John McHale
@military_cots
7
Travel, trade shows & diversity
University Update
8
Studying waves to protect soldiers
Mil Tech Trends
Powering directed-energy weapons
Industry Spotlight
SOSA reaches beyond sensors MIL-EMBEDDED.COM
28 40
Nov/Dec 2019 | Volume 15 | Number 8
Innovation in military
power supplies: Intelligence, standardization, efficiency P 22
P 18 Augmented-reality technologies are here: Defense organizations must acknowledge the security concerns – By Duncan McSporran, Kognitiv Spark
As military robots gain traction, ethical-use guidelines emerge P 14
Ultra-Wide Bandwidth Digitization & Processing in a Single Board
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Volume 15 Number 8
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November/December 2019
COLUMNS
SPECIAL REPORT
Editor’s Perspective 7 Fall travel, trade shows, diversity
Automation & Robotics 14 As military robots gain traction, ethical-use guidelines emerge
By John McHale
By Sally Cole, Senior Editor
18
University Update 8 Wave motion may provide novel way to protect warfighters
Augmented-reality technologies are here: Defense organizations must acknowledge the security concerns
By Sally Cole
By Duncan McSporran, Kognitiv Spark
14
Mil Tech Insider 10 Making CMOSS deployable: The rubber hits the road
MIL TECH TRENDS
Military Power Supplies 22 Innovation in military power supplies: Intelligence, standardization, efficiency
By David Jedynak
Industry Update 44 AUSA and the week full of firsts
By Emma Helfrich, Associate Editor
28
Powering the future of directed-energy weapons
By Emma Helfrich
By Franck Kolczak, TE Connectivity
18
DEPARTMENTS
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Open Standards for Embedded Military Systems 30 Modular Open Systems Approach for weapons systems is a warfighting imperative By John Bratton, Mercury Systems
34
12
Defense Tech Wire
46
Connecting with Mil Embedded
By Emma Helfrich
By Mil-Embedded.com Editorial Staff
Harnessing open source innovation in the military with rock-solid security By Rich Lucente, Red Hat
36 28
Improving intelligent tactical data link translation to simplify real-time warfighter communications
WEB RESOURCES
By Steve Horsburgh, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
40
SOSA benefits reach beyond sensor systems By Mark Littlefield, Kontron
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To unsubscribe, email your name, address, and subscription number as it appears on the label to: subscriptions@opensysmedia.com ON THE COVER: Top image: Designers of power supplies for military applications continue to innovate, in areas including power efficiency, balancing standardization versus customization, intelligent power supplies and – perhaps most importantly – securing the digital interfaces of modern power supplies. Bottom image: The U.S. Department of Defense is slowly establishing guidelines for the ethical use of robots during military operations. In this photo, a U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician conducts counter-IED training with a robot. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd class Daniel Rolston.
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ACCES I/O Products, Inc. – PCI Express mini card, mPCIe embedded I/O solutions
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Acromag – Acro Packs = SWaP-C
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AirBorn – Custom engineered power supplies
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Aitech – Aitech. Leading the space race.
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ALPHI Technology – Alphi bridges the obsolescence gap
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Annapolis Micro Systems – Ultra-wide bandwidth digitization & processing in a single board
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Behlman Electronics, Inc. – Wherever the mission, by land, sea, or air, Orbit interface solutions are there
SENIOR EDITOR Sally Cole sally.cole@opensysmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Emma Helfrich emma.helfrich@opensysmedia.com DIRECTOR OF E-CAST LEAD GENERATION AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Joy Gilmore joy.gilmore@opensysmedia.com ONLINE EVENTS SPECIALIST Sam Vukobratovich sam.vukobratovich@opensysmedia.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Stephanie Sweet stephanie.sweet@opensysmedia.com SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER Aaron Ganschow aaron.ganschow@opensysmedia.com WEB DEVELOPER Paul Nelson paul.nelson@opensysmedia.com CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Joann Toth joann.toth@opensysmedia.com EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST Drew Kaufman drew.kaufman@opensysmedia.com VITA EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jerry Gipper jerry.gipper@opensysmedia.com
Behlman Electronics, Inc. – When failure is not an option, the military counts on rugged COTS from Behlman
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Crystal Group – Autonomy on the tactical edge
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Data Device Corporation – DDC – your solution provider for connectivity/power/control
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Elma Electronic – VITA 48.4 Liquid flow through cooling
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GMS – Rugged servers, engineered to serve
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GMS – A case for sealed, conduction-cooled 1U/2U rugged rackmount servers
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Interface Concept – 1/10/40 Gbs Ethernet switches
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Milestek – Military and aerospace interconnects at the ready
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Milpower Source – Proven COTS, MOTS & custom military power solutions
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Pasternack Enterprises, Inc. – You engineer the future. We’ll supply the components … today!
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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Fall travel, trade shows, diversity By John McHale, Editorial Director Each year, my autumn is marked by the sight of falling leaves, quiet drives through Pennsylvania farmland visiting defense suppliers, and far-from-solitary walks through the Washington, D.C, convention center. I say “far from solitary” as I’m accompanied by the thousands that attend the October defenseindustry shows in the nation’s capital. Thankfully, the quiet countryside drive follows the walk through the booths – a nice respite from the buzzing show floors. Fall 2019 was no different, although it was prefaced by a trip to Britain for the biennial DSEI event, a huge defense technology show held at London’s Docklands. DSEI (these days) stands for Defense & Security Equipment International. In another era (pre-2009) it was dubbed Defense & Systems Equipment International, before cybersecurity became a necessary addition to everything we do. Whatever DSEI stands for, it’s still an excellent event, always a good place to get a sense of where our allies in Europe are spending their defense procurement dollars. No surprise here: They want more VPX systems, better cybersolutions, and more commonality and open architectures. And – like the U.S., their budgets are up. Those Washington convention center events I mentioned – the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and the Association of Old Crows (AOC) – were no different, except in scale. This year AUSA presented me with a unique perspective – I was able to see a trade show through a rookie’s eyes. Our associate editor, Emma Helfrich, attended AUSA with me and a few other colleagues. It was her first time to D.C., first trade show, and first business trip. She shares her experience on page 44. What I took most from her reflection was her surprise at the ratio of men to women. [It was] “surprisingly closer to even than I’d prepared for, which was empowering ... ” Emma writes. “On day two, I was introduced to a female project lead who oversaw the development of an electronic warfare solution. She looked about my age, and I was notably impressed and inspired.” That was good to hear, as I remember that my first days reporting on military technology were much the opposite: I’d be in a meeting with an industry source and a female reporter or two (the ratio was much different then). The source would answer each question asked by a woman by replying to me; it was as if they weren’t even there. Emma’s observation marks a healthy change from those days. A few years ago in these pages, we featured female leaders in the defense electronics community. I remember the VP of engineering from Collins Aerospace (Rockwell Collins back then) saying that she was often the only woman in the room. www.mil-embedded.com
Times are changing Diversity was quite noticeable during the Commercial Systems for Classified (CSfC) event I emceed in Baltimore right before AUSA. The National Security Agency (NSA) representatives who spoke were youthful, culturally diverse, brilliant men and women who handled themselves with poise in front of an equally diverse audience that posed many tough questions. However, not all defense technology niches are evolving as quickly as cybersecurity. At times this fall, I found myself in a breakout room that was packed, but with 90% middle-aged white males. Not a criticism, but rather an observation that often leads me to ask executives in the industry: Do defense suppliers have a recruitment problem on their hands? “I think the defense industrial base does have a significant talent acquisition problem,” Ken Peterman, president of Viasat’s Government Systems division, told me when I asked him as part of an interview. “It’s even deeper than that, as it’s a relevancy problem. This is the reason you see gray hair, because young engineers don’t view it as cool, interesting stuff. The traditional defense company is very regimented, and understandably so, with certain government accountability required, but they lack the openness and collaborative environments that enable Google and Facebook to attract talent.” I think there also sometimes exists a latent resentment toward the military within the tech community: I’ve heard numerous stories about job candidates turning down chances to work in the defense industry because they don’t want to write about weapons or they view the military in a negative way. While it’s their right to have an opinion, it nonetheless remains a recruitment problem for defense employers. However, as Emma notes, industry diversity is growing, and I’m grateful for and excited about it. Gratitude is also something I think about when driving through the Pennsylvania countryside every fall after hitting the trade shows. Sure, it’s the perfect time of year – with the spectacular scenery – but I’m also thankful that I’m able to cover some of the smartest engineers on the planet who design the tech that warfighters use every day to do their jobs and keep them safe. Thank you to all men and women who serve. Can’t say it enough. If you’re so inspired, you might want to practice your own small act of gratitude and donate to one of the military charities we highlight in every issue. This time we highlight the Military Child Education Coalition – see page 46.
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November/December 2019 7
UNIVERSITY UPDATE
Wave motion may provide novel way to protect warfighters By Sally Cole, Senior Editor The wave-motion work of a Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI – Worcester, Massachusetts) researcher may lead to bulletproof vests and helmets that can sense the speed, angle of approach, and size of an incoming bullet – allowing the granular materials inside the protective gear to morph their properties to provide greater shock protection at the precise point of impact. Nikhil Karanjgaokar, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering at WPI, is exploring the mechanical and physical properties of granular materials that can alter their shapes or change their properties to absorb or redirect the force of an incoming bullet or object. These materials show potential for protective gear like bulletproof vests or helmets, but also possibly for protective covers for satellites, spacecraft, or even large objects like buildings, the International Space Station, and underwater missile siloes. “I want to design materials that can absorb impacts,” explains Karanjgaokar, whose previous research focused on understanding wave motion through granular materials. “People trying to protect themselves from bullets or shrapnel have used sandbags since before the Second World War to absorb impacts. I’m working from the same basic principle: How can we create a versatile material to be a barrier against any impact?” So he decided to focus on interrupting or diverting wave motion: You can think of the force of a bullet’s impact as surface waves moving across a pond. Impact waves, and the power behind them, move similarly through any collection of unconnected particles that are the same size, shape, and material. If the particles inside protective gear can change their internal structure in the area of an incoming impact, Karanjgaokar says they could disrupt the direction, speed, and force of the wave. The main idea is to let the forces from an impact die down by the time they reach whatever is being protected, Karanjgaokar adds, noting that a sensor on the vest or covering would detect an incoming projectile and trigger a change in the materials inside it.
A big part of this work involves exploring how changing granules in different patterns affects the way the impact waves are dispersed. How does the wave dispersion differ if the patterns are created in a straight line versus bunched together? Karanjgaokar is trying to determine whether multiple areas of granules need to be modified to absorb or reflect the wave after it’s already been deflected by the first pattern. This insight will help him optimize the system to handle multiple impacts of different speeds or coming from different angles.
The main idea is to let the forces from an impact die down by the time they reach whatever is being protected ... Depending on the speed and direction of the incoming bullet, protective gear would need to be able to create different types of patterns. “One pattern can’t protect against all types of incoming projectiles,” he says.
Karanjgaokar’s work involves both dry granules and submerged particles, using a variety of methods to alter them. For dry polymer particles, he uses infrared lights on a grid behind the grains in the vest to heat the granules in the specific area where the particles need to be changed. As the granules heat up, they become softer and more like rubber. When the infrared light is switched off, the granules cool and regain their original properties.
Karanjgaokar plans to collect experimental data, such as information about displacement and velocity of individual grains – all captured using high-speed imaging at 50,000 frames per second. This information will be fed into algorithms to calculate the interparticle forces needed to divert the impact energy and to better understand how energy moves through the system. He’ll also run images taken with a high-speed camera through pattern-recognition software to figure out how structures deform as projectiles hit them, and then analyze the results using data processing.
To alter granules, Karanjgaokar submerges the particles in a fluid, usually oil. When a magnetic field is applied, the fluid increases the viscosity to the point of becoming a viscoelastic solid, with characteristics of both a liquid and a solid.
Eventually – hopefully – the technology developed at WPI will make its way to warfighters.
To do this, Karanjgaokar starts with granular materials, which start out with the same properties – size, shape, and density. Then he changes the properties of the granules in a specific location with electric or magnetic fields, in an effort to make the materials respond. For instance, electroactive polymers change their size and shape when stimulated by an electric field; when the field is turned off, the material returns to its original state. He is experimenting with making the materials larger, stiffer, or softer, with properties more like rubber than hard plastic. These modified particles act as an obstacle to the wave created by a bullet’s impact, providing shock protection.
8 November/December 2019
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MIL TECH INSIDER
Making CMOSS deployable: The rubber hits the road
By David Jedynak An industry perspective from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
The C4ISR/EW [electronic warfare] Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) is defined by the Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR (Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Center. The suite of open architecture industry and U.S. Army standards included in CMOSS enables the reduction of C4ISR system size, weight, and power (SWaP) and facilitates commonality across multiple platforms by enabling the sharing of hardware and software components. The C5ISR Center is actively working with the military acquisition community to include CMOSS requirements in current and emerging programs. To ensure sustainment of the standards, C5ISR is actively participating in the associated standards bodies to address emerging requirements and technology. Moreover, C5ISR is collaborating with other services to align open architecture activities and enable procurement of common hardware and capabilities. CMOSS has been included in the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) effort and has been aligned with the Navy’s Hardware Open Systems Technologies (HOST). The open standards currently included in CMOSS include the following: Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY), which optimizes SWaP, enables platform systems to share information, and prepares platforms to accept future technologies without the need for significant redesign; Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA), which extends VICTORY to support radio frequency (RF) systems; OpenVPX, an open hardware standard maintained by the VITA industry working group and ratified as an ANSI standard; and software frameworks including REDHAWK/TOA, SALVAGE, X-Midas, and Photon (when suitable) intended to maximize portability of applications between hardware platforms. CMOSS – demonstrated in the lab and prototype vehicle integrations environments – is now ready for deployment in the real world, where thermal management issues are much harder to control. In the lab and during prototype, thermal issues that result from combining multiple functionalities, previously housed in their own separate box into a single chassis, were relatively easy to deal with. The challenge now shifts to making it work while deployed. The No. 1 issue is thermal: While it might seem that a simple approach for cooling a deployable CMOSS chassis would be to move the air by installing a fan, that solution is unfortunately not a cure-all. While fans work well in some environments, many ground vehicle and rotorcraft system designers find that the maintenance and reliability issues are too much of a burden. In the past, in the case of an urgent operational need, specific acquisition models have permitted the use of fans; going forward, as the CMOSS standard becomes widely adopted and mission capabilities are integrated more tightly with platforms, stricter operations and maintenance requirements will be applied to mission payloads. On the issue of integrating a CMOSS solution onto a specific vehicle, the standard doesn’t provide direction. For example, it doesn’t define the specific equipment color standard of the box, the available connectors, or the unique integration requirements for a particular ground vehicle or rotorcraft. Deploying CMOSS on particular platforms will mean accommodating those unique requirements. Some constraints will be less critical – such as equipment color or placement of mounting holes – while other integration issues, such as thermal management in situations where moving air or providing a liquid cooling loop is unacceptable, will be higher hurdles.
10 November/December 2019
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›
Figure 1 | Curtiss-Wright’s MPMC-6311 is an example of a deployable VPX system for ground-vehicle environments.
The question then becomes how best to take a great standard and successfully deploy it in the real world. Ultimately, the task of delivering the system should be performed by those already expert in solving these types of integration problems. Thankfully, CMOSS is mature enough for system integrators to leverage the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) community’s expertise in deploying high-performance electronics in harsh environments. Absent the ability to cool the system actively via standard approaches (i.e., fan, cooling plate, air, liquid loop, etc.), designers need a new approach for implementing the system’s network and signal topology. For example, system designers can use proven ground vehicle thermal-management approaches for complex systems. (Figure 1.) CMOSS represents significant new technical innovation that has been proven and demonstrated. The deployable CMOSS baton is now being passed on to industry. Integration experts can now step up. Taking the technical architecture and making it deployable up to standards that an Army vehicle prime contractor, program manager, and warfighter would expect. David Jedynak is Program Director, A-PNT Program Office, for CurtissWright Defense Solutions. Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions www.curtisswrightds.com www.mil-embedded.com
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DEFENSE TECH WIRE NEWS | TRENDS | DOD SPENDS | CONTRACTS | TECHNOLOGY UPDATES By Emma Helfrich, Associate Editor NEWS
U.S. DoD awards $731.8 million contract for next-gen military satellite system to General Dynamics General Dynamics has won an agreement worth about $731.8 million for sustainment of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground system, a next-generation military satellite communications system. MUOS is a narrowband, ultra-high-frequency satellite communications system used by the U.S. Navy that enables voice and data communications for U.S. forces anywhere at any time, according to information from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). General Dynamics Mission Systems provides the integrated ground segments for MUOS, which is set to provide cellphone-like mobile communications for warfighters in the field. Work under the terms of the contract is expected to be concluded by November 2029.
Laser counter-UAS system introduced by Raytheon Raytheon Company delivered the first high-energy laser counterunmanned aerial system (cUAS) to the U.S. Air Force. The system will be deployed overseas as part of a year-long Air Force experiment to train operators and test the system’s effectiveness in real-world conditions. The high-energy laser weapon system (HELWS) uses an advanced variant of the company’s Multispectral Targeting System, an electro-optical/infrared sensor, intended to detect, identify, and track rogue drones. The vehicle-mounted system is designed to engage and neutralize the UAS in a matter of seconds. According to the company, on a single charge from a standard 220-volt outlet, the HELWS can deliver intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability as well as precise laser shots; it can also run on a generator to fire many shots.
NH90 helicopters to get hostile fire indicator system Terma – following a study for Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) – was tasked to identify a way to protect the NH90 aircraft against infrared-seeking missiles. The RNLAF decided on the Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (MASE) system as the preferred compromise between improved self-protection, mission/aircraft compatibility, cost, and fleet commonality.
Figure 1 | The MUOS is the U.S. Navy’s next-generation satellite communications system providing voice and data communications for U.S. forces.
The MASE installation is based on the MASE concept, consisting of the Terma ALQ-213 electronic warfare controller, a modular self-protection pod equipped with Hensoldt MILDS-F Missile Warning System (MWS), and Terma’s latest Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser System. Terma was also contracted for installation of Hostile Fire Indicator System (HFI) – integrated into the MASE system based on data provided by the missilewarning sensors – to protect the aircraft against small-arms fire.
EW jamming technology created for U.S. Army BAE Systems won research and development (R&D) funding through the U.S. Army to create an advanced radar jamming technology that aims to improve air survivability and mission effectiveness for Army rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) by detecting complex and unknown threats in electronic combat. As part of the contract, BAE Systems FAST Labs R&D team will integrate adaptive radio-frequency jamming and sensing capabilities into one system. The company plans to use the technology to combine multiple, software-programmable antennas into a digital phased array that will enable simultaneous functions while reducing the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of current systems. The technology will enable these platforms to fly closer to threats and within contested areas while remaining protected.
12 November/December 2019
Figure 2 | The pod will be mounted on a dedicated carrier for threat detection and countermeasures dispensing without compromising other NH90 capabilities.
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NEWS
AI software to be used on M88 recovery vehicles Uptake, an industrial artificial intelligence (AI) software company in Chicago, announced that the U.S. Marine Corps will use its Asset IO application to increase the operational readiness of the USMC’s M88 armored recovery vehicles. The agreement with the Marine Corps was supported by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a government entity under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) tasked with accelerating commercial technology for national security. The Marine Corps will deploy Uptake’s Asset Performance Management (APM) solution, Asset IO, to improve the condition-based monitoring of the M88s, which act as recovery vehicles for impaired ground-combat vehicles. Uptake will leverage M88 asset data to provide preventive maintenance strategies and insights into M88 vehicle health. This informational capability is intended to improve the quality of Marine tactical commanders’ decision-making while increasing the operational availability of the M88 fleet and reducing both maintenance costs and hours.
DARPA Angler program to advance autonomous underwater systems The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded six contracts for work on the Angler program, which aims to pioneer the next generation of autonomous underwater robotic systems capable of physical intervention in the deep ocean environment. This class of future unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) must overcome reliance on GPS and human intervention to support infrastructure establishment and maintenance in the ocean. According to DARPA, the Angler program seeks to merge breakthroughs in terrestrial and space robotics, as well as use advances in underwater sensing, to develop autonomous robotic solutions capable of navigating and surveying ocean depths and physically manipulating human-made objects of interest. According to the agency, Leidos, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, and L3Harris Technologies will perform in Track A, focused on developing an integrated solution for challenges in the Angler technology and operational areas. SoarTech, EdgeTech, and Kitware will perform in Track B, focused on developing solutions specific to the fields of navigation, autonomy, and perception.
Guided Carl-Gustaf munition test firings completed by Saab, Raytheon Saab and Raytheon have completed a series of guided flight tests for the shoulder-launched Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition, featuring a semi-active laser guidance system. The tests were performed at the Mile High Range in Sierra Blanca, Texas and at Saab Bofors Test Centre in Karlskoga, Sweden. In Sweden, three munitions were fired in total; two against static targets and one against a moving target. A semi-active laser was used to guide the munitions to target impact. Other seeker technologies like infrared imaging were also demonstrated as optional solutions for the final product.
Figure 3 | The U.S. Marine Corps will use artificial intelligence software to increase the operational readiness of some of its armored vehicles. Photo: U.S. Marine Corps.
According to company officials, the increased range, in combination with a Confined Space capability, will offer troops greater tactical flexibility when selecting a firing position.
C4ISR systems for Navy to be modernized by VT Group Technology integrator VT Group has won a spot on the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) multipleaward contract in support of the Shore Global C4ISR Installation Contract. VT Group will compete to install integrated C4ISR and supporting systems at U.S. Navy installations worldwide. The work will be performed at shore-based facilities and on towers, piers, and platforms, as well as on mobile systems and specialpurpose vehicles. The contract has a ceiling value of $968 million over a five-year base plus a five-year option period. In mid-2019 VT Group won a similar contract to modernize C4ISR systems aboard the Navy’s growing fleet of surface ships and submarines. www.mil-embedded.com
Figure 4 | Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, engage targets with the Carl Gustaf 84 mm weapon system in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
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Special Report AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS
As military robots gain traction, ethical-use guidelines emerge By Sally Cole, Senior Editor Robots can help the military – on land, at sea, in the sky, and in space – and the U.S. Department of Defense is slowly establishing some guidelines for their ethical use. A Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician conducts counter-improvised explosive device (IED) training with a robot. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Rolston.
From massive drone swarms by air or on land to “killer robots” or satellite robots wielding lasers and other weapons, the term “military robots” can sound somewhat alarming. But the reality is that most of the robots used by the U.S. military today are for relatively mundane but highly important tasks.
to be ambushed. Using autonomous vehicles – self-driving trucks – to haul that stuff would be a huge benefit in those situations. It’s too heavy and expensive to go by air, so self-driving convoys of supply trucks would be ideal.”
“Robotics are already being used for logistics and transportation,” says Brad Curran, an aerospace and defense industry analyst for Frost and Sullivan. “Most trucks and trains will become autonomous, essentially robots, directed from a central headquarters and run 24-7 within their own lanes on the highway, which is expected to make the roads a lot safer.”
“The same thing goes within an urban environment for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),” Curran says. “There are so many different windows, corners, and underground areas. But you can fly a UAV over the top and it can send down live video and talk to a robot on the ground and you. Tie in artificial intelligence (AI) and those other Internet of Things (IoT) battlefield sensors, big data analysis, and anomaly change detection, and it can be overlaid on an up-to-date map and all of a sudden a corporal on patrol has an extremely good situational awareness of the battlefield. Then, in the back, in trace of your patrol, you can have another robot carrying your extra water, ammo, or batteries.”
On battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq, many U.S. casualties occurred during attacks on convoys. “Fuel, water, and ammunition needed to be transported across large distances – countries the size of Texas,” Curran adds. “There were hostile people and there were many places
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If you’re out on patrol with robots behind and in front of you (think Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot Spot) that can be programmed through your route, they can use their acoustic, electro-optical/infrared, and magnetic sensors and video cameras to search for mines or an enemy that may be setting up an ambush.
Military robots on the ground will require a lot of batteries or some form of energy harvesting to recharge themselves or each other remotely. As we gear up to go to Mars, the entire robotics arena will benefit from this work: “When we went to the moon we developed all kinds of cool technologies that we have now because of it,” Curran points out. “We’re about to have all kinds of cool things we haven’t even thought of yet – everything from materials to laser communications to exotic propulsion – because we want to go to Mars and be able to survive. None of
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Figure 1 | Complex streamlines generated by the flapping wings of a mosquito in flight: Mosquitoes flap their wings not just to stay aloft but also to generate sound and to point that buzz in the direction of a potential mate, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. This knowledge may help create quieter drones. Credit: Rajat Mittal/JHU.
this is in isolation. If you’re going to build robots in the future it’ll take dozens of technologies working together.” Robot use by the military is growing UAVs – also known colloquially as drones – might be the first type of military robot that comes to mind, and “they’re still extremely popular, but the focus has shifted to improving their sensors, collaboration, intelligence analysis, and distribution, more so than the platform itself,” Curran says. At sea, unmanned undersea vehicles and autonomous surface vehicles have been around for a while, and he now expects to see exponential growth surface and subsurface robot use in the Navy, similar to the explosive growth of UAVs during the past 10 to 15 years. Progress for military robots on the ground has been slower, primarily because of difficulties with the terrain and navigation. Another big hurdle is that they’re noisy. “Ground troops want the help of groundbased robotic sensors that can be out on the perimeter to improve security, and that can follow and trace, and carry the heavy items like fuel, ammunition, water,” Curran says. “Most are electric and use tracks, which are inherently noisy. That noise is going to draw attention that can get you killed, so finding ways to reduce noise is important and being actively worked on.” www.mil-embedded.com
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Figure 2 | Pictured are low-cost ground vehicles included in a recent DARPA field experiment to test swarming. Image courtesy Northrop Grumman.
Noise is also a problem for UAVs: On this front, researchers at Johns Hopkins University are exploring the sounds of mosquitoes mating, which they say could potentially lead to quieter drones in the sky. (Figure 1.) Rajat Mittal, a mechanical engineering professor, and Jung-Hee Seo, an assistant research professor in the university’s Whiting School of Engineering, are studying the aerodynamics and acoustics of mosquito mating rituals via computer modeling. The researchers say that understanding the strategies and adaptations used by insects such as mosquitoes to control their aeroacoustic noise could provide insights into the development of quieter rotors for drones and other bioinspired micro-aerial vehicles.
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COTS component use Most military robots are using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components today, according to Curran, but some are custom. Many military labs and innovative firms like Boston Dynamics are working on some downright cool robots. Northrop Grumman, for example, recently made progress toward successful heterogeneous unmanned vehicle (UxV) swarming with the test of Rapid Integration Swarm Ecosystem (RISE) during a DARPA field experiment. (Figure 2.) This experiment leveraged the command, control, and collaboration capabilities of RISE within a mock city environment at Fort Benning in Georgia. The test was part of the OFFensive Swarm-Enabled
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November/December 2019 15
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AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS
Tactics (OFFSET) program, with a goal of providing dismounted soldiers with as many as 250 small UxVs. Swarm technologies “are vital to get expanded situational awareness in a complex environment like the one in this test,” says Vern Boyle, vice president of emerging capabilities for Northrop Grumman. “Applications of autonomous robotics and humanmachine teaming for swarming enhance a warfighter’s capacity and speed for information gathering and processing under a variety of conditions.” RISE uses the robot operating system (ROS), an open architecture that enables the use of small, low-cost COTS air and ground vehicles. These vehicles rely on the humanswarm teaming approach to enable swarm commanders to define a high-level mission plan, monitor the mission, and make decisions based on that new system-sourced information. RISE also allows third-party developers to easily interact with existing platforms, sensors, and effectors through the use of standard ROS interactions. Ethics concerns While the use of sensors, AI, and big data for anomaly change detection can help the military make better decisions, bringing automation or AI into military operations introduces serious ethics considerations. International rules regulating the use of AI and autonomous weapons don’t exist yet, but the fundamental principles of the Law of War provide a general guide. It’s an area of concern because China is determined to become the global leader in AI by 2030, and Russia is also focusing heavily on AI. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) tasked the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) with proposing AI ethics principles for the design, development, and deployment of AI for both combat and noncombat purposes. In its report, “AI Principles: Recommendations on the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence by the Department of Defense,” the DIB defines AI as: “A variety of information processing
techniques and technologies used to perform a goal-oriented task and the means to reason in the pursuit of that task.” DIB stresses that AI is not the same thing as autonomy, because while some autonomous systems may use AI within their software architectures, this isn’t always the case. An example it cites is that DoD Directive 3000.09 addresses autonomy in weapons systems, but it neither addresses AI as such nor AI capabilities not pertaining to weapons systems. DIB came up with the following five AI ethics principles for DoD systems. “Use of AI systems must be: 1. Responsible: Human beings should exercise appropriate levels of judgment and remain responsible for the development, deployment, use, and outcomes of DoD AI systems. 2. Equitable: DoD should take deliberate steps to avoid unintended bias in the development and deployment of combat or noncombat AI systems that would inadvertently cause harm to persons.
One leap closer to “even more human” humanoid robots Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a two-legged robot that mimics human balance while running and jumping. Engineers have in the past made progress designing four-legged robots that are able to run, jump, and even do backflips. But getting two-legged humanoid robots to exert force or push against something without falling is a gigantic challenge. Now, however, engineers at MIT and the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign have devised a “balance-feedback” method to control balance in a two-legged teleoperated robot, an essential step toward enabling a humanoid to operate within challenging environments. The researchers’ robot physically resembles a machined torso and two legs, and it’s controlled remotely by a human operator wearing a special vest that transmits information about the human’s motion and ground reaction forces to the robot. Through this vest, the human operator can both direct the robot’s locomotion and feel the robot’s motions. If the robot starts to tip over, the human feels a corresponding pull on the vest and can adjust in a way to balance both themself and, synchronously, the robot. In experiments to test this new balance-feedback approach, the researchers were able to remotely maintain the robot’s balance as it jumped and walked in place in synch with its human operator. “It’s like running with a heavy backpack – you can feel how the dynamics of the backpack move around you, and you can compensate
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Sidebar Figure 1 | Joao Ramos, co-inventor of HERMES (left) and Little HERMES (right). Photo by Tony Pulsone/MIT.
properly,” says Joao Ramos, who developed the approach as an MIT postdoc and is now an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Now if you want to open a heavy door, the human can command the robot to throw its body at the door and push it open, without losing balance.”
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3. Traceable: DoD’s AI engineering discipline should be sufficiently advanced such that technical experts possess an appropriate understanding of the technology, development processes, and operational methods of its AI systems, including transparent and auditable methodologies, data sources, and design procedure and documentation. 4. Reliable: DoD AI systems should have an explicit, well-defined domain of use, and the safety, security, and robustness of such systems should be tested and assured across their entire life cycle within that domain of use. 5. Governable: DoD AI systems should be designed and engineered to fulfill their intended function while possessing the ability to detect and avoid unintended harm or disruption, and for human or automated disengagement or
deactivation of deployed systems that demonstrate unintended escalatory or other behavior.” Once robots are armed with weapons, “we need to ensure a person is in the loop to make decisions,” Curran points out. Humanoid robots on the way? Are we likely to see humanoid (appearance of or resembling a human) military robots any time soon? It’s an area still under development, but progress is already being made, most notably by Boston Dynamics. “Humanoid robots are yet another ethics issue, and our near-peer adversaries might not be as concerned about the morals and ethics involved,” Curran notes. Securing such a network is also a concern. “Adversaries are going to do their best to hack into that network,” he says. “So there’s a security resiliency and survivability aspect to all of this. On the UAV side, they’re way ahead with swarming tactics and ensuring security. But the Navy is going to be putting out as many sensors as possible, which is important because our adversaries are starting to develop hypersonic missiles, meaning that our ships are in real danger. So robotic systems out there that could target and launch missiles would be helpful. Again, it all circles right back to ethics.” With hypersonic weapons now entering into the mix, we’ll need robotic satellites to detect and potentially shoot them. “Hypersonics means we’ll need AI and big data, and probably lasers too,” Curran says. “An enormous amount of money and engineering will be required to deal with them.” MES
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November/December 2019 17
Special Report AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS
Augmentedreality technologies are here: Defense organizations must acknowledge the security concerns By Duncan McSporran Augmented-reality and mixed-reality technologies can enable military-equipment technicians to perform maintenance and repairs faster and more expertly. Image courtesy Kognitiv Spark.
Augmented-reality (AR) and mixed-reality (MR) technologies present unique opportunities in the defense and aerospace world but at the same time can introduce security risks. AR/MR solutions enable soldiers, technicians, subject matter experts, military strategists, and the like to overlay visual representations – commonly referred to as holograms or heads-up displays – of data, systems, machines, and other information into their real-world space. These technologies are enabling organizations to facilitate more robust and complex training scenarios, increase the speed of repair and maintenance, and increase knowledge transfer, among other benefits. Augmented-reality (AR) and mixed-reality (MR) technologies are reaching maturity, as a number of the world’s militaries adopt various AR/MR solutions. Organizations in industries that require a high level of security and data sovereignty need to be informed and examine these solutions critically before piloting or deploying these technologies, however, as launching a nonsecure AR/MR application in a military environment could expose the collected data to risk. Defense organizations must consider certain security considerations as they move to adopt and implement these revolutionary technologies. An overview of AR for defense Whether it’s the internet, GPS, or virtual reality (VR), defense organizations have a long-standing history of creating or leading the adoption and development of emerging technologies. AR and MR is no exception. These technologies enable digital information to be superimposed over an end user’s field of view or real-world environment. This is done through an AR/MR hardware and accompanying software designed for a specific use or set of uses. The ability to deliver data instantly to remote end users can dramatically improve situational awareness, task comprehension, and knowledge retention. On the other end, mission coordinators,
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subject matter experts (SMEs), and strategists can better support end users while remaining at a safe, remote location. Applications of AR and MR solutions are diverse. They can help a factory worker in an industrial park in North Dakota, a weapons technician in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, or a soldier on a front line. When accessed through a headmounted spatial computing system like the Microsoft HoloLens or the Magic Leap, AR/MR solutions ensure end users are heads-up, eyes out, and hands free. These factors increase reaction time in critical situations and deliver data while keeping users situationally aware, enhancing decision action cycles and reducing cognitive stress on the user. www.mil-embedded.com
AR/MR use in defense AR/MR technologies are currently in use by a number of defense organizations including the U.S. military and the Canadian Department of National Defense. Many other defense and aerospace organizations are looking to adopt these technologies for use in three key areas: active use, operational readiness/ efficiency, and training. Use cases and specific AR/MR solution vary from organization to organization. › Active use: Active use of AR is identified as any solution that can be used in combat scenarios or operational environments. This application of AR in defense has yet to materialize as standard equipment for soldiers; however, the U.S. military is currently developing an MR system for this use case known as the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). IVAS is based on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and will feature capabilities including night vision, thermal imaging, hostile and friendly target identification, navigational data, and more. This system revolutionizes the way soldiers and command operators share data, delivering mission-critical information directly into a soldier’s field of view. Active-use solutions have impact beyond how combat operations are conducted: For instance, through “see-what-I-see” solutions, combat medics and bomb-disposal teams could receive real-time advice, supporting data, and instructions from SMEs located off-site. › Operation readiness/efficiency: When a complex military system or expensive piece of equipment goes down, it could expose the associated operation to risk. For example, if a naval frigate’s infrared search-and-track system goes down, the vessel loses its main method of tracking incoming aircraft and ships. This loss weakens the operational readiness of the ship, its crew, and the fleet. AR/MR solutions can help in cases such as this by enabling rapid and timely temporary fixes until the ship is dockside for more extensive repair. www.mil-embedded.com
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Figure 1 | AR/MR can connect subject-matter experts to field technicians who may encounter complex or unfamiliar repair or maintenance problems. Photo courtesy KognitivSpark/U.S. Air Force.
› AR/MR has the ability to connect SMEs to in-the-field technicians when they encounter a complex or unfamiliar problem. SMEs can see what the technician sees and provide voice instructions, annotations, and holographic content to help with the task, depending on the solution. These solutions can ensure that the equipment is repaired quickly and correctly while simultaneously educating the technician. The Royal Canadian navy, Royal Canadian army, and Royal Canadian air force all use AR/MR solutions to identify applications in order to maintain a high level of operational readiness. (Figure 1.) › Training: Training, the final key application for AR/MR technology in defense, is a use case traditionally dominated by VR solutions. These technologies differ in that VR creates a virtual world in which users can perform a variety of tasks, depending on the software, while AR/MR solutions allow for a more classroom-based education experience. End users can wear spatial-computing headsets and view holograms while remaining in their real-world environment. › The Canadian army uses AR/MR technology for training scenarios on limited-availability equipment, specifically, a light armored vehicle (LAV). Multiple junior technicians are guided by an SME in a classroom. They all view a highly detailed, to-scale hologram of the LAV while the SME talks them though specific components of interest. Though the use of AR/MR, junior technicians can get a deep understanding of how the vehicle operates well before they ever set eyes on one. This scenario also reduces the burden on a limited training fleet and removes equipment availability as a constraint in training pipelines. Security risks of AR for defense organizations AR/MR solutions – while offering a unique set of benefits for organizations and end users alike – if not vetted properly can introduce risk. Before implementing these technologies, an organization must look critically at a solution, its limitations, vulnerabilities, available computing options, data-management policies, the organization’s own security protocols, and the environments in which the AR/MR solution will be tested or deployed. There are two main factors that an organization should take into account before testing or deploying an AR/MR solution. These factors will dictate the level of security required to use AR/MR solutions.
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Environment The first is the environment in which the solution will be used. What are the security requirements of this location and do those requirements fall within the capabilities of the technology? The nature of AR/MR hardware requires the use of one or more cameras or spatial mapping sensors. Holographic data can’t be superimposed over a user’s field of view or respond to a user’s environment if the hardware can’t detect that environment through its own sensors. Considering that AR/MR solutions require the environment to be viewed by the hardware and then likely transmitted, data management and sovereignty can be a concern for defense organizations.
or content leaked from high-tier defense environments can be catastrophic for the organization or nation.
IF AN ORGANIZATION IS LOOKING TO TEST AR/MR TECH, CONSIDERING THE ENVIRONMENT IS PARAMOUNT.
Frequently in the defense and aerospace sectors, environments (buildings, labs, training areas, etc.) feature tiered security. A visitor can’t walk into an equipment service bay without the proper clearance because the equipment and data in that environment may be beyond the scope of the visitor and endanger an operation or project. Data
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO REDUCE RISK IN PILOT PROGRAMS INITIALLY; THE LOWER THE SECURITY REQUIREMENTS DURING THE PILOT PHASE, THE BETTER.
Naturally, this calls into question the viability of AR/MR technologies in these environments. Bringing a head-mounted spatial computing system that features cameras, spatial mapping sensors, and the ability to connect to internet networks could be problematic if the solution’s data-security layers, failsafes, and encryption infrastructure are flawed, weak, or nonexistent. There is no workaround for having cameras on-site if you’re looking to use AR/MR technologies. Therefore, it’s important to critically assess both the AR/MR use case (and its corresponding environment) as well as the solution’s datasecurity infrastructure. If an organization is looking to test AR/MR tech, considering the environment is paramount. The recommendation is to reduce risk in pilot programs initially; the lower the security requirements during the pilot phase, the better. This approach enables an organization to adapt their process to the new technology while monitoring the security of the solution, ensuring its suitability for higher-tier deployments. Data management and data sovereignty When considering the environment in which you wish to test or deploy AR/MR tech, it’s important to simultaneously analyze how the AR/MR service provider transmits, manages, and stores the collected data. This is the most crucial implementation step for defense organizations, as so many operations in defense hinge
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on cybersecurity and the protection of the organization’s data. As the AR/MR industry is still relatively new, every solution has a different security infrastructure and there is not yet an industry standard or certification for these solutions to operate in the defense space. The most important thing an organization can do to ensure the solution they select will comply with their security protocols is to explicitly understand their own requirements and vet each AR/MR software based on these requirements. An important differentiator between AR/MR solutions is the difference between a cloud solution and an on-premise solution. Cloud solutions send data to the public cloud, which is in essence a network of global servers where data is received, processed, transmitted, and stored. Cloud solutions have touchpoints with the public internet. On-premise solutions act much the same, except the server is located on-site and has no touchpoints with the public internet. These solutions can be installed virtually anywhere and on all AR/MR devices to manage data locally. On-premise solutions have high inherent security unless they are physically tampered with.
ION S S I M AL C I T I CR ICES DEV
For organizations that are concerned about data sovereignty, on-premise computing solutions are a good way to ensure data doesn’t leave the country or direct supervision of the organization. Not all AR/MR solution providers allow for on-premise computing; an organization should be sure to ask the AR/MR provider if they can provide this form of highly secure computing.
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Security questions to ask before testing or deploying AR/MR Organizations looking to use AR/MR technologies should ask AR/MR solution providers or their internal IT or cybersecurity teams the following questions before using these technologies on-site: Environment › What are my organization’s security requirements when operating in the area in which I wish to conduct an AR/MR pilot project? › Are cameras (cellphone, physical camera, tablet) allowed in this environment? › What is the internet connectivity quality of this environment? Will the AR/MR solution function under this bandwidth quality? › Is there a lower-security area in which this pilot program can be conducted that will still produce quality data that can inform future deployments? › What information or equipment in this environment could expose our operations to risk and how can that risk be mitigated? Data management › Considering the environment and data policies, will a cloud solution or on-premise solution be required? Can the solutions provider deliver on this requirement? › What level of data encryption does the solution provide? › In the case that a third party has gained access to data captured by the solution, does the provider offer tamper detection, firewall monitoring, and tamper-blocking infrastructure? › Can the solution provider access client-captured data and, if so, what does their internal security infrastructure look like? › Is video and audio data collected by the solution stored on servers after the solution has been used? Who has access to this data? › Does my solution require data sovereignty? Can the solution provider ensure data collected through the application stays in the organization’s country of operation? MES Duncan McSporran is the cofounder, COO, and VP of Aerospace and Defense at Kognitiv Spark, an industrial mixedreality solution provider. McSporran is a former military officer in the British Army, including seconded service with both the U.S. Army and Canadian armed forces.
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November/December 2019 21
Mil Tech Trends MILITARY POWER SUPPLIES
Innovation in military power supplies: Intelligence, standardization, efficiency By Emma Helfrich, Associate Editor The first six Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) that were delivered to soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, are staged before being driven to their respective battalion motor pools. Raider Brigade Soldiers were the first in the U.S. Army to be fielded the new JLTV. (Photo Credit: Maj. Pete Bogart)
Power-supply designers for military applications face the same reduced cost, size, and weight challenges as other military electronics suppliers. These restrictions can make innovation complicated, but power supply experts innovate nonetheless – in areas like power efficiency, balancing standardization versus customization, intelligent power supplies, and – perhaps most importantly – securing the digital interfaces of modern power supplies. Reduced size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements define the design of most military electronics today, but SWaP especially influences military power supplies and the companies that manu-
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facture them. When maintaining the form factor, operationality, temperature, and price of a high-voltage power system so that it can meet battlefield needs, the contradicting design requirements become prevalent. Industry standards like VITA 62, VPX, VME, and CompactPCI (cPCI) have helped manufacturers in the overall design process by implementing formats for the power supplies to follow. However, retaining customizability is still a necessity, and legacy systems are gradually starting to be phased out. With companies now seeing the advantages of plugging customized systems into standardized power supplies, new capabilities have become simpler to integrate. This has also enabled manufacturers to focus more time and energy on the power supply itself; they are working on power conditioning, power conversion, power utilization, power management, and additional intelligence. Standardized form factors, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronics, and higher processing power, however, make military power supplies an electromagnetic target. Securing them from electromagnetic interference (EMI) is also becoming something that companies now must consider. It’s these conflicting design demands that create an endless cycle of “musts” for engineers of military power supplies. What is certain is that the military needs power; what remains in question for manufacturers is how small, how fast, how cool, and how much?
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“Technology innovations that can be game changers are improvements to power devices, enabling higher-power, efficient, conduction-cooled power supplies,” says Lou Garofolo, product manager, power division at North Atlantic Industries (Bohemia, New York). “An NAI product which has reaped the benefits of such technologies is our VPX56 family of 6U VXPX power supplies. This product started out several years ago as a 700-watt power supply and these type of technology advances have allowed us to double the power in the same size package.” (Figure 1.)
SWaP-C limitations remain a priority SWaP-C requirements for military power supplies depend on the system that it will be used on. Power supplies for ground-vehicle systems need to be a different size and weight than those for aerial systems, simply because one remains on the ground while the other needs to be lightweight to fly. “Aerospace and defense customers are continuing and will continue to look to us to help them drive their SWaP-C and improve their SWaP-C performance,” says Robert Russell, vice president of product marketing and power solutions at Vicor Corporation (Andover, Massachusetts). “That particular set of parameters is really what they’re looking to improve, and what we create products around. They’re looking to supplement their C4ISR [command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] capabilities and all of those things that they want their products to do. But they need more space and weight to do that.” Taking a modular approach to the design of a power supply is a way to introduce that scalability. As the military introduces new capabilities, it becomes clear that such products will be found in a wide variety of environments and with that comes individual power requirements. The level of efficiency that modularity could provide may also be a way to make the power supplies easier to cool, which is another paramount requirement when optimizing SWaP-C restrictions. An overall lighter device that can sustain high power while remaining cool is a reality that modular power supplies could offer as designs progress. www.mil-embedded.com
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Figure 1 | North Atlantic Industries’ VPX56H2-6 programmable power supply is conduction-cooled through the card edge/wedge lock.
Another factor in SWaP-C optimization is the standardization of these power supplies: Having industrywide specifications for manufacturers to meet when designing power supplies for the military could create a level of predictability when size, weight, and temperature constraints are presented. So much so that, according to industry officials, VPX and VITA standards have slowly began phasing out cult classics like VME and cPCI. Goodbye VME and cPCI, hello VPX The level of customizability in a VME power supply is such that each supply is unique to the system it’s operating on. While that can be beneficial for the customer, it could be argued that its individuality is so varied that a “VME supply” doesn’t technically exist. They are truly custom supplies with no standard in their design, so each one is completely different.
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Mil Tech Trends
MILITARY POWER SUPPLIES
“Prior to VPX, Behlman had done lots of VME supplies. But VME never had a standard format. It all depended on the size of the system, there was no standard at all,” says Jerry Hovdestad, Director of COTS Engineering at Behlman Electronics (Hauppauge, New York). “With VPX now, they’ve standardized the size of the supplies. There are standard form factors, there’s standard configurations, 3U and 6U, and there are several different subcategories of the output voltages just to get close to a standard that everyone will use.” (Figure 2.) Another benefit of standardizing power supplies is that because they aren’t being designed for an individual military program, the product has already undergone EMI, shock and vibration, and environmental testing. This could reduce time to market and deployment time, getting the product onto the battlefield more quickly. Taking advantage of a prequalified power supply is something that the government hasn’t really had the option to do until recently, and the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Consortium is trying to narrow the standard even more. This new reality could allow for fewer possibilities for failure and discourage the use of userdefined benefits, while making room for interchangeability and upgradability. But what that could mean for VME and cPCI may be its absorption. “The VME space has been slowly consolidating over the last couple of decades,” says Scott Lee, director of aerospace and defense sales at Vicor. “At this point, almost everything we’re seeing is VPX-based. We do have parts in the VPX space, but we also do support a lot of other customers in the VME space. A lot of module-level products can be included on their system-level parts.”
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Figure 2 | Behlman Electronics’ VPXtra 700D-IQI is a SOSA-aligned, 3U power supply that delivers up to 700 watts of DC power via two outputs.
Manufacturers agree that while there will always be a demand for VME and cPCI simply because they are supporting numerous successful power supplies that are currently in use, VPX offers competitively fast performance, high speed, and reliable processors. Moreover, demands for power supplies with high voltages that support extensive and fast processing capabilities are gaining prevalence. Supporting high voltage, high current Military customers are not only looking for power supplies that can provide higher
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MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
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information to and from the SSPC to inquire about its status and ideally reduce the need for scheduled maintenance.
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With higher voltages, the overarching need is that of combining power supply, circuit protection, and power management all in one. Power supplies that achieve these requirements have a better chance of reducing the number of line-replaceable units on a system, which could in turn save the customer space and weight while giving them a single part number to manage. (Figure 4.) Figure 3 | DDC’s 280W IFEC & PED Solution maintains low input harmonics of DO160 over the 360 to 800 Hz input frequency range with a 28 volt output.
“Historically, what customers have asked for is more power,” says Michael Agic, business unit manager for power control at DDC. “They say we need high voltage, and we need more current, but now we’ll have to dissipate more. Now we need to cool
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“We’re seeing a push toward higher power and higher voltage mainly because, whether it be in ground vehicles or aircraft, what we’re seeing is a push toward electric actuation as opposed to traditional mechanical hydraulic actuation,” says John Santini, chief technologist at Data Device Corp. (DDC – Bohemia, New York). “So, we’re seeing the 270 volt bus and the 400 volt DC bus becoming more popular.” Products like DDC’s solid-state power controller (SSPC) aid in power switching by acting essentially like a circuit breaker. According to the company, digital communication capabilities supplement the circuit-breaker function by sharing www.mil-embedded.com
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November/December 2019 25
Mil Tech Trends
MILITARY POWER SUPPLIES
it off, so now we’re adding weight. Now that it’s heavy, they need more current and voltage. And the cycle just gets worse and worse.” Manufacturers believe that there is one sure way to manage the side effects of power dissipation, and that is simply to create less of it. Switching technologies like gallium nitrade (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) have helped in that regard. “For typical power supplies, the game changer has been GaN and SiC.” Santini says. “SiC is great because it is typically a high-voltage part, and it’s much faster. You can now switch faster and reduce the size, and ultimately that reduces the cost. We’re looking at the same thing in low voltage on the GaN side.” Intelligent power supplies and keeping them secure Embracing the hardening and digitization of power supplies also creates opportunities for implementing intelligence: Power supplies built with the ability to communicate across a bus and run both prognostics and diagnostics, however innovative, present a new set of pros and cons. “The intelligent power supply will be the most important feature to improve the whole system architecture.” Hovdestad says. “You can have a dual data bus communication where a system controller or chassis manager can talk to the power supply and inquire about input voltages, output cards, power temperatures, and other information from the power supply, possibly predicting failures.” Conversely, an intelligent power supply would require users to address it digitally, which puts it in a vulnerable electromagnetic position. Not only does it make the power
supply registerable on the electromagnetic spectrum, but it could create an easy opportunity for adversaries to attack the communication system. “Today, everyone wants to be able to address a power supply digitally and to control it. Turn it on, turn it off, turn it up, turn it down. That’s where you get into vulnerabilities, when you build in that kind of digital interface.” Santini says. “We have a number of initiatives in-house where we’re paying attention to cybersecurity and limit exposure. If we do offer communications, it’s limited communications, and we keep the communications path very short and very focused.” Similar to most military technology, advancements in power supplies will take time and are hugely dependent on military funding. As the battlefield evolves, so will the need for power, how much there’ll be, where it’s directed, and how it should be distributed. MES
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Mil Tech Trends MILITARY POWER SUPPLIES
Powering the future of directedenergy weapons By Franck Kolczak Defense designers face many different challenges in developing directed-energy weaponry, which can employ either laser, particle-beam, or high-power microwave (HPM)/ radio frequency (RF) technologies. One feature that these three directed-energy weaponry technology categories have in common is the need for high electric power following implementation of high-voltage solutions. Directed-energy weapon designers benefit by understanding the different challenges that high voltages impose on electrical interconnects and how to solve them.
Continuous- or pulse-power systems are used in directed-energy weapons, along with sophisticated switching and power-conditioning technologies. High-voltage interconnect solutions are needed in these power systems to maximize output energy while minimizing the power impact on the host platform, which may be based on the ground, at sea, and in the air. High-voltage interconnect solutions are employed “outside the box” not only for the energy path connecting the prime power source and energy storage, but also for components that convert energy into the desired output. Today’s directed-energy lasers operate in a range of tens of kilowatts, but designs using hundreds of kilowatts – and even megawatts – is the ultimate objective. At the beginning of a high-voltage power project, it’s valuable for designers to view interconnects holistically as part of the system. Over the years, specific interconnect products have been introduced – and new technologies continue to be developed – to handle the challenges of high-voltage electric power. For directed-energy weapons applications, designers typically face several power-related issues: › Managing extreme heat loads: Directed-energy designs must dissipate massive amounts of thermal energy. Keeping the energy source at a safe operating temperature is critical for the safety and efficiency of the system. Although specialized liquid coolers and heat exchangers are employed to transfer heat for rejection outside the system, the interconnects must still be able to withstand internal temperatures as hot as 1,200 °F (650 °C). When a relay is exposed to high temperatures, pickup voltage (VPI) and coil resistance (RC) are affected. To ensure stability, designers need to determine the steady-state
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MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
characteristics for the temperature and voltage combination of a DC relay’s operating conditions. This is also true for AC applications, although their VPI exhibits less variation over temperature than do DC relays. › Preventing partial electrical discharge: Managing high power is easier on the ground than in the air. This occurs because high voltage can ionize air, which can become conductive to produce a corona discharge. The corona effect is responsible for electrical power losses through voids, cavities, and electrical treeing as insulation breaks down; electrical arcing is the likely result. Using proper dielectrics and insulating materials is critical to avoiding corona discharges. Insulation using cross-linked polymers for high-voltage wiring, cables, harnesses, and assemblies www.mil-embedded.com
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is formulated to resist breakdown. Using this type of dielectric is especially critical in power-control modules and power converters. Avoiding arc tracking damage: Use of high voltage sources in directed-energy weaponry platforms may cause carbon tracks to form on the surface of polymeric insulators, which in turn causes the insulator to lose its dielectric properties and become an electric conductor instead. Electrical arcing can then occur across the conductive path, resulting in power loss with a high probability of ignition. Once again, proper insulation materials must be used to avoid this problem. Handling the effects of environment on inception and extinction voltages: Partial discharges can occur when two parts of a circuit that are not adequately isolated from each other are subjected to high voltage differences. Inception voltage is when the corona effect starts; extinction voltage marks when it ends. Consequently, electrical systems must be designed to provide adequate electric isolation levels within the operating environment. Negating skin effect: When determining proper shielding and filtering for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), designers must account for skin effects – the tendency of AC current to flow close to the surface of a conductor. Skin effect is the result of eddy currents induced by the changing magnetic fields of alternating current and is therefore a factor in nearly every AC design. PCB traces and other aspects of AC power circuits can be designed to negate skin effect, but expert planning is required. Managing size and weight constraints: Components used in high-power electrical energy storage and management can be large and heavy. High-efficiency relays and contactors are available to handle higher voltage and amperage within a compact footprint, helping reduce size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements. Specially designed cables, terminations, and connectors are also available to minimize SWaP. Higher demand for reliability: The number of open and close cycles can be significant in directed-energy weaponry applications. This extreme cycling puts additional wear on the contact surface of mechanical switches, which must be designed to handle the added stress. For electric switches, proper sizing is needed to handle the required voltage level, because transistors are sensitive to overvoltage.
How to solve these power management issues? Today’s interconnect products for high-voltage applications benefit from the cross-discipline development of powermanagement solutions for the automotive, aerospace, energy, and rail sectors. For directed-energy weapons applications, relevant high-voltage technologies include: › High-voltage relays, contactors, and switches: Advanced, hermetically sealed designs are available that provide an excellent size-to-power ratio and offer voltage ratings up to 70 kV DC and current ratings up to 1,000 amps. Environmentally sealed insulation gaskets are critical for high-voltage applications to minimize intrusion of moisture and contaminants to prevent arcing across the insulator. www.mil-embedded.com
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Figure 1 | High-voltage, hermetically sealed relays and contactors with a wide temperature range are useful in a variety of directed-energy weapon applications. Image: TE Connectivity.
› High-performance power feeders and environmental sealing protection products: Cross-linked polymers in advanced heat-shrink tubing and cable accessories can endure repeated heating and cooling cycles while retaining their original size and protective properties. › Terminals, splices for high temperatures: Terminals, splices, and spare wire caps designed for high-temperature applications can withstand operating environments as hot as 1,200 °F (649 °C). › Lighter-weight and smaller components: Advanced sealed terminals and splices are available that are 60% lighter than conventional copper terminals, which can help reduce weight. › MIL-SPEC connectors: The DEUTSCH connector product family includes contacts and connectors, including the MIL-DTL-38999-compliant DEUTSCH connector series. The dielectric withstanding voltage for environmentally sealed DEUTSCH DT connectors offers current leakage less than two milliamps at 1,500 volts AC. (Figure 1.) With the range of interconnect products available today for high-voltage applications – and with new products being introduced regularly – directed-energy weapons designers can find reliable and readily available solutions to meet critical requirements. Defense designers who work with experts who can design, customize, manufacture, and implement high-voltage solutions all along the power path can see their directed-energy weaponry projects come to fruition faster. MES Franck Kolczak is a solutions marketer for aerospace and defense applications at TE Connectivity, with responsibility for business development for the global defense market for the Aerospace, Defense, & Marine business unit of TE Connectivity. Franck holds a BS in mechanical and electrical engineering from the Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Arts et Metiers (Paris) and an MS in aerospace and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Over the last 25 years, he has developed a wide range of experience focused on electric systems and interconnectivity applications in various technical and business development functions. TE Connectivity • www.te.com
MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
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Industry Spotlight OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
Modular Open Systems Approach for weapons systems is a warfighting imperative By John Bratton
The recent tri-service memorandum requiring modular open system approaches (MOSAs) to be deployed in all future defense systems is aimed at putting the best technology into the hands of the warfighters faster. Take a look at how designers are meeting tri-service requirements by moving past commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) to MOSA. The memo In early 2019, all service acquisition executives and program executive officers received a memorandum from the triservice secretaries (Office Secretaries of the Navy, Army, and Air Force). Dated January 7, the subject read, “Modular Open Systems Approaches for our Weapon Systems is a Warfighting Imperative.” The single-page document was succinctly summarized by two consecutive sentences: “We determined the continued implementation of these standards, and further development of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) standards in areas where we lack them is vital to our success. As such, MOSA supporting standards should be included in all requirements, programming and development activities for future weapon system modifications and new start development programs to the maximum extent possible.” The memorandum’s message is clear: Our defense systems need a modular
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open systems approach so that the best available technology can be delivered to warfighters faster than our near-peer competitors can get it. SOSA [Sensor Open Systems Architecture], OMS/UCI [Open Mission Systems/Universal Command and Control Interface], FACE [Future Airborne Capability Environment], and VICTORY [Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability] were highlighted as hardware and software processing MOSAs that would qualify. (Figure 1.) COMMON MOSAS AND THEIR INITIAL SPONSORS: U.S. Air Force • SOSA (Sensor Open Systems Architecture) • OMS (Open Mission Systems) • UCI (Universal Command and Control Interface) U.S. Army • VICTORY (Vehicle Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability) • CMOSS (Common/C4ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards) • MORA (Modular Open RF Architecture) U.S. Navy / NAVAIR • FACE software interfaces (Future Airborne Capability Environment) • HOST (Hardware Open Systems Technologies) • UMAA (Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture)
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Figure 1 | Common MOSAs and their initial sponsors.
MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
www.mil-embedded.com
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Figure 2 | SOSA, in particular, is becoming an umbrella for other MOSAs.
For more than twenty years now, the DoD has increasingly embraced COTS; now, as underscored by the tri-service memo directing the procurement requirements necessary to keep a technological separation between our warfighters and our competitors, MOSAs are leveraging the best commercial technology available. MOSA convergence DoD-initiated MOSAs share a common premise on how to place the best contemporary technology in the hands of the warfighter more effectively and efficiently. This starting point enables these approaches to increasingly complement and augment each other, and ultimately to converge. SOSA in particular is becoming an umbrella for other MOSAs (Figure 2). SOSA accommodates HOST [Hardware Open Systems Technologies] and CMOSS [C4ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards] approaches. CMOSS, in turn, accommodates FACE, MORA [Modular Open RF Architecture], VICTORY, and the RedHawk Linux operating system. Standards convergence is often inevitable. For the defense industry, it is very timely as near-peer competitors using agile commercial technology are emerging faster than ever.
A history of COTS and MOSA Since the early 1990s and the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology initiative headed by Department of Defense (DoD) secretary William Perry, the DoD has endeavored to leverage the best commercially developed technology, which is often based on open system approaches for affordability, adaptability, scalability, and interoperability. The COTS initiative was originally centered almost solely around affordability, but increasingly it’s been found that COTS is required to reach the performance, interoperability, and quick reaction capability found in commercial marketplaces. To maintain leadership, defense equipment must be produced with the capability and velocity of commercially developed open systems approach technology, even though the defense industry often has other special requirements and characteristics. Regardless, as former Defense Secretary Ash Carter said several years back to the Senate Appropriations Committee, “Future success will go to the fastest innovators. Leading the race now depends on who can out-innovate (and deploy) the fastest.” www.mil-embedded.com
What’s in it for everyone? SOSA defines the architecture, electrical/mechanical, hardware, software, and interfaces for radar, signals intelligence, EO/IR, electronic warfare (EW), position/navigation/ timing (PNT), and communications processing. It has been adopted by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force and features interoperability with FACE, OMS, SPIES [an aerospace sensor standard], MORA, Redhawk OS, CMOSS, VICTORY, and VITA [VME International Trade Association] standards. SOSA includes a holistic sensor management framework, has built-in security, and is packaged within a business model to ensure that the DoD, warfighters, prime contractors, and industry all get what they need to succeed. The SOSA approach decomposes existing infrastructures and recomposes them as more capable and adaptable solutions made from common, interoperable building blocks. The effectiveness of this approach is defined by the benefits it delivers, which are measured in terms of the time taken to implement new missions – from the current months and years to weeks or even days depending upon the type of mission. Moving at the speed of technology Many common DoD-initiated MOSAs are not in fact new: They are more “standards of standards” which define and incorporate the best existing, proven, and evolving (active) standards and adopt them. VITA and its rugged OpenVPX ecosystem of digital – and increasingly RF and performance standards – is common to many of the DoD open approaches. This enables them to evolve at the speed of technology as the underlying standards like OpenVPX evolve in step with industry. SOSA offers stakeholders six basic capabilities that place the best technology in the hands of warfighters quicker and more efficiently. With SOSA: › Rapid technology insertions enable equipment to be updated at the speed of technology › Reductions in size, weight, and power (consumed) of processing systems enables platforms to go longer, farther, and higher and carry more powerful processing payloads
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Industry Spotlight › › › ›
OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
Reductions in sustainment costs enable more and better systems to be deployed Increased competition drives affordability and innovation Enhanced compatibility enables systems to scale across platforms and domains Improved cybersecurity enables systems to become more resilient to attacks
Rapid technology insertion SOSA creates the ability to insert new technology that addresses emerging requirements, and to reuse existing capabilities from industry, science, technology and other programs. Specifically, SOSA seeks to standardize flight-line configurability and cardedge interoperability through: › Standard form factors, connectors, and pinouts that facilitate physical integration › On-the-wire interfaces for discovery, management, health monitoring, and data sharing › Software/firmware frameworks enabling portability, reuse, and reprogrammability › Modularity and partitioning to reduce regression testing This standardization allows, for example, Army Program X to integrate an application from Air Force program Y that addresses a new signal of interest, or Navy “Program Z” to use a COTS plug-in card that provides additional processing capability – all with little or no modification. Reduce size, weight, and power SOSA seeks to reduce the size, weight, and power (SWaP) footprint of C5ISR [command, control, computers, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] systems through:
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MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
› Functional decomposition with well-defined interfaces that enable hardware and software sharing while reducing unnecessary redundancy › Simplified integration kits (e.g., cables and mounts) › Shared data services › Frameworks definitions that enable software capabilities to be deployed on existing hardware Examples include pooled RF resources (amplifiers and antennas); capabilities deployed as cards in a common chassis; network-based position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services; and multiple applications hosted on the same processor. Lower sustainment costs SOSA encourages economies of scale by using common hardware, reducing the size of the logistics tail by using interoperable spares, and removing lifetime buys by enabling hardware modernization every five to 10 years. Specific enablers include: › Standard form factors, connectors, and pinouts for interoperable hardware elements › Software and firmware frameworks and/or runtime environments to load operational software on “generic” hardware elements When implemented, success may include the ability to use the same SBC across Army, Air Force, and Navy programs plus the ability to upgrade to the latest technology as processors fail, become obsolete, or are no longer available. Increased competition SOSA fosters healthy competition and innovation during the systems acquisition and sustainment phases of defense programs of record through: › Functional decomposition that enables the re-integration of the best-of-breed capabilities › Open interfaces that remove vendor lock and proprietary integration › Fully defined interfaces that enable integration of “black box” software and hardware modules www.mil-embedded.com
› Clear conformance criteria and certification processes Increased competition and decomposition enables independent competes for subsystems, such as front-end apertures/back-end processing subsystems and the ability to integrate novel capabilities from third parties.
Investing in the warfighter This is a critical time for the defense industry as it evolves faster than ever during peacetime to support warfighters operating in a complex world that is evolving as quickly as technology. Adopting the best commercial technology depends on the DoD to retool faster and more effectively through the use of modular open system approaches. MES John Bratton is Director of Product Marketing for Mercury Systems. He has more than 25 years of experience in embedded packaging, interconnect, and RF. Mr. Bratton earned his bachelor’s degree in MechEng from the North Eastern University of England and is a member of IMechE and ASME.
Enhanced compatibility SOSA seeks to minimize interferences between sensor systems running concurrently on a platform, while ensuring availability of high-priority missions through:
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› Resource management that reserves and schedules shared resources › Messaged interconnects that retrieve system configuration information › Quality of service at sensor interconnections › The ability to plan, prioritize, and preempt missions
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Improved cybersecurity SOSA seeks to ensure system integrity by any avenue that would compromise sensitive mission data by controlling access to shared modules and subsystems through: › Cybersecurity controls that verify authentication, authorization, integrity, and confidentiality › Separate security enclaves that enable missions to operate at different classification levels using the same sensor Successfully implemented, SOSA strives to prevent exfiltration of data over RF transmitters and physical and logical measures to prevent unauthorized users (human or machine) from using the system, while encrypting all classified data at rest and user data before transmission over airways. www.mil-embedded.com
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November/December 2019 33
Industry Spotlight OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
Harnessing open source innovation in the military with rock-solid security By Rich Lucente The U.S. Navy reports a successful pilot run of a Compile to Combat in 24 Hours (C2C24) test on the USS Essex (pictured) in mid-2018. The C2C24 effort aims to modernize the afloat end-to-end architecture and enable the Navy to deploy new software capabilities in under 24 hours instead of the 18-month time frame that is now common. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jesse Monford.
The U.S. military faces increasing pressure to innovate faster to stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape – but not so quickly as to compromise the security of mission-critical IT systems.
impacting the ability to respond to new vulnerabilities. Therefore, the primary responsibility for open code security falls to whomever is embedding it.
Open source software can help the U.S. military achieve its objectives by opening pathways to collaboration, growth, and the free exchange of ideas. Open source developers continually test the boundaries of what works and what doesn’t. Often, they “fail fast” and iterate, even as they work at an accelerated pace. The open source development community, even though it is globally dispersed, works closely together to facilitate continuous innovation.
For the military, assuming responsibility for the maintenance of mission-critical, open source-based systems and applications can be challenging because of the long lifespans of the systems involved and the sheer effort required. Unfortunately, support may not always be readily available. For example, personnel often believe that “somebody out there” can help them address security issues as they arise – when this may not be the case. Open source community members aren’t on call 24/7 and do not deliver service level agreements to users.
This type of fast, agile, free-flowing environment understandably breeds security questions, particularly in the defense sector. Good security hygiene is usually associated with the words “slow” and “methodical,” neither of which are normally attributed to open source development. But there are inherent misunderstandings surrounding open source and risk, and agencies do not need to choose between speed and security. Let’s explore how the military can get the best of both worlds – harnessing the benefits of open source software while attaining the integrity and security capabilities required for the battlefield. Understanding the nuances of open source To get the most out of open source software and technologies, it’s a good idea to first understand the dynamics of the development environment – and its implications for security. Open source’s greatest strength is a faster reaction time to identified security challenges – anyone, after all, can submit a fix or patch to issues as they arise. However, it would be a mistake to think of any software as bulletproof. Open source projects can take a significant amount of time and resources to maintain. When community attention is pulled in the direction of new releases and capabilities, the number of members maintaining the security of code at any given time can vary,
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Effective, ongoing open source software maintenance requires a defense-in-depth approach involving deep knowledge of the latest patches and updates – knowledge that many IT professionals lack. Fortunately, external vendors can help. Many vendors are already on the front lines of open source projects, proactively innovating and strengthening their products in step with security developments. Crucially, external vendors can also provide support, taking on responsibility for the open source maintenance piece – thereby enabling military IT to focus on www.mil-embedded.com
potential vulnerabilities. Using open source software can enable the military to preserve records of system configurations to get a clear sense of changes that have been made to those systems. In addition, IT can automate application development processes to reduce technical debt and minimize the risk of human error, which is a leading cause of security breaches. The second imperative: Make security intrinsic to application development. To many organizations, digital transformation means adding components onto infrastructure that already exists. This sometimes happens with security controls, which are often an afterthought when it comes to application and system development. Indeed, until recently, security wasn’t a core part of the DevOps process because developers and operations managers considered it a drain on innovation. In a world where military weapons are increasingly vulnerable to hacks, this approach is unacceptable. Military IT must bake security capabilities directly into application development processes and make them a core component of their infrastructures. We’re seeing this happen with the advent of DevSecOps. Security must now be regarded not simply as part of the development effort or an added-on component – it’s a shared responsibility that is proactively ingrained in all phases of development. From the whiteboard stage to final delivery, teams scan and test applications, addressing vulnerabilities at every phase of development and closing security loopholes before applications go into production.
higher-level activities that directly support the mission. Imperatives to enabling a strong open source security posture To maintain the security posture of open source systems and applications, there are two primary imperatives that every military IT manager should consider. The first must-do is to automate to reduce human error and make processes reproducible. The U.S. military is an institution rich in both tradition and innovation. Battles fought throughout the years have wrought improvements and adjustments to the ways that commanders and warfighters execute their mission objectives. It’s much the same for military IT systems, which are typically modified and updated over time. However, unlike knowledge gleaned on the battlefield, a record of why IT changes were made may not have been captured. Even small changes can profoundly affect the integrity of a system, creating an enormous amount of technical debt that can make it difficult for managers to ascertain the integrity of their systems. Having a clear understanding of everything that’s occurred or has changed within a system is critical to identifying www.mil-embedded.com
Like DevOps, DevSecOps is about speed to production, with automation forming the engine that drives the process. As we’ve established, automation can be facilitated through the use of open source technologies, providing a winning combination of agility and security capabilities. Adopting a mindset for success It’s important to remember that attaining the security posture of open source projects isn’t a one-time event – it’s a never-ending process. For military IT personnel, that means keeping up to date with evolving internal and external security threats, continuously scanning for vulnerabilities, and implementing patches and updating software regularly. Additionally, IT managers should remember that not all open source projects are created equal. Some deployments are smaller and easier to secure, while others are larger and more complex, potentially requiring different knowledge and skills. If open source is used for an operating system or virtualization hypervisor, for example, the security risks can be higher because of the vast surface area they cover. Security and innovation are proven combination Security and innovation are not mutually exclusive concepts. The U.S. Navy’s Compile to Combat initiative, for instance, is a great example of a defense agency using cutting-edge software in a herculean effort to get warships afloat faster and more securely than ever before. (See lead photo, above.) All IT people, including those in military IT, must closely examine how a system or application could be exploited and where its vulnerabilities lie – not simply at the outset of a project, but for the lifespan of deployment. Such a proactive, security-first mindset can enable military IT organizations to get the most out of open source software and technologies. MES Rich Lucente is a Principal Solutions Architect at Red Hat. His main area of focus is the application of open source emerging technologies to support the missions of the U.S. federal government and the systems integrators customers that serve them. He has a BS in computer engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and is an avid open source enthusiast who has contributed to multiple open source projects. Red Hat • www.redhat.com
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Industry Spotlight OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
Improving intelligent tactical data link translation to simplify real-time warfighter communications By Steve Horsburgh
Military organizations around the world rely heavily on tactical data links (TDLs) to securely and reliably share mission-critical information among air, ground, and sea platforms. Because different devices use different TDL types for communications, a highly sophisticated TDL gateway is needed to translate information across the various link types. There’s a huge disconnect, however, between historical TDL gateway designs and modern military requirements. As a result, TDL gateways that were designed for the way the military operated years ago have not kept pace with present-day, technologically advanced battlefields. Developers who have Link 16 expertise will find that it is the most valuable when developing a TDL gateway for the modern military. Legacy tactical data link (TDL) gateways are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to set up and configure. They’re also extremely complicated to operate. These legacy gateways were intended to be used at Air Operations Centers by teams of highly experienced experts working in a controlled environment; they were not designed to be used by warfighters who are actively engaged in mission activities at the tactical edge of the battlefield. Today’s warfighters – digital natives who grew up surrounded by technology – expect ready access to easy-to-use technologies in all aspects of mission activities. If equipment is not fast and easy to set up and operate in the field, there’s
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a good chance that the warfighters will simply leave it behind when they head out into the field on missions. Legacy TDL gateways can take several hours to connect and configure, with some systems requiring multiple days of effort. Any solution that requires this level of time and effort to become operational is unusable in the busy field environments. Warfighters need a TDL gateway so easy to start up that anyone with any level of training can simply push a start button and have the system become fully operational within a few seconds. The gateway must automatically set up connections to any and all data links, including management of radio configuration settings, with no additional effort or input by experts. TDL gateways must be designed much like an appliance, hiding the complexity of TDLs and data translation to deliver information to the warfighter in a clear and easy-to-understand format. This is the only approach that will ensure TDL gateways can be easily used by warfighters who are not experts in TDLs, communications protocols, or communications equipment. The design must also include an intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) that presents the pertinent mission-specific information in a highly visible and simplified way, similar to the user-friendly apps that warfighters are so familiar with.
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possible is necessary to avoid stovepipe, or point, solutions that only address a few TDL gateway challenges.
WARFIGHTERS ... CARE SIMPLY THAT THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE IS SUCCESSFUL, OPERATES QUICKLY, AND GIVES THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED IN AN EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND FORMAT. The way data translations are presented to warfighters is also extremely important. Warfighters don’t care that communications equipment is sending a VMF message that will be received on a device that communicates using Link 16. They care simply that the information exchange is successful, operates quickly, and gives them the information they need in an easy-to-understand format.
Once the TDL gateway is operational, it must provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date translations between multiple link types. With the complexity and variety of TDL types in use, this is not an easy requirement to meet. Dealing with a complex TDL While link types such as Variable Message Format (VMF) and Cursor on Target (CoT) are relatively straightforward and don’t require extensive understanding of military standards, Link 16 is the exact opposite. This extremely complex TDL is based on military standards that are thousands of pages long and include numerous rigid rules for implementation. Link 16 is the most prominently used TDL in the world and is extremely important to warfighters. While it can be tempting to deal with Link 16 complexity by implementing only certain aspects of the communication standard, partial implementations severely limit interoperability with other link types. Full interoperability with as many TDL networks and devices as www.mil-embedded.com
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November/December 2019 37
Industry Spotlight
OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
To ensure that translated information is easily understood, TDL gateways must translate the concepts being communicated rather than the individual words. These conceptual translations must be automated, supported across multiple TDL types, and provided in context. The TDL gateway must listen to incoming information on all TDLs, put the information into context with previously received information as well as information provided on the other TDL types, then send the appropriate information – in context – on outgoing TDLs. Taking TDL translations to this level requires significant TDL expertise on the part of the TDL gateway developer because there is no standard that fully defines how this should be done. While TDL gateway developers must have expertise in all of the commonly used TDL types, Link 16 expertise is the most valuable when developing a TDL gateway for the modern military. It’s also the most difficult to obtain and cannot be acquired in a short period of time. Link 16 experts with the knowledge level needed for TDL gateway development have studied and implemented the technology for years, often decades. The TDL gateway must implement all Link 16 messages, not just a subset of them, despite the difficulty of the task and the time required to do it properly. Know, understand the details and standards To fully implement Link 16 and ensure accurate and up-to-date data translation between Link 16 and other TDL types, the gateway developer must understand the details of Link 16 operation as well as the associated military standards. The military standard for Link 16 is more than 10,000 pages long. There is complicated interplay between Link 16 messages that must be understood and implemented, and very rigid rules that must be precisely followed. An example of a TDL gateway that handles the relevant standards is Curtiss-Wright’s HUNTR TDL Hub and Network Translator, which includes (patent-pending) forwarding technology, and enables the warfighter to have simplified and automated access to relevant TDL data at the tactical edge of the battlefield. (Figure 1.) The hub/translator features single-button startup, including automated link connections; a GUI that clearly indicates connectivity information flow and filtering of traffic; up-to-date and accurate contextual translations of relevant link data that take bandwidth limitations into account, rather than awkward and cumbersome word-by-word translations that
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Figure 1 | The HUNTR TDL gateway enables data access at the tactical edge of the battlefield.
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can consume high amounts of bandwidth and result in information overload; support for a variety of link types, including Link 16, VMF, CoT, Cooperative Electronic Support Measures Operations (CESMO), GPS, Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol (JREAP), Serial-J, and Socket-J; automatic radio configuration, initialization, control, and monitoring for MIDS LVT, MIDS JTRS, and Combat Net Radios; plus a complete Link 16 implementation. Easily used TDL gateways that can be successfully used at the tactical edge of the battlefield and other military environments with minimal personnel, minimal training, and almost no expertise required are the key to securely and reliably sharing mission-critical information. MES Steven Horsburgh, Ph.D., is Director of Product Management at the Tactical Communications Group of CurtissWright Defense Solutions. Steve holds a PhD. in physics. He has 30 years of research and development experience designing solutions to complex, data-driven applications for commercial and military use. He has 12 years of experience with Tactical Data Links software design and development in both engineering and management positions. Prior to joining Curtiss-Wright, Steve worked in satellite communications and data management for the Naval Research Lab, Mission Research Corporation, and ATK; he subsequently joined Tactical Communications Group, LLC (TCG) to architect, design, and manage agile research and development projects related to Tactical Data Links, including Link 16, VMF, CoT, and CESMO. TCG was acquired by Curtiss-Wright in March 2019 and Steve continues to manage R&D, marketing, and information technology projects. Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions www.curtisswrightds.com www.mil-embedded.com
Industry Spotlight OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
SOSA benefits reach beyond sensor systems By Mark Littlefield
The Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) is a standard currently in development by a government/industry consortium (https://www.opengroup.org/sosa) that has as its goal making high-performance sensor platforms easier to design, more interoperable, and upgradable at the modular level throughout a platform’s life. The rules and recommendations captured in the standard address the full range of issues faced by sensor computing system integrators including hardware, electromechanical, architecture, systems management, chassis-level connectivity, communications, middleware and development tools, and software components. Even though the standard is still under development, it is already having a substantial impact on the development of new sensor systems. The Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) standard – currently in development by a government/industry consortium – also has the real potential to influence VPX systems beyond the sensor community. An example of this is the slot and module profiles, along with the associated rules and recommendations which can be leveraged by any VPX system designer to make systems easier to design and maintain over the system life cycle. The hardware aspects of the SOSA standard benefits both system integrators and product developers across the spectrum of VPX systems. The OpenVPX standard (VITA 65) has been a cornerstone of the VPX community for more than 10 years. It defines and standardizes a great many aspects of VPX system design, creating vital guidelines to component suppliers and system integrators. A key component of that standard is its set of slot and module profiles. However, the latest version of VITA 65 (in ANSI balloting at the time of writing) has
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29 6U and 63 3U slot profiles, each with multiple module profiles defined. In addition, nearly every slot profile other than the new SOSA-aligned profiles has user-defined pins, giving board developers the means to create custom backplane configurations. The plethora of profiles, together with these user-defined pins, makes it all but impossible to avoid designing systems to match specific hardware components from specific vendors; this reality, in turn, complicates the system design process and severely limits the ability to perform technology insertions throughout the system life. The SOSA standard builds on VITA 65, relying heavily on the concept of slot and module profiles. However, it limits the set of approved profiles and eliminates user-defined pins in order to minimize variability in backplane connectivity and to maximize component interoperability and communications commonality. This more minimalist set of profiles has been carefully defined and vetted against nearly every conceivable type of board for sensor systems, including different types of single-board computers (SBCs), specialty processors such as graphics processor units (GPUs) and FPGAs, high-performance receivers and other I/O, storage, and networking switches. The result is a subset of 3U and 6U slot and module profiles, roughly divided into more common “primary” profiles and somewhat more specialized – but very similar – “secondary” profiles. (Figure 1.) First order of business: Interoperability Complementing these profiles is a set of rules, recommendations, and observations to guide component developers and system integrators and ensure that components will operate in a consistent manner and interoperate when connected into a system. These rules include connectivity and behaviors of utility signals such as SYS_CON, REF_CLK/AUX_CLK, NVMRO, and serial maintenance ports for console-level access to computing hardware.
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One important set of rules involves power supplies; one particularly important rule limits plug-in cards to using only VS1 (12 V), 3.3 V AUX, and VBAT for primary power. The effect of this rule is profound in that it makes the design of the chassis power system much easier than when VS2 (3.3 V) and/or VS3 (5 V) are used in addition to VS1. System integrators no longer have to balance these primary power rails to the needs of the specific cards that are in the system, which eliminates the need for custom power solutions and greatly eases power problems related to future technology insertions. Another important set of rules involves the maintenance ports. Maintenance ports are serial console ports intended strictly for system maintenance use, as opposed to an operational RS-232 link for communications between system components. In their specialized role, the maintenance ports use RS-232 protocols but can be configured for either TIA-232 (-15 V to 15 V) or LVCMOS-level (0 V to 3.3 V) signaling. The upshot: Maintenance ports can be configured to either communicate directly with common RS-232 terminals or to a port aggregator or switch using an FPGA. These rules help ensure that board maintenance ports are always in the same place and use a consistent connection approach, regardless of vendor. SOSA in a wider sense, not just sensors There are numerous ways that the SOSA standard will benefit the whole VPX community and not just sensor platform applications. The first, and probably most obvious, is that the limited set of slot and module profiles will tend to make backplane architectures and designs much easier. Slot choices and connectivity will be driven by the slot’s function and not by the particulars of a specific piece of hardware. There is also the distinct possibility that commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) backplanes could be designed and offered to the market, which integrators could directly leverage for their deployed platform – an impractical option in today’s market. Turning to issues of connectivity, SOSA’s limited module profile choices provide protocol consistency, which helps to ensure communications compatibility between board types, even those from different vendors. The profile choices are also flexible, which means that different protocols (like Aurora for FPGA-to-FPGA links versus PCI Express) can be used when specialized communications is called for. All of this can be attained while maintaining consistency across the rest of the backplane communications ports. For the integrator, these benefits make performing trade studies and designing systems faster and make the resulting systems more likely to “just work” when they are integrated. Less time and effort spent on this up-front engineering effort means lower cost and more time to spend on critical application-specific engineering efforts. For the supplier, the benefits are also substantial. Easier and faster customer trade studies and up-front design work means a quicker decision cycle and less need for presales support, while easier integration leads to reduced post-sales support burdens.
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There’s less of a chance of needing to investigate and debug awkward interoperability issues with different, often competing vendor products. In addition, choosing from the limited set of SOSA slot and module profiles means less engineering effort spent on backplane connectivity and more effort put into new, differentiating product features. The real beneficiary of applying the SOSA standard, however, will ultimately be the end user: Whether it is the warfighter relying on an advanced sensor system to help them carry out their mission, or a commercial application relying on the rugged high-performance features of VPX, SOSA-enabled technologies mean quicker time to deployment and easier, faster, and cheaper technology refresh projects, which translate to lower system life cycle costs and better tracking of technological innovation over the life of the deployed system. SOSA-aligned products available SOSA is not an over-the-horizon possibility. While the standard is still a work in progress, enough of the standard has finalized to allow hardware module and backplane suppliers and some system integrators to offer products “designed in alignment with” the SOSA standard (as the language of the consortium directs, as there is no certification program in place yet). Kontron’s VX306C-40G is a 3U I/Ointensive SBC, while the VX305H-40G is a 3U compute-intensive (that is, payload profile) SBC. Both are based on Intel’s 12-core Xeon D-1559 processor and both offer 32 GB of DDR4 memory with ECC, 40 Gigabit Ethernet (40GBASE-KR4) data planes, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-KR)
Figure 1 | The three SOSA-approved 3U payload profiles, SLT3-PAY-1F1U1S1S1U1U2F1H-14.6.11-n, SLT3-PAY-1F1U1S1S1U1U4F1J-14.6.13-n, and SLT3-PAY-1F1F2U1TU1T1U1T-14.2.16. With these three profiles, one can implement most any sort of computing or I/O module including single-board computers, high-performance computing modules, high-performance receivers, or other specialized I/O or bulk storage devices.
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Industry Spotlight
OPEN STANDARDS FOR EMBEDDED MILITARY SYSTEMS
control planes, PCI Express Gen 3 expansion planes, an XMC site (with backplane mapping for the VX305C-40G), and a VITA 46.11 Intelligent Platform Management Controller (IPMC). Both are in production today and both have been integrated into SOSA-aligned systems with backplanes and other payload cards from various manufacturers. (Figure 2.)
activity, and the standard’s obvious benefits, it is likely that the SOSA standard will have a profound impact on how products are created and used by VPX systems designers for years to come. MES
The SOSA standard is currently available as a “Snapshot 2” document (publicly available at https://publications.opengroup.org/s180?_ga=2.119835272.144878001.15722998541008809435.1561649117) and is rapidly maturing towards its 1.0 release. Many vendors have announced or are working on SOSA-aligned products in both 3U and 6U form factor, while integrators across the spectrum of sensor modalities are working on SOSAaligned systems or are planning their SOSA adoption strategies. Given this flurry of
Mark Littlefield is a vertical product manager for the defense business line for Kontron. He has more than 25 years of experience in embedded computing, where he has held a range of technical and professional roles supporting defense, medical, and commercial applications. Littlefield holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in control systems engineering from the University of West Florida, where he wrote his thesis on a neural net application for image processing. Readers may reach the author at Mark.Littlefield@us.kontron.com.
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Figure 2 | Kontron’s two SOSA-aligned SBCs, the VX305C-40G and VX305H-40G.
Kontron • www.kontron.com
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INDUSTRY UPDATE
AUSA and the week full of firsts By Emma Helfrich, Associate Editor This is my first job out of journalism school, sans a bar gig here and there. But as far as pantsuit-wearing, desk-sitting, degreeutilizing jobs go – Associate Editor for Military Embedded Systems is the first title I’ve ever held. That being said, working for Military Embedded Systems these past four, going on five, months has been a whirlwind of firsts. One of those firsts was attending the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) trade show in Washington D.C. That brought along with it a handful of even more firsts: first plane ride alone, first connecting flight, first business trip, and first time in Washington, D.C. (much less the entire East Coast). My Editorial Director, John McHale, and I met Matthew Billingsley of General Dynamics while at the show, and he commented on how throwing me into this experience was like tossing me off the side of a ship without a life jacket. What Matthew didn’t know is that I had just a few weeks prior written a feature-length story on shipboard electronics and am a pretty strong swimmer. Needless to say, AUSA is a behemoth of a show, even without having anything to compare it to. There are tanks, helicopters, and machine guns (oh my!) displayed across the show floor, assuring you that you’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Instead, I found myself in the middle of what I can only describe as the Comic-Con of the Department of Defense and was left wondering what the logistics were behind getting these giant military machines into the convention center. And it was exciting! The press room was exactly as I’d imagined it to be, full of focused journalists and writers fueled by the coffee bar in the back corner and our own private WiFi connection. There’s almost an electricity being around other reporters – an energy that reminds you of the important work you’re doing. With that, we made our way. Equipped with only my cracked, outdated iPhone for recording, advice from my colleagues, and my press pass, I began navigating the trade show floor. I first noticed the companies in attendance, many of which I had already written several press releases about or interviewed employees of for a story. That small familiarity alone made me that much more confident in the coming days. The second observation I made was the ratio of men to women: surprisingly closer to even than I’d prepared for, which was
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During AUSA: Sitting in a General Dynamics simulator as it demonstrated the communication between a rugged computer and an unmanned aerial system. Photo: John McHale.
empowering, to say the least. On day two, I was introduced to a female project lead who oversaw the development of an electronic warfare solution. She looked about my age, and I was notably impressed and inspired. Before the trip, John had kept telling me that I’d realize I know more than I thought, once faced with the entirety of an industry that I’ve been writing about for the past few months – and I did. Being able to hold a conversation with industry leaders, and to be journalistically validated with a “Good question!” here or a “We can’t provide that information,” there was thrilling. What I actually experienced was three days of both an overwhelming and incredibly informative presentation of the technology that supplements the U.S. Army in none other than the country’s capital. One night I was exploring the grounds of the National Mall, and the next day I was standing alongside the women and men who represent the meaning behind those monuments. This trip was a great chance for me to find my footing in the industry as a young female journalist, and I’m grateful to have gotten the chance. Thanks to my colleagues for making it happen, showing me around, and hailing my first taxi. I’m looking forward to coming back next year as an experienced, confident military technology reporter with a comfier pair of shoes.
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A case for sealed, conduction-cooled 1U/2U rugged rackmount servers By Chris A. Ciufo, Chief Technology Officer at General Micro Systems, Inc.
Silent, high MTBF, with a wide temperature range and low EMI, an industry-first brings sealed, exceptionally rugged conduction-cooled servers to high shock/ vibration environments. The Department of Defense uses air-cooled, rackmount servers by the truckload and boatload – racks upon racks installed in buildings, command post tents, ships and submarines, in the back of MRAPs and Strykers, and flying in reconnaissance platforms. While the requirements for a basic server are similar however used, the environments in which they are used vary greatly, from air-conditioned data centers or field command post tents with fairly predictable temperatures to an open door to a Coast Guard Jay Hawk helicopter with rotors beating the air in a snow squall in Dutch Harbor, AK. Moreover, ground, ship and airborne platforms must also withstand shock, vibration, salt, fog, humidity and liquids like blood, de-icing fluid or diesel fuel. However, a typical COTS air-cooled rackmount server installed in any of these brutal environments faces a hard and likely short life. As discussed in my article elsewhere in this issue, the solution is conduction cooling, which has been the preferred approach to all military high-performance embedded systems – with the exception of servers. Conduction-cooled chassis boxes are ATR- or small form factor (SFF)-type hard mounted or installed in trays and are common in massively metal ground vehicles or avionics platforms like fighter jets and airborne pods, where “ram air” from flight provides the sidewall flow-through or impingement cooling. Flow-through cooling is also common in wide body platforms like C-17, E-3, EA-6B, P-8A and others where the cabin is humanfriendly and air-conditioned air is readily available. Both chassis types – with a cold plate (vehicles and ships) or sidewall flow-through – are environmentally sealed. Conduction-Cooled Chassis: Air or Cold Plate These sealed airborne or armored vehicles chassis boxes are completely passively cooled and may radiate or convect some heat into the surrounding environment. However, they primarily rely on conducting heat from the internal electronics to either the hollow sidewalls or to the chassis cold plate usually found on the bottom of the chassis. Rigidly mounted to the vehicle, heat is then transferred from the box to the mounting tray or vehicle, where it is conducted away due to the massive heat sink offered by the vehicle itself, or air is blown through the cold plate sidewalls and exhausted elsewhere. This kind of cooling is also quite common in UAVs and helicopters, where lightweight SFF conduction-cooled chassis are installed in pods, mastmounted sights or against the fuselage. Hybrid Conduction-Cooled Servers General Micro Systems (GMS) has been providing conduction-cooled ATR, small form factor (SFF), and specialty chassis like those described above for nearly 40 years. Our sealed products have been passively cooled without fans or with sidewall/plenum flow-through cooling, and we’ve recently applied this thermal experience to 1U and 2U rackmount servers. The benefits to servers include high reliability and MTBF; superior cooling of Intel’s latest Scalable Xeon® 24 core (>150W) embedded CPUs; sealed chassis with substantially reduced EMI; high shock and vibration tolerance; the ability to add 38999 milcircular connectors, and completely silent operation (without 10,000 RPM screaming fans). In addition, in a 2U conduction-cooled server, up to two 250W Nvidia V100
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GPGPU co-processors can be conduction cooled – as proven in our deployed X422 “Lightning” GPGPU artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning system. Dual 8-drive encrypted SSD cartridges and up to 10 add-in cards in only 2U prove that these are no-compromise servers for exceptionally rugged applications. GMS’ 1U and 2U conduction-cooled servers utilize internal conductioncooled heat sinks and cold plates as well as our patented RuggedCool™ hotspot thermal cooling and other patentpending thermal techniques never before applied to production-quality, rugged COTS rackmount servers. Our TITAN Series 1U and 2U conductioncooled rackmount servers rely on a central radiator air plenum through which air is blown (or evacuated). All the internal thermal structures move heat into the central radiator plenum, which gives up its heat to the flow-through air to be exhausted out the rear (typical) or front (custom). The rack or vehicle system provides the airflow, allowing the server to be mounted in any location or orientation, including standalone without a rack. General Micro Systems, Inc. www.gms4sbc.com
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Military Child Education Coalition Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charitable organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day. To back that up, our parent company – OpenSystems Media – will make a donation to every group we showcase on this page. This issue we are highlighting the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), a nationwide nonprofit organization that aims to ensure inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all U.S. military-connected children affected by mobility, transition, deployments, and family separation. The MCEC – founded by Dr. Mary M. Keller, who also acts as president and CEO of the organization – conducts research, develops resources, sponsors professional institutes, conducts conferences, and publishes information in the pursuit of meeting the educational challenges faced by military-connected children. According to information from the organization, MCEC works with public school districts, private schools, colleges and universities, small businesses and larger corporations, military commands and installations, and military families as children move through the educational system. Its “Student 2 Student” programs in elementary through high school levels bring military and civilian students together for academic support, welcoming programs, and academic achievement recognition. The parent programs provide information and workshops for caretakers that address the academic, social, and emotional issues often associated with being in a military family. The MCEC’s professional development segment trains educational professionals to address and meet the unique needs of children in military and veteran-connected families. For more information on the Military Child Education Coalition, please visit www.militarychild.org.
WEBCAST
WHITE PAPER
Air Force, Army, Navy Convergence on Military Open Architectures Sponsored by Annapolis Micro Systems, Elma Electronic, Kontron, Pentek The defense acquisition community is looking to reduce costs and development time via open-architecture principles in a practical and consensus-driven way with all three services – Air Force, Army, and Navy – working together. Open architecture initiatives such as the Hardware Open Systems Technologies (HOST) and Modular Open Radio Frequency (RF) Architecture (MORA) are all feeding into the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA). This webcast with Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) representative Dr. Ilya Lipkin will cover how these tri-service efforts will reduce life cycle costs and enable reuse. Register for the webcast: https://bit.ly/32Ksimk View archived webcasts: https://opensysmedia.com/solutions/webcasts/archive
46 November/December 2019
Four Approaches to Solve Today’s Obsolescence Challenges in Aerospace and Defense By National Instruments Aerospace and defense test engineers must maintain a fleet of test stations based on legacy and – in many cases, obsolete – equipment. Test engineers spend as much as 50% of their time, or even more in some cases, actively dealing with obsolescence in their test program sets (TPSs). These TPSs were often written in ancient software languages, with little to no documentation, by someone who is likely long retired. Given this massive challenge, many vendors want to help test engineers develop their next test program sets, but that doesn’t overcome the obsolescence challenge these engineers face right now. In this white paper, test engineers can learn four valid approaches to solve their obsolescence challenges today. Read the white paper: https://bit.ly/2CzIQTJ Read more white papers: http://mil-embedded.com/white-papers/
MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
www.mil-embedded.com
WHERE TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS GATHER
MARKET TRENDS, TECHNOLOGY UPDATES, INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS 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, and print editions provide insight on embedded tools and strategies such as software, hardware, systems, technology insertion, obsolescence management, and many other military-specific technical subjects. Coverage includes the latest innovative products, technology, and market trends driving military embedded applications such as radar, sonar, unmanned system payloads, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, C4ISR, avionics, imaging, and more. Each issue provides readers with the information they need to stay connected to the pulse of embedded technology in the military and aerospace industries. mil-embedded.com
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