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Can the U.S. maintain its dominance in electronic warfare? By Scott Aken, Axellio MIL TECH TRENDS: Cyberdefense: Dealing with evolving threats
Managing the insider cyber risk in military organizations By Chris Blanchette, Everfox
An argument for a dynamic root of trust in mission-critical systems By Alex Olson, Star Lab Software INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Ruggedizing a commercial enclosure? Not so fast … By Justin Moll, Pixus Technologies 34 Modern defense IT and military-grade rugged equipment By Joe Guest, Durabook Federal 36 Naval electronics face rugged application challenges By Matthew Tarney, nVent SCHROFF 40 Integrating rugged hybrid energy and power supplies in military UAVs By Carol Brower and Pradeep Haldar, Custom Electronics Inc. (CEI)
User activity monitoring (UAM) serves as a vital technology in mitigating the insider risk threat posed by employees at military agencies. UAM enables real-time monitoring of user actions, including file access, email communication, and application usage, meaning that security teams can promptly detect any unauthorized activities during an employee's transition period.
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EVENTS
embedded world North America October 8-10, 2024 Austin, TX https://www.embedded-world.de/en/ embedded-world-wide/embedded-worldnorth-america
AUSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition October 14-16, 2024 Washington, DC https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2024/
I/ITSEC 2024 December 2-6, 2024 Orlando, FL https://www.iitsec.org/
AOC (Old Crows) 2024 International Symposium & Convention December 11-13, 2024 National Harbor, MD https://aoc2024.crows.org/
GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR John McHale john.mchale@opensysmedia.com
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Lisa Daigle lisa.daigle@opensysmedia.com
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR – WASHINGTON BUREAU Dan Taylor dan.taylor@opensysmedia.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Stephanie Sweet stephanie.sweet@opensysmedia.com
WEB DEVELOPER Paul Nelson paul.nelson@opensysmedia.com
Five years ago, the modular open systems approach (MOSA) concept was a famous memo; now it’s filling conference rooms, exhibit floors, virtual summit rooms, and of course the pages and paragraphs of the magazine you’re reading. I witnessed the enthusiasm firsthand back in June when I hosted a panel discussion of leaders from different MOSA initiatives at the MOSA Industry & Government Summit at National Harbor, Maryland. I also saw a need for more education on MOSA – starting with whether MOSA is a standard or not.
It’s not. Let’s boldface it. MOSA is not a standard, it is an approach and a strategy.
Products cannot be compliant with MOSA, nor can they be conformant or aligned with MOSA. Because, once again, MOSA is not a standard.
However, many standards like the Sensor Open Systems Architecture, or SOSA, Technical Standard; the Future Airborne Capability Environment, or FACE, Technical Standard; and OpenVPX are examples of MOSA strategies or even MOSA initiatives.
This came up in the audience questions on the panel, “You Had Me at Title 10 (MOSA) – Leading Open Standards (FACE, HOST, CMOSS, SOSA) Charge Forward.” I’m sure the questions will continue, as there are many acronyms representing different standards that are often used in the same sentence when discussing MOSA.
There are efforts to unify some MOSA initiatives to reduce confusion and improve interoperability. The summit panelists – Ilya Lipkin, Technical Expert, Air Force Air Combat Command; Jason Dirner, MOSA Chief Engineer, MOSA Management Office, Engineering & Systems Integration Directorate, DEVCOM C5ISR Center; Jon Drof, PMA209 Assistant Program Manager Open Architecture, NAVAIR PMA-209 Avionics Architecture Team; and Alan Hammond, APEO E&A, PEO AVN, U.S. Army PEO Aviation – covered this topic and discussed the efforts to unify standards such as the Hardware Open Systems Technologies (HOST), the FACE and SOSA approaches, and the C4ISR/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS).
A study was conducted to clarify the differences and overlaps among SOSA, CMOSS, and HOST standards to provide clear guidance for acquisition teams when selecting suitable standards for their projects, Drof noted. “If you’re on acquisition teams and trying to figure out which of the standards you might want, you can go through the study and say, ‘OK, this one doesn’t do this, but it does do this.”
John.McHale@opensysmedia.com
Along the lines of unification, version 1.2 of the CMOSS interoperability requirements specification will include aligning CMOSS with SOSA Edition 2.0 Snapshot 2 and incorporating new references to VICTORY 110 and MORA 25, further strengthening the linkage between CMOSS and SOSA standards, Dirner said.
SOSA is becoming the centerpiece.
“Making SOSA the premier technical standard is about the alignment of all the other standards,” Lipkin explained. “Our goal has always been more and more tightly aligned integration. If you develop for HOST, CMOSS, or SOSA, you should be able to be interoperable. So, a lot of our efforts are at that point where we’re trying to merge as many requirements as possible.”
The SOSA approach enables government to develop open standards across the C5ISR [command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] community, said Dr. David Honey, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, during his Day 1 keynote address at the MOSA Summit. And the SOSA business guide enables industry and government to effectively partner to facilitate affordable open architecture suites, he added.
MOSA initiatives also enable more innovation from the commercial sector, which creates opportunities for innovative small companies, Honey also noted. During his time at a small company, Honey said he found that defense prime contractors really embraced system engineering, meaning they were vertically integrated, which enabled opportunities for small business. “What I found with defense primes is that if you had something they could use rather than use own engineering team,” they were ready to work with you, he noted.
MOSA initiatives bring the framework to foster those opportunities, thereby creating a strong business case for leveraging small companies, Honey added.
Open Access Radio
Honey also teased a new MOSA initiative called Open Access Radio (OAR). While not going into details, Honey did say OAR would develop an architecture of wireless networks used worldwide and follow a MOSA strategy. OAR will expand a trusted ecosystem and look to counter China’s efforts to dominate global telecom, he said. It will work with the commercial industry, the U.S. Department of Defense, and across the U.S. government, Honey added.
For more MOSA coverage, please visit www.militaryembedded. com/mosa.
DEFENSE TECH WIRE
NEWS | TRENDS | D o D SPENDS | CONTRACTS | TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
By Dan Taylor, Technology Editor
HII wins $65 million contract to support DoD joint warfighting development office
The Mission Technologies division of HII [Huntington Ingalls Industry] won a $65 million task order to perform high-quality, specialized research and analysis for the Pentagon’s Joint Staff J7, Deputy Director, Joint Warfighting Development. According to the announcement of the agreement, HII will support research and analysis in three areas: The first will focus on futures and concepts and will develop a comprehensive view of the future operating environment; the second will focus on joint experimentation, including joint integrated learning opportunities; and the third will focus on wargaming for the Joint Staff J4 Logistics enterprise.
For this task order, HII will leverage its ongoing work in the Joint Training Synthetic Environment, according to Brian Teer, acting president of Mission Technologies’ LVC Solutions business group: “HII will support the government lead in the development, experimentation, and socialization of futures, joint concepts that address emerging and future joint operational challenges,” Teer says.
Cybersecurity tool for supply chain gets USAF small-business contract
Supply-chain security provider Lineaje announced that the U.S. Air Force chose its SBOM360 supply-chain software tool for a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase 1 contract. Under the terms of the Air Force contract, SBOM360 will be used to support the full life-cycle management of software that is sourced, built, sold, or bought by the U.S. Air Force, thereby ensuring that all software supply-chain risks and threats are identified and remediated and that they meet organizational security policies and cybersecurity compliance mandates automatically.
The Lineaje announcement states that, by using SBOM360, the Air Force will be able to search its software in seconds to find any newly discovered vulnerabilities and indicators of compromise (IOCs) within the most deeply embedded components, which will substantially reduce vulnerability discovery time. The Lineaje security tool scans source code, containers, mobile APKs (Android apps), POM [project object model] files, and software bills of material (SBOMs).
EW training to be enhanced under new U.S. Navy contract
Aviation services provider Phoenix Air Group won a $165 million contract from the U.S. Navy for contracted air services (CAS) flight hours to simulate airborne electronic warfare (EW) threats. According to the announcement from Naval Air Systems Command, the contract tasks Phoenix Air to train, test, and evaluate shipboard personnel and aircraft squadron weapon systems operators and aircrew against airborne electronic attack forces.
The aircraft will be used for a variety of training scenarios, including air intercept control training, multinational exercises, and single-unit training exercises. The Navy says the EW jets will simulate current and future high-end threats, providing essential training for Navy and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) personnel. The firm-fixedprice, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is expected to be completed by August 2029, the Navy says.
Figure 1 | Image courtesy HII.
Figure 2 | The Learjet 36 aircraft used to simulate airborne electronic warfare threats. Photo courtesy of Phoenix Air Group.
UC-35D aircraft to be modernized for U.S. Marine Corps by Amentum
Engineering and technical-services provider Amentum won a $145 million contract to modernize and maintain the U.S. Marine Corps' UC-35D aircraft fleet. The company stated that the contract includes life cycle transport aircraft system modernization, integration, logistical and operational solutions, along with ongoing engineering and technical services. The work involves performance-based life-cycle services, including sustainment, modernization, engineering, and logistics for a fleet of ten UC-35D aircraft across five sites both domestically and internationally.
Amentum will enhance the Marine Corps' transport mission through advanced technology applications using its Augmented Reality Remote Expert and MerlinMX predictive analytics, which enable real-time connection between on-site personnel and off-site subject matter experts, according to the announcement. The contract, awarded by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Tactical Airlift Program Office (PMA-207), will begin in June 2024 and includes one base year with four one-year options.
DoD awards KBR counter-IT contract worth as much as $52 million
Engineering and technology solution provider KBR won a task order/contract worth an estimated $52 million supporting the Counter Improvised Threat Systems Test and Evaluation for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Quick Reaction Capability Office (QRCO). Under the terms of the contract, KBR will handle improvised threats by leading research, conducting analysis, and using test and evaluation to provide timely and affordable quality data products.
According to the company's announcement, the scope of work includes requirements analysis; quick-reaction test planning, execution, and reporting; prototyping, data acquisition, and analysis; engineering, technical, and administrative analysis; T&E methodology development; continuous evaluation of evolving test methodologies; and representative test environment design, development, and sustainment. The company describes the work as intended to address U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) critical technology areas including future generation wireless technology (Future G), advanced materials, integrated network systems-of-systems, microelectronics, and directed energy.
eVTOL company wins two UAS contracts for Australian defense force
Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) company
Quantum-Systems won two contracts totaling $60.92 million (AUD $90 million) to provide the Australian Defense Force (ADF) with Vector/Scorpion 2-in-1 fixed-wing eVTOL small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) and a support contract for the provision of training, maintenance, engineering, supply and logistics, and support services. According to the company's announcement, the Vector 2-in-1 fixed-wing eVTOL UAS is a rucksack-portable, real-time, high-resolution video for surveillance and reconnaissance missions that can be set up in three minutes and can take off and land in confined spaces without additional tools or equipment.
The company states that the UAS can alternatively be configured as the Scorpion multicopter by removing the wings and tail and attaching a separate set of booms and props. The acquisition and support contracts will have significant work and delivery elements performed by Quantum-Systems Australia in Redbank, Queensland. Delivery on the contracts will begin April 2025, with support services continuing into 2031.
Global Combat Air Program partners show new concept model
The tri-nation cooperative at the heart of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) – the U.K., Italy, and Japan – unveiled a new concept model of their next-generation combat aircraft at Farnborough International Airshow during July 2024. According to the announcement by partner company BAE Systems UK, the three GCAP government partners and their lead industry partners [BAE Systems (U.K.), Leonardo (Italy), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)] are exhibiting at Farnborough together for the first time.
The new concept model on display at the show featured a wingspan larger than previous concepts to improve the aerodynamics of the future combat aircraft, according to the BAE Systems news release. The resulting aircraft –slated to come into service in 2035 – is expected to be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets, carrying an intelligent weapons system, a software-driven interactive cockpit, integrated sensors, and a powerful next-generation radar system.
Figure 3 | USMC photo by Capt. Aaron Moshier, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
Harnessing big data: How advanced analytics and AI are changing the battlefield
By Dan Taylor
A military operation’s success or failure often depends on the ability of troops to collect, analyze, and act upon vast amounts of information. As the volume and complexity of data continue to grow, so do the issues and opportunities associated with leveraging big data for military applications.
Today’s warfighters are inundated with data from numerous sources, a stark contrast to the relatively limited data available during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan two decades ago. During past conflicts, soldiers collected data primarily through traditional means such as reconnaissance reports, human intelligence, and satellite imagery. While valuable, these sources provided limited information compared to the multifaceted data streams available today.
In-theater personnel generate data from a wide array of sources, including advanced sensors, uncrewed systems, real-time communications, and satellite feeds. The sheer volume of data collected is staggering. For instance, sensors on aircraft and drones can generate terabytes of data during just a single
mission. This data includes high-resolution imagery, radar, electronic warfare (EW) information, and more.
There are a host of challenges when it comes to managing all this data and making it useful to the warfighter, says David Mercado, director of field engineering at Wind River (Alameda, California). These hurdles include “shortening the OODA [observation, orientation, decisions, and action] loop to accelerate and optimize battlefield decisionmaking (i.e., speed and accuracy); collecting data from all relevant sources (which may be overwhelming in terms of volume and speed) such as sensors or devices, making sense of that data in situ and in the context of data from other sources, and analyzing the data to understand the relevant possible courses of action.”
Predictive analytics is another promising application of big data in the military. By analyzing historical data and identifying patterns, predictive analytics can forecast future events and trends, enabling senior leadership to anticipate and prepare for potential threats – for instance, analyzing past supply-chain data can help predict future logistical needs.
The visualization of this data has also evolved: Previously, data would be processed and analyzed by a limited number of analysts and then disseminated in reports. Today, data is often visualized in real time through advanced software platforms, providing commanders and soldiers with immediate insights and actionable intelligence.
Big data needs cutting-edge tech
Ideally, this data should boost situational awareness, inform strategic and tactical decisions, and predict future threats.
Figure 1 | Wind River’s VxWorks is a real-time operating system (RTOS) that provides a scalable and secure environment for mission-critical computing systems.
For example, sensor data collected from drones and surveillance systems can provide detailed imagery and movement patterns of enemy forces. Communication intercepts can reveal plans and intentions, while logistical data ensures that resources are deployed efficiently. This holistic view of the battlefield allows commanders to make informed decisions that enhance operational effectiveness and reduce risks.
The problem is that the utility of this data is heavily dependent on technology: Can all this data, as useful as it is, be processed and delivered to warfighters in a timely manner? If not, it does not do anyone much good.
This is where advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) come into play. These technologies can analyze vast datasets quickly and accurately, identifying patterns and trends that would be impossible for human analysts to discern.
“By sorting and deciphering data using learned patterns programmed into it, AI can fill in gaps in data (infer), make decisions, and recommend or even take actions faster than a human operator could,” Mercado says. “Over time, as the AI engine is
DOD DATA STRATEGY AND THE FUTURE
While a few years old now, the 2020 Department of Defense (DoD) Data Strategy provides a blueprint of what the military considers important when it comes to data, and therefore what kind of technology the industry should be focusing on. The strategy sets out a list of seven goals:
Visibility: Making sure data can be found and recognized, so warfighters can make decisions using live, nearly real-time data.
Accessibility: Setting up systems so authorized users can quickly get the data they need, improving how things run.
Understandability: Presenting data in a clear and consistent way to improve accuracy and help with decision-making.
Linking: Using unique tags and standards to connect different data sources, allowing for thorough analysis of operational environments.
Trustworthiness: Keeping data accurate and secure throughout its use to support confident decision-making and planning.
exposed to more data and patterns, it will also possess the ability to recognize trends in the data, predict outcomes, and adapt accordingly.”
For example, Wind River’s VxWorks integrates AI and ML frameworks to optimize embedded systems for real-time data processing. This enables systems to analyze and act on data with minimal latency, the company says. (Figure 1.)
This challenge can be addressed with technology that can process significant amounts of sensor data at the edge through AI and ML, with the goal of ensuring that only the most relevant and critical data is distributed across the network, according to an Abaco Systems spokesperson. The idea is to not only conserve bandwidth, but also enable faster decision-making across domains for the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) framework, they say.
For these applications Abaco offers the SBC3901, a 3U VPX single-board computer (SBC), to process complex AI and ML tasks in harsh environments in real time. (Figure 2.)
Predictive analytics
Predictive analytics is another promising application of big data in the military. By
Interoperability: Setting standards for data exchange and ensuring different data sources work together smoothly, which is important for joint operations.
Security: Protecting data at all times with measures like access controls and data-loss prevention.
The DoD Data Strategy’s emphasis on interoperability and security could also drive the development of data platforms that can draw in information from diverse sources while maintaining stringent security standards. The industry will design future data platforms to support multidomain operations, enabling different branches of the military and coalition partners to share and analyze data in real-time.
Future military data systems will be more integrated and adaptive, capable of evolving with changing mission requirements and technological advancements. As the DoD implements its data strategy, military and industry will see a shift towards more dynamic and flexible data infrastructures that can support a wide range of operations and scenarios.
analyzing historical data and identifying patterns, predictive analytics can forecast future events and trends, enabling senior leadership to anticipate and prepare for potential threats – for instance, analyzing past supply-chain data can help predict future logistical needs.
By monitoring data such as fuel consumption, maintenance records, and deployment history, forces can anticipate equipment failures and perform maintenance proactively, thereby slashing downtime and extending an asset’s life cycle.
The integration of real-time data analytics also helps with decision-making on the battlefield. Commanders can receive up-to-the-minute information about the status of their forces, enemy movements, and environmental conditions. This real-time data allows for rapid adjustments to strategies, troop movements, and tactics, increasing the likelihood of mission success.
Challenges in accessing data
The military struggles with bandwidth limitations. The world is saturated with sensors, communications devices, and unmanned systems, all generating vast amounts of data. Transmitting this data in real time to command centers or data processing facilities can strain existing communication networks, leading to latency issues and potential data loss. All of these moves are even more difficult in remote or hostile environments where infrastructure may be limited, compromised, or destroyed.
“Battlefields have difficulties with bandwidth limitations, communication latency, interoperability across the services and data security,” Mercado says. “Today’s broad data-collection systems provide access to an overwhelming amount of information that needs to be correlated and assessed.”
Another factor: the security of data transmission and storage. Secure data encryption and robust cybersecurity measures are essential, but these can add layers of complexity and slow down data access and processing speeds.
The growing importance of real-time data visualization
Collecting and storing data is only the beginning. Making this data useful requires overcoming several additional challenges. One of the most significant is the ability to visualize it for the warfighter.
Integrating this disparate data to form a coherent picture is not an easy task, and one that requires sophisticated algorithms and advanced analytical
tools. But it’s an important puzzle to solve, Mercado says. “The point of data in battle is to enhance combat effectiveness – data at speed and scale – to make use of data faster than adversaries,” he says.
Wind River’s VxWorks seeks to tackle this challenge by providing a high-reliability real-time operating system (RTOS) that gathers data from various sources, interprets that data, and provides it to the warfighter at the edge. MES
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Can the U.S. maintain its dominance in electronic warfare?
By Scott Aken
In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern warfare, the importance of electromagnetic or electronic warfare (EW) has become critical as it can determine the outcome of conflicts. As the U.S. faces an increasingly complex global security environment, one of the most pressing challenges is the need to maintain its technological edge in EW. Central to this challenge is the role of big data in the context of RF monitoring and analysis – the ability to collect, process, and analyze vast amounts of information from the electromagnetic spectrum in real time. EW, as an application, requires visibility across the electromagnetic spectrum, which can be accomplished through RF monitoring and analysis.
The defense community needs to harness the power of big data in the context of electronic warfare (EW) to maintain its advantage in this crucial domain.
Spectrum dominance –the essence of EW
Any military operation, whether by land, sea, air, space, or even in cyberspace is now heavily dependent on access and visibility into the electromagnetic spectrum. To support both tactical and
strategic EW activities, visibility across the electromagnetic spectrum is crucial to detect, identify, and locate friendly, enemy, or neutral sources of:
› intended radiation of electromagnetic energy such as communication equipment (mobile phones, radar, or microwave communication), or › unintended radiation of electromagnetic energy such as computers or weapon systems.
Monitoring the spectrum means collecting, storing, and analyzing the vast amounts of RF [radio-frequency] data which creates the quintessential big data challenge that exceeds the capabilities of traditional data processing systems, especially in the size, weight, and power (SWaP)-constrained military tactical edge environments. (Figure 1.)
The battle for dominance in the electromagnetic spectrum has been ongoing for almost a century now. Its importance is more crucial than ever now as it provides a decisive advantage in conflicts due to the reliance on electronic equipment on today’s battlefield. Military doctrines around the world emphasize the use of big data analytics to optimize EW countermeasures, enhance the precision of jamming techniques, and enable cognitive EW attacks that can autonomously adapt to the ever-changing conditions on the battlefield.
In addition, new advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and identify RF signatures in near-real-time enhance the threat landscape, but also significantly increase the amount of data that need to be captured and analyzed.
The U.S. approach to EW: Catching up
While the U.S. has historically been a leader in EW, focusing resources largely on counterterrorism over the past two
decades has slowed modernization of some EW systems. Many of these systems employed by the U.S. armed forces are outdated, hampered by data silos and limited processing power. They lack the ability to effectively analyze the increasingly complex signals and vast data volumes generated by modern communication systems in realtime operations.
Whereas countries like China have modernized more than 80% of their EW units over the last 15 years, a “Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments” report states that the U.S. may need at least until the end of this decade to close this gap. The Pentagon has initiated promising efforts to accelerate EW innovation, such as the Air Force’s Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy and the Navy’s Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare. However, the pace of progress in harnessing the RF analytics and the resulting big data problem remains a concern, as potential adversaries continue to make rapid advancements in this field.
Navigating the data deluge
The explosion of RF data from proliferating signals is straining the real-time processing limitations of the existing systems employed by U.S. forces. This reality has resulted in vital information being missed or discarded, as storage and offline analysis procedures struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing EW environment.
The immense amount of RF signals originating from diverse sources make it challenging to identify and extract essential information. As the frequency spectrum used for communication continues to broaden, RF sensors must evolve to capture a wider range of signals. This increased data acquisition taxes signal-processing systems, potentially causing the loss of crucial intelligence.
Due to constraints in real-time processing capacity and human analysis resources at the point of collection, RF data is often stored for subsequent analysis. However, the SWaP limitations in processing and storage capacity can result in incomplete data capture and inadequate information for comprehensive analysis. (Figure 2.)
Although cloud-based storage and processing solutions have proven effective in civilian applications, they are frequently impractical in combat situations due to unreliable connectivity. Upgrading to more sophisticated processing infrastructure can be expensive and challenging, particularly at the tactical edge. Nonetheless, it is crucial that RF capabilities advance to tackle these obstacles and preserve the competitive edge in the EW domain.
Figure 1 | A diagram shows the multidimensional challenge involved in gaining flexibility into the electromagnetic spectrum for electronic warfare. Graphic courtesy Axellio.
Harnessing the big data problem in RF analysis: The key to EW dominance
The progress made in AI and machine learning (ML) opens an opportunity to regain leadership in this highly contested spectrum; however, these applications require vast amounts of data and processing, which creates additional challenges for the analysis infrastructure.
Big data in the context of RF analysis refers to the vast amounts of information collected from the electromagnetic spectrum. Extended time-on-target at the widest instantaneous bandwidth possible is crucial for RF analysis to gain a competitive advantage and to provide immediate, actionable insights.
To gain a tactical advantage in the modern battlefield, military operators must be able to analyze a wide range of frequencies and complex signal environments in real time. However, the current RF analysis systems are often inadequate for this task. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data, operators may make compromises, limiting the spectrum they monitor and analyze and ultimately leading to incomplete exploitation of RF data and potential mission failure.
The key to overcoming this challenge is the implementation of an intelligent signal data distribution system. By capturing, buffering, and simultaneously distributing incoming RF data streams to multiple analysis applications, analysts can ensure that the existing infrastructure is utilized to its fullest potential. This approach optimizes the performance of the analysis systems by regulating the flow of RF data, preventing data loss and premature filtering. Moreover, it extends the lifespan of the current RF infrastructure by mitigating the risk of overload while maximizing its capabilities.
Maximizing post-mission analysis through extended spectrum recording
In the EW era, the ability to capture and record the electronic signatures of adversaries and joint forces is paramount for the safety of the missions as well as for the development of effective countermeasures. As the signal environment becomes increasingly congested, it is essential to conduct extended monitoring to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the electromagnetic landscape.
However, this prolonged monitoring leads to a significant increase in the volume of RF data that needs to be processed and stored. The sheer quantity of information can easily surpass the storage capacity of the analysis systems, creating a bottleneck in the intelligence-gathering process. Overcoming the SWaP constraints for signal capture and data storage is also critical, especially to maneuver forces at or near the forward line of troops.
Leveraging modern storage technology enables military leaders to store captured RF data for extended periods while minimizing SWaP impacts. This step enables a paradigm shift in post-mission analysis by decoupling the RF data from the sensor and facilitating repeated, in-depth examination. By storing the data for longer durations, analysts can replay the information through various applications, conducting meticulous assessments and developing more effective countermeasures. This approach empowers the military to analyze a higher density of frequency spectrum over an extended time frame, leading to more accurate intelligence and better-informed decision-making.
Optimizing RF solutions for autonomous tactical operations
Especially for forward tactical missions, tactical deployment, and concealment, strict SWaP constraints play a crucial role in determining the mission’s outcome. One of the most critical aspects is the ability to operate independently, without relying on data backhaul, which can be slow or unreliable in hostile environments.
This requires development of highly compact, purpose-built solutions specifically designed for rapid deployment, easy transportation, and quick setup in tactical situations. These compact systems enable comprehensive RF data collection even in challenging environments, providing the real-time, actionable intelligence necessary for quick decision-making, even in the most disconnected and non-tethered operations.
Figure 2 | The RF challenge: A diagram shows how the numbers of sensors and the exponential growth of RF data can overwhelm analysis systems. Graphic courtesy Axellio.
The U.S. must invest in training and education programs to cultivate a new generation of EW professionals who are adept at leveraging data science and AI/ML to extract valuable insights from complex RF datasets.
Moreover, the effective utilization of big data in RF analysis requires not only advanced technologies but also a highly skilled workforce. The U.S. must invest in training and education programs to cultivate a new generation of EW pro fessionals who are adept at leveraging data science and AI/ML to extract valu able insights from complex RF datasets. Collaboration with industry leaders at the forefront of RF data processing can help bridge the talent gap and accel erate the adoption of data-centric EW capabilities across the U.S. military.
Going forward
As the electromagnetic spectrum becomes increasingly contested, the ability to harness big data in RF analysis will be a defining factor in achieving EW dominance. The rapid advancements in EW capabilities by adversaries present a formidable challenge to U.S. national security, threatening to erode the technological edge that has long been a cornerstone of American military power.
Scott Aken is chief executive officer of Axellio, which accelerates the performance and insight of analysis for cybersecurity and RF solutions. Previously, Scott was president of Charon Technologies, a subsidiary of CACI International. Scott has also held key leadership roles at L-3 Communications and SAIC, developing corporate-wide cyber strategies and product/solution offerings while determining key cyber investments. Scott built his cyber expertise as a special agent with the FBI, where he conducted numerous cyber-counterintelligence computer-intrusion investigations and was a member of its elite Cyber Action Team. Prior to his career at the FBI, Aken spent a decade working in the software and internet industry, holding leadership positions at VeriSign/Network Solutions and GE.
Axellio • https://www.axellio.com/
Accelerate Development to Deliver Performance to the Warfighter
The path forward requires a strategic emphasis on the development and deployment of advanced data-processing solutions tailored to the unique demands of modern RF analysis. By investing in cutting-edge technologies, fostering a skilled EW workforce, and collaborating with innovative industry partners, the U.S. can harness the power of big data to enhance its EW capabilities and maintain its military superiority. RF monitoring and analysis plays a crucial role in providing the necessary visibility across the electromagnetic spectrum to achieve EW dominance. MES
You can count on Elma to deliver reliable, rugged solutions wherever the mission takes you. We accelerate development and mitigate risk with platforms based open standards such as SOSA™ and OpenVPX. Talk to us about your next project.
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MIL TECH TRENDS
Managing the insider cyber risk in military organizations
By Chris Blanchette
User activity monitoring (UAM) serves as a vital technology in mitigating the insider risk threat posed by employees at military agencies. By tracking and analyzing their digital footprint, organizations can identify, contextualize, and remediate suspicious behavior that may indicate data exfiltration or malicious intent. UAM enables real-time monitoring of user actions, including file access, email communication, and application usage, and offers an understanding of those actions’ emotional context. These steps enable security teams to promptly detect any unauthorized activities during an employee’s transition period.
On March 4, 2024, Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, pled guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to national defense. Teixeira, who had held a top secret security clearance since 2021, shared hundreds of pages of highly classified military documents – ranging from
sensitive information about the war in Ukraine to details on Iran’s nuclear program – to the social media site Discord. He now faces 16 years in prison.
While external threats from hackers to malware remain a top concern for the military, the Teixeira leak – one of the most serious in the past decade – offers
a stark reminder of the risk presented by insiders, particularly considering the massive data lakes created during the past four decades of digitization.
Teixeira’s methodology was relatively straightforward: He uploaded photographs he took of classified documents or transcribing their contents. While
Teixeira’s actions were front-page news, insider threats that often don’t make the papers remain a top concern for many. Research shows that more than 70% of executives identify accidental internal staff errors as one of the top threats facing their companies. For the military especially, proactively preventing employees from exploiting access privileges is an urgent matter.
Moving beyond perimeter-based approaches
As agencies amass more and more data, perimeter-based approaches to protecting sensitive information are insufficient. Data loss prevention (DLP) tools, for instance, only inspect data at the point of egress. But there are countless indicators of malicious behavior that traditional DLP tools fail to identify or monitor. Data-security companies can
tell stories about catching insiders trying to walk out the door with a substantial amount of data that DLP would have missed. While no technology can stop someone from taking photographs of documents like Teixeira did, his actions were likely accompanied by other risk indicators that flew under the radar.
User activity monitoring (UAM) entails tracking and analyzing the digital footprint of employees in real time to identify data exfiltration or malicious intent. Instead of building boundaries, moats, and bridges, military agencies need a brain of sorts that can understand employee behavior holistically. UAM serves as this brain by interpreting and contextualizing both machine-to-machine and human-to-machine interactions. By monitoring user actions – such as file access, email communication, and application usage – military agencies can efficiently identify suspicious or anomalous behavior while also gauging motivation and intent.
Organizations that use UAM tools report significantly shorter timelines to close insider risk investigations. When UAM is augmented by behavioral analytics, agencies can achieve an even clearer picture of insider risk. Behavioral analytics enables agencies to understand an employee’s baseline behaviors and assign the person a risk score, which can be updated in real time as employee behavior changes. These scores help agencies quickly and effectively respond to changes in behavior that could indicate a looming insider threat.
Following the breadcrumbs
While agencies tend to be laser-focused on protecting classified networks, the clues to malicious intent often lie on unclassified ones. It can be useful to think of indicators of risk in three broad categories: personal predispositions, stressors, and the
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concerning behaviors themselves. Of course, it is incumbent on every organization to ensure the collection and analysis of breadcrumbs is in accordance with all applicable data privacy laws, company policies, and civil liberties protections.
In a military context especially, agencies have access to a tremendous amount of data about their employees. Police records, travel records, credit reports, and human-resources issues could all hold clues to a given employee’s personal predisposition and stressors. The clues may be even more subtle, though, such as the employee’s tone in email and chat.
Concerning behaviors, meanwhile, may include travel arrangements, browsing job websites, or searching for resume tips. More standard risky behaviors may include working unusual hours, stockpiling large amounts of data, using email to send data, manipulating security controls, or attempting to access restricted data. Former American NSA intelligence contractor and a whistleblower Edward Snowden, for one, downloaded large amounts of data at an agency outpost that lacked modern cybersecurity controls. In the military especially, monitoring print queues is equally important as monitoring online activity. (Figure 1.)
Being able to make sense of the breadcrumbs spread across systems is the key to proactively mitigating insider risk in the military. The only way to scale real-time monitoring is with a system that can automatically flag questionable actions and proactively respond to potential risk. Without automation and the proper aggregation,
Figure 1 | Mitigating cyber-related risk in the military means monitoring many user behaviors, including data use, travel patterns, and print activity.
Figure 2 | User activity monitoring (UAM) is aimed at providing a complete picture of insider risk and identifying trends that may indicate malicious intent.
agencies will be bombarded by alerts and unable to see the big picture. Risk levels can be evaluated by identifying who has access to information, how sensitive that information is, what behaviors are taking place, and how those details can be tied together. It’s not just about creating an audit trail; it’s about having a comprehensive understanding of a user’s behavior and emotional state.
Not just detecting – protecting employees as well
One of the biggest misconceptions about UAM is that it amounts to an agency spying on its employees. But it’s not someone looking over their shoulder all day. Instead, UAM is about quantifying risk to keep the organization and its employees safe. In one instance, an insider-risk program prevented a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant from carrying out an act of domestic terror. Other insider-risk programs are focused on preventing suicides.
The ongoing capture of data to provide an accurate, complete picture of insider risk is beneficial to employees as well, as it can help clear their name if a bad actor gains access to their account and begins acting nefariously. Once again, the goal is not to monitor every action an employee takes, but to identify bigpicture trends that indicate malicious intent. (Figure 2.)
The
bottom line
In the military, employees often get walked out the door quite quickly when something goes wrong. Agencies must have cybersecurity technology in place to move at the same speed. While choosing to steal sensitive data may seem like a brash decision, research shows it is rarely impulsive. Instead, it is usually preceded by numerous indicators of risk –indicators that will get overlooked with a perimeter-based approach to security.
Insider risk is already top of mind for military agencies; last year, the United States Military Academy (West Point) even launched an open access journal dedicated specifically to the topic. Departing employees are often disgruntled and pose an even greater risk.
Through user activity monitoring and behavior analytics, agencies have tools to ensure they have a comprehensive, contextual understanding of employee behavior across networks – enabling them to proactively prevent current and departing employees from exploiting their access privileges and leaking sensitive information that could put a mission at risk.
MES
Chris Blanchette is director of solutions architecture at Everfox, formerly Forcepoint Federal. He previously held several other positions at Forcepoint and served as an IT Master Chief for the U.S. Navy. He holds a bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership from the University of Charleston (West Virginia).
Everfox • https://www.everfox.com/
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An argument for a dynamic root of trust in mission-critical systems
By Alex Olson
A dynamic root of trust measurement (DRTM) approach can greatly decrease the risk of exploitation of sensitive key materials used in defense and related applications. Failure to protect these implicitly trusted components can mean opponents interfere with the mission of the subsequent operational environment or expose sensitive key material, algorithms, or data. Including DRTM for measured boot on mission-critical systems is necessary for ensuring secure and uncorrupted data.
Measured boot can provide a means of both authenticating early boot components and tying the release of sensitive key material and data to a known good, trusted state. However, relying entirely upon static root of trust measurements (SRTM) assumes a degree of implicit trust in an increasingly complex firmware and early boot software stack which may be exploited at runtime.
Security measures such as mandatory access control (MAC) and full-disk encryption are only effective if a system remains trustworthy. For example, a system that can be readily modified by an adversary could leak the encryption key or contain malware. A measured boot provides assurance that a specific combination of boot components is being used and that they have not been altered.
With a measured boot solution, each component is measured (using a cryptographic hash) before it executes. A trusted platform module (TPM) is often used to hold these measurements since it is relatively isolated from the rest of the system. More
specifically, measurements are stored in platform configuration registers (PCRs) using a chain of cryptographic hashes, not unlike the design of Git source control and blockchain technologies. A critical feature is that a single altered measurement will alter the entire chain of measurements, and there is no way to “go back” to the unaltered state. The starting point for measurements is known as the “root of trust.”
The value of a strong measured boot solution exceeds mere attestation. For example, full-disk encryption requires an
encryption key to be stored somewhere. A powerful solution is to store such keys in the TPM, bound to the PCR values from the measured boot. In such a design, the TPM will not release the encryption key if the PCR values vary from the expected.
Static root of trust for measurements (SRTM)
Consider a modern x86 Linux system using UEFI firmware. (UEFI stands for unified extensible firmware interface, a specification from the UEFI Forum that defines a new model for the interface between personal-computer operating systems and platform firmware.) UEFI Secure Boot –a UEFI firmware security feature developed by the UEFI Forum that ensures only immutable and signed software are loaded during the boot time – is a standard feature that primarily implements verified boot, and optionally a measured boot. However, the boot process is complex, containing many components like those found in Table 1. The measurement/verification of each component is implemented separately by different vendors. A vulnerability in even a single layer effectively breaks the chain of trust.
Component Verified By
UEFI Firmware
Option ROMs
"shim" loader
Intel BootGuard (optional)
UEFI Firmware
UEFI Firmware
GRUB Bootloader "shim" loader
Linux Kernel
Linux Kernel modules
GRUB Bootloader
Linux Kernel
Table 1 | A table shows the common UEFI components.
Verified boot is not enough
UEFI secure boot is primarily a solution for a “verified boot,” since the cryptographic signatures enable the user to prove that components originated from trusted sources, although it can perform measurement as well. However, even in the absence of vulnerabilities, UEFI secure boot does not necessarily prevent tampering. Perhaps surprisingly, with the default set of UEFI secure boot keys, nothing prevents the booting of an entirely different Linux distribution, or even Microsoft Windows instead of Linux. Remedies do exist, but they come with a significant learning curve, along with significant added complexity in terms of key management and provisioning.
The weakest link
In the 1980s, BIOS firmware was under 64K bytes in size and had a simple purpose. Today, UEFI firmware is easily 16 Mbytes, containing highly complex runtime layers with many interfaces, such as:
› USB stack
› Network stack, HTTP client
› Graphics drivers
› File system drivers
Any one of these layers is ripe for exploitation. It is difficult to overstate the complexity of UEFI firmware. Its size and complexity compare with operating systems not long ago. For example, a common corporate laptop’s UEFI firmware has these specs: 177 UEFI PEI modules, 388 UEFI DXE drivers, and over 250 EFI variables.
This attack surface is enormous. It only takes a single vulnerability in a PEI/DXE driver or the handling of a single EFI variable to result in arbitrary code execution and the complete defeat of Intel’s boot guard, UEFI secure boot, or other security measures. These are not theoretical concerns: In 2022, researchers at firmware-security company Binarly announced finding 23 high-impact UEFI vulnerabilities affecting 25 computer vendors. In 2023, they also announced the “LogoFAIL” vulnerability, which affected the vast majority of x86 and Arm systems with UEFI firmware. Exploitation of such security measures enables an attacker to bypass Intel’s boot guard and UEFI secure boot at the same time.
Weakness in the “shim”
The default UEFI secure boot keys allow for Microsoft-signed binaries, enabling Microsoft Windows to boot when UEFI secure boot is enabled. Similarly, PCIe option ROMs are also signed with a similar key. To avoid requiring Microsoft signatures on every build of the GRUB boot loader/boot manager, mainstream Linux distributions use a small “shim” loader to delegate signature validation, which itself is signed by Microsoft. The shim loader validates GRUB against the distribution’s internal signing key, not the Microsoft one. Unfortunately, exploitable vulnerabilities have been seen even in the shim loader. Moreover, as was discovered in 2023, CVE-2023-40547 was a remote-code-execution vulnerability in shim that could be weaponized to defeat UEFI secure boot, through no fault of the UEFI implementation. This was just one of six CVEs [common vulnerabilities and exposures] in the shim discovered in 2023.
Weaknesses in GRUB
The GRUB bootloader itself now has the same complexity issues as the UEFI network stack. Far from the early days of Linux, where the LILO [Linux loader] bootloader was just a few disk sectors, GRUB spans several megabytes and contains many similar components as UEFI firmware (network stack, USB, graphics, etc.).
Many GRUB vulnerabilities have been discovered, including those enabling bypass of UEFI secure boot and Linux kernel signature enforcement. In 2020 and 2021, at least eight such CVEs were announced, most of which provide a way to bypass UEFI secure boot. They originated from heap/stack overflows, command/config parsing, and
incompletely restricted commands. The GRUB and UEFI environments lack many mitigations normally assumed today such as ASLR [address space layout randomization, a computer-security technique]. Humorously, six years of GRUB releases were vulnerable to CVE-2015-8370, which could be exploited simply by pressing the “backspace” keyboard key 28 times. Such vulnerabilities are often the consequences of complexity.
What about DMA?
Validation and measurement of the boot process is primarily software-based. However, accessing USB, network, disk, etc. involves direct memory access (DMA) by PCIe devices. (Figure 1.)
Traditionally, PCIe devices have full access to the entire memory space. Modern systems contain an IOMMU [input–output memory management unit], such as Intel Vt-d, which limits what memory regions devices may access, but it is generally disabled by default. The
Figure 1 | While validation and measurement of the boot process is mostly done in software, access to USB, network, disk, and the like involves direct memory access by PCIe devices.
GRUB bootloader has no IOMMU support, and the Linux kernel often boots with no IOMMU protection.
In other words, a malicious PCIe device could attack either GRUB or the Linux kernel during the boot without altering TPM measurements or failing a cryptographic signature validation.
Dynamic root of trust for measurements
A stronger security posture is to shorten the chain of trust and consequently reduce the potential attack surface. This cannot be accomplished with software alone. However, this is readily available using Intel TXT, which combines custom CPU instructions, chipset design, and TPM specifications to create a dynamic root of trust for measurements (DRTM). The root of trust begins with the execution of the GETSEC instruction to validate and launch an Intel-signed authenticated code module (ACM) in a DMA-protected environment with only a single CPU active.
The ACM extends DMA protection to the next boot component, measures it, and extends TPM PCRs with its measurements. A number of open-source boot components using TXT exist, such as Intel tboot and TrenchBoot, as well as commercial solutions.
BIOS and UEFI support
Unlike UEFI secure boot, TXT-based DRTM solutions support both UEFI and BIOS systems as well. Due to complexities of the BIOS boot process, a DRTM-based solution is practically the only possible way to ensure a measured boot on BIOS systems.
A major advantage of DRTM-based solutions for mission-critical use is that they do not necessarily require the system to be in a trustworthy state. For example, one could securely utilize a DRTM to network-boot (using PXE, etc.) a Linux system, without including the option ROM – PXE implementation – in the chain of trust. Even for traditional disk-based booting, one needn’t rely on the bootloader or rely on UEFI signature verification of boot images; instead, DRTM-based solutions can focus on measuring the OS kernel with a reduced attack surface. MES
Alex Olson is the Titanium Secure Boot Lead Engineer at Star Lab, with over 18 years of experience in embedded firmware development ranging from microcontrollers to high-end servers. His background includes both offensive and defensive cybersecurity roles. He is an inventor in eight patents and holds a master’s degree in computer engineering from University of Texas at Austin.
While it is true that board-level embedded products can be extremely difficult to design, designing and/or ruggedizing an enclosure for an embedded computing system carries its own set of challenges.
The enclosure platform for an embedded computing systems is often the Rodney Dangerfield of the industry: “I don’t get no respect” was the catchphrase of the late comedic legend. Often, this is the plight of the chassis manufacturer. The enclosure is commonly an afterthought and at times there is little understanding of the potential complexity of these systems, especially ruggedized designs. This is especially apparent in vendor-specific products such as NI’s (now a part of Emerson) softwaredefined radios (SDRs).
Open standards versus vendor-specific designs
When it comes to a modular open systems approach (MOSA), such as OpenVPX, there is a family of VITA specifications to follow. It is not just a matter of what is allowed, but what is commonly accepted practice, what gray areas can bring roadblocks, and the “dark art” of backplane design and thermal management.
For vendor-specific designs, the plus side is you often do not need to worry about meeting the specification of an open standard. But, it does require the engineers to
understand the performance specifications of a very specific design. In working with a vendor-specific design such as an SDR, it was very beneficial to have the years of expertise in the open standards community. This includes knowing the parameters of cooling, I/O management, ruggedization, typical end-system environments, signal performance, and more. There is certainly a significant task in ensuring that the components you choose to make a system IP67-compliant or full-military rugged do not degrade the signal performance (more than very minor potential losses from altering the interconnect path). This is especially true
Figure 1a & 1b | The commercial-grade NI x310 SDR in Figure 1a is designed for lab use, with internal fans for forced-air cooling. A ruggedized version as shown in 1b is often conduction-cooled and IP67-sealed to resist sand, dust, and moisture and to withstand a wider temperature range.
for RF signals where there is a premium for high performance.
Challenges in ruggedizing commercial-grade SDRs
Perhaps the most important element in ruggedizing a commercial grade computing/RF system, such as an SDR, is the working relationship between the radio vendors and the one creating a hardened solution. First and foremost, to be able to cool the unit, you will need to understand the thermal profile of the provider’s boards. This may include multiple daughtercards. To achieve that, you really need the cooperation of the device’s supplier.
Some of the challenges in ruggedizing
internal heater, the rugged SDRs can be used in -40 °C to +71 °C operating environments. The fan would need to meet the typical military specifications and blow over the air conduction-cooled external fins, so that no airflow is going inside of the fully sealed unit. Knowing the exact hot spot in the system, the designer can direct the airflow over the hottest part of the chassis.
Of course, the customer’s application always dictates what cooling methods are acceptable. Bottom line: Even a semi-hardened air-cooled version of the SDRs is required for some projects.
Ruggedization levels
In developing ruggedized SDRs, a recurring question often arises from a potential customer, “Do you have something that is more rugged than the commercial box, but not conduction-cooled? The unit would need to be air-cooled.” The problem is that in certain environments, a commercial SDR would not be able to cool the
applying an optional modular design for an external military-grade fan and
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FIGURE 1B
powerful processor enough. Further, the customer often prefers that units meet military transport-grade requirements – essentially being able to survive a hard landing from a C-130, for example. Figure 2 shows an example of a semi-rugged SDR version.
be developed while focusing on resolving another problem. For example, this dual SDR unit that fits in a 1U rack was designed to help improve chassis cooling and a semi-rugged transport grade frame but led to an innovative two-in-one design.
The two most important points in moving toward ruggedized equipment: thermalmanagement expertise and applying rugged but cost-effective strengthening methods to metal design. While the above is perhaps the least complicated design from a technical standpoint, it still is not easy to try on your own. Going back to knowing the hot spots from detailed knowledge in working with the board partner, an experienced enclosure designer would be able to concentrate airflow on the hottest spots in the system. Knowing the appropriate fans to utilize in the most effective front-to-rear airflow configuration is another consideration, being careful to avoid air-blocking components. Finally, employing a light but rugged metal design, along with key reinforcement areas, ensures that the unit is properly hardened. Naturally, designing the chassis to meet stringent military standards can add much more complexity.
Testing ruggedized enclosures
Ruggedized enclosures for outdoor use can be designed to protect against moisture, dust, sand, etc., but also extend the temperature range of the systems without an internal fan that would expose the unit to these elements. There are often simple loopback tests where the system is cabled to verify the boards are in working order. While rugged can be designed to support use outdoors, there are military and other applications where it also needs to be strong enough to survive transport, a drop test, seismic activity, shock/vibration from weather, and other military specifications. See Figure 3a and 3b for images of the testing for military specifications for shock/vibration, etc. Balancing the SWaP aspects to a proper cooling and durability level can be tricky, requiring careful application of multiple disciplines. (Figure 3a and 3b.)
For military rugged requirements, the key objective is to meet the specifications of the project. Typically, this includes MIL-810 for shock and vibration, MIL-461 for EMI,
and there may be other critical tests as well. These may include DO-160 shock, vibration, and crash safety tests, as well as conducted and radiated emissions, conducted susceptibility, cable bulk injection, power leads, and more.
Finding the best approach
While significant pitfalls were avoided with careful due diligence and testing, there is often a learning curve in finding the optimal approach to serve what may be a wide array of application dynamics. Much like the MOSA designs described earlier, having that experience and learning the art of high-performance RF systems is important. MES
Justin Moll is vice president, sales and marketing, at Pixus Technologies. He has been a sales and marketing management consultant and senior-level manager for embedded computing companies for more than 20 years. Justin has led various committees in the open standards community and is a regular guest speaker at several industry events. He holds a degree in business administration from University of California, Riverside. Readers may reach the author at justin.moll@ pixustechnologies.com.
Pixus Technologies https://pixustechnologies.com
Figure 3a & 3b | These images show the level of testing that is often required to prove that the customized rugged enclosure can meet militaryspecifications for areas such as shock/vibration, EMI, humidity, temperature levels, and more. Figure 3a shows a shaker table, and Figure 3b shows an environmental chamber. Photos courtesy of NTS.
FIGURE 3A
FIGURE 3B
Figure 2 | Creative solutions can
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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Modern defense IT and military-grade rugged equipment
By Joe Guest
When tactical information is difficult to access, analyze, and share on the battlefield, the consequences can be catastrophic. This is a longstanding problem that continues to grow exponentially with each new data source, including input from tools including drones and Internet of Military Things (IoMT) devices. Defense organizations are mitigating this problem by using military-grade laptops and tablets so that battlefield groups can quickly share and act on combat information.
Immediate access to tactical information means the difference between life and death: Every defense organization would agree with that statement. They also would agree that achieving that goal is a never-ending challenge.
One major reason is the sheer volume of information, which continues to grow exponentially as defense organizations add capabilities such as aerial and
submersible drones, battlefield robots, smart munitions, and Internet of Military Things (IoMT) devices including wearable sensors. Edge computing and broadband wireless make it easier than ever to put this data closer to where it’s needed. But the value of this data is undermined by the difficulty in accessing, analyzing, and acting on it both in headquarters and on the battlefield.
Asymmetric warfare highlights these challenges. Soldiers at a checkpoint need fast, convenient access to biometric information such as fingerprints and iris scans to determine whether a car full of people in street clothes are civilians or combatants. This scenario requires a carefully engineered ecosystem that extends from the cloud through an encrypted wireless connection and out to the ruggedized laptops and tablets at the checkpoint.
The checkpoint scenario also highlights the mission-critical role that end-user devices play – and the vulnerabilities that arise when laptops and tablets aren’t military grade. This is a set of challenges in itself, as military organizations struggle to find devices that have the battery life, ruggedized components, sealed cases and ports, high brightness screens, and other features capable of keeping soldiers, drone pilots, commanders, and other personnel connected during even battlefield conditions. When those devices aren’t up to the task, the results can include the loss of drones, vehicles, ordinance, battles, and lives.
How France is optimizing its defense IT capabilities
The French defense procurement agency (Direction générale de l’armement or DGA) is an example of how military organizations are mitigating these types of challenges. The goals of the DGA’s SCORPION initiative (SCORPION is France’s multiyear program aiming to renew and modernize the French army’s “contact” combat capabilities, based on new platforms and a single combat-information system) include:
soldier assigned to the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron conducts a vehicle checkpoint during a field training exercise. U.S. Air Force
photo by Airman Rebecca Tierney.
› Secure and easy information exchange within tactical command.
› Visualization of tactical situations.
› Task automation.
French cybersecurity and high-performance computing firm Atos developed the SCORPION Combat Information System (SICS), which replaces the DGA’s legacy operation information systems. SICS enables French forces to securely share complete tactical information such as blue force tracking over existing (Thales PR4G) and future (CONTACT) tactical wireless and wired technologies. The system supports virtually any type of data source, including IoMT devices, and enable interworking with allied forces.
Currently being deployed in all units, SICS is designed to provide situational awareness with a single, comprehensive platform for sharing battalion-level land and air-land combat information. Personnel use SICS from virtually anywhere, including at headquarters, inside armored vehicles such as the VBMR Griffon, and by soldiers on foot in places ranging from checkpoints to the battlefield. This versatility ensures that everyone has timely access to the latest information, as well as the ability to share and collaborate on it.
Making sure gear is military grade
1. Military standard (MIL-STD) certifications
Rugged laptops and tablets are key for ensuring that command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) initiatives live up to their potential. In the process, they help C4ISR programs deliver the strong return on investment that politicians, pundits, and the press look for when scrutinizing how defense budgets are allocated and used.
These devices are used for a wide variety of C4ISR applications, ranging from remote control of uncrewed systems to accessing logistics/warehouse management systems on military bases to ensure supply-chain continuation. Another example: quickly downloading street and subway maps and building blueprints to enable informed decisions during military operations in urban terrain (MOUT).
To meet these requirements, defense specialists and the organizations they serve are increasingly specifying laptops and tablets that have certifications such as MIL-STD-810H, MIL-STD-461G, and IP certifications for dust and water resistance. These specs indicate the ability to operate safely and reliably even in the most adverse conditions, including explosive atmospheres and salt fog.
2. Fanless design
Device vendors have several options for maximizing both durability and performance. For example, a fanless design eliminates ingress points for water, dust, and debris such as sand. It also eliminates the fan’s power drain, which helps extend battery life. That’s key because the battlefield is the last place a soldier should be looking for a charger and then waiting an hour or longer for charging.
3. Solid-state memory
Another example is using solid-state memory, which is superior to hard drives when it comes to withstanding vibration and other physical shock, as well as damage from electrical and magnetic sources. Solid-state memory also doesn’t require a motor to spin discs, thus eliminating both a point of failure and a component that requires battery power. These types of features are key for achieving drop-protection ratings of 4 to 6 feet.
4. Secured-core PC
In addition to physical durability, military-grade tablets and laptops must be equally resilient against malware and firmware attacks. For example, tablets that use Microsoft’s Secured-core PC technology carry firmware and dynamic root-of-trust measurements to shield credentials, classified information, and mission-critical data.
5. Large displays
Military operations frequently occur in environments where there is too much or too little light, which call for displays that have semi-matte coatings and high brightness (1,000 nits, a unit of measurement for displays, or more) to overcome challenges such as reflection and direct sunlight that overwhelms lesser screens. Another valuable feature is light-filtering technology, which maximizes the contrast ratio and minimizes internal reflections. This feature enhances viewing clarity when viewed at different angles, such as when multiple personnel are collaborating on the same tablet or laptop.
For many defense applications, large displays are preferable simply because it is much easier for personnel to view a large amount of information simultaneously rather than constantly flipping through multiple application windows. Large displays also are ideal for taking advantage of the split-screen feature in Windows 10 and 11. If applications are touch-enabled, then the display also should support glove mode, so personnel doesn’t have to waste time removing theirs or fumbling for a stylus in an MRAP or tactical vehicle that’s bouncing through rugged terrain.
Enterprise grade is not military grade
Defense is the ultimate mission-critical application, with requirements that exceed even the most stringent enterprise use cases. Just because a business-class laptop or tablet has a high price tag does not mean it is capable of withstanding extreme environments such as deserts and battlefields. MES
Joe Guest is president of Durabook Federal, the business division that specifically and exclusively serves the U.S. defense sector. Before his time at Durabook Federal, industry veteran Guest worked at Panasonic and as a program manager with the U.S. Air Force.
Durabook Federal https://www.durabook.com/us/defense/
Naval electronics face rugged application challenges
By Matthew Tarney
Advanced electronics are central to the readiness of any modern naval vessel. From mission-critical applications such as targeting, radar, and communications to basic functional monitoring and controls, the electronic infrastructure of marine vessels must remain in working order through long deployments in some of the harshest environments on the planet.
Protecting sensitive electronic equipment can present a significant challenge to naval design engineers. A wide range of environmental factors must be considered and mitigated when selecting appropriate enclosures for marine electronics. These factors can be broken
down into three main categories: mechanical considerations, electrical and electromagnetic considerations, and environmental considerations. Designers also face the same routine challenges found in land-based electronics applications, including physical access control, thermal management, power distribution, and cable routing and organization. While every application is unique, there are some common ways to overcome these obstacles and ensure that critical naval electronic systems are protected and available around the clock.
Large unmanned surface vessel (LUSV) Ranger transits the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo.
Standards for shipboard equipment
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) maintains a comprehensive list of standards for equipment deployed in military applications. By selecting equipment qualified to these standards, design engineers can ensure COTS [commercial off-the-shelf] solutions already meet the minimum requirements to protect critical systems. Several standards directly address challenges found in shipboard electronic applications and are often referenced when designing enclosures for naval vessels:
› MIL-DTL-901E: This standard replaces MIL-S-901D, which was the DoD standard for mechanical shock testing from 1989 to 2017. The new 901E standard specifies test criteria
for high-impact shock testing to ensure that enclosures can withstand harsh naval operation and naval combat environments, protecting mission-critical equipment when reliability is most needed. One key addition to 901E is the inclusion of a new “Deck Simulating Shock Test” in addition to the mechanical shock and impact and live ordinance barge testing specified in 901D.
› MIL-STD-167-1A: Mechanical vibration testing for shipboard equipment ensures the enclosure and electronics within operate reliably while experiencing vibration from common naval sources, including engine vibration across a range of frequencies.
› MIL-STD-461G: EMC [electromagnetic compatibility] testing ensures that the enclosure provides protection against external EMI [electromagnetic interference] as well as effective containment of emissions generated within the cabinet. Radiated and line emissions have the potential to transmit data that can be intercepted and exploited by adversaries, making effective electrical shielding imperative for sensitive communications equipment. In some applications, protection beyond MIL-STD-461G is required, up to and including TEMPESTlevel signal protection (the U.S. government specification for protecting against data theft through the interception of electromagnetic radiation).
MIL-STD-810E: Salt fog testing provides peace of mind that equipment inside the enclosure will be protected from potentially harmful corrosion caused by exposure to saline air during long deployments at sea. While enclosures located on upper decks are most often exposed to sea spray and rain, and must be appropriately housed in weather-proof enclosures, electronics located below deck can also be compromised by exposure to atmospheric salt. Specifying below deck enclosures tested to 810E salt fog requirements ensures that critical electronics will not be exposed to salinity present in the ship’s ambient air. (Figure 1.)
In addition to the standards listed above, DoD publishes dozens of standards addressing specific environmental conditions in shipboard applications. As every application is different, it is critical to specify compliance to a complete range of standards that address the unique requirements of a given installation.
Every application is unique
Standard testing can help provide peace of mind that common hazards have been considered in the design of an electronics enclosure. However, very few shipboard applications are identical, and standards can’t address every possible condition a ship
Figure 1 | Salt fog testing ensures that equipment inside an enclosure will not malfunction due to corrosion from sea spray and salt. U.S. Navy photo.
may encounter. In addition to specifying enclosures that meet the tests above, design engineers can benefit from solutions that are modular, scalable, and customizable, but based on a common platform architecture. This ensures that COTS components are readily available while still allowing an enclosure to be modified to meet specific application needs. Common electronics enclosure modifications include:
› Custom vibration dampening and isolation
› Modified I/O and cable entry panels
› Active and passive cooling solutions
› Ruggedized power distribution
› Physical and electronic access control systems
› TEMPEST certification for sensitive communications
› EMC shielding
› Fire-suppression systems
› Cable management and organization
Many of these unique application requirements call for specialized engineering during the design process to ensure the reliability of electronics in harsh conditions. A finite element analysis should be performed for all enclosures mounted on vibration isolators to ensure reliable performance and appropriate tolerances under stress.
Advanced thermal modeling is becoming increasingly necessary to ensure proper cooling of electronics as more computing power is being deployed in the spaceconstrained applications. Even simple considerations such as the bend radius clearance for cables inside the enclosure can cause significant installation problems if overlooked during the design process.
Because every application is unique, starting with an easily modified COTS enclosure platform can reduce redesign time and improve supply chain resilience, while increasing confidence that electronics are prepared for any environment the vessel encounters at sea.
Installing robust thermal management
In addition to the physical and environmental requirements addressed by MIL standards, modern electronics cabinets require robust thermal management
systems. The implementation of advanced vision and targeting systems, autonomous platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems in defense requires high speed, high availability computing hardware. This generates significant heat, often at higher densities that in the past. (Figure 2.)
Traditional cooling methods such as convection and forced air are often insufficient to handle this increased thermal load. Designers increasingly need to rely on a full suite of cooling systems, from convection to liquid cooling, to successfully run modern naval electronics:
› Convection: Suitable for cooling up to 800 W per rack, depending on ambient air temperature. Requires louvers or perforations to allow airflow into and out of the cabinet. Hot exhaust air must be vented away from the computer room or actively cooled. Works best in combination with a computer room air conditioner to cool the ambient air and monitor environmental conditions.
› Forced air: Suitable for cooling up to 2,000 W per rack, depending on ambient air temperature. Requires louvers or perforations
to allow airflow into and out of the cabinet. Hot exhaust air must be vented away from the computer room or actively cooled. Works best in combination with a computer-room air conditioner to cool the ambient air and monitor environmental conditions.
› Air conditioners: Suitable for cooling up to 2,600 W per rack. Best for applications where the ambient air is not actively cooled or is inconsistent in temperature. The hot air exhaust from the air conditioner must be vented away from the computer room/rack.
› Liquid cooling: Suitable for cooling up to 45,000 W (45 kW) per rack. Liquid cooling can enable extremely high computing density per rack, optimizing space in the computer room and reducing the number of racks required on a vessel. Cold ambient air is not required, and the system can operate as a closed loop in a sealed cabinet. Cool water is required from the ship to act as coolant in the air to water heat exchanger. (Figure 3.)
Quality and compliance
A final consideration is ensuring compliance to DFARS sourcing requirements and project flow downs; DFARS [Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement] compliance is a set of cybersecurity regulations that defense contractors and suppliers must follow in order to be awarded new DoD contracts. When selecting a supplier partner for naval electronics infrastructure, it is
critical to ensure that all relevant quality and sourcing requirements can be met. Common supplier considerations in the naval electronics market include:
› Compliance to DFARS material traceability requirements
› International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) certification
› ISO and AS9100 quality certifications
› A robust counterfeit-parts prevention program
› First article inspection procedures
› A life cycle management program ensuring that once specified, equipment will be available and supported for the lifetime of a program
Going forward
Ensuring the reliability and availability of shipboard electronic systems is critical to naval readiness. While every application is unique, there are several ways that design engineers can address common mechanical, electrical/electromagnetic, and environmental challenges when specifying electronics enclosures for naval vessels. Ensuring that equipment racks meet relevant military and government specifications, have been analyzed for physical and thermal performance, are customized to the application’s unique requirements, and are sourced from a supplier with robust quality controls and experience delivering military electronics solutions all deliver peace of mind that mission-critical electronics equipment can withstand the harshest naval applications. MES
Matthew Tarney is the Global Vertical Growth Leader for Aerospace & Defense at nVent SCHROFF. In this role he is focused heavily on advanced computing infrastructure for the aerospace, defense, and test and measurement markets. Readers may email the author at Matthew.Tarney@nvent.com.
nVent SCHROFF
https://schroff.nvent.com/en-us/
Figure 3 | A fully enclosed liquid cooling cabinet like the CP LHX + is suitable for applications involving complex testing situations and multiple sensors. Image courtesy nVent Schroff.
Integrating rugged hybrid energy and power supplies in military UAVs
By Carol Brower and Pradeep Haldar
Future unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by the military will require fully integrated, higher agility unconventional weapons and armor systems such as electromagnetic weapons and directed energy weapon systems. To meet these requirements, hybrid energy sources and power systems are currently the best alternative to support the demand for propulsion, continuous auxiliary power, and pulsed power demand for weapons and operation of the UAVs. Development of these weapons and technologies are progressing at a fast rate and can be demonstrated at scale today, but they also must integrate rugged energy sources and power supplies capable of operation in harsh conditions and in tandem with extreme weapons.
In a combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform, the power source primarily consists of an energy-storage system consisting of advanced batteries and high-voltage capacitors. The power source must meet the demand of mobility, lethality, survivability as well as for uses including command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR).
The demand for electric power becomes even more challenging when the power draw must be provided solely from energy storage systems for extended range and
periods of time. The power supply must be delivered in two forms, continuous for mobility and pulsed for the directed-energy weapons. Depending on the size and weight of the UAV, the continuous power requirements can range from a few tens to several hundreds of kilowatts (KWs) supplied by the prime battery system. The pulsed power needs can range from a few to hundreds of megawatts (MWs) depending on the loads and rep rates. In addition, the pulsed power loads require pulse forming networks (PFN), which impose another integration burden with their own space requirements.
Since electric power is used for continuous loads such as mobility and for pulsed loads such as electric weapons, it is necessary to have a common power and energy management system onboard the UAV to distribute electric power to various users according to a defined precedence strategy.
Creating a rugged military-ready power system
To design and integrate the various components for a combat-ready UAV system, it is important to consider critical and enabling technologies that include state-of-theart high-temperature power electronics, high-energy-density and high-power-density batteries, high-voltage capacitors, and high-torque-density traction motors. These components and auxiliary systems need to be integrated within the power needs, loads, and size constraints of the UAV.
To meet the established goals for weight, volume, and power needs, aggressive design goals need to be pursued for the energy-storage systems as well as the associated power electronics, motor controllers, converters, inverters as well as the thermal-management system. Another aggressive metric is needed for the pulse forming network (PFN), which must be optimized and minimized to install in the UAV. Integration of the power converters and the PFN hinges on leveraging wide bandgap semiconductors, such as SiC and GaN [silicon carbide and gallium nitride]. These types of semiconductors enable engineers to build converters that operate at high temperature, high frequency (50 kHz to 100 kHz), and higher efficiency.
For the PFN, another critical technology component is the use of compact, highenergy, and high-voltage-discharge capacitors that provide energy densities over 2 Joules/cc. The high-energy capacitors combined with SiC-based solid state switches provide significant reduction of PFN weight and volume.
Continuous power requirements
In a combat UAV, there are two primary users of continuous power – mobility and thermal management – in addition to other smaller loads. Power is supplied to most of the mobility and thermal loads from the prime mover, the battery-storage system. For optimum performance, the power is split between capacitor and battery for either best efficiency or burst power according to the specified duty cycle of the UAV.
Military UAVs must be able to operate under extreme environmental conditions, from the frigid temperatures of the Arctic Circle to the intense heat of deserts, as well as rough terrain conditions. They must withstand vibrations, shocks, and violent twisting experienced during travel and they must be able to operate for long periods of time with very little or no maintenance. Future UAVs must be lighter, faster, and more deployable but at the same time more lethal and sturdier. These constraints impose a departure from the traditional methods of making UAVs. Therefore, new enabling technologies should be integrated to meet the technical challenges of future vehicles.
Pulsed power requirements
Directed-energy weapons (DEWs) are electromagnetic systems that convert electrical energy into radiated energy, focusing it on targets to cause physical damage and
neutralize adversaries. These include high-energy lasers (HEL) emitting photons and high-power microwaves (HPM) emitting radio-frequency waves. The military uses them for power projection and integrated defense missions. The effectiveness of DEWs is measured by their ability to reliably and precisely focus energy at range, producing controllable effects and measurable damage or mission defeat.
Integrating high-power microwave (HPM) devices into UAVs for targeting adversarial autonomous aircraft involves several complex technical challenges. Firstly, there is the issue of power management: HPM devices require a lot of energy, and providing a compact, lightweight, and efficient power source within the UAV’s limited payload capacity is critical. The integration also demands ruggedization: advanced thermalmanagement systems to dissipate the heat generated by HPM devices, ensuring they do not overheat or damage other onboard electronics.
Secondly, targeting precision is paramount. The HPM system must include sophisticated tracking and guidance systems to accurately lock onto fast-moving, potentially evasive UAV targets. This upgrade involves integrating advanced sensors and algorithms for real-time target acquisition and engagement. Moreover, designers must consider maintaining UAV stability and maneuverability while deploying the HPM system. The electromagnetic emissions from the HPM device can interfere with the UAV’s own electronics and control systems, necessitating robust electromagnetic shielding and isolation techniques. (Figure 1.)
Additionally, addressing potential countermeasures is crucial. Adversarial UAVs may employ shielding or other protective measures against HPM attacks, requiring continuous advancements in HPM technology to overcome these defenses.
Design considerations
Designing and integrating power supplies and energy storage systems for a military UAV equipped with a DEW system involves meticulous planning and consideration of multiple factors to ensure efficiency, reliability, and operational effectiveness. A hybrid electric platform is the most suitable type to use for power demand for both continuous and pulsed loads. Although the power management and distribution to both types of loads is feasible within the hybrid architecture, the integration burden could be challenging and depends largely on the pulsed load specifications.
The benefits of ruggedizing power supply and energy storage systems include:
› Extended ranges/durations: High-performance power systems enable military UAVs to operate over extended ranges and durations without the need for frequent recharging. This capability enhances the strategic mobility and endurance of military forces, enabling them to sustain operations in remote or austere environments for longer periods.
› Ability to integrate advanced technology payloads: Reliable and high-performance power systems enable the integration of advanced payloads into defense platforms, which include not only UAVs but also DEWs, high-power radar, and electronic countermeasures.
› Combating harsh electromagnetic environments: Defense UAV systems are often exposed to harsh electromagnetic environments that can interfere with sensitive electronics. High-quality power systems with built-in EMI [electromagnetic interference] filtering and protection mechanisms ensure that critical equipment remains immune to external electromagnetic disturbances, maintaining operational integrity in hostile electromagnetic environments.
› Flexibility/scalability: Modern defense operations require flexible and scalable power solutions that can adapt to evolving mission requirements and operational environments. An appropriately designed, reliable power system gives the option of modular designs and scalability, enabling easy integration into a wide range of defense UAV platforms and applications.
Rugged design calls for balanced approach
Designing and integrating power supplies and energy storage systems for military UAVs with DEW systems necessitates a balanced approach that addresses high power demands, stringent reliability, and operational flexibility.
Figure 1 | Real-time target acquisition and engagement on an unmanned aerial vehicle means adding sophisticated tracking and guidance systems, which involves advanced sensors and algorithms for delivery of data and video.
Integrating hybrid energy sources and high-performance power supplies in military UAVs is a design challenge that demands a comprehensive approach to ensure operational efficiency, reliability, and mission effectiveness. Key considerations must include the optimization of energy density and power-to-weight ratios, which are critical for extending flight endurance and enhancing payload capacities. By leveraging advanced battery technologies alongside capacitors, designers can achieve a balance between sustained power output and the ability to respond to peak demand scenarios. Additionally, the integration of sophisticated energy-management systems is essential to seamlessly coordinate the various power sources, ensuring that the UAV can autonomously switch between or combine them to maintain optimal performance under stressful, varying operational conditions.
Furthermore, the ruggedness and resilience of the power-supply systems must be prioritized to withstand the harsh environments and potential adversarial conditions typical of military operations.
This includes using robust thermal-management solutions to prevent overheating and ensuring that all components meet stringent military standards for shock, vibration, and electromagnetic compatibility. The integration process should also emphasize modularity and ease of maintenance, allowing for rapid field repairs and upgrades. As these UAVs are often deployed in remote and hostile areas, the ability to quickly replace or service energy components can be crucial to mission success.
Ultimately, the successful integration of hybrid energy sources and high-performance power supplies will not only enhance the operational capabilities of military UAVs but will also give troops a significant strategic advantage through improved reliability, versatility, and endurance. MES
Carol Brower is Vice President of Operations at Custom Electronics Inc. (CEI), with more than two decades of experience in manufacturing operations. At CEI, she is responsible for management, fiscal oversight, audit preparation, human resources, process improvement, reporting, research, and analysis.
Pradeep Haldar serves as Management and Technology
Commercialization Lead for Custom Electronics Inc. He has extensive experience in business development, strategic planning, research and development, financial and operations management, technology transfer, innovation, and technology commercialization. He has a Ph.D. from Northeastern University and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Custom Electronics Inc. (CEI) • https://www.customelec.com/
Uncrewed Systems
Powered by Military Embedded Systems
Sponsored by LDRA, Mercury, RTI, and Wind River
Designed to drive awareness and thought leadership around embedded electronics technology for autonomous systems from artificial intelligence (AI) to signal processing to avionics safety certification, these sessions examine strategies for applying a modular open systems approach (MOSA) in such designs. (This is an archived event.)
Watch this webcast: https://tinyurl.com/mr3393rz
EDITOR’S CHOICE PRODUCTS
Spaceflight computing microprocessor
Microchip Technology’s PIC64 high-performance spaceflight computing (PIC64-HPSC) microprocessor (MPU) is designed to support the expanding computational needs of autonomous space applications. The PIC64-HPSC MPUs integrate radiation- and fault-tolerant RISC-V CPUs with vector-processing instruction extensions, facilitating artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI and ML) applications. The MPUs feature a space-grade 64-bit architecture with eight SiFive RISC-V X280 CPU cores, offering up to 2 TOPS (int8) or 1 TFLOPS (bfloat16) vector performance. The parts include a 240 Gb/sec time-sensitive networking (TSN) Ethernet switch, scalable PCIe Gen 3 and Compute Express Link 2.0, and remote memory access protocol (RMAP)-compatible SpaceWire ports with internal routers.
The MPUs enable low-latency data transfers via remote direct memory access (RDMA) over converged Ethernet (RoCEv2) hardware accelerators, which can maximize compute capabilities by bringing data closer to the CPU. They also leverage defensegrade security with post-quantum cryptography and anti-tamper features, dual-core lockstep operation, WorldGuard hardware architecture (a hardware-enhanced software isolation solution) for partitioning and isolation, and a system controller for fault monitoring. Flexible power tuning allows tailored activation of functions and interfaces based on mission phases. The PIC64-HPSC RH variant is intended for long-duration deep-space missions with low-power consumption, while the RT is aimed at low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellations.
Ethernet card for high-speed data comms
The TXMC397 is a conduction-cooled, 2-channel 10GBASE-T Ethernet card designed for high-speed data communication in demanding environments. The TEWS Technologies card enables robust Ethernet connectivity, suitable for applications requiring reliable and fast data transfer, including those defense and government applications that have stringent requirements for high-speed data communication. The TXMC397 uses a conduction-cooled interface, conforming to ANSI/VITA 42.0 and ANSI/VITA 20 specifications, and ensuring stable operation in harsh conditions. The XMC connector provides access to the Intel X710-AT2 dual-port 10GbE controller via an x4 PCIe link. Both Ethernet interfaces support 100/1000 Mbit/sec and 2.5/5/10 Gbit/sec transmission rates. The two Ethernet interfaces can perform an auto-negotiation algorithm that enables both link partners to determine the best link parameters. The controller is equipped with a 64 Mbit serial flash to support PXE and iSCSI boot; an onboard LED indicates the different network activities. The module meets the requirements to operate in extended temperature range from -40 °C to +85 °C (card edge temperature).
EMI-filtered connectors
Mobix Labs Inc. has unveiled its new EMI filtered ARINC 404 and ARINC 600 connectors tailored for defense and aerospace applications. These connectors can be customized with planar arrays, ceramic Pi tubes for insulation, or chip capacitors to meet stringent military specifications, ensuring high performance and reliability. The advanced EMI filtering options offer insertion loss of 70-80 dB for Pi filters and 50-60 dB for C filters, optimizing signal integrity and minimizing resonance in demanding environments.
The connectors are designed with advanced filtering options for high signal integrity and minimal resonance. They feature high insertion loss, have customizable designs, and are built to withstand high shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures. Users may opt for optional ARINC 404 and ARINC 600 connectors are available for customization to comply with specific military and aerospace requirements.
Mobix Labs | www.mobixlabs.com
EDITOR’S CHOICE PRODUCTS
Modular software suite for UAS
OKSI’s OMNISCIENCE is a modular and containerized software suite designed for uncrewed airborne platforms. The software includes several autonomy and computer vision technologies that provide intelligence to various air platforms as individual containerized capabilities or interoperable modules, thereby enhancing adaptability for uncrewed aerial systems (UASs). Key modules in the product include OMNInav for GPS-denied navigation, OMNIseek for automatic detection and recognition, OMNIlocate for target coordinates in denied environments, and OMNItarget for terminal guidance. The software’s modules – all managed by the OMNImind mission executive – enable autonomy with conditional behavior logic that adapts to dynamic mission environments.
The software also enables operators to plan and execute autonomous missions passively, without relying on GPS or RF communications. Manufacturers and system operators can customize the software modules based on specific mission requirements or integrate the entire OMNISCIENCE stack for comprehensive mission autonomy.
Small-form-factor radios
Reticulate Micro, Inc. offers the Himera G1 Pro tactical radio for the U.S. military market and global government customers. The G1 Pro is a small-form-factor (SFF) radio employing frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology, which can be used on the battlefield. Its high bandwidth, advanced frequency hopping, and improved battery life enables users to rely on robust and secure communications in challenging environments.
The Himera G1 Pro weighs 300 grams (10.58 ounces), as compared with the typical 1.3-kilogram (2.87-pound) tactical radio. It also has an enhanced power output and a long-lasting battery that supports as much as 48 hours of continuous operation. Designed with user feedback from frontline soldiers, the G1 Pro includes a more powerful speaker for better voice communication in loud operational environments. Designed from the ground up to operate in complex electronic warfare environments. The SFF radio supports the transmission of several types of information, including voice data, GPS coordinates, and text messages, and is equipped with Blue Force Tracking capability using offline maps. It can also be programmed via an encrypted app on a phone or a tablet and can be integrated with situational-awareness systems for real-time command and control. Users can choose from a wide range of modular accessories.
Reticulate Micro | https://reticulate.io/
AI-powered supercomputers
The Aitech Systems A178-AV is a rugged GPGPU AI [artificial intelligence]-enabled supercomputer that leverages the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier system-on-module (SoM). The A178-AV is designed for use by those who need advanced next-generation avionics platforms, with high-speed video acquisition and real-time processing capabilities. Its compact size makes it suitable for AI-based local processing near sensors. The system includes a Volta GPU with 512 CUDA cores and 64 Tensor cores, achieving 32 TOPS INT8 and 11 TFLOPS FP16, ensuring efficient AI performance.
The A178-AV is equipped with CoaXPress (CXP), MIL-STD 1553, ARINC 429 protocols, and the RedHawk real-time operating system; CoaXPress provides a reliable, high-bandwidth video input solution, while MIL-STD 1553 and ARINC 429 ensure flexible and reliable communication. The RedHawk real-time OS guarantees low-latency performance for mission-critical applications. The ruggedized A178-AV also features two NVIDIA deep-learning accelerator (NVDLA) engines for deep-learning applications, making it suitable for aircraft operations in demanding environments.
Aitech Systems | www.aitechsystems.com
CONNECTING WITH MIL EMBEDDED
GIVING BACK
GIVING BACK
Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day.
By Editorial Staff
This issue we are highlighting Merging Vets & Players (MVP), a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower combat veterans and former professional athletes by connecting them after their tours of service and their active sports lives end. MVP strives to provide the vets and former athletes with a “new team” to assist with transition, promote personal development, and give them a new community.
MVP [a 501 (c )(3) organization] was founded in 2015 by sports reporter Jay Glazer and former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawk Nate Boyer. They wanted to address the challenges that combat veterans and former professional athletes face in transition into their new lives away from the battlefields and playing fields.
According to information from the organization, Glazer was inspired to launch the program in 2015, after speaking to the wife of a friend, who was a former NFL player: The friend’s wife said that the former player was depressed and aimless after leaving the sport. Glazer realized that the friend’s experience seemed similar that of other veterans he and Boyer had known.
MVP combines a program of intense physical workouts with peer-to-peer check-in sessions to support the military veterans within its ranks. MVP operates out of training centers in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Dallas – all areas with large populations of both veterans and families and National Football League retirees. In addition, MVP hosts multiple weekly virtual meetings to ensure that both veterans and former athletes across the country can seek help and community. For additional information, visit https://vetsandplayers.org.
WEBCAST
DevSecOps for Military Applications –Best Practices for Development of Critical Software
Sponsored by Micross
The current geopolitical stage and the proliferation of commercially deployed satellites are increasing the call to reduce lead time for high-reliability power supplies, while managing the technical risk and meeting cost targets. System designers face the difficult decision of using a tailered power solution or existing power-supply designs, which comes with tradeoffs such as compromise on key parameters including size, mass, and power efficiency in order to meet the critical time-to-market requirements and mitigate risks on technical performance and development time associated with a tailored solution.
In this webinar, industry experts in high-reliability power electronics design, packaging, testing, and qualification of hybrid and space-grade PCB DC-DC power supplies will outline the latest options and best practices in realizing the optimal power supplies for today’s high-reliability applications. Topics covered include defining power requirements, redundancy schemes, protection features, sequencing of voltages, EMI performance, payload architectures, and thermal and mechanical design.
Watch this webcast: https://tinyurl.com/ypamxjd6
Watch more webcasts: https://militaryembedded.com/webcasts/
20 GHz Direct Sampling: All in One Nyquist – Part 1: Challenges and Approaches
By Ian Beavers, Peter Delos,
Brian Reggiannini, and Connor Bryant, Analog Devices
There has long been a desire for the capability of a wide 2 GHz to 18 GHz observation bandwidth across a single Nyquist in electronic warfare (EW) and communication intelligence (COMINT) systems. While interleaving ADC cores is an option to gain that capability, it requires a front-end analog bandwidth of 2 GHz to 18 GHz. Time interleaving is a popular method to double the sample rate, but there can be trade-offs with the challenge of processing large raw data rates and the capability to digitally filter within the ADC.
From electronic warfare to communications intelligence, numerous cases exist where continuous monitoring of 2 GHz to 18 GHz is required. Systems can resolve signals from multiple Nyquist zones; with careful quadrature error-correction techniques of time or quadrature interleaved adjacent ADCs, systems can effectively double the sampling rate of a given digitizer. Using the hardened DSP [digital signal processing] functionality of the Apollo MxFE device, FPGA resources can be minimized and still monitor a full 2 GHz to 18 GHz spectrum all in one Nyquist.
Read this white paper: https://tinyurl.com/bdaenrj5
Read more white papers: https://militaryembedded.com/whitepapers
WHITE PAPER
NAVIGATE ... THROUGH ALL PARTS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS
TECHNOLOGY, TRENDS, AND
PRODUCTS DRIVING THE DESIGN PROCESS
Military Embedded Systems focuses on embedded electronics – hardware and software – for military applications through technical coverage of all parts of the design process. The website, Resource Guide, e-mags, newsletters, podcasts, webcasts, and print editions provide insight on embedded tools and strategies including technology insertion, obsolescence management, standards adoption, and many other military-specific technical subjects.
Coverage areas include the latest innovative products, technology, and market trends driving military embedded applications such as radar, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, cybersecurity, AI and machine learning, avionics, and more. Each issue is full of the information readers need to stay connected to the pulse of embedded technology in the military and aerospace industries.
