Military and aerospace electronics vol28 no10 outubro 2017

OCTOBER 2017

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE

New paradigm in naval warfare It could be as significant as the battleship and the aircraft carrier. PAGE 2

Unmanned sensor processing Pushing the bounds of SWaP for rugged processing aboard military unmanned vehicles. PAGE 20

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Military & Aerospace Electronics® (ISSN 1046-9079), Volume 28, No. 10. Military & Aerospace Electronics is published 12 times a year, monthly by PennWell® Corporation, 1421 S. Sheridan, Tulsa, OK 74112. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK 74112 and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: USA $185 1yr., $327 2 yr., $466 3 yr.; Canada $280 1 yr., $479 2 yr., $618 3 yr.; International $335 1 yr., $638 2 yr., $834 3 yr. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Military & Aerospace Electronics, P.O. Box 47570, Plymouth, MN 55447. Military & Aerospace Electronics is a registered trademark. © PennWell Corporation 2017. All rights reserved.

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MILITARY•COTS•INDUSTRIAL TRANSFORMERS & INDUCTORS

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

1

10/11/17 8:19 AM

trends

BY JOHN KELLER, EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Get ready for a new era in naval warfare We may be on the precipice of a

that nuclear-powered aircraft carriers

resources trying to defeat the low-

major shift in naval warfare that is

and submarines will remain the cen-

cost systems.

every bit as disruptive and signifi-

terpieces of naval power.

cant as the armored battleship and

U.S. sea-control today revolves

Today’s aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines would become

submarine in World War I, and the

around carrier battle groups and

platforms for deploying manned and

aircraft carrier in World War II.

nuclear submarines. Basing the

unmanned surveillance and strike

Navy’s survival on these assets, how-

assets. Meanwhile, they would retain

time secure networks of manned

The idea revolves around real-

ever, increasingly is difficult because

their offensive and human leadership

and unmanned aircraft, surface

of the many enemy long-range anti-

capabilities. These expensive vessels

ships, and submarines able to attack

ship missiles they face. Adversaries

wouldn’t have to operate close to the

and defend vast areas of the world’s

also are quickly enhancing their

enemy; instead they would send their

oceans to hold enemy ships and sub-

anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

unmanned systems to do that in the

To overcome these obstacles,

air, on the water, and under the sur-

marines at risk over wide contested areas. This is the core concept of the

the CDMaST program seeks to

Cross Domain Maritime Surveillance

move away from a centralized

and Targeting (CDMaST) Phase 2

defensive battle group posture to a

would use pre-deployed hidden sen-

project of the U.S. Defense Advanced

more distributed and agile approach

sors and weapons like those envi-

Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in

to hold the opponent at risk over

sioned in the DARPA Upward Falling

Arlington, Va. It could lead to a new

ocean areas as large as a million

Payloads program. DARPA research-

era of global sea control, and could

square kilometers.

ers are considering networked sys-

be a fundamental step forward in maritime combat.

CDMaST would augment aircraft

Think of it: The Navy no longer

face. It’s doing more with less.

Such a future naval strategy also

tems of new anti-ship missiles; fast,

would have to base its global strat-

long-range undersea weapon sys-

egy on 12 aircraft carriers, 52 attack

tems; unmanned, long-endurance

carrier battle groups and manned

submarines, and 18 ballistic- and

air, surface, and undersea vehicles;

submarines with networked manned

cruise-missile submarines. Instead,

and prepositioned seafloor systems.

and unmanned systems of sys-

the heart of U.S. naval power would

Combined with manned platforms,

tems (SoS) that work collaboratively

be rapidly reconfigurable forces of

these systems can provide the sur-

to control the seas. This approach

size and scope to meet specific chal-

veillance and targeting needed to

has the potential to render previous

lenges when and where they are

exploit new weapons.

forms of naval warfare obsolete.

needed most.

The advent of shipboard nuclear

The concept is to distribute com-

New technologies would come to bear in communications; battle

power in the 1950s leads us to today’s

bat ability across many low-cost sys-

management; command and con-

most modern aircraft carriers, fast

tems to threaten the opponent and

trol; position, navigation, and tim-

attack submarines, and ballistic mis-

put him on the defensive. This will

ing; logistics; sensors; manned and

sile submarines that can operate for

involve a combination of manned

unmanned systems; and weapons.

years without refueling. These ves-

and unmanned systems to form

It’s a new day for which we

sels have been kings of the ocean

SoS architectures able to conduct

should prepare ourselves. The era

now for nearly 60 years. Everything

wide-area surveillance and targeting,

of distributed networked naval sys-

changes, however, and it’s unlikely

and cause the opponent to expend

tems is not far off. 

2

1710mae_2 2

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

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news

Military researchers are developing bistatic sonar with manned and unmanned submarines to enhance sub-hunting capabilities.

IN BRIEF Raytheon to build  lightweight Griffin missile for UAVs, surface warships, and aircraft U.S. Air Force airborne weapons experts are asking the Raytheon Co. to build a lightweight missile and glide bomb that features low collateral damage and is suitable for launch from a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), mili-

New era dawns in ASW as manned and unmanned submarines team for bistatic sonar

tary manned aircraft, and sur-

BY JOHN KELLER

face warships. The Air Force

NEWPORT, R.I. —

announced a $104.9 million

researchers are asking two U.S.

out giving away their presence to

contract to the Raytheon Missile

defense contractors to develop

potentially hostile vessels.

Systems segment in Tucson,

bistatic sonar for anti-submarine

Ariz., to build, test, and support

warfare (ASW) that teams manned

as pingers and manned fast attack

the AGM-176 Griffin missile.

and unmanned submarines and

submarines as listeners to con-

Griffin is a lightweight, preci-

capitalizes on the benefits of active

ceal the presence of the manned

sion-guided munition that can

sonar without compromising the

attack sub. Using this technology,

launch from the ground, from

stealth of U.S. attack submarines.

the manned submarine could detect

the air as a rocket-powered

U.S. military

Officials of the U.S. Naval

(UUVs) to detect and track enemy submarines at long ranges with-

The project seeks to use UUVs

and target enemy submarines based

missile, or drop from the air as

Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)

on sonar returns from the UUV

a guided bomb. It carries a rel-

in Newport, R.I., have announced

active sonar pingers.

atively small, 13-pound war-

a $4.6 million contract to the BAE

head for low-collateral damage,

Systems Electronic Systems seg-

sound waves off submarines, sur-

as well as for use in irregular

ment in Merrimack, N.H.; and a $4.7

face warships, and other objects for

warfare. The munition comes

million contract to Applied Physical

detection and tracking. The problem

in two versions. Griffin A is an

Sciences Corp. in Groton, Conn.,

with active sonar, however, is it’s

unpowered precision munition

for the Mobile Offboard Command

like shining a flashlight in a dark-

that can be dropped by air-

and Control and Approach

ened room: It can find objects effec-

craft from a rear cargo door or a

(MOCCA) program.

tively, but gives away its presence

Traditional active sonar bounces

NUWC awarded the contracts

and forfeits any pretense of stealth.

Block II B is a short-range mis-

in February on behalf of the U.S.

Passive sonar, on the other hand,

sile that can be fired from UAVs

Defense Advanced Research

simply listens for sounds from

as well as manned helicopters,

Projects Agency (DARPA) in

enemy submarines or surface ships.

attack aircraft, U.S. Air Force

Arlington, Va. MOCCA seeks to

It’s not as effective or as efficient as

AC-130W gunships, and U.S.

enable manned Navy submarines to

active sonar, but it preserves stealth

Marine Corps KC-130J tankers.

use active sonar pings from nearby

and can keep the submarine’s pres-

unmanned underwater vehicles

ence secret from the enemy.

door-mounted launcher. Griffin

4

1710mae_4 4

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

Bistatic sonar using sonar trans-

sonar and communications con-

sonar pinger small enough for

mitters aboard a UUV and sonar

cepts, as well as subsystem pro-

UUVs, as well as signal process-

receivers aboard nearby attack sub-

totype demonstrations to validate

ing, and a secure communications

marines, however, has the potential

design approaches.

link to enable the host subma-

to gain the best of both worlds.

The MOCCA program has two

As long as attack subma-

key technical challenges: an active

rine to control the UUV at significant distances.

rine crews have precise knowledge of the position of the pinging

RES-XR6

UUV, they can detect the presence of enemy submarines based on sonar sound returns, and track their movements with accuracy.

Moreover, attack submarines can

THE FIRST RUGGED SERVERS WITH SKYLAKE ARCHITECTURE

keep their locations secret — if the enemy submarines don’t inadvertently receive acoustic signal returns from the attack submarines.

The DARPA MOCCA program

Now Available

seeks to develop active sonar solutions that will mitigate the limits of passive submarine sonar sensors, researchers say. The objective is to achieve significant standoff detection and tracking range by using an active sonar projector deployed offboard a submarine and onboard a UUV. The submarine will need the ability to coordinate the operational functions of the supporting UUV. Thus, the program must demonstrate reliable clandestine communications between the host submarine and supporting UUV without sacrificing stealth.

The program is asking BAE Systems and Applied Physical Sciences to develop compact active sonar sources, signal processing, and secure undersea communica-

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1710mae_5 5

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10/11/17 8:19 AM

news DARPA researchers are ask-

as energy-efficient as possible.

ing the two companies to build an

Researchers want the ability to

active sonar with an active sonar

focus the projected acoustic signal

projector small enough for UUV

in a direction of interest. The goal

operations, and bistatic active sonar

is to produce practical and flexible

processing. This will involve devel-

designs for the projector that can

oping high-output transducer mate-

scale for several different UUVs and

rials, and a sonar projector that is

deployment options.

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1710mae_6 6

SFF Embedded Computers

and sea surveillance. It has www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

news In addition to a small, pow-

Researchers also need a secure

er-efficient sonar projector, or

and reliable communications link

pinger, researchers are asking the

to provide positive control of a UUV

two companies to develop bistatic

and its sonar payload operating at

Navy eyes technologies in mine warfare, special ops, and expeditionary warfare

sonar processing advancements

a significant distance from its host

U.S. Navy surface warfare experts

in reverberation and clutter rejec-

submarine. The communications

are reaching out to industry for

tion as well as precision localiza-

link also must be able to communi-

enabling technologies to enhance

tion capability. The host UUV is

cate information generated on the

or speed new military capabili-

expected to be no larger than 21

UUV back to the host platform.

ties in mine warfare, naval spe-

inches in diameter.

An ideal link would have a low

The goal is to operate the system

cial operations, and naval expe-

probability of intercept and of

ditionary warfare. Researchers

in bottom-limited acoustic environ-

exploitation and provide high link

at Naval Sea Systems Command

ments, so projected sound will scat-

reliability. The MOCCA communi-

in Washington issued a solic-

ter and produce reverberation and

cations link cannot degrade subma-

itation (N00024-17-R-6271) for

signal loss. Scattered sound inad-

rine stealth. 

the Confronting Irregular and

vertently may illuminate the host

Expeditionary Warfare Capability

submarine and possibly compromise

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit BAE

Challenges project to develop new

stealth, so researchers want detailed

Systems Electronic systems online

technologies in mine warfare,

and accurate predictions of the

at www.baesystems.com, Applied

naval special warfare, and naval

acoustic environment to manage the

Physical Sciences at www.aphysci.

expeditionary combat that apply

sonar and potential exposures.

com, and DARPA at www.darpa.mil.

to Navy programs of record or

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10/11/17 8:19 AM

news other acquisition programs. Navy

expeditionary combat. In addition,

researchers are interested in new

the Navy wants new technologies

technologies that could be ready

that enable warfighters to oper-

advanced submarine-detec-

within one year, based on proto-

ate in harbors, rivers, bays, and on

tion sensors, such as direc-

type demonstrations in realistic

beaches, as well as technologies

tional frequency and rang-

environments. Those interested

that improve access to multi-intel-

ing (DIFAR) sonobuoys and

have one year to submit ideas.

ligence, surveillance, and recon-

magnetic anomaly detection

Capabilities of interest involve

naissance at the tactical edge. 

(MAD) equipment.

reconnaissance, counter-terrorism,

IN BRIEF

Radiation-hardened  embedded computer from BAE Systems ready to serve in space

direct action, irregular warfare,

MORE INFORMATION IS online

foreign internal defense, and other

at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/

urgent and emerging needs in

NAVSEA/NAVSEAHQ/N00024-

mine warfare, special warfare, and

17-R-6271/listing.html.

Aerospace and defense technology company BAE Systems in Manassas, Va., is debuting its next-generation hardened computer designed for spacebased use. The new RAD5545

Air Force asks industry for space communications to track and control multiple satellites

single-board computer beats its

BY JOHN KELLER

predecessor in size, speed, and

LOS ANGELES AFB, Calif.

efficiency, BAE systems says.

space experts are reaching out

tion (FA8806RFI01) for the Multi-

The new space microprocessor

to industry for communications

Band Multi-Mission Systems —

is radiation-hardened against

technologies able to contact multi-

Multi-Band Multi-Mission project.

ambient radiation, which

ple satellites and other spacecraft

means it can work reliably in

simultaneously across several fre-

tem could help the Air Force deal

the challenging conditions of

quency bands to track and control

with the growing number of orbit-

outer space for protracted peri-

a growing number of space vehicles

ing U.S. government satellites, and

ods. The RAD5545 is designed

in Earth orbit.

may augment or replace the current

at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., – U.S. Air Force

to be simpler than computers

Officials of the Air Force Space

used on previous generations

and Missile Systems Center (SMC)

have issued a request for informa-

A multi-band, multi-mission sys-

Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) and Launch and Test Range

of space-faring vehicles and

System (LTRS)

satellites, since it replaces mul-

infrastructure.

tiple cards with just one. It can

A future multi-

also unlock new capabilities

band, multi-mis-

for future spacecraft, including

sion, space-con-

encryption, running multiple

trol system could

operating systems at once, pro-

perform key

cessing extremely high-resolu-

telemetry, track-

tion images, and autonomously

ing, and control

operating spacecraft. Each of

(TT&C) capabil-

these tasks was beyond the

ities and radar

capabilities of previous sin-

functions, Air

gle-board computers designed for space.  8

1710mae_8 8

OCTOBER 2017

The Air Force is looking for new ways of controlling several different satellites at once to track and control a growing number of space vehicles in Earth orbit.

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

Force officials say.

Air Force space-control

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

news experts say they need to increase

technology maturity levels; and

Dedrick at Jeffrey.Dedrick@us.af.mil,

capacity, flexibility, interoperability,

available documentation.

Rachel Scollans at Rachel.Scollans@

automation, and resiliency of space

Companies interested should

us.af.mil, or Capt. Alexander Bast at Alexander.Bast.1@us.af.mil. 

operations and spacelift because

e-mail responses no longer than 25

of the increasing number of satel-

pages in Microsoft Word or .pdf for-

lites and space launches expected

mats to the Air Force’s Jeffrey Dedrick

MORE INFORMATION IS online at

in the future.

at Jeffrey.Dedrick@us.af.mil. E-mail

https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFSC/

questions or concerns to Jeffrey

SMCSMSC/FA8806RFI01/listing.html.

A multi-band, multi-mission system should be able to contact several space vehicles simultaneously across several frequency bands and provide tracking radar to support the Air Force AFSCN and LTRS. Air Force officials are asking industry for information on today’s available capabilities that compa-

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should be able to meet the needs of the Multi-Band Multi-Mission Systems — Multi-Band MultiMission project now, or be modified to do so in the future.

Candidate technologies should be able to respond to a surge in demand for spacecraft tracking and control; support frequency bands such as VHF, UHF, C, L, S. K, Q, and X; communicate with spacecraft from low-Earth orbit to geosyn-

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try and ranging downlinks and uplinks; operate on cloud-based computing; and monitor telemetry of several satellites simultaneously around the clock.

From companies that have suitable technologies, the Air Force wants to know how many simultaneous contacts, uplinks, and downlinks they can support; frequency bands supported; viewing and scan angles; data rates and modulation

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1710mae_9 9

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

9

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIA L

REPORT

FOR BORDER

AND PERIMETER

SECURITY

BY J.R. WILSON

TECHNOLOGY Sensors, data processing, interoperability, open systems, and wireless networking are only a few of the enabling technologies for securing the nation’s borders and critical infrastructure.

Refugees and immigrants, legal

complex — and potentially devas-

ranged from significantly raising

and illegal, are moving across the

tating — to the target nations by the

the level of vetting new arrivals

globe in numbers not seen since

presence of far more criminals and

to increasing security checks at

World War II, stressing the politics

terrorists, some from well-organized

official entry points, adding more

and -funded organizations, some

border patrols, limiting the num-

and security capabilities of dozens of nations. While this phenomenon has been divisive and costly, it is not something upper tier nations

“freelance” fanatics, but all carrying the potential for violence and chaos.

The situation has grown beyond

ber of new arrivals allowed, or trying to close their borders to all new immigrants.

were unable to handle previously,

the capabilities of traditional

even if it took a generation or two

human and dog patrols, official

to fully assimilate the new popula-

manned checkpoints at borders,

two land borders include the

tion segments.

seaports, and airports, and coastal

world’s longest with Canada (5,500

Today, however, an already com-

water patrols. The reaction by indi-

miles) and nearly 2,000 miles with

plicated issue has been made more

vidual nations across the world has

Mexico — both largely desolate —

10

1710mae_10 10

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

The problem is especially acute for the United States, whose only

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

plus 95,000 miles of shoreline,

effect to keep everyone safe and

15,000 airports, and government

accomplish the mission.”

and military facilities in nearly every nation on Earth.

“The simple issue of building a

and our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, allowing a proactive approach rather than strictly a reac-

Standardized processes

tive approach to threats,” Keplar

What border security authorities

says. “Infrastructure and archi-

physical versus a smart barrier,

also need are standardized pro-

tecture will be key to generating

where 21st Century technologies are

cesses for surveillance and recon-

actionable intelligence. Ensuring we

used, is a battle that has just begun,”

naissance, says Emily Keplar,

have proper connectivity to sensors,

Nelson Balido, CEO, Border Com-

intelligence functional manager at

customers, and decision-makers

merce & Security Council, said in an

the U.S. Department of Homeland

is critical... Finding new solutions

interview with Institute for Defense

Security (DHS) in Washington, who

and sharing existing resources is

& Government Advancement (IDGA)

oversees intelligence collection

becoming more necessary.”

before its 2017 Homeland Security

and reporting.

Week conference.

The DHS Silicon Valley Innova-

The DHS needs ways to establish

“Local and state issues must be

tion Program — a partnership of

multi-layered intelligence, surveil-

high-tech industry, DHS Science

taken into consideration, private

lance, and reconnaissance (ISR)

& Technology (S&T), and Customs

land owners will certainly have

plans that align resources and com-

and Border Protection (CBP) — is

skin in the game, as will various

mand structures to synchronize

working to enhance the situational

other groups,” Balido said. “In the

DHS activities, Keplar says.

awareness of Border Patrol agents

end, we need solutions that give our front-line agents a force-multiplier

“We have to provide timely intelligence to our DHS components

who often operate in harsh terrain under extreme physical conditions,

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1710mae_11 11

10/11/17 8:19 AM

Border security is a hotbed of new technologies, but sometimes the best solutions have been in use for hundreds of years, as Border Patrol agents still rely on horses for use in difficult terrain. with backup often miles away. In

who have applied for the program

Communications-Electronics

an April 2017 Customs and Border

and we view this interest, and the

Research, Development &

Protection blog entry, Commissioner

success of these companies thus far,

Engineering Center (CERDEC) at

Kevin K. McAleenan wrote that one

as a sign of great things to come

Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

of the most successful initiatives

with respect to Customs and Border

under the program involves small

Protection and S&T’s collaborative

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

efforts with the technology commu-

“Developing technologies and capabilities to secure our hard-

nity,” McAleenan added.

Advances in technology in the

Biometrics “In the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the focus has been on fingerprints and imperfect environments,”

21st Century’s first two decades

Riser says. “We’re looking to move

critical for deploying SUAS [small

have resulted in smaller, lighter,

toward more commercial sensors

unmanned aircraft system] tech-

faster, more capable, and more

in the future. Mobile devices that

nology,” McAleenan wrote. “We

mobile platforms, sensor fusion,

adhere to the same set of standards

have been looking for technologies

data analysis, and automatic tar-

open a larger set of devices that can

that will help adapt SUAS platforms

geted distribution.

ware and software platforms is

for use in Customs and Border

“The technologies are a mixture

be used by the DOD. Fingerprints, eyes, face are the primary uses

Protection, and specifically border

of things that have advanced, in

now.” Riser is part of CERDEC’s

patrol missions, such as new sen-

some cases, slower than the com-

Intelligence & Information

sors, user interfaces for law enforce-

mercial industry, which has been

Warfare Directorate’s Intelligence,

ment officers, and cybersecurity.

pushed by smartphones,” says

Surveillance, Reconnaissance &

Keith Riser, an identity intelli-

Targeting (ISRT) activity.

“We have received a number of proposals from quality companies 12

1710mae_12 12

OCTOBER 2017

gence engineer at the U.S. Army

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

ISRT’s fielded technologies to www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

help warfighters secure borders,

VADER is an advanced Ku-band

REPORT

scanning, real-time (or forensic anal-

checkpoints, and U.S. military and

ground moving target indicator

ysis) detection of large numbers of

government facilities overseas

radar that can detect and track mov-

targets, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of fixed targets.

include Tactical Reconnaissance &

ing vehicles and pedestrians. It also

Counter-concealment Enabled Radar

can provide wide- and small-area

Wolfhound fills coverage gaps

(TRACER); Vehicle and Dismount

air-to-ground moving target indi-

and other limitations of traditional

Enabled Radar (VADER); Wolfhound

cation, high-range resolution target

systems through frequency threat

Handheld Threat Warning System;

and direction finding. The hand-

Vigilant Pursuit; and Distributed

held device enables warfighters to

Common Ground System–Army

geo-locate spotter positions and

(DCGS-A).

observation posts.

TRACER enables long-range, wide

Vigilant Pursuit combines human

area detection of targets under

intelligence and signals intelligence

camouflage, concealment, and

from any source. Its information

deception conditions and map-

helps soldiers identify persons of

ping for complex environments. It

interest and uses cross-cuing and

enhances situational awareness

tipping to help with decision-mak-

by detecting small roadside tar-

ing in the field. It hosts DCGS-A

gets and buried weapons caches

workstations, dismounted human

through onboard image formation and change detection.

Upgraded Remote Video Surveillance System sensors are taking their place in U.S. border security.

intelligence collection, and several National Security Agency (NSA) ª

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1710mae_13 13

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MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

13

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

REPORT

enterprise solutions. DCGS-A is the

background investigations.

field-testing a mobile, relocatable

Army’s primary system for posting

“You first take an individual’s

data, processing information, and

fingerprints and eye scans, which

disseminating ISR information.

enrolls them in IDENT, says

ern, current system that updates

CERDEC’s Riser. “The goal is to have

electro-optical and infrared, but

for border security or immigra-

an authoritative response within

also includes a laser illuminator,

tion control, each of those systems

three minutes. Another aspect is

spotlight, a loud hailer, all as inte-

can be applied to elements of the

a watch list on the devices them-

grated components,” says Robert

Army’s overseas missions in both

selves. These can provide a lot of

Gilbert, senior program director

While not developed specifically

version called R-RVSS. “We were able to bring a mod-

areas. They also could be modified

nuances indicating why the individ-

at General Dynamics Information

for use by DHS in patrolling U.S.

ual is there.

Technology. Gilbert is a retired

land borders, shorelines, official ports of entry, and coastal waters.

“These basically offer a passive defense. If you can identify someone who has malicious intent

chief of the Customs and Border Protection agency.

“The operator in the command

Dual-use technologies

before they cross a perimeter, you

center can click the mike and tell

ISRT research programs look at

can detain them for further screen-

people what to do, including warn-

how sensors can share biometric

ing. That improves soldier safety

ing an agent of someone he may not

data. How CERDEC and DHS inter-

without targeting an entire group,”

see,” Gilbert says. “It significantly

act in this effort can be seen in the

Riser says.

reduces the time agents previously

Automated Biometric Identification

DHS is converting the 20-year-old

wasted responding to false alarms.

System — called ABIS by the mili-

Remote Video Surveillance System

tary, IDENT by DHS.

(RVSS) sensor towers into hosts

Mexico, giving Border Patrol field

for an improved RVSS developed

leadership knowledge they did not

tem-wide storage and process-

by General Dynamics Information

have before so they can deploy their

ing of biometric and associated

Technology in Fairfax, Va. As

human assets where they are most

Both provide centralized, sys-

The system also can see into

biographic information for national

part of that program for Customs

needed. It is a phenomenal deter-

security, immigration and border

and Border Protection, General

rent. Anyone looking at crossing the

management, and intelligence and

Dynamics also developed and is

border illegally or smuggling drugs can see these systems and know they are being observed.”

Upgrading legacy systems There also are legacy RVSS installations on the U.S. border with Canada. Gilbert says he expects that expanding the use of RVSS on the U.S. and Canadian border will replicate what is being done on the Southwest border — upgrading legacy installations and expanding into new areas as they update their requirements.

The stationary RVSS is mounted on towers, poles. Upgrades are in progress on 70 sites in Arizona

Unmanned ground vehicles are taking a role in border and perimeter security to block drug smugglers and other intruders.

14

1710mae_14 14

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

and 80 in Texas. The R-RVSS uses a retractable mast as high as 80 www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

REPORT

ONYX-HD DO-160 & MIL-STD Qualified COTS VIDEO Computer

Border Patrol agents for decades have relied on sensor towers, yet these are giving way to networks of fixed and mobile sensors for enhanced situational awareness.

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less than a day.

> Glass to glass latency < 100ms

General Dynamics also has installed a pilot Law

> 2x Analog NTSC/PAL inputs for legacy sensors

Enforcement Application Platform (LEAP) at Los Angeles

> H.264/AVC video encoding capabilities

International Airport. LEAP is designed to detect perim-

> Linux Metadata extraction

eter intrusions along the airport’s fence line. Its com-

> -40°C to +71°C operating

ponents and sensors correlate with more than 3,000 cameras that General Dynamics is deploying throughout the massive facility. Gilbert believes LEAP also may

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be of interest to the Border Patrol.

“The primary application we’ve been looking at, especially in airports, is facial recognition,” says Peter Howard, senior business development director at General Dynamics Information Technology. “We also have License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, which we look at as enhancements to the video system. We can bring in a number of sensors in a common operating picture.”

Customs and Border Protection is demonstrating facial recognition exit technology at five high-traffic www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_15 15

Tel : +33 1 69 07 83 22 www.ecrin.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

REPORT

Federal authorities are converting the 20-year-old Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS) sensor towers into hosts for an improved RVSS system.

U.S. airports and is collaborating

recognition holds huge potential to

capabilities,” Lyon said in an accom-

with airlines to integrate facial rec-

improve and eliminate face-to-face

panying interview. “Another chal-

ognition technology into passenger

interaction with the government.

lenge is the pace of change in the

gates at three others. The agency

Person-centric processing versus

biometrics and identity space.

notes there are several laws direct-

form-based is the next leap in

Technological advances and cus-

ing DHS to record the arrival and

transformation.”

departure of non-U.S. citizens.

IDENT, developed in the 1990s,

tomer demands are moving so quickly that, in many cases, an

“You never know what new and

will be replaced by a new system,

overall policy framework has not

cool technology is starting to emerge

Homeland Advanced Recognition

yet been developed.”

and the potential for that technology

Technology (HART), to handle the

to be integrated into the immigra-

growth of stored biometric identities,

Safeguarding privacy

tion process,” says Paul Hunter, chief

says Shonnie Lyon, acting director of

An additional challenge relates

of biometrics strategy at DHS U.S.

the DHS Office of Biometric Identity

to balancing privacy and mission

Citizenship & Immigration Services

Management. The number of bio-

needs, Lyon explains. “Privacy pro-

(USCIS). Hunter made his com-

metric identities has risen from hun-

tection is of utmost importance.

ments in an interview with IDGA

dreds of thousands initially to more

Balancing the natural tension

prior to the July 2017 Biometrics for

than 200 million.

between a commitment to privacy

Government & Law Enforcement

“HART will deliver more robust

protection and the need to exchange

performance, greater capacity and

biometric data means we need to be

“Voice holds a lot of promise in

functionality, and multi-modal

especially vigilant in what data is

the digital age,” Hunter says. “Facial

matching, storing, and sharing

shared and with whom.”

International conference.

16

1710mae_16 16

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

Several technologies are in the

REPORT

shortly after 9/11 to develop elec-

different systems to talk to each

works to enhance the speed, accu-

tro-optical threat sensors. Their cur-

other. Each had to have its own

racy, and safety of border secu-

rent focus is on perimeter security.

operator sending information into

rity. Those include palm prints,

“We began working about 10

a technical operations center to

DNA, gait, space between the eyes,

years ago with DHS on joint urgent

make sense of the different inputs.

license plate recognition, and vehi-

operational requirements called

That led to a real push for interop-

cle detection and tracking.

Base Expeditionary Targeting

erability in the systems CERDEC

Palm prints can be lifted from

Surveillance Systems−Combined

developed later.

bombs or fragments, and can be

(BETSS-C),” says Len Ramboyong,

stored in IDENT. Federal experts

chief of the NVESD Counter-

still are considering how to tie DNA

Terrorism Branch. “That resulted in

Resolution and deployability

into their processes for screening

a group of force protection equip-

that will go into the Ground-Based

refugees and immigrants in border

ment used for perimeter security.

Operational Surveillance System-

“We are working on enhancements

operations, identifying family lines,

Part of that suite was a system

Expeditionary (GBOSS-E) to meet

and augmenting existing forensic

called Cerberus, consisting of visual

a new requirement for better

processes. DNA is expected to have

and infrared imaging, unattended

resolution and be more deploy-

a much more significant role in the

ground sensors, and radars to

able, so they can be moved easily

next five to ten years.

detect targets.”

without a large logistic footprint,”

Gait, or how someone walks, is

A major drawback with BETSS-C

unique. A gait that differs signifi-

was the inability of five or six of its

Ramboyong says. “We’re working on sensor resolution, improving

cantly from the norm may indicate a suspect is carrying a heavy or dangerous load. Micro-expressions and Interocular Distance (space between the eyes) could benefit down the road. License plate recognition and vehicle detection and tracking could help resolve any questions before a suspect is close to human guards. LPR is more common in the U.S. “Any of those new modalities require creating ways to collect and store them on the database, then put into the watch list, and match them in real time,” CERDEC’s Riser says. “We’re definitely looking at data collection and dissemination from any platform, but we also want to move processing into the cloud, so the collection device is agnostic.

The goal remains providing a rapid response following data collection.”

Another CERDEC directorate, Night Vision & Electronic Sensors (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir, Va., established a counter-terrorism branch www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_17 17

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

17

10/11/17 8:19 AM

S PECIAL

REPORT

processing speed, and algorithm

federal sector of Ruckus Wireless

Technology advancements in

development that will allow us to

Inc. in Sunnyvale, Calif. “New secu-

security systems have been spec-

more quickly identify targets, bring

rity technology doesn’t work if it

tacular in the past few years, but

in some automation, and reduce

isn’t simple to expand and deploy

also have increased the need to

operator reaction time, while

in a world where all our tools are

secure deployed technology, and

enabling better sharing of informa-

needed everywhere, all the time. If

prevent the use of “backdoors” in

tion by making the systems more

I need to move a checkpoint, even

U.S. technology.

interoperable.”

if just to the other side of an airport,

NVESD is developing on systems to increase stand-off capabilities and enable users to detect

“The problem with miniaturiza-

the only way to do that quickly is

tion is whether the data remains

with a wireless network.

with the sensor or is sent back,”

“We have security mechanisms

Collura says. “It’s not just one or

individuals and vehicles at longer

to allow different devices to con-

two devices now, either, but a lot of

distances. Processing and reso-

nect only to the right networks,”

different sensors. One thing we’re

lution enhancements will enable

Collura says. “Next-generation secu-

working on is different technology

faster detection of anomalies, with

rity is not only for mobile phones,

from Bluetooth to LTE to Wi-Fi to

some of the detection capabilities

but also to ensure sensors are on

make a single, secure network man-

becoming more automated. That

the right network and no one else

aging all that.”

does not include the use of artifi-

can connect with them. Bandwidth

cial intelligence (AI), Ramboyong

and reliability, in general, have

der and perimeter security are

adds, which, while potentially

advanced to give wireless con-

designed to increase speed, accu-

helpful, is still too early in

nections comparable capability to

racy, and safety in dealing with

development.

wired, which was impossible just

millions of people on the move

five years ago. That has been a

worldwide. They also raise numer-

game-changer.”

ous questions about privacy, sys-

“There are a lot of different AI technologies, so we have to identify the proper one for each application,

Wireless networks and minia-

All the technologies for bor-

tem security, integration, and

given the environment and mis-

turization of power and sensors

sion, finding something that will

have allowed cameras to move

interoperability.

enhance, rather than hinder, the

away from buildings or even fixed

to become more and more com-

system,” agrees Gilbert of General

locations and be mounted on UAVs,

mon,” CERDEC’s Riser says. “In the

Dynamics. “When you integrate

unmanned ground vehicles, aero-

future, we are likely to be dealing

technology, if you haven’t done due

stats, and possibly unmanned sur-

with huge numbers of individuals,

“Operating in gray areas is going

diligence, you may create prob-

face vessels. That increases the

so having this capability in place

lems you didn’t have before, so you

area covered and the amount of

now will help then because we

have to make sure any improve-

data gathered.

won’t have to target everyone.

ment is an actual improvement.

At the same time, the imposition

“As we move forward, we will

At this point, we’re not yet ready

of government standards to certify

increase the speed and how we

to deploy AI.”

wired and wireless networks has

parse our sensing, increase part-

become a key to cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity

“If something happens, next-gen,

nering with industry and academia and leverage our subject matter

As is true throughout electronic

certificate-based security allows

experts to integrate all that knowl-

high-tech, these systems will

me to force something off the

edge,” Riser says. “We want to

be targeted by hackers. This has

network and require it to re-au-

make sure we aren’t creating mul-

placed ever-higher requirements on

thenticate,” Collura says. “Having

tiple stovepipes, so if we are devel-

network and system security.

devices pre-authorized to join the

oping something someone else also

network before deployment limits

is developing, we can converge

“Everything is moving from wired to wireless connections,” points out

the ability of someone to interfere

to solve both our needs without

Chris Collura, sales director in the

with those.”

duplication.” 

18

1710mae_18 18

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

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10/11/17 8:19 AM

TECHNOLOGY F CUS

Micro data centers for military drones Pushing the bounds of size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) to design the most rugged and sophisticated on-board sensor and data processing for military unmanned air, land, and sea vehicles

BY John

Keller

The A176 rugged embedded computer from Aitech Defense Systems has general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) functionality to provide realtime image recognition for unmanned vehicle surveillance.

Demand is exploding for sensor capability aboard unmanned vehicles. To a large extent, these unmanned craft represent the eyes and ears of U.S. and allied military forces, and are becoming more so in the future. Top commanders rely on unmanned vehicles to get them the information they need, when they need it, with little or no time lag involved.

Unmanned vehicles also are shrinking in size. Where once the

“We are seeing an uptick in C4ISR

Processing unmanned data

U.S. military relied exclusively

[command, control, communications,

It all begins with on-board data

on unmanned aerial vehicles

computers, intelligence, surveillance,

processors, which must handle

(UAVs) the size of jet fighters,

and reconnaissance] applications on

massive amounts of data com-

today’s UAVs often have wing

unmanned vehicles, with video, elec-

ing in from still-image and video

spans no longer than a person

tro-optical, and sensor fusion all tied

cameras, radar, signals intelligence

is tall and can be launched by

together,” says Doug Patterson, vice

(SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW),

catapult, and sometimes even by

president of business development

electro-optical sensors, and other

hand. This trend is continuing

and marketing at embedded comput-

kinds of surveillance and reconnais-

with development of UAVs small

ing specialist Aitech Defense Systems

sance equipment.

enough to fit in a warfighter’s

Inc. in Chatsworth, Calif.

shirt pocket.

When it comes to unmanned

“More processing is required on board unmanned vehicles,” says

This creates unprecedented

vehicles, the driving mantra of

Chris Ciufo, chief technology officer

design challenges for the embed-

onboard sensor processing for

at General Micro Systems (GMS) in

ded computing industry, whose

unmanned vehicles is SWaP-C,

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. “PowerPC

engineers increasingly are being

which is short for size, weight,

was the way we did things 10 years

asked to design what essentially are

power consumption, and cost. This

ago. Now we have these data-min-

rugged, mobile micro data centers

pressing need is what keeps embed-

ing applications on UAVS where you

that are small, rugged, powerful,

ded systems designers up at night.

are collecting reams of data from

and power-efficient enough for duty

These systems should be small,

these sensors of large-pixel den-

aboard the latest generations of

lightweight, power-efficient, and

sity, from TV and infrared cam-

unmanned vehicles.

cost-effective.

eras. There’s just lots and lots of

20

1710mae_20 20

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

data streaming in — terabytes —

more cores — 16 for commer-

Intel Xeon D brings together a lot

in real time.”

cial-temperature applications, and

of processing cores, much more

12 cores for industrial tempera-

memory, and on top of that many

processors powerful, but increas-

Not only are today’s most modern

tures — with 45 watts of thermal

more PCI Express and 10 Gigabit

ingly they are easier to integrate

dissipation,” Southworth says. “The

Ethernet lanes.”

than previous generations.

“You have the silicon that is much more powerful, and much more user-

sales@systelusa.com 888-613-4291 www.systelusa.com

friendly in terms of programming,” says Aitech’s Patterson. “The implementation process is almost limitless with the amount of processing that the systems designer has available.”

Trends in the miniaturization of processors of many different types has progressed to the stage where they can power shoebox-size, sensor-processing subsystems appropriate for many small- and medium-sized unmanned vehicles. This trend applies to general-purpose central processing units (CPUs), general-purpose graphics-processing units (GPGPUs), vector-processing engines, field-programmable gate arrays

Proven Rugged Solutions for Mission Success

(FPGAs), and other components critical to on-board sensor processing.

“Intel, obviously, is a large component of that, but there are other architectures, like ARM, that are growing significantly within military unmanned vehicles,” says Mike Southworth, product manager at the Curtiss-Wright Corp. Defense

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Solutions Division in Ashburn, Va. He also cites GPGPUs from Nvidia Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., as a popular on-board data processor for unmanned systems.

Flat Panel Displays and Computers

High Performance Computing High Density Storage

“Intel has released its first system-on-a-chip for the Xeon processor technology that has enabled power consumption like the company’s Core i7 processor, but with www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_21 21

10/11/17 2:27 PM

TECHNOLOGY F CUS

While the Intel Xeon D processor offers server-class

“AVX is Intel’s name for its vector-processing engine

performance with multiprocessing capability, match-

that it puts on its processors,” Thompson says. “It’s a

ing that chip, or other microprocessors, with the Nvidia

side-car on the processor, and is designed to do signal

GPGPU can speed the processing of incoming sensor

and image processing. AVX gives you the capability to

video. “You can encode or decode video coming from

process in parallel. Its parallel vector pipeline enables

the sensor, or use the GPGPU as a parallel processor,”

you to manipulate more data per cycle, so you can do

Southworth says.

more of whatever it is you are doing.”

Improvements in microproces-

In addition to processing performance, the Intel

sors suitable for on-board

Xeon offers designers access to a broad

unmanned vehicle

range of software support. “If you can use

sensor processing are

that Xeon ecosystem, you have access to

expected continue. “We

all the software in that ecosystem,” says

are starting to see a

John Bratton, product and solutions mar-

migration to more cores

keting manager at Mercury Systems in

coming up on the Xeons.

Andover, Mass.

We already have seen Xeon D-class processors with four, eight, twelve, and up to sixteen cores in a package,” says Peter Thompson, director of business development technology at Abaco

Networking and I/O The Parvus DuraNET 20-11 from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions is an ultra-small-formfactor (SFF) rugged 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch optimized for demanding manned and unmanned vehicle and aircraft platforms.

Systems in Huntsville, Ala.

When it comes to transforming raw sensor data into actionable information, pure processing power is only one piece of the puzzle. To run at its optimum speeds, a processor needs the ability to receive data from sensors as quickly as it can pro-

Sometimes specialized processors are necessary for image and video processing, and sometimes a com-

cess that data.

“You don’t want to starve the processor for data,”

bination of specialized processors like GPGPUs and a

says Mercury’s Bratton. “The backplane needs unre-

high-performance, general-purpose processor like the

stricted fat pipes. We have 10-gigabit or 40-giga-

Intel Xeon can fit customer needs.

bit pipes across 40 channels, and we guarantee the

“On the video side, we are seeing interest in

performance.”

GPGPU,” says Aitech’s Patterson. “They are

The sensor-pro-

seeing the need for small, compact

cessing system must

repetitive algorithms dis-

be able to move data

tributed among hundreds of

within the system,

processors, if not more. You

as well as move data

can break down your video

to other on-board

into smaller chunks, process

systems or to satellite

those pixels separately, and

links or ground-based net-

then combine them later.”

works. For these tasks, on-board

In addition to enhanced processing power, unmanned vehicle sensor processing designers also are gaining access to the

data networking and I/O is essential.

The S402-LC Mustang rugged and sealed CPU server based on the Intel Xeon E5 processor from General Micro Systems is for aerospace and defense applications that demand SWaP efficiency.

Intel AVX-512 technology, which adds 512-bit extensions to the

“Beyond the processor itself is the ability to move data around on the vehicle faster than ever before,” says GMS’s Ciufo. “Our customers want 10-gigabit fiber Ethernet on board, so

256-bit Advanced Vector Extensions single-instruction

we can add an Ethernet switch to route data throughout

multiple data (SIMD) instructions for x86 instruction set

the platform. Networking is important, because we are

architecture (ISA).

talking about something like an on-board data center.”

22

1710mae_22 22

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MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

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10/11/17 8:19 AM

TECHNOLOGY F CUS

The bandwidth of data links to the ground or to sat-

points out. USB 3.0 can transfer data as quickly as

ellite networks is paltry compared to today’s on-board

5 gigabits per second. Its successor, USB 3.1, doubles the

networking that fast Ethernet links provide. “You only

speed, and can transfer data as quickly as 10 gigabits

have a straw as a pipe to the ground or to the satellite,”

per second. These data pipes are becoming common on

Ciufo says. It’s for this reason that today’s on-board

PC laptop and desktop computers.

sensor-processing sys-

“When it comes to ruggedization,

tems must be able

USB 3.0 takes some spe-

to handle as much

cial care,” Southworth

data as possible

says. “Your cable length

on the unmanned

for USB 3.0 will not be

vehicle itself.

at its full potential, and

“That fabric for PCI Express and 10-Gigabit Ethernet can enable a lot of interesting capabilities in technologies like 3U VPX, but now we are going much smaller,” says CurtissWright’s Southworth.

Mercury’s Ensemble HDS6603 high-density embedded server offers more than one teraFLOP of general processing power in an OpenVPX slot.

It has two 1.8-GHz Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors, each with 12 cores to deliver image- and video-processing power for unmanned vehicles.

Ultra-small processing

you may need shorter cable runs. You need to make sure your connector interfaces can handle the signal from that connection.”

Precision timing A key component of on-board sensor networking is precision timing, such that processors and nodes on the network can be synchronized with nanosecond accuracy.

also necessitates the smallest possible I/O, Southworth

“Modern processors and communications devices

says. “We can port things like additional I/O integrated

would come to a halt if they weren’t able to synchronize

right in the box,” he adds. “MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC-

their devices,” says Curtiss-Wright’s Southworth.

439 databuses and CANbus for ground vehicles are

One accepted industry standard for network pre-

common in these ultra-

cision timing is the IEEE 1588 precision time

small-form-factor boxes.

protocol (PTP), which helps synchronize clocks

They also have open

throughout a computer network. It is designed

slots to support some

for local systems that require accuracies

add-on interface cards,

beyond those attainable using Network Time

which are about the size

Protocol (NTP), as well as for applications that

of business cards, that

neither can bear the weight or cost of a sepa-

are pre-fitted into these card slots. With this, the generic computer becomes a customizable computer.”

Southworth says customers of CurtissWright typically know how many extra networking and I/O interfaces they need in each sensor-processing subsystem. “We can integrate that in the boxes we make, and the customers will have all the throughput they need.”

rate GPS receiver at each node, nor for The Parvus DuraCOR 312 from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions is an ultra-small form factor embedded mission computer built around the NVIDIA Jetson Tegra X2 (TX2) integrated in a miniature rugged chassis with MIL-grade, highdensity connectors.

One trusted partner of Curtiss-Wright’s for rug-

which GPS signals are inaccessible.

IEEE 1588 “is an increasing requirement in unmanned vehicle Ethernet networks,” Southworth says. It’s not just for synchronizing networking nodes, but also for unmanned vehicle navigation in areas where signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites are jammed or otherwise denied.

The military has one program of

gedized MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 avionics databus

record called Mounted Assured Position, Navigation,

interfaces is Data Device Corp. (DDC) in Bohemia, N.Y.

and Timing (MAPS), Southworth says. “The goal is to

One promising data pipe for unmanned sensor processing is Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0, Southworth www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_23 23

leverage redundancy in position, navigation, and timing [PNT] by distributing PNT timing,” he says. “You MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

23

10/11/17 8:19 AM

TECHNOLOGY F CUS

have a chip-scale atomic clock to assure precision tim-

Other advantages of NVMe include its ability to be

ing, rather than from a GPS device. It’s connected to

ruggedized for applications like unmanned vehicles,

an Ethernet switch to distribute all this PNT data. The

as well as its ability to carry out fast data encryption

Army and the other services view this as one way to

and decryption. “You can buy NVMe drives that do

deal with GPS degradation and GPS denial. Assured

multi-encryption on the fly, and we are doing that as

PNT is validating the truth of where you are and where

well,” Ciufo says.

you’re going.”

Mercury Systems engineers are addressing SWaP in

Data storage and

on-board data storage with

memory

a 3D stacking technique for

There are addi-

flash memory in solid-state

tional components of

memory devices. On-board

unmanned sensor pro-

sensor processing “relies on

cessing. One overrid-

vast amounts of memory, and

ing technology is fast

memory takes up space,” says

data storage.

Mercury’s Bratton.

“The mission of a

“On the Xeon boards, we are

UAV is to collect information the battlefield.

Storing the information is hugely important,” says GMS’s Ciufo.

doing dense memory stacks The S2002-MD Golden-Eyes II from General Micro Systems offers two isolated rugged servers based on the Intel Xeon-D and removable data storage drives for unmanned vehicles and other small-form-factor applications.

and reducing the footprint the memory takes on the board by about 90 percent,” Bratton says.

“We connect the memory to the

“When we went from

board with BGA packaging. It is

rotating media to solid-state drives,

very dense and rugged memory

things got a lot better.”

attached to the board.”

Solid-state drives fixed a lot of the

Another benefit to Mercury’s

problems of rotating data storage —

rugged on-board, solid-state

especially when it comes to ruggediza-

memory in its high-perfor-

tion, reliability, and size. It does have a

mance Xeon embedded com-

downside: “It’s more expensive for the

puting boards is the tech-

density you get,” Ciufo says.

nology’s intense level of

Yet data storage continues to improve,

ruggedization. “We have expe-

and is enabling data storage to be a big contributor of unmanned sensor processing capabilities. One of the most significant advances is Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe), which enables

rience in smart munitions,” Mercury Systems uses special hardening to ruggedize high-performance embedded computing sufficiently for use in unmanned vehicle sensor-processing subsystems.

systems designers to access non-vola-

Bratton explains. “We can make these stacked chips gun-hardened, and we can leverage this technology to make these payloads quite small.”

tile storage media like the Flash memory in solid-state memory devices via the PCI Express bus. NVMe enables

Power and thermal management

host hardware and software to use parallelism in mod-

Dense, powerful computing sized small enough for

ern solid-state drives.

on-board unmanned sensor-processing payloads can

NVMe “eliminates the need for a hard disk controller

have two substantial drawbacks: substantial power

and avoids the latency of accessing the drive directly,”

requirements, and difficulty to cool. Hence, power and

Ciufo explains. “The processor can talk directly to the

thermal management on unmanned sensor-process-

drive, and boosts the performance of streaming data

ing payloads need to be considered up-front in any

to the drive.”

system design.

24

1710mae_24 24

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:19 AM

TECHNOLOGY F CUS

“These systems need massive processing, and are

performance under demanding circumstances, ensure

very dense down to the memory, so cooling is critical,”

that software and hardware do not interfere with one

says Mercury’s Bratton. “Mercury’s air flow-by and liq-

another to produce errors and faults, and that guard

uid flow-by technologies helps our boards run cooler.”

against the intentional insertion of malware to disrupt

Air flow-by, reflected in the VITA 48.7 open-systems standard, involves cooling and sealing technologies for VPX and VPX REDI embedded computing systems. It

or bring down computer operations.

“Security isn’t optional anymore; it needs to baked into all these solutions,” says Mercury’s Bratton. “With

uses convection heat transfer to

more of the sensor chain on board,

cool plug-in modules while shield-

security has to be part of sensor, pro-

ing circuit boards and backplanes

cessing, data storage, and back again.”

from the cooling air with plate

The sophistication of unmanned

with apertures for backplane con-

sensors and sensor processing also

nectors over the backplane.

is bringing artificial intelligence and

Liquid flow-by, meanwhile,

decision-support aboard unmanned

enables open-systems modules

vehicles. “The sensors themselves are

to operate unrestricted and reli-

starting to make decisions, and safe-

ably, regardless of the presence of a cooling air supply. It integrates liquid-cooling capability to remove about 50 percent more heat than pure air-cooled approaches.

The GVC2000 from Abaco Systems is a mission or graphics computer intended for symbol generation, mission computing, demanding graphics generation applications, and GPU-accelerated data processing.

Liquid flow-by thermal man-

ty-certifiable is starting to be critical,” he says.

Trusted computing doesn’t only deal with shielding against viruses and other malware. It also involves allocating and balancing computer

agement can use an unmanned vehicle’s own fuel as a

resources so life- and mission-critical functions take

cooling liquid. Fuel enters each module through non-

priority over other non-critical tasks. It also uses built-in

drip, quick disconnects to complement or take over

routines to prevent the inadvertent corruption of com-

the native air cooling capability of each module. Non-

puter data or instructions from unanticipated system

drip technology makes each module and supporting

transactions, and the accidental dissemination of data

chassis a self-sealing entity, which is critical for liq-

that should remain private to the system.

uid cooled subsystems, especially when the coolant

“Everything these days has sensors, and produces

is fuel. In the absence of cooling air, the coolant takes

a deluge of information,” says Mercury’s Bratton. “This

over completely.

uses a cloud-like model, where information feeds to a

In addition to cooling, unmanned vehicle sensor payloads are starting to rely in a variety of digital power control architectures to help squeeze out every bit of

server that can manage the information, take information out, and parcel it out to users that need it.”

One way of keeping everything straight is the use

capability for a given source of power — especially

of software hypervisors. “Security architectures use

when the vehicle makes broad use of battery power.

hypervisors that separate command-and-control, data

Smart power management can help balance power

acquisition, and other functions,” says Erik Kramer,

loads over the whole vehicle — including separate net-

product manager at Mercury Systems. “You can sepa-

worked sensor payloads — and even borrow power from

rate functionality by hypervisor to privacy and security

systems with light power demands to help systems

concerns. If one domain fails, using hypervisors guaran-

under intense power loads.

tees that it doesn’t bring the whole system down.”

Security, safety, and trusted computing

sor-processing system that might be overworked. “If one

Those specifying unmanned vehicles and on-board

function in a system is challenged at the moment, you

sensor payloads increasingly are demanding special

can use hypervisor technology for guaranteed levels of

provisions that guarantee safe operations of these

performance reserved for other functions that are criti-

unmanned systems alongside manned craft, guarantee

cal,” Kramer says. 

The same principle applies to separate parts of a sen-

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_25 25

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

25

10/11/17 8:19 AM

RF&

m i crowave Reinventing electronic warfare with investment in new technologies

Raytheon to build TOW radio-controlled anti-tank missiles

The Pentagon’s recently com-

BY John

pleted electronic warfare strate-

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. —

gy calls for increased investment

Raytheon Co. will build radio-con-

in advanced electronic warfare

trolled anti-tank missiles for the

(EW) technology designed for

U.S. Army and the military forces

defense, as well as a proactive

of Saudi Arabia and Lebanon under

use of emerging electromagnetic

terms of a $31.5 million order.

spectrum systems to attack ene-

Keller

The

Officials of the U.S. Army

mies. The vision of the electron-

Contracting Command at Redstone

ic warfare strategy is to be agile,

Arsenal, Ala., are asking Raytheon

adaptive, and integrate EW to

Missile Systems in Tucson, Ariz., to

offensively achieve electromag-

build the Tube-Launched, Optically-

Armored Vehicle–Anti-tank and U.S.

netic spectrum superiority across

Tracked, Wireless-Guided munition,

Marine Corps AH-1W Cobra attack

the range of military operations.

better-known as the TOW missile.

helicopter.

Goals include organizing the EW

The Army Contracting Command

Operators control the TOW missile in flight using radio links between its launcher and the missile.

To fire the TOW missile, the oper-

enterprise to ensure electromag-

is placing the order on behalf of

ator uses an optical missile sight

netic spectrum superiority, train-

the Army Aviation and Missile

attached to the launcher. The sight is

ing and equipping EW forces, and

Command at Redstone Arsenal.

data linked to the missile. Wireless

strengthening partnerships with

Versions of the TOW missile have

TOW missiles include an RF trans-

allies, industry, and academia.

been in the U.S. inventory since 1970.

mitter added to the missile case and

This U.S. Department of Defense

The multimission TOW 2A,

(DOD) EW strategy took on new

TOW 2B, TOW 2B aero, and TOW

missile. When the missile fires, the

urgency following Russia’s suc-

bunker-buster missile is one of

RF transmitter in the launcher relays

cessful use of advanced EW tech-

the primary precision anti-armor,

information to the missile while in

nologies in Ukraine and the pace

anti-fortification, and anti-amphibi-

flight. The operator keeps the sight

of global technological progress

ous landing weapons used through-

fixed on the target — even if the tar-

in the area of EW systems.

out the world today.

get is moving — to guide the mis-

TOW missiles can be fired

sile to its target. Original versions

BAE, General Dynamics, Airbus to develop tactical hotspot for British Army

from all TOW launchers, includ-

of the TOW, which were called the

ing the Improved Target Acquisition

tube-launched, optically-tracked,

Systems (ITAS), Stryker anti-tank

wire-guided missile, trailed a thin

BAE Systems, Airbus, and

guided missile vehicle (modified

wire that relayed information to the

General Dynamics (GD) have

ITAS), and Bradley Fighting Vehicles

missile from the sight.

partnered to develop the Strike

(Improved Bradley Acquisition

Tactical Hotspot concept demon-

Subsystem). TOW launchers can be

do the work in Tucson, Ariz., and

strator, a new network technolo-

mounted to a wide variety of vehi-

Farmington, N.M., and should be

gy for the British Army. Tactical

cles, including the Humvee, and

finished by December 2018. 

Hotspot is a compact mobile dig-

can be placed in improvised ground

ital communications set that

fortifications for front-line infan-

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

can be deployed securely in

try use. Versions of the TOW mis-

Raytheon Missile Systems online

sile also can be fired from Light

at www.raytheon.com.

26

1710mae_26 26

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

an RF receiver located inside the

On this order, Raytheon will

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:20 AM

Orbital ATK to upgrade 230 AARGM anti-radar missiles

BY John

Keller

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. —

U.S. Navy

an armored vehicle to enable front-line troops to communicate securely with their comThe AGM-88E AARGM missile is designed to suppress enemy air defenses by homing-in on and killing hostile radar installations.

air warfare experts are upgrad-

mand headquarters. When fitted to an adapted, Panther armored combat vehicle with self-erecting radio masts, the Hotspot

ing 230 air-to-ground, radar-killing

seeker, global positioning system/

can provide secure connectiv-

AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation

inertial navigation system guidance,

ity over several miles. It can

Missile (HARM) systems to the AGM-

net-centric connectivity, and weap-

maneuver alongside the British

88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided

on-impact-assessment transmit.

Army’s medium strike brigade

Missile (AARGM) to equip the ser-

The new missile offers improved

for continuous secure commu-

vice’s carrier-based fighter-bombers

capabilities over the HARM systems

nications on the move. Under

and electronic warfare jets.

it replaces, including advanced sig-

a contract worth $1.62 million,

nal processing, improved frequen-

BAE will supply two experimen-

Command at Patuxent River Naval

Officials of the Naval Air Systems

cy coverage, detection range, and

tal Strike Tactical Hotspots to the

Air Station, Md., announced a $156.8

field of view; time-critical, standoff

British Army.

million contract to the Orbital ATK

strike; missile-impact zone control

Defense Electronic Systems seg-

to prevent collateral damage; count-

ment in Northridge, Calif., to con-

er-emitter shutdown through active

vert AGM-88B HARM munitions into

millimeter-wave radar terminal guid-

Navy electronic warfare helicopters to help defend ships from missile attack

230 AGM-88E AARGM all-up-rounds.

ance; and bomb damage assessment.

The U.S. Navy and Lockheed

The contract, which involves lot 6

The AARGM features new soft-

Martin Corp. have wrapped up

of AARGM production, includes six

ware and enhanced capabilities to

a preliminary design review of a

captive air training missiles, sup-

counter radar shutdown and passive

helicopter-based electronic war-

plies, services, spare parts, and fleet

radar using an additional active mil-

fare (EW) pod designed to help

deployment.

limeter-wave seeker. Previous ver-

ship crews detect and respond

sions of the missile could be spoofed

to anti-ship missile threats.

88 missile is compatible with U.S.

by turning off radar before the

Lockheed Martin officials say

and allied strike aircraft, including

weapon could lock on to their sig-

their company’s Advanced Off-

the F/A-18 fighter bomber, EA-18G

nals. The missile has been in full

Board Electronic Warfare (AOEW)

electronic warfare jet, Tornado, F-16,

production since 2012.

Active Mission Payload AN/ALQ-

The newest version of the AGM-

and F-35. The missile program is a

The missile will be integrated

248 system aboard MH-60 heli-

joint venture by the U.S. Department

onto the F/A-18C/D, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G,

copters provides the aircraft with

of Defense (DOD) and the Italian

and Tornado ECR aircraft and lat-

surveillance and EW capabili-

Ministry of Defense. The AGM-88E

er on the F-35. On this contract, ATK

ties against anti-ship threats with

provides the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine

will do the work in Northridge, Calif.,

radio-frequency countermea-

Corps, and Italian air force with the

and Ridgecrest, Calif., and should be

sures. AOEW can function inde-

ability to engage and destroy ene-

finished by March 2019. 

pendently or work with the ship’s

my air defenses and time-critical mobile targets.

SEWIP Block 2 AN/SLQ-32(V)6 FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Orbital

electronic surveillance sensor to

ATK Defense Electronic Systems

detect and assess the trajectory

digital, anti-radiation homing sen-

online at www.orbitalatk.com/defense-

of incoming missile threats. 

sor, millimeter-wave radar terminal

systems/defense-electronic-systems.

The AARGM boasts an advanced,

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_27 27

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

27

10/11/17 8:20 AM

UN M A N N ED

vehicles

contract to develop a power-ef-

Orbital ATK to develop hypersonic propulsion for aircraft, UAVs, and missiles

ficient illuminator for night-

BY John

time operations of the Coastal

ARLINGTON, Va. —

Battlefield Reconnaissance and

experts at Orbital ATK Inc. in Elkton,

Analysis (COBRA) system. The

Md., are helping U.S. government

COBRA multispectral illuminator

researchers develop a full-scale reus-

will provide broadband light with

able propulsion system for future

and missile propulsion confronts

sufficient electro-optical illumi-

hypersonic aircraft and missiles

engineers with two difficult chal-

nation for the COBRA camera to

that can fly at least five times the

lenges. First, the top speed of tradi-

operate under all light conditions.

speed of sound.

tional jet-turbine engines maxes out

Navy funds Bodkin Design to develop light source for nighttime reconnaissance Bodkin Design & Engineering LLC in Newton, Mass., won a $1.5 million U.S. Navy research

The COBRA airborne payload is

Keller

Aviation propulsion

Officials of the U.S. Defense

Orbital ATK is developing hypersonic propulsion for future generations of U.S. manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as missiles.

Developing hypersonic aircraft

at roughly Mach 2.5. Second, hyper-

carried on the MQ-8 Fire Scout

Advanced Research Projects Agency

sonic engines such as scramjets can-

unmanned aircraft.

(DARPA) in Arlington, Va., have

not provide effective thrust at speeds

announced a $21.4 million contract

much below Mach 3.5.

Insitu to provide six ScanEagle unmanned aircraft for Philippines

to ATK for the Advanced Full Range

The AFRE program seeks to com-

Engine (AFRE) program. This project

bine the best commercially available

seeks to develop and ground-demon-

technologies in jet turbine engines

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

strate a full-scale, reusable turbine-

and ramjet/scramjet technologies.

designers at Insitu Inc., a subsid-

based combined-cycle (TBCC) pro-

iary of Boeing, in Bingen, Wash.,

pulsion system for future hyper-

hybrid system that would combine

will build six ScanEagle small

sonic aircraft. TBCC combines a

and improve upon the best off-the-

UAVs for the government of the

turbine engine for low-speed oper-

shelf turbine and ramjet/scramjet

Philippines under terms of a $7.4

ations with a ramjet/scramjet for

technologies,” says Christopher Clay,

U.S. Navy order. Officials of the

high-speed operations via a common

the DARPA AFRE program manager.

Naval Air Systems Command at

inlet and nozzle.

“With recent advances in manufac-

Patuxent River Naval Air Station,

Reliable hypersonic propulsion

“We’re envisioning an inventive

turing methods, modeling, and other

Md., are asking Insitu to pro-

technology will be necessary for

disciplines, we believe this poten-

vide six ScanEagle UAVs, support

future generations of high-speed

tially ground-breaking achievement

equipment, training, site activa-

manned and unmanned military

may finally be within reach.”

tion, technical services, and data

aircraft, as well as for next-gener-

for the Philippines. The ScanEagle

ation anti-ship missiles and other

gram calls for Orbital ATK to con-

UAV is 5.1 feet long with a 5.6-foot

smart munitions, DARPA officials

duct system design, subscale and

wingspan weighing as much as

say. Hypersonic propulsion may

large-scale component development,

48.5 pounds. Able to carry a 7.5-

enable military aircraft and missiles

and ground demonstration. 

pound sensor payload, the UAV

to fly from long ranges with short

can fly for more than 24 hours

response times compared to current

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Orbital

military systems.

ATK online at www.orbitalatk.com.

28

1710mae_28 28

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

The first phase of the AFRE pro-

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:20 AM

Raytheon to upgrade venerable Tomahawk missile for next-gen, anti-ship role

at altitudes as high as 19.500

BY John

ScanEagle can carry a sensor

Keller

feet, and at speeds to 80 knots.

Raytheon and Navy experts are determining the most appropri-

payload consisting of visible-light

munitions experts at the Raytheon

ate type of sensor for the Maritime

camera, medium-wave infra-

Co. are upgrading the venera-

Strike Tomahawk. It could be a

red imager, or both integrated in

ble Tomahawk land-attack missile

multi-mode seeker with a mix of

one turret. The UAV also has an

(TLAM) for the anti-ship role with

passive and active sensors.

analog digitally encrypted video

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. —

Smart

a new sensor system to enable the

The upgrade of Tomahawk

data link, as well as encrypted or

weapon to attack moving enemy

land-attack missiles to maritime

unencrypted command-and-con-

ships at sea.

strike variants also will involve war-

trol data link. The UAV can be

Officials of the U.S. Naval Air

head enhancements, and technology

launched autonomously and uses

Systems Command at Patuxent

to enable the new missiles to operate

a no-nets recovery system that

River Naval Air Station, Md.,

in areas where GPS satellite naviga-

recovers with its wing tip on a

announced a $119 million order

tion signals are jammed or otherwise

rope that hangs from a boom.

to the Raytheon Missile Systems

inoperative.

segment in Tucson, Ariz., to inte-

The first of the Maritime Attack

grate seeker suite technology and

Tomahawk missiles should be ready

Athena laser weapon shoots down five drones

processing capabilities into the

by the early 2020s. A supersonic ver-

Lockheed Martin has released

Tactical Tomahawk Block IV missile

sion of the Tomahawk with a ramjet

footage from tests with its laser weapon system, revealing how the Advanced Test High Energy Asset (Athena) laser weapon can deliver an invisible killing blow to take down an enemy drone. In the tests conducted at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range, the prototype laser weapon shot down five unmanned Outlaw aircraft. The video shows the moment flames burst from the tails of the flying

Raytheon is working with the Navy to upgrade the venerable Tomahawk cruise missile to attack moving targets and perhaps fill a next-generation, anti-ship missile need.

drones one by one before they plummet toward the ground, as the silent attack causes loss

in support of the Maritime Strike

to increase its speed to Mach 3 is

of control and structural fail-

Tomahawk Program.

under consideration. On this order,

ure. Lockheed Martin and the

Raytheon will do the work in Tucson,

U.S. Army’s Space and Missile

trade studies, architecture, model-

Ariz.; Dallas; Boulder, Colo.; and at

Defense Command conducted

ing, simulation development, evalu-

other locations, and should be fin-

the tests using the 30-kilo-

ation, and prototyping activities for

ished by August 2019. 

watt-class Athena system. See

The order provides for analysis,

an anti-ship missile version of the

the video online at https://youtu.

Tomahawk, which will be called the

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

Maritime Strike Tomahawk variant.

Raytheon at www.raytheon.com.

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_29 29

be/hNsUtZmWgdg. 

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

29

10/11/17 8:20 AM

ELECTRO O OPTICS

watch c

Optics and laser gun

sight for machine guns introduced by B.E. Meyers Wash., is introducing the BOARS-

Raytheon to upgrade Marine Corps CH-53E helicopter cockpit displays

M2 — short for B.E. Meyers Optics

BY John

& Accessories Rail System — optics

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. —

and laser accessory rail gun sight

designers at Raytheon Co. will pro-

system for M2, M2A1, and M3 .50

duce 63 smart multifunction color

caliber heavy machine guns. The

display (SMFCD) B-kits to upgrade the

BOARS-M2 is a low-profile mount

avionics aboard U.S. Marine Corps

that offers a quick-disconnect with

CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters under a

return-to-zero reattach. Key fea-

$15.1 million U.S. Navy order.

B.E. Meyers & Co. Inc. in Redmond,

tures for the BOARS-M2 include: a

Keller

Avionics

Officials of the Naval Air Systems

The smart multifunction color display (SMFCD) consolidates all the CH-53E helicopter’s survivability information, blue force tracking, and some time-sensitive threat information onto one display.

quick detach optics and laser rail,

Command at Patuxent River Naval

snag-free design, non-marring

Air Station, Md., are asking Raytheon

installation, low-height over bore,

Intelligence, Information, and

and oversized pass-through aper-

Services in Indianapolis to produce

ture for use with iron sights.

these cockpit display upgrade kits.

the need for a separate pen tablet

Marine Corps leaders are attempting

computer to display aircraft posi-

two parts: the lower base and a

The BOARS-M2 is composed of

to reduce the number of lost aircraft

tion. The SMFCD can accommodate

quick-detach optics and accessory

and personnel due to poor situation-

future aircraft modifications, such

rail. This allows for quick and effec-

al awareness.

as Situational Awareness Data Link

tive changes between day and night

CH-53E air crews need to be able

(SADL), LARS V12, and Intelligence

optics without any loss of zero. The

to process, filter, sort, and display

mount also simplifies cleaning and

information from various sources

The CH-53E Super Stallion by

maintenance. While legacy systems

to enhance situational awareness.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford,

require users to remove the optic

The smart displays consolidate all

Conn., is a three-engine heavy-lift

and mount — resulting in a com-

the helicopter’s survivability infor-

helicopter used to transport Marine

plete loss of zero — the BOARS-M2

mation, blue force tracking, and

Corps infantrymen and equipment

requires only the quick-detach of

some time-sensitive threat informa-

from landing ships offshore to inva-

the optics and accessory rail, which

tion onto one display. Marine Corps

sion beaches, and for general-pur-

preserves optic zero after reinstall-

CH-53 crews have all this informa-

pose, heavy-lift helicopter operations.

ing all components.

tion today, but must view it in different places in the cockpit.

DARPA smart sensor

The SMFCD has its own integrat-

Broadcast Receiver.

Raytheon engineers are modifying the company’s existing SMFCD to meet the updated requirements,

powered by the infrared it is designed to detect

ed processor, which enables pilots

integrate a prototype SMFCD sys-

to display and manipulate current

tem into a CH-53E helicopter, per-

Researchers at Northeastern

data streams cleanly using one col-

form qualification and aircraft

University have developed a

or display screen for each pilot. This

flight testing, as well as build and

next-generation smart sensor for

SMFCD enables the CH-53E air crew

install prototype displays. On this

the Defense Advanced Research

to view forward-looking infrared

order, Raytheon will do the work

Projects Agency (DARPA) that is

(FLIR) picture information with intu-

in Indianapolis, and should be fin-

capable of identifying infrared

itive hover display, aircraft flight

ished by August 2020 

(IR) wavelengths — without hav-

instrument data, integrated mov-

ing to have its own always-present

ing map display, and real-time threat

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Ray-

display. This approach can eliminate

theon online at www.raytheon.com.

30

1710mae_30 30

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:20 AM

power source. Instead, the smart

Lockheed Aculight eyes high-power laser to defend tactical aircraft

BY John

sensor is powered by the same infrared wavelengths for which it’s designed to look. The sensor was developed as part of

Keller

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. —

DARPA’s Near Zero Power RF and Laser

Sensor Operation (N-ZERO) pro-

weapons experts at Lockheed

gram and could be used for a wide

Martin Corp. are helping the U.S.

range of things, including detect-

Air Force develop a compact, rug-

ing approaching human bodies

gedized, high-power laser to

or fuel-burning cars, identify-

defend tactical aircraft flying at or above the speed of sound from enemy aircraft and missiles.

Officials of the Laser Division

Lockheed Martin Aculight is developing a prototype laser for potential use aboard tactical aircraft to defend against enemy planes, missiles, and other airborne threats.

of the Air Force Research

ing wildfires before they become uncontrollable, or pairing with laser sources for new types of remote control and communication applications. The sensors are

Laboratory’s Directed Energy

in a pod attached to a fighter-sized

based on tiny mechanical switch-

Directorate at Kirtland Air Force

aircraft.

es that are triggered by specif-

Base, N.M., announced a $26.3 mil-

Air Force researchers are asking

ic wavelength of lights. When this

lion contract to Lockheed Martin

Aculight to demonstrate a rugge-

happens, they utilize the energy

Aculight in Bothell, Wash., for the

dized, high-power laser subsystem

contained in these wavelengths to

Laser Advancements for Next-

for flight testing on the Northrop

mechanically close a pair of elec-

generation Compact Environments

Grumman aircraft-attached

trical contacts, creating a low-re-

(LANCE) project. LANCE seeks

SHiELD pod. This laser must min-

sistance electrical connection

to explore ways of reducing risk

imize beam quality degradation

between a battery and a load.

for laser weapons on aircraft.

under the stressing flight condi-

Lockheed Martin Aculight experts

tions of high-performance tactical

will help advance the state of the

aircraft.

art in laser technologies, demon-

Aculight experts will quantify

BAE Systems developing

technology to protect pilots from laser attacks

strate performance, and assess the

the performance of this airborne

BAE Systems engineers have

operational utility of a laser weap-

defensive laser system for laser

developed a low-cost, lightweight,

on small enough to fit on tactical

output power, electrical-to-optical

flexible system that can block

aircraft like jet fighters.

efficiency, power stability, beam jit-

dangerous laser light, protecting

ter, and power in the bucket. The

pilots and flight crew from hostile

Air Force’s Self-protect High Energy

laser must be able to withstand

attacks. The laser-protection tech-

Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) pro-

the G loads and vibration of tacti-

nique for aircraft is selective in the

gram to develop and assess a high-

cal aircraft maneuvers, and must

way it prevents laser transmission,

energy laser for use against enemy

be ready for flight demonstra-

meaning a high level of natural

aircraft, missiles, and other air-

tions by 2021.

light still can pass through the can-

The LANCE project is part of the

borne threats. On the SHiELD pro-

On this contract, Lockheed

opy with minimal color distortion.

gram, Northrop Grumman Corp.

Martin Aculight will do the work in

Pilots are protected from dangerous

Aerospace Systems in Redondo

Bothell, Wash., and should be fin-

laser incidents with no deteriora-

Beach, Calif., is developing beam-

ished by September 2022. 

tion in vision. Laser attacks target-

control technology to protect cur-

ing pilots and air crews are a major

rent and future fighter aircraft with

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

concern, and can distract pilots,

directed-energy systems. Northrop

Lockheed Martin online at www.

obscure instruments, and cause

Grumman is using a laser housed

lockheedmartin.com.

short-lived ‘flash’ blindness. 

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_31 31

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

31

10/11/17 8:20 AM

PRODUCT

applic at ions MUNITIONS

Raytheon to build lightweight missile to arm UAVs and aircraft

unpowered precision munition

U.S. Air Force airborne weapons

from a rear cargo door or a door-

experts are asking the Raytheon

mounted launcher. Griffin Block

THERMAL MANAGEMENT

Co. to build a lightweight missile

II B is a short-range missile that

and glide bomb that features low

can be fired from UAVs as well

collateral damage and is suit-

as manned helicopters, attack

Global Technical providing thermal management for shipboard embedded computing

able for launch from a variety of

aircraft, U.S. Air Force AC-130W

U.S. Navy shipboard electronics

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),

gunships, and U.S. Marine Corps

experts needed ways to tap shipwide

military manned aircraft, and

KC-130J tankers.

air conditioning to provide thermal

surface warships.

that can be dropped by aircraft

Griffin is less than half the

embedded computing racks and

offers GPS-aided inertial guidance

cabinets. They found their solution

and a semi-active laser seeker.

from Global Technical Systems in

It has a 10-mile range when air-

Virginia Beach, Va.

launched, and a 3-mile range

Officials of the Air Force Life

management for onboard rackmount

weight of a Hellfire round and

Officials of the Naval Air Warfare

when launched from the surface.

Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst,

Three Griffins can be carried in

N.J., announced an $11.9 million

place of one Hellfire. The Griffin

order to Global Technical Systems

missile and launch assembly is

to develop and deploy an efficient

also lighter than the Hellfire,

cooling system for Navy ship-

Cycle Management Center at Eglin

allowing more to be mounted on

board computers.

Air Force Base, Fla., announced

the Predator.

a $104.9 million contract to the

The U.S. Navy has tested the

This order involves the third phase of the Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Improved,

Raytheon Missile Systems seg-

Griffin as a laser-guided ship-

Flexible Infrastructure Compatible,

ment in Tucson, Ariz., to build,

board missile to attack fast-mov-

Open-Loop Air-Cooled Computer

test, and support the AGM-176

ing small boats. Raytheon also

Rack and Cabinet project, which

Griffin missile.

is developing the Griffin C with

seeks to eliminate standard com-

Griffin is a lightweight, pre-

dual-mode guidance; and the

puter cooling fans by bringing in

cision-guided munition that can

Griffin C-ER, which will be an

cooled air from the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heating,

launch from the ground, from the

extended-range missile.

ventilation, and air conditioning

air as a rocket-powered missile,

On this contract, Raytheon

(HVAC) systems and exhausting hot

or drop from the air as a guided

will do the work in Tucson,

air from the top of the computer

bomb. It carries a relatively small

Ariz., and should be finished by

racks near air returns.

13-pound warhead for low-collat-

December 2018.

eral damage, as well as for use in irregular warfare.

The munition comes in two versions. Griffin A is an

Global Technical Systems experts will help the Navy install and eval-

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

uate a new air conditioning and

Raytheon Missile Systems online

electronics thermal-management

at www.raytheon.com.

system appropriate for naval vessels. If tests are promising, this

32

1710mae_32 32

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:20 AM

computer thermal management sys-

system updates and changes occur. It

common rack and launcher test set

tem first may be installed aboard the

could help eliminate large amounts

(CRALTS) which has reliability and

America-class amphibious assault

of HVAC ducting, reduce the need

obsolescence issues.

ship USS Bougainville (LHA-8), which

to rebalance the HVAC system, and

will be built at the Huntington

reduce costs, Navy officials say.

Ingalls Industries shipyard in

The PAS interfaces with the CAATS to test the LAU-7 and LAU127 high-pressure, pure air gener-

Pascagoula, Miss., and delivered to

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Global

ator (HiPPAG) weapons launchers.

the Navy in 2024. Experts are explor-

Technical Systems at http://gts.us.com.

It provides pressure test capability

ing outfitting spaces aboard the

to evaluate emerging pneumatic

Bougainville with electronics cooling

TEST AND MEASUREMENT

pressure release launchers, such

systems mounted to the deck and

Behlman to provide avionics test equipment for Navy weapons launchers

as the Joint Miniature Munitions

and cabinets use side- and back-

U.S. Navy aircraft weapons experts

launcher carries and deploys the

mounted fans and require a duct

needed avionics test and measure-

connected to the ship’s HVAC sys-

ment equipment for missile and

tem to remove heat from shipboard

weapons launchers aboard the F/A-18

computer rooms. Global Technical

jet fighter bomber and other combat

Systems has developed more effi-

aircraft. They found their solution

cient cooling for individual computer

from Behlman Electronics Inc. in

racks and cabinets using below-deck

Hauppauge, N.Y.

bulkheads, and in the overhead.

Today’s standard computer racks

HVAC system supply air.

In the project’s first and second

Bomb Rack Unit.

The LAU-7 air-to-air missile

Officials of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst,

phases, Global Technical Systems

N.J., announced a $21.7 million con-

AIM-9 heat-seeking missile and

developed a prototype air-cooled

tract to Behlman to build as many

instrumentation pods on Navy

computer rack system, and estab-

as 180 Common Aircraft Armament

and Marine Corps F/A-18 fight-

lished its feasibility with component

Test Sets (CAATS) and 100 Pure

er-bombers. The LAU-127 missile

testing and analytical modeling. Now

Air Generator System Adapter Sets

rail launcher, meanwhile, enables

the company will refine this proto-

(PAGS PAS). The CAATS/PAS helps

the F/A-18 to carry and launch the

type for realistic shipboard testing.

test and troubleshoot U.S. Navy,

radar-guided AIM-120 Advanced

Not only will this system cool

Marine Corps, and international

Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile

individual computer racks with ship-

military bomb racks, missile launch-

(AMRAAM) and AIM-9X advanced

board air conditioning, but it also

ers, pylons and emerging weapons

heat-seeking missile.

will control the supply of cool air

carriage devices across most aircraft

to compensate for varying cooling

weapons systems at the intermedi-

trical and mechanical interface

demands. The system prototype will

ate maintenance level.

between the AMRAAM and AIM-9X

maintain existing computer rack

Behlman will build weapons-

The LAU-127 provides the elec-

missiles and the F/A-18 aircraft,

size, shape, weight, and shock-mount

launcher test and measurement

as well as two-way data transfer

effectiveness, and demonstrate reli-

equipment for the Navy and Marine

between the missile and the air-

ability and performance that is bet-

Corps, as well as the militaries of

craft’s cockpit controls and displays.

ter than current shipboard computer

Spain, Italy, Finland, and Kuwait.

On this contract, Behlman will

thermal-management approaches.

This approach could reduce the

The CAATS system tests rack

do the work in Hauppauge, N.Y., and

and launcher weapons interfaces off

Indianapolis, and should be finished

need for new computer rack foun-

the aircraft prior to the loading of

by September 2020. 

dations and HVAC ducting, and

ordnance to ensure proper system

help the Navy reconfigure on-board

functionality and safety. The CAATS/

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Behlman

electronics and computer spaces as

PAS replaces the legacy A/E37T-35A

Electronics at www.behlman.com.

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_33 33

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

33

10/11/17 8:20 AM

new products

To submit new products for consideration, contact John Keller at jkeller@pennwell.com.

MISSION COMPUTERS

display computer is for applications

capacity of 2 terabytes with AES

Rugged embedded computing system for developing avionics mission computers introduced by Abaco

in degraded visual environments,

256 encrypted data-at-rest. The

complex scene rendering, or driv-

pocket-sized GSA facilitates expe-

ing several independent displays

ditionary operations and enables

all requiring extensive GPU pro-

the operator to connect with vir-

Abaco Systems in Huntsville,

cessing capabilities.

tually any computer via USB 3.0 exchange pre- and post-mission

Ala., is introducing the Lightning embedded computing system

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Abaco

for developing rugged embedded

Systems online at www.abaco.com.

data rapidly.

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

DATA STORAGE

Kaman Memory online at www.

Memory and data exchange system for military data storage introduced by Kaman

kamanmemory.com.

The Memory Division of Kaman Precision Products in Middletown,

Intel Xeon VME single-board computer introduced by Mercury

Conn., is introducing the Advanced

Mercury Systems Inc. in Andover,

Memory and Data Exchange

Mass., is introducing the Ensemble

BOARD PRODUCTS

Universal System (AMADEUS) for mission computers for avionics

use in harsh-environment military,

and other mission-critical sys-

aerospace, and industrial data stor-

tems. Lightning-based systems are

age applications. The AMADEUS

designed with I/O customization

includes the model 9740 Multi-Port

to help systems integrators reduce

data transfer unit which includes

development cost and time. The

four removable memory cards

first two Lightning-enabled systems — the MCS1000 and GVC2000

4000 series SBC4510 Intel Xeon E3

— were announced in September.

v6-based VME single-board com-

The rugged, small-form-factor

puter for existing VME-based, sen-

MCS1000 mission or display com-

sor-processing embedded com-

puter is for I/O-rich applications

puting applications that supply 50

with several target platforms or

watts or less. The computer board

interfaces. The system has the

will enable technology insertion of

Intel Xeon E3 processor combined

modern high-performance and sys-

with a CoreAVI (or AMD) E8860

tem-security engineering solutions

GPU, as much as 16 gigabytes of

(RMC) and a mini-Ground Station

with system security engineering

DDR4 SDRAM and an XMC site.

Adapter (GSA). The model 9740 pro-

capabilities — a key enabler for

This system is for avionics mission

vides simultaneous data interface

foreign military sales and direct

computer and display applications

over 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Mil-Std

commercial sales. The single-slot

such as sensor fusion and sensor

1553, and RS-232/422, as well as

computer board is compatible with

processing, or as a data processing

options to record multiple SMPTE

legacy VME64 systems, and sup-

and display computer. The rug-

292 and NTSC (RS-170) video/audio

ports Linux and VxWorks oper-

ged, small-form-factor GVC2000

channels. Each Kaman RMC has a

ating systems It offers a secure

34

1710mae_34 34

OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

www.militaryaerospace.com

10/11/17 8:20 AM

hypervisor to enable legacy appli-

power electronics device operates

temperature range of -55 to 125

cations to run in their own con-

in temperatures from -55 to 125

degrees Celsius.

tainers independently of the

degrees Celsius, and has military

underlying system software and

processing options.

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Crane

Aerospace & Electronics online at

hardware. Several applications can run simultaneously in a virtualized

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit DDC

environment to take advantage of

online at www.ddc-web.com.

www.interpoint.com.

INTERCONNECTS

the increase in performance of the Intel Xeon processor.

RAD-HARD SPACE

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit

Radiation-tolerant DC-DC converters introduced by Crane Aerospace

Connectors to help eliminate backplanes introduced

by TE Connectivity

Mercury Systems online at www.

Crane Aerospace & Electronics

TE Connectivity in Harrisburg, Pa.,

mrcy.com/SBC4510.

is introducing the cabled STRADA Whisper connectors to help elim-

POWER ELECTRONICS

inate the need for printed cir-

High-power electric motor drive for military applications introduced by DDC

cuit board (PCB) backplanes in

Data Device Corp. (DDC) in

cabled STRADA Whisper connec-

Bohemia, N.Y., is introducing the

tors can support 25- to 56-giga-

PWR-82335 high-power, three-

bit-per-second PAM-4, with future

high-performance computing (HPC) and core routing applications. The

phase bridge electric motor drive

in Redmond, Wash., is intro-

for harsh-environment, space-con-

ducing the SMHF42 space-grade

strained defense and aerospace

DC-DC converters for space sys-

applications. The PWR-82335 is

tems integrators who need radiation-tolerant power electronics that support 42- and 50-volt power buses. Crane Interpoint DC-DC converters are used on satellites and space systems, including Mars Rovers, Cygnus, Aquarius, GLONASS, ISS, Dawn, and many

expansion to 56-gigabit-per-sec-

more. The SMHF42 is a family of

ond NRZ. Cabled STRADA Whisper

designed to deliver current pre-

isolated 15-watt power electron-

connectors also reduce insertion

cisely to windings of three-phase

ics products with a range of single

loss for improved channel mar-

brush and brushless DC motors,

and dual outputs, operating over

gin. Connection options expand if

with a high-efficiency MOSFET

an input voltage range of 35 to 55

they are not being tied to a circuit

drive stage. The rugged, compact,

volts with 80-volt transient protec-

board, company officials say. TE

three-phase motor drive hybrid

tion. They are available in Class H

offers three main cabled STRADA

uses a high-efficiency MOSFET

and Class K versions (per MIL-PRF

Whisper solutions: point-to-point

drive stage with a 200-volt DC rat-

38534) with radiation tolerance of L

cable, value-add assemblies, and a

ing to deliver a high-speed switch-

and R. The power supplies are reli-

full backplane/midplane solution.

ing frequency as high as 50 kHz,

able under harsh conditions, have

and a high-current capability of as

small hermetically sealed pack-

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit TE

much as 30 amps to the motor. The

ages and operate over the military

Connectivity online at www.te.com.

www.militaryaerospace.com

1710mae_35 35

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

OCTOBER 2017

35

10/11/17 8:20 AM

new products EMBEDDED COMPUTING

Aitech, ADLINK ruggedize Xeon 3U VPX board for harsh-environment applications

GROUP PUBLISHER Alan Bergstein

Aitech Defense Systems Inc. in Chatsworth, Calif., and

603 891-9447 ⁄ alanb@pennwell�com

ADLINK Technology Inc. in San Jose, Calif., are working

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Keller

together to ruggedize ADLINK’s newest Xeon-based 3U VPX

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Courtney E. Howard

603 891-9117 ⁄ jkeller@pennwell�com

embedded computing blade for use in mission-critical aero-

509 413-1522 ⁄ courtney@pennwell�com

space and defense harsh-environment applications. This

702 434-3903 ⁄ jrwilson@pennwell�com

partnership brings Aitech’s system integration capabilities for rugged, harsh-environment, and military-qualified electronics to ADLINK’s range of embedded computing solu-

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR WESTERN BUREAU J. R. Wilson ART DIRECTOR Meg Fuschetti PRODUCTION MANAGER Sheila Ward SENIOR ILLUSTRATOR Chris Hipp AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Debbie Bouley

tions. It also enables Aitech to provide powerful Xeon-based

603 891-9372 ⁄ debbieb@pennwell�com AD SERVICES MANAGER Glenda Van Duyne

systems tailored to an

918 831-9473 ⁄ glendav@pennwell�com

application’s require-

MARKETING MANAGER Gillian Hinkle

603 891-9126 ⁄ gillianh@pennwell�com

ments, with different configurations that include user-defined I/O

www�pennwell�com

ports, graphics cards,

EDITORIAL OFFICES

and frame grabbers.

Operating in a range of -40 to 75 degrees Celsius in air- and conduction-cooled ver-

PennWell Corporation, Military & Aerospace Electronics 61 Spit Brook Road, Suite 401, Nashua, NH 03060 603 891-0123 • FAX 603 891-0514 • www�milaero�com

sions, the 3U VPX single-slot C876 single-board computer

SALES OFFICES EASTERN US & EASTERN CANADA & UK

serves as the heart of the rugged subsystems and uses the

Bob Collopy, Sales Manager 603 891-9398 ⁄ Cell 603 233-7698 FAX 603 686-7580 ⁄ bobc@pennwell�com

Intel Xeon D-1500 multi-core processor. 

WESTERN CANADA & WEST OF MISSISSIPPI

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Aitech online at www.rugged.

com, or ADLINK at www.adlinktech.com.

Jay Mendelson, Sales Manager 4957 Chiles Drive, San Jose, CA 95136 408 221-2828 ⁄ jaym@pennwell�com REPRINTS Jessica Stremmel

717 505-9701 x2205 ⁄ Jessica�stremmel@theygsgroup�com DIRECTOR LIST RENTAL Kelli Berry

918 831-9782 ⁄ kellib@pennwell�com

A DV E R T I S E RS I N D E X ADVERTISER

PAGE

For assistance with marketing strategy or ad creation, please contact PennWell Marketing Solutions Paul Andrews, Vice President 240 595-2352 ⁄ pandrews@pennwell�com

Acromag �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 Aeroflex Colorado Springs �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11

CORPOR ATE OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Robert F. Biolchini

Dawn VME �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9

VICE CHAIRMAN Frank T. Lauinger

Ecrin Systems ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Electromagnetic Technologies Industries Inc� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������17 Extreme Engineering Solutions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������C4 Holt Integrated Circuits����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 ODU USA Inc� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark C. Wilmoth EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY Jayne A. Gilsinger SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Brian Conway

TECHNOLOGY GROUP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Christine Shaw

Pasternack Enterprises ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� C2, 3, 19 Phoenix International ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������37

SUBSCRIP TION INQUIRIES

Pico Electronics Inc����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1

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OCTOBER 2017

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

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