPX form factor. By combining processing, data
conversion and preconfigured functions, the
53xxx family is suitable for such applications as
UAV, CommINT (Communications Intelligence)
transceivers, airborne communications recorders,
airborne radar countermeasures, shipboard diversity
transceivers and armored vehicle anti-IED systems.
Pentek’s 53xxx Cobalt family is the first to bring
Virtex-6 FPGA technology to the VPX format. With
more than twice the resources of previous Virtex
Themis Computers SPARC expertise gets
a VPX twist with its T2VPX 6U VPX board
computer. The T2VPX is the first member of the
company’s new family of VITA 46-compliant,
board-level computers. Themis’ T2VPX
supports the VITA 46 and VITA 65 standards,
providing customers with next-generation
processing performance and high-bandwidth
serial switched fabrics. The board features
a new system architecture that combines
up to eight processor cores and 64 threads,
with a VPX IO fabric. The T2VPX is ideal for
compute-intensive military and aerospace
applications requiring rugged computing
solutions, beyond the reach of today’s VME
64-based systems.
ON
I
S
S
I
M
AL
C
I
T
I
CR ICES
DEV
DC-DC
Converters
AC-DC
Power
Supplies
• Expanded Operating
Temperatures -55 to +85C
generations, including new enhancements in digital
signal processing, logic and clocking, the Virtex-6
family provides developers with a previously
unavailable level of customizable processing power.
Pentek gives the FPGA full access to all data and
control paths and then harnesses its raw processing
power by pre-configuring boards with key functions.
This strategy provides a wealth of useful turn-key
operations, while leaving enough unused FPGA
capacity for adding customer-developed IP.
All Cobalt VPX products are available with
a choice of Xilinx Virtex-6 LXT or SXT FPGA
devices to match the application. Other common
features of Cobalt boards include PCI Express
(Gen 2) interfaces up to 8 lanes wide, synchronous
clocking locked to an external system reference, and
an LVPECL synch bus for synchronizing multiple
modules to increase channel count. The Cobalt
53xxx 3U VPX module pricing starts at $14,490.
Pentek
Upper Saddle River, NJ.
(201) 818-5900.
[www.pentek.com].
• Vibration, Method 204, Cond. D
• Shock, Method 213, Cond. I
• Altitude, Method 105, Cond. D
• Environmental Screening
• Specification Review
• Custom Models Available
• 400 Hz and Now 800 Hz AC-DC Models
The T2VPX is based on the Sun UltraSPARC
T2 CMT (chip multi-threading) processor,
the industry’s first “system on a chip” and
runs both Linux and the Solaris 10 Operating
System. Themis’ new T2VPX board further
proliferates Sun’s advanced UltraSPARC
T2 processor technologies into embedded
computing markets. The T2VPX will be offered
with 6 and 8 core processor options. T2VPX
features and specifications include up to 32
Gbytes of DDR2 memory with ECC protection,
onboard 1.8-inch HDD/SSD support, multiple
Gbit and 10 Gbit Ethernet channels and more.
Themis Computer
Fremont, CA.
(510) 252-0870.
[www.themis.com].
ard
s of Stand
Thousand
DC
0
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to 10,0 V
Models 2V
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PICO
Electronics,Inc.
143 Sparks Ave, Pelham, NY 10803-1837
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.picoelectronics.com
See full Catalog immediately
www.picoelectronics.com
Untitled-12 1
6/2/11 2:01:48 PM
Products
COTS
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products featured in this section.
End of Article
Products
Get Connected
Data Acq Card with Multi-Board Synch Targets Radar and UAVs
Get Connected
withWith
companies mentioned in this article.
High-speed military data acquistion applications have an endless appetite for precision high-speed
data capture.
that inGet
mind,
the Model with
71640
from Pentek
is a high-speed
acquisition module capable ofwww.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
digitizing one 12-bit
Connected
companies
and products
featured indata
this section.
channel
at 3.6 GHz, or two channels at 1.8 GHz. It has provisions for the synchronization of multiple boards for capture
and analysis of even wider bandwidths. Leveraging the National Semiconductor ADC12D1800 12-bit A/D converter, the
71640 provides two transformer-coupled RF input ports that can operate in single- or dual-channel mode. The 71640 also
includes an onboard Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA for customer-specific data processing.
The module includes four banks of 256 Mbyte DDR3 SDRAM and built-in triggered data capture functions for acquiring
precise data blocks. An optimized multichannel DMA engine provides efficient data movement over the Gen2 x8 PCIe
interface to host processors. An optional 8x, or dual 4x, gigabit serial I/O interface allows users to support application-specific
protocols and create high-bandwidth paths between modules or to additional signal processing engines. Pentek offers cPCI,
PCIe, VPX and ruggedized, extended-temperature versions of the 71640.
Radar and broadband communications signal acquisition are prime applications for the 71640. To capture wideband
signals with previous-generation A/D modules, developers needed to split those signals into smaller overlapping bands and
use multiple A/Ds to digitize those bands. This created challenges whenever the target signal fell in the overlap band. The
71640’s wide bandwidth now allows system designers to eliminate the pitfalls of such overlap processing while also saving system costs of the
band-splitting filters and multiple data acquisition boards. For even wider bandwidths or for multichannel systems, the 71640 offers a synchronization bus
that works with a companion timing module for sample-accurate synchronization of multiple Cobalt modules. Pricing starts at $17,445.
Pentek, Upper Saddle River, NJ. (201) 818-5900. [www.pentek.com].
600W Power Supply Boats 3 x 5-inch Footprint
PowerGate has released its Vox Power’s NEVO+600 Series of ultraminiature modular power supplies with a power density of 25W/
in³—available with ITE
or Medical approvals.
The NEVO+600 is a 600
watt Modular Power
Supply chassis with four
configurable slots that
can be populated with
single or dual output for
practically unlimited
voltage combinations.
Digital I2C and Analog Status and Control functions include remote
sense, current share, voltage margin, global inhibit, module inhibit,
Power Good, AC OK and 5 VSB. These supplies feature Universal AC
Input, Active Power Factor Correction and Class B Emissions with tight
regulation and 1 percent ripple per noise. Typical pricing for 50 units with
4 single output modules is $380.
PowerGate, Santa Clara, CA. (866) 588-1750. [www.powergatellc.com].
PCI Express Interface Boasts 8 Multifunction Serial
Ports
Sealevel Systems has introduced
its Ultra COMM+8.PCIE serial
interface. Compatible with any PCI
Express slot, the board provides
eight multifunction serial ports,
each individually field-configurable
for RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485.
The Ultra COMM+8.PCIE utilizes
16C954 UARTs with 128-byte Tx/
Rx FIFOs, which enables data
rates to 921.6K bps for reliable
high-speed communications in
data-intensive applications. This high-performance UART includes 9-bit
framing support and is register compatible with legacy 16550 software
applications. In addition, the board derives a 62.5 MHz clock from the
PCI Express bus. This ultra-high-speed clock is divided by a flexible 16-bit
clock prescalar to provide support for the widest range of standard and
non-standard baud rates.
Sealevel Systems, Liberty, SC. (864) 843-4343. [www.sealevel.com].
Digital Compass Integrates with GPS
A line of compact and highly accurate 3-axis positioning sensors for a variety of OEM applications including
antennas, night vision systems, robotics, satellites, sonar, solar panels and weather instrumentation is available
from OceanServer Technology. The units are offered in a 0.6-square-inch embedded and a 1-square-inch fullboard version that auto-detects either USB or RS-232 connections and a TTL interface. Suitable for integration
with GPS to provide heading information, they provide 0.5 degrees nominal accuracy, 0.1 resolution, ±180
degree roll, ±90 degree tilt and electronically gimbaled tilt compensation.
Incorporating 3-axis magnetic sensors with 3-axis accelerometers, standard features of OceanServer
Electronic Compasses include hard- and soft-iron calibration, a 50 Mips processor that supports IEEE floating
point math, a 24-bit A/D converter, programmable baud rates from 4,800 to 115,000 baud and Windows-compatible software for evaluation and testing.
OceanServer Electronic Compasses are priced from $99 to $299, depending upon configuration and quantity; including reference software.
OceanServer Technology, Fall River, MA. (508) 678-0550. [www.ocean-server.com].
COTS Products
Get Connected with companies and products featured in this section.
20W Power Supply Is Fully Regulated
ConTech, a Division of Calex, has announced the “QMJ” Series of DC/DC converters. The QMJ
Series offers up to 20 watts of fully regulated output power. The series offers a 4:1 input range with
Get Connected with companies
and products
featured of
in this
section.
nominal
input voltages
24 VDC
and 48 VDC. Single outputs offered
are 3.3, 5, 12 and 15 VDC. Dual outputs are +/-12 and +/-15 VDC.
The footprint used on the 1 x 1-inch package is the same as that of
an industry standard 1 x 2 inches, thereby offering a space saving
alternative. The QMJ Series operates with efficiencies as high as 90
percent. The operating ambient temperature is -40° to +70°C with
no de-rating. The unit is encapsulated with a thermally conductive
potting compound in a six-sided metal case for improved thermal
performance in still air environments. Pricing starts at $23.15 each
(1000s).
ConTech, Concord, CA. (925) 609-1193. [www.contech-us.com].
VPX Cards Serve Up Spartan-6 FPGAs
A new series of 3U VPX FPGA boards provides
powerful, but economical solutions for high-speed
processing of algorithms in embedded computing
applications. The VPX-SLX boards from Acromag
employ a configurable, logic-optimized Spartan-6
FPGA with 150k logic cells to meet demand for higher
performance in cost-sensitive applications. A highthroughput PCI Express interface, generous dualported memory for efficient data handling, and 64 I/O
lines direct to the FPGA enable rapid data processing and great
versatility. Ideal for defense, aerospace, or scientific research; typical applications involve signal
intelligence, image processing and hardware simulation.
All VPX-SLX models use the XC6SLX150 Spartan-6 FPGA chip with 147,433 logic cells and 180
DSP48A1 slices. There are 64 I/O or 32 LVDS lines connected to the FPGA via the rear P2 connector.
A series of AXM extension modules are available to provide additional front-end 16-bit A/D,
differential RS-485, CMOS, or LVDS I/O processing channels through a mezzanine connector on
the front of the card. FPGA code loads from the PCIe bus or from onboard flash memory. A JTAG
and Xilinx ChipScope Pro interface are also supported to simplify development tasks.
For extended temperature range operation, models can be ordered with a frame for use in a
conduction-cooled chassis. The standard model operates reliably over a 0 to 70°C range in an
air-cooled or forced convection system. The conduction-cooled version supports a range of -40°
to 85°C. And for system compatibility, Acromag’s 3U VPX cards support a number of VITA 65 slot
profiles and conform to VPX VITA 46.0, 46.4 and 46.9 specifications. Pricing starts at $5,200 for an
air-cooled version and slightly higher in a conduction-cooled format.
Acromag, Wixom, MI. (248) 295-0310. [www.acromag.com].
Systems Does Large-Scale HighDensity IP Video Decoding
The U.S. military has moved toward a
tremendous reliance on graphics and videobased data. Serving those needs, Matrox
Graphics offers Matrox SMD-2 streaming
media decoder, a second-generation universal
IP video decode solution designed to decode—
in parallel—large numbers of network video
streams in different resolutions and formats.
The ideal building block for large-scale IP video
decode applications, each SMD-2 board can
simultaneously decode up to 64 QCIF, 16 D1,
or 2 HD 1080 streams. By combining multiple
SMD-2 boards within a single system, users can
decode and display hundreds of IP streams on
any video display wall.
SMD-2 is fully integrated with the Matrox
PPX Series and will be compatible with the
Mura MPX Series later in the summer. With its
capacity to cost-effectively support large-scale,
high-density IP stream decoding, the Matrox
SMD-2 is ideal for use in security surveillance,
public security and critical infrastructure
sectors. The Matrox SMD-2 is currently
available for use with Matrox PPX Series display
wall controller boards. Development kits for
SMD-2 with Matrox Mura MPX Series will
be available late summer 2011, with general
availability in fall 2011.
Matrox Electronic Systems, Dorval, Quebec,
Canada. (514) 822-6000.[www.matrox.comp].
Mini-ITX Chassis Suited for Rugged Vehicle Use
Logic Supply has introduced the MV101 Automotive Mini-ITX chassis. A variety of available internal
mounting solutions and power supplies make the MV101 a versatile option for any rugged vehicle or similar harsh
environment application. The MV101 is constructed from 1.5 mm thick galvanized steel and is designed to be as
compact and resilient as possible. Dual brackets allow for vertical or horizontal mounting, and are equipped with
bidirectional keyways and DIN rail holes. The enclosure is equipped with dual 40 mm ball-bearing fans. These are
located behind a cleanable and replaceable air filter screen, which provides maximum protection while ensuring
adequate air flow and cooling.
Logic Supply, South Burlington, VT. (802) 861-2300. [www.logicsupply.com].
COTS Products
FPGA-Based 6U VME/VXS Board Does Ten
Channels
Get16-bit
Connected
with companies and products featured in this section.
VXS is a “here today” solution for high-performance VME-compatible
military system implementations. TEK Microsystems has announced the
QuiXilica Aries-V6, the first product to combine ten 16-bit 250 MSPS signal acquisition with Virtex 6 processing for VME- and VXS-based applications.
The combination of ten of the fastest available 16-bit resolution A/D converters with three Virtex-6 FPGAs sets new records in both channel and
processing density for 6U signal acquisition and processing products, enabling systems with up to 180
coherent channels and 130 TeraMAC/s of processing in a single chassis. Like previous generations of QuiXilica
products based on Virtex II Pro and Virtex 5 technology, the Aries-V6 is compatible with legacy VME systems
as well as newer ANSI/VITA 41 VXS-based systems in both laboratory and deployed / rugged applications.
The Aries-V6 has ten Analog Devices AD9467 ADC converters, providing 16-bit resolution at sample
rates up to 250 MSPS with an input bandwidth of 500 MHz. The ADC provides an Effective Number of Bits
(ENOB) of 12.1 along with typical SFDR of 95 dBc and SNR of 74 dBFS when using a 97 MHz input. Each 6U
card has a single clock and trigger input that is used for all input channels. The trigger signal may be used to
support coherent processing across multiple Aries-V6 boards in a system, with up to 180 channels in a single
chassis. Each front end FPGA on the Aries-V6 has two DDR3 memory banks, each with capacity of 1 Gbyte
and 6.4 Gbyte/s of bandwidth, supporting simultaneous full rate DRFM type applications and snapshot data
capture for each input stream.
The QuiXilica-V6 architecture incorporates a next-generation system management processor for bitstream
management, board sanitization, power and thermal monitoring, built-in-test and extended diagnostics. The Aries-V6 is available for a wide range of
operating environments, including commercial grade, rugged air and conduction-cooled, allowing the card to be used for both laboratory and deployed
requirements in both VME and VXS systems.
TEK Microsystems, Chelmsford, MA. (978) 244-9200. [www.tekmicro.com].
240W DC/DC Converters Offer 4:1 Input Range
Calex announces the 240 watt LP
Series DC/DC converters that feature
a 4:1 input range. The LP series offers
an unprecedented 9 to 36 volt input
range in a 240W 2.3 x 2.4 x 0.55-inch
package. The 9 to 36 volt input range
makes the LP ideal for mobile batterypowered applications (12V) as well as
industrial (24V) and military COTS
(28V) requiring a wide input range.
The LP Series complements Calex’s 100, 150 and 400 watt 4:1 input range
offering giving designers a variety of options tailored to their application.
The output voltages available with the LP Series are 12, 15, 24, 28 and 48
VDC. No minimum load is required for proper operation. All models are
fully isolated input to output.
Calex, Concord, CA. (925) 687-4411. [www.calex.com].
FPGA-Enabled PXI Board Family Gets Six New I/O
Modules
National Instruments has
introduced the expansion of its
NI FlexRIO product line with six
new adapter modules featuring
FPGA-based reconfigurable I/O to
deliver enhanced functionality for
general-purpose automated test and high-speed digital communication.
The NI FlexRIO family provides engineers the flexibility of NI LabVIEW
FPGA technology with high-speed, user-configurable I/O on the PXI
platform. The new group of adapter modules includes four generalpurpose digitizers, a module for high-speed digital I/O and the industry’s
fastest 16-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) from Analog Devices,
which is optimized for modulated communications. The modules also
integrate with the new NI FlexRIO Instrument Development Library,
a collection of LabVIEW host and FPGA code, designed to provide
capabilities commonly found in instruments such as acquisition engines,
DRAM interfaces and trigger logic, along with the associated host APIs.
National Instruments, Austin, TX. (800) 258-7022. [www.ni.com].
VITA 58 Line Replaceable Unit Chassis Aims at Mil Vehicles
SIE Computing Solutions offers a series of VITA 58 Line Replaceable Units (LRU). This new product line launches
SIE’s 734 Series chassis, which meets the level 2 and 2-plus maintenance requirements specified in the VITA 58 standard.
Ranging in size from V58/1H1 to V58/8H2, many of the VITA 58 enclosures are backward compatible with the ARINC600
specification, and all utilize a rear-mount blind mating connector system that allows for plug-and-play deployment on the
battlefield, in the flight line, or on the shipboard.
A front panel indicator light also enables in-field techs to rapidly identify problems and then remove and replace the
LRU upon failure, so systems are always mission-ready in minutes, even without specialized expertise on-site. And because
all sensitive components are contained within the chassis’s protective ESD shell, further damage of the failed enclosure is
avoided during the service and transport stages of the repair process. The SIE VITA 58 chassis can be integrated with any
electronic component set from PC104 to OpenVPX and allows for convection, conduction and liquid cooling options for
maximum flexibility depending on environmental performance requirements for land, air, sea, or space applications.
SIE Computing Solutions, Brockton, MA. (800) 926-8722. [www.sie-computing.com].
COTS Products
ATCA Platform Is Ready for Tough Field Deployment
A high-performance, multiprocessing system platform is designed to address compute-intensive
requirements in command and control data center applications. The ATCA7365 SystemPak
Get Connected with companies and products
in this section.
fromfeatured
Elma Electronic
combines the high-performance
multiprocessing of an integrated ATCA platform with
a ruggedized design capable of withstanding the high
shock and vibration found in rugged mobile transport
applications. It has been successfully tested to withstand a
36” drop shock test per MIL-STD-810G.
Featuring three ATCA processor blades, each with
two six-core Intel processors as standard, the ATCA7365
SystemPak offers high processing power that makes it an
ideal solution for use in rugged “comms on the move”
(COTM) applications such as data center virtualization
and network-centric environments. Additional attributes
of the fully integrated SystemPak include 10 Gigabit Ethernet switching for high-speed data links, 96
Gbytes of DDR memory per blade and 1.2 Tbytes of storage. It is delivered tested and verified with
Linux, and the processors are VMware certified.
The new ATCA7365 platform has been successfully tested to meet environmental requirements
for operation in a command and control center. It is mounted in a lightweight transit case, can
withstand a 36” drop test on two axes, and can endure random vibration up to 25 Gs per MIL-STD810G. Operating temperature is 3° to 37°C in 5% to 95% non-condensing humidity. In addition
to the three processor blades, the standard configuration includes an Elma Type 11A, 6U six-slot
ATCA chassis, a fully replicated mesh backplane and a single system management card with a
provision for dual management as well as redundant cooling and power supplies. Four 300 Gbyte
SAS (serial-attached SCSI) drives and a 10 Gigabit Ethernet fabric switch blade with RTM (real-time
monitoring) are also part of the ready-to-run unit.
Elma Electronic, Fremont, CA (510) 656-3400. [www.elma.com].
Compact Flash Card Features Lock Switch for Write Protection
To assist users in protecting data in storage devices, Apacer Technology
offers a fifth-generation industrial compact flash (CF) card featuring
a write-protection design for data storage safety. The lock switch on
the bottom side of the memory card prevents data from being
tampered with. By simply locking the lock switch on the
bottom side of the card, the industrial CF card can be set
to be read only, thus preventing any attempt to write.
This way, the data not only can stay safe by avoiding
accidental deletion, but also can prevent tampering
of confidential information that may result in data
leakage. The industrial CF5 card is compliant with the
CFA 4.1 specifications.
Mini-ITX Platform Provides
Multiple Displays
A new low-power Mini-ITX motherboard
couples the Via VX900 media system processor
with a choice of 1.2 GHz and 1.6 GHz Via Nano
Processors to provide a high-performance and
highly scalable solution for advanced digital
signage systems. In addition to providing native
support for dual displays, the VB8004 from
Via Technologies can also be easily upgraded
to support four displays using an additional
Via S3 5400E graphics module, providing
developers with the widest variety of multidisplay configurations, including HDMI, LVDS
and DVI technologies. Powered by a choice of
1.6 GHz and 1.2GHz Via Nano processors, the
Via VB8004 leverages the advanced multimedia
capabilities of the Via VX900 system media
processor to deliver awesome DX10.1 graphics
and support for rich 1080p video resolutions.
VIA Technologies, Fremont, CA.
(510) 683-3300. [www.via.com.tw].
Apacer Memory America, Milpitas, CA. (408) 586-1291. [www.apacer.com].
XMC Ethernet Switch Module Delivers 12 Ports of Gbit Ethernet
A managed XMC 12-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch for the embedded market can be mounted on
virtually any VPX or VME module supporting the XMC mezzanine standard, and enables designers of
rugged embedded systems to integrate high-speed Ethernet switching functionality on a space, weight
and power (SWaP) optimized mezzanine module that requires no additional chassis slot to deploy.
The XMC-651 module from Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is also available in a
PMC mezzanine configuration (PMC-651) that provides up to 8 ports of managed GbE switching. The
XMC-651 supports full line-rate non-blocked switching and the in-field management of a broad range
of networking features including VLANs, multicast and Quality of Service. Designed for use in rugged
military environments, the module is available in both air-cooled and conduction-cooled variants.
The XMC-651 implements Ethernet switching functions via Broadcom 10th generation switching technology. Eight of the module’s ports support
10/100/1000Base-T with auto-negotiation. An additional 4 ports support SerDes (1000Base-BX) Gigabit Ethernet, offering flexibility in connecting
in-chassis devices. The XMC-651 implements Layer-2 Ethernet switching with full wire-speed performance on all ports and features an 8K entry MAC
address table, with automatic learning, advanced flow-control and head of line blocking prevention.
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing, Ashland, VA. (703) 779-7800. [www.cwcembedded.com].
COTS Products
PMC/XMC Carrier Card Supports 8-lane Get
PCIConnected
Express Speeds
with companies and products featured in this section.
A PCI Express PMC/XMC carrier card serves developers
wanting to configure PMC and XMC
mezzanine cards in high-performance servers and small form factor PCs. The SPR418A hybrid
card from GE Intelligent Platforms affords PCI Express compatibility and a combination of
performance, flexibility, reliability, interoperability and cost-effectiveness. It would typically
be used in the development of applications such as sonar, radar, communications and signals
intelligence (SIGINT).
The SPR418A can be ordered to host either a PMC module supporting up to PCI-X transfer
speeds, or an XMC module supporting up to 8-lane PCI Express speeds: the Gen2 x8 PCI
Express interface to the host allows for unimpeded data transfers at the full rate supported by the
mezzanine card. An integrated fan supplies additional cooling to the mezzanine card for optimum
reliability, while support for up to 25W of power is well in excess of that required by the PMC and XMC
specifications—contributing to both performance and reliability.
Flexibility is delivered by the SPR418A in the form of a number of connectivity options that allow
additional I/O and usage modes. J4 connectivity is provided to an optional 80-pin KEL connector
(similar to the connector used for FPDP VITA 17). J16 can be connected to two SFF connectors providing for up to 4 lanes of high-speed serial
connectivity each via readily available cables. A standard PC power connector can be fitted for stand-alone operation for mezzanines that do not require
interaction with a host.
GE Intelligent Platforms, Charlottesville, VA. (800) 368-2738. [www.ge-ip.com].
Triaxial Piezoresistive Shock Accelerometer Offered
in Compact Package
ATX Board Has Core2 Quad/Duo and FSB 1,333 MHz
Support
A piezoresistive triaxial shock
accelerometer is designed to provide
high-reliability measurements in
three orthogonal directions within
a footprint measuring less than 0.2
square inches (5.08 mm2). The model
73 from Meggitt Sensing Systems is
intended for such critical applications
as high-shock data recorders, missile
fusing and weapon systems. Design
of the model 73 incorporates use
of three Endevco model 71 high-g
piezoresistive shock accelerometers, housed on a specialty mounting
block, with two available mounting options. These are either a surface
mount technology (SMT) leadless chip carrier (LCC) package for
reflow soldering with structural epoxy underfill; or a flex circuit option,
allowing the unit to be adhesively mounted with electrical connections
made via solder pads.
A new industrial-grade ATX motherboard is designed with the Intel
G41 and the ICH7R chipset for
industrial applications that need dual
displays for DVI plus VGA and rich
strong I/O capability. The AIMB767 from Advantech supports LGA
775 Intel Core2 Duo, Core2 Quad,
Pentium Dual-Core and Celeron 400
sequence processors with FSB up to
1333 MHz and DDR3 800/1066MHz
SDRAM up to 4 Gbytes. AIMB-767
is capable of software SATA RAID
0, 1, 5 & 10 to ensure reliable storage
and system protection for network-intensive applications. With rich I/O
interface support, AIMB-767’s four SATAII ports can support software
RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5 to serve as an entry-level data security solution with
reliability. The four onboard serial ports (COM ports), one PCIe x16,
one PCIe x4 and five PCI expansion slots allow AIMB-767 to meet many
different industrial control application requirements.
Meggitt Sensing Systems, Fribourg, Switzerland. +41 26 407 11 11.
[www.meggittsensingsystems.com].
Advantech, Irvine, CA. (949) 789-7178. [www.advantech.com].
Rugged Fanless Embedded Computer Boasts 100G Shock Resistance
A new fanless embedded computer with rich integrated I/O is equipped with the Intel Atom D510 1.66
GHz processor. The MXE-3000 from Adlink Technology delivers twice the performance of the previous
N270 platform. Featuring maximum operating shock tolerance up to 100G, minimal footprint with a small
profile, and innovative thermal design with zero cable management requirements, the MXE-3000 provides
reliable performance in mission-critical and harsh environments for a variety of applications.
Leveraging the advantages of enhanced RF function, dedicated I/O features, 9-32 VDC wide range power
input and LVDS & VGA dual display support, the MXE-3000 with ease of mounting capability—VESA or DIN rail, is a suitable match for diverse
applications. With changes in market trend toward smaller fanless configurations, the MXE-3000’s compact 210 mm (W) x 170 mm (D) x 53 mm (H)
size suits it ideally for applications requiring limited storage space and demanding zero-noise, dustproof performance. A unique cable-free structure and
extended temperature functionality enable the MXE-3000 series to greatly benefit customers with high-performance computing, lowered total cost of
ownership and long-term durability. The MXE-3000 is priced at $672.
ADLINK Technology, San Jose, CA. (408) 360-0200. [www.adlinktech.com].
COTS Products
COM Express Modules Serve Up Freescale QorIQ Processors
A family of COM Express embedded computing modules is powered by Freescale Semiconductor
QorIQ processors. Three modules, the COMX-P3041, COMX-P4040 and COMX-P5020, have been
Get Connected
with companies
and products
in this section.
announced
by Emerson
Network Power.
Thesefeatured
new boards
can speed deployment for users of QorIQ
www.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnectedprocessors with diverse I/O requirements by reducing
design complexity while providing customizable
modular options. Design engineers are isolated from
the complexities of high-speed processor and memory
system design, allowing them to focus on a carrier
board tailored to the I/O needs of their application
and improving their product to gain market share.
The COMX-P3041module features the Freescale
QorIQ P3041 quad-core communications processor
operating at 1.5 GHz, for a more power- and
cost-efficient solution to modules built on the
P4 platform while retaining many of the features
and architectural compatibility. The COMX-P4040 module features the Freescale QorIQ P4040
quad-core communications processor operating at 1.5 GHz, making it ideal for communications
applications requiring combined control, data and application layer processing. The COMX-P5020
module features Freescale’s first offerings with the 64-bit, e500mc core, the Freescale QorIQ P5020
dual-core processor operating at 2.0 GHz to target control plane and compute applications that
require high single-threaded performance. All modules support one or two channels of 2 Gbyte
DDR-1333 ECC SO-UDIMM and have 12 configurable SERDES lanes available for maximum
flexibility. Highly flexible I/O includes 10G-XAUI, SRIO, GPIO, USB 2.0, PCI Express, Gigabit
Ethernet and real-time debug.
Emerson Network Power, Tempe, AZ. (602) 438-5720.
[www.emersonnetworkpower.com/embeddedcomputing].
3U OpenVPX Switch Blends PCI Express and Ethernet
A new 3U OpenVPX PCI Express and Ethernet hybrid switch delivers extremely high transfer
rates in centralized VPX and OpenVPX platforms. With
up to 4 x 6 Gen1/Gen2 PCIe backplane ports for the data
plane, the VX3905 from Kontron provides ten times the
I/O bandwidth found in systems deploying today and
paves the way for a new generation of high-performance
embedded computing (HPEC) applications. The hybrid
switch VX3905 is compliant with the OpenVPX VITA65
switch slot profile SLT3-SWH-6F6U-14.4 for highest
compatibility in multi-board designs. It provides up to 24 PCI
Express Gen 1/Gen 2 ports for up to 32 lanes that can be configured (x8, x4, x2 and x1) depending
on the required bandwidth. Up to nine Gigabit Ethernet ports are available on the VX3905 for the
control plane, enabling dedicated system management for high availability.
PCIe Synchro/Resolver Card
Offers 30 Arc Second Accuracy
Data Device Corp. (DDC) has introduced a
new Digital-to-Synchro/Resolver simulation
PCIe card (SB-3623X), designed for test
applications involving instrument grade angle
position simulation of up to 6 channels at 30
arc seconds accuracy. This half-size RoHScompliant card easily integrates with the
smaller size desktops to perform lab testing
on position sense for motor control, robotics,
gimbal positioning and valve control. Benefits
include up to 6 independent output channels
programmable up to 90 volts Synchro or
Resolver and up to 30 Arc second accuracy. It
has a programmable onboard reference sine
oscillator as well as programmable dynamic
rotation and up to 3 two-speed outputs.
Data Device Corp., Bohemia, NY.
(631) 567-5600. [www.ddc-web.com].
Kontron, Poway, CA. (888) 294-4558. [www.kontron.com].
Data Acquisition Card Offers 128 Channels of USB Analog I/O
A highly integrated multifunction data acquisition and control system offers an attractive solution for adding
portable, easy-to-install high-speed analog and digital I/O capabilities to any PC or embedded system with a USB
port. The DAQ-Pack from Acces I/O Products performs signal conditioning such as RC filtering, current inputs, RTD
measurement, bridge completion, thermocouple break detection, voltage dividers, small signal inputs and sensor
excitation voltage supply. Sustained sampling speeds up to 500 kHz are available for 32, 64, 96, or 128 single-ended
or differential analog inputs. Groups of eight channels at a time can be independently software configured to accept
different input ranges.
Advanced calibration models feature a real-time internal autocalibration system that allows the unit to compensate
for offset/gain errors. To minimize noise, the board offers oversampling. The channel-by-channel programmable
gain feature enables measurement of an assortment of large and small signals in one scan—all under software control at up to 500 kHz. The board’s
data buffer and ability to trigger the A/D in real time assures synchronized sampling that is unaffected by other computer operations—an essential
requirement for signal, vibration and transient analysis where high data rates must be sustained. Pricing starts at $872.
ACCES I/O Products, San Diego, CA. (858) 550-9559. [www.accesio.com].
Advertisers Index
Get Connected with technology and companies providing solutions now
Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest
datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you
in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology,
Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products you are searching for.
Company
Page#
Website
Company
Page#
Website
ADLINK Technology America, Inc...... 41................www.adlinktechnology.com
Mercury Computer Systems........... 19.............................. www.mercury.com
AIM - USA ...................................... 40.................... www.aimusa-online.com
MILESTONE..................................... 48....................www.milestone2011.com
Aitech Defense Systems, Inc........... 27................................www.rugged.com
Ocean Server Technology............... 56...................... www.ocean-server.com
Ballard Technology.......................... 68......................... www.ballardtech.com
Parvus Corporation......................... 34................................ www.parvus.com
Cogent............................................. 30............................ www.cogcomp.com
Pelican Products, Inc...................... 33................................www.pelican.com
ELMA
Components
16.................... www.elmabustronic.com
products
featured in Division...........
this section.
Pentek,
.....................................
29................................ www.pentek.com
withInc..
companies
mentioned in this article.
End
of Article
AMD................................................. 5...................www.amd.com/embedded
One Stop Systems.
.......................... 39.................www.onestopsystems.com
Products
Get Connected with companies and
Index
Get Connected
ELMA Electronic Inc........................ 36.........................www.acttechnico.com
Phoenix
International....................... 4.............................. www.phenxint.com
Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc...... 7................................ www.xes-inc.com
PICO Electronics, Inc................... 49, 57................www.picoelectronics.com
GE Intelligent Platforms................... 17...................................www.ge-ip.com
PMC & XMC Boards Gallery........... 51............................................................
Innovative Integration...................... 25................... www.innovative-dsp.com
Presagis.www.cotsjournalonline.com/getconnected
.......................................... 15............................. www.presagis.com
ISI Nallatech Inc.............................. 14.............................www.nallatech.com
RTD Embedded Technologies ......... 2........................................www.rtd.com
Jayco............................................... 42..... jaycopanels.com; ultra-displays.com
RTECC............................................. 65................................... www.rtecc.com
JMR Electronics.............................. 37...................................... www.jmr.com
SynQor Inc.................................... 31, 67............................. www.synqor.com
JumpGen......................................... 45............................www.JumpGen.com
Themis Computer............................ 44................................ www.themis.com
Kontron America............................. 23...............................www.kontron.com
WDL Systems.................................. 26........................ www.wdlsystems.com
Lauterbach...................................... 55.......................... www.lauterbach.com
Xembedded, Inc.............................. 28........................ www.xembedded.com
Get Connected with companies mentioned in this article.
Lind Electronics, Inc......................... 4.................... www.lindelectronics.com
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Coming Next Month
Special Feature: VME, VPX and cPCI in Tech Upgrade Programs Among the reasons for VME’s soaring success in
military systems is its unique ability to remain backward compatible and facilitate technology refresh in military programs.
A new board with the latest and greatest processor, memory and I/O can easily be dropped in to a slot that could be decades
old. CompactPCI has followed in those same footsteps. But upgrades become trickier as new fabric-based VITA-standard
boards enter the mix. Articles in this section examine the current activity in traditional VME and cPCI tech refresh along with
the trade-offs involved in mixing those alongside newer VITA architectures like VXS and VPX.
Tech Recon: Display and Computing Trends for UAV Ground Control UAV Ground Control systems represent a focal point of advanced display and
computing technology. The systems need real-time performance and sophisticated video and graphics processing. Meanwhile the display subsystems in
these systems need to display complex sets of real-time information. System architectures like ATCA and others have emerged as solutions for UAV Ground
Control designs. This section compares the trends and products that meet the unique needs of these critical military systems.
System Development: Military Data Acq Puts USB and PCI Express to Work Fading fast are the days when complex military electronics systems
required large racks on boards to implement test platforms for them. Now the same test functions can be done on the PC using USB, PCI Express data
acquisition and test modules. This section looks at the boards and software solutions driving this trend.
Tech Focus: High-Density Storage Subsystems As military systems continue to rely more and more on compute- and data-intensive software, the
storage subsystem is now a mission-critical piece of the puzzle. This section examines the emergence of Ethernet and IP-based storage interfaces, while
comparing how traditional interface schemes like SATA, Fibre Channel and SCSI are positioned these days. Rotating drives still offer the best density, but
flash-based solid-state disks F-SSDs are able to operate under the harshest conditions. This Tech Focus section updates readers on high-density storage
systems and provides a product album of representative drives.
[[ 64
64 ]] COTS
COTS Journal
Journal July
20112011
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COTS
Editorial
The Power of Joint Perspective
T
he regular habit of cost and schedule overruns is so entrenched in defense procurement that it’s hard to imagine
a defense industry without those flaws. But to their credit,
the government and DoD never fail to throw energy into improving the situation. As defense budget dollars tighten, the
stakes get even higher and the DoD faces the prospect of doing
more with less. With the reality of slowly growing or flat defense
budgets for some years ahead, there’s great motivation to get better returns on its weapon system investments. An ability to make
good trade-offs between cost, schedule and performance objectives at the time of developing and validating weapon system requirements will be important to achieving those returns. Some
of that trade-off efficiency requires overseeing what’s possible
between the military branches—bringing the power of “Joint”
into the acquistion realm in a real way.
Over the past 25 years, numerous panels have studied the
acquisition process. And while not a lot of improvement has
been made, it seems that the right efforts—rules and reviewing
bodies—are now in place to make things better. An example is
the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 (WSARA),
which took steps to encourage the DoD to engage in a more robust discussion of trade-offs before beginning a new weapon
system program. Part of the WSARA directed the DoD’s Joint
Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) to ensure that these
choices were made part of its process for assessing and prioritizing requirements. WSARA also directed GAO to assess the
implementation of these requirements.
In a report to the Congressional Armed Services Committees last month, the GAO reviewed its analysis on the extent to
which the JROC has considered cost, schedule and performance
trade-offs within programs. The report also looked at efforts
to estimate the level of resources needed to fulfill joint military
requirements and the extent to which the JROC is prioritizing
requirements and capability gaps.
To conduct its review the GAO focused on JROC activities in fiscal year 2010. It chose that time period to allow for any
changes the JROC would implement as a result of the enactment
of WSARA in May 2009. It reviewed the seven Capability Development Documents (CDD) submitted to the JROC in fiscal year
2010, JROC decision memos related to the CDDs, and analyses
of alternatives (AOA) conducted by the military services prior to
JROC reviews. The GAO also reviewed documentation from 15
JROC reviews of programs that incurred substantial cost growth
after program start to determine if trade-offs were made. According to the GAO report, the JROC considered trade-offs made
by the military services before validating requirements for four
of the seven proposed programs it reviewed in fiscal year 2010,
and provided input to the military services on the cost, schedule
and performance objectives for two of the seven programs.
The GAO report said that the JROC did not change any
performance parameters during 15 reviews of programs that reported substantial cost growth in fiscal year 2010. For its part,
the Joint Staff disagrees with that assessment arguing that by
holding requirements firm and accepting increased cost and
schedule delays, the JROC essentially traded cost and possibly
schedule for performance. In fiscal year 2010 the JROC reviewed
six programs after they experienced a critical Nunn-McCurdy
breach, and nine programs as part of the tripwire process.
During all 15 reviews, the DoD and the JROC stated that
requirements were not the primary causes of cost growth. Most
of these programs were in production in fiscal year 2010, and to
be fair, changing requirements at this late stage might not have
mitigated the reported cost growth. When the JROC reviewed
the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals program—still in development—it concluded that the program’s
requirements could not be met in an affordable manner. The
JROC did not immediately defer any of the program’s requirements. Instead it asked the USD AT&L to identify potential alternatives for the program, including reviewing whether adjustments to performance requirements would be appropriate.
In summary, the GAO report concluded that the JROC has
mostly left prioritization and trade-off decisions to the military
services. The problem with that is it fails to make use of the
unique, joint perspective of a body like the JROC, which enables
it to look across the entire department to identify efficiencies
and potential redundancies. So bottom line, there are it seems
all the right rules and organizations in place to improve defense
acquistion dramatically, but they have to be used. Hopefully
the things like trade-off discussions at early acquisition milestones will help. More effectively scrutinizing the quality of the
resource estimates presented by the military services should also
make a difference. But it seems like those things won’t happen
until that long-used term “Joint” becomes all that it should be in
the acquistion side of our military.
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