COTS Journal

May 2019, Volume 21 – Number 5 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

Rugged, High-Density Computing for Combat Vehicles Shift Toward Standardized System Solutions for Military Ground Vehicles

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf.

Terminology popularized in 1994 within U.S. DoD by SECDEF Wm. Perry’s “Perry Memo” that changed military industry purchasing and design guidelines, making Mil-Specs acceptable only by waiver. COTS is generally defined for technology, goods and services as: a) using commercial business practices and specifications, b) not developed under government funding, c) offered for sale to the general market, d) still must meet the program ORD. 2. Commercial business practices include the accepted practice of customer-paid minor modification to standard COTS products to meet the customer’s unique requirements.

JOURNAL

—Ant. When applied to the procurement of electronics for he U.S. Military, COTS is a procurement philosophy and does not imply commercial, office environment or any other durability grade. E.g., rad-hard components designed and offered for sale to the general market are COTS if they were developed by the company and not under government funding.

SPECIAL FEATURES 16

Rugged, High-Density Computing for Combat Vehicles

By Aneesh Kothari, Vice President, Syste

DEPARTMENTS 06 Publisher’s Note Victory for all!

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 20

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The Inside Track

Shift Toward Standardized System Solutions for Military Ground Vehicles

By Nicholas Pease and David Procter, Product Managers at TE Connectivity (TE)

COT’S PICKS 24

Editor’s Choice for May

Cover Image Sea-Air-Space Exposition to demonstrate Corps’ world-class innovations A Marine with 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit programs a counter-unmanned aircraft system on a Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System during a predeployment training exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Nov. 13, 2018. The LMADIS and other innovations will be on display during the 54th annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition, held May 6–8 at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck) COTS Journal | May 2019

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL EDITORIAL

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

John Reardon, Publisher

Victory for all!

VICTORY: An Open System Architecture for Military Ground Vehicles The idea of vehicle integration of C4ISR/EW systems through the use of an Ethernet based vehicle network allows for the integration and interoperability of onboard systems. The fact that prior systems used a Stove Pipe approach that left huge gaps in information seems ridicules when comparing this to a new BMW 7 series with 8 CAN bus networks.

The goal is to have a simple in-vehicle-networks that draws information from communications sources such as, threat

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COTS Journal | May 2019

detection, imaging and others to create better situational awareness and protection for the vehicle and its passengers. VICTORY is not about applying new technologies, rather the goal is to network systems with an agreed to open specification.

The approach is reflective of the MOSA and open architectures in that it does define or identify specific hardware and software, but rather uses a framework to identify acceptable standards through the use of CTS, (Compliance

Test Suite) and CCT, (Compliance Test Tools). An example is that BAE Aerospace has identified MicroTCA from PICMG as being in concert with VICTORY and a suitable choice for a base system.

So just as your new Tesla can integrate your phone, navigation, entertainment and system monitoring into a single display to improve the information stream to the driver, VICTORY will allow for greater information assurance within military ground vehicles. No longer will discrete systems leave information incomplete, but rather VICTORY will allow advance systems to interoperate and offer a more complete picture.

In preparation for this month’s issue of COTS Journal focused on Vehicle Systems, I felt as though I was comparing the advance systems of today’s State-of-the-Art car to Naval Tactical Data Systems of yesterday. But as I did my researched and reviewed reams of data, it was clear that VICTORY doesn’t narrow the future to proprietary architectures, but rather builds a bridge to a brighter future.

But unlike your new Tesla, VICTORY allows for network of new and existing systems. It adopts industry standards to allow for the greatest level of innovation in an open, yet secure network. It will reduce SWAP in many ways, the most obvious is the use of a single display for multiple systems. It will also reduce “cockpit error” by combining data from different sources such as the fire control systems and Coms. Finally it will create a more universal UI, (User Interface) that will reduce training time.

COTS Journal | May 2019

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Elbit Systems Awarded $30 Million Contract to Provide HighPrecision Guided Mortar Munitions to an Asia-Pacific Country Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded an approximately $30 million contract to supply STYLET, a precise Guided Mortar Munition (GMM) to a country in Asia-Pacific. The contract will be performed over a two-year period.

nitions that are also economically efficient. This contract award underscores the Company’s significantly improved positioning in the ordnance

area in general, and in the area of precise guided munitions in particular, following the acquisition of IMI Systems.”

Phoenix’s relationship with the US Army has been ongoing since 2007. In 2014, Phoenix was awarded a $3 million contract with the Army to design and build a first-of-its-kind accelerator-based neutron generator to be used for nondestructive inspection of critical defense components such as munitions and pyrotechnics, which cannot be inspected for certain defects using X-ray. In 2016, Phoenix was awarded two more contracts valued at a combined $3.6 million to design and build a second-generation neutron generator for detecting defective munitions and to conduct standoff buried IED detection using a Phoenix-developed mobile neutron generator prototype.

neutron-based research experiments for both commercial and government customers. PNIC will also serve as a template for additional systems that can be sited at industrial sites across the country and integrated with production and quality assurance operations. This model is intended to reduce nondestructive inspection cycle times and increase accessibility of neutron radiography, which has been hindered by the limited access at the few remaining nuclear reactor facilities offering this capability.

With a range of 1000-8500m, STYLET is a multi-mode GPS/INS guided 120mm GMM that is designed for tactical combat units and Special-Forces. STYLET’s high accuracy of less than 10 meters Circular Error Probable (CEP) provides ground forces with an affordable precise solution that is easy and quick to operate, increasing their operational effectiveness while sharply reducing collateral damage.

Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land, commented, “We are proud of the introduction of this new round into our portfolio of precise Guided Mortar Munitions. We see a growing demand for high-precision guided mu-

Phoenix Secures $4M in Funding from the US Army Phoenix, LLC, a Wisconsin-based nuclear technology company, has secured $4 million in funding from the US Army to demonstrate innovative neutron-based methods of nondestructive testing utilizing its high flux neutron generators.

Phoenix’s latest contract funds demonstration of a high-throughput, high-resolution thermal neutron imaging system as well as a fast neutron imaging system. Further, Phoenix will take the first steps toward fusing neutron radiographs with X-rays to present inspectors with complementary information in the form of a hybrid image.

“With N-ray and X-ray capabilities merged, the technology Phoenix is developing will be instrumental in the inspection of large, complex munitions for the military and vital to ensuring our warfighters continue to receive safe and effective munitions produced in the most efficient manner,” says Phoenix President Evan Sengbusch.

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Under the latest Army contract award, demonstration work will be performed at Phoenix’s Neutron Imaging Center (PNIC), in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. PNIC is a paradigm shift both for the company and for neutron imaging. The facility, set to open later in 2019, will offer customers neutron radiography as a service as well as provide a testbed for

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Mercury Systems Dedicates Expanded Advanced Microelectronics Center in Huntsville, Ala.

combined capabilities in each facility provide “one-stop shopping” for defense prime customers who need to reduce their supply chain complexity and lower risk.

Congressman Mo Brooks delivered keynote address at ribbon cutting ceremon

“Our AS9100D-certified Huntsville facility now has even more capability, enabling us to continue providing very advanced, leading mixed-signal processing solutions that support our Prime customers in the development of the next-generation radar, electronic warfare and ELINT systems critical to maintaining dominance of the electromagnetic spectrum,” said Neil Austin, Vice President and General Manager of Mercury’s Embedded Sensor Processing group. “This expansion is part of our ongoing commitment to provide our customers with scalable and redundant design and trusted manufacturing facilities coupled with best-in-industry innovation and technology.”

Mercury Systems, Inc. celebrated the dedication of its expanded Advanced Microelectronics Center (AMC) in Huntsville, Ala. Congressman Mo Brooks (R); Col. Robert Barrie, Military Deputy, PEO Aviation; Donna McCrary of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce; and Harrison Diamond from the Office of the Mayor joined senior Mercury executives for a ribbon cutting ceremony, reception and facility tour.

A state-of-the-art, 24,000 square foot design and assembly facility for RF and digital processing technologies including 5,000 square feet of lab space with secure production capabilities, the expanded AMC provides redundant and complementary capabilities with the Company’s existing AMCs located in Hudson, N.H, Phoenix, Ariz. and West Caldwell, N.J. The

AeroSystems announces the Spirit – a unique approach to the Industrial Drone Market Massachusetts-based Ascent AeroSystems announced the specifications, pricing, availability and launch customer for “Spirit”, its new dual-rotor coaxial drone and named Huntsville, Alabama-based Dynetics as the launch customer.

“Bulky, fragile and unable to fly in bad weather, today’s ‘industrial’ drones are not well-suited for mission-critical operations.

Damage from normal handling and weather conditions like light rain and moderate wind often delay, interrupt or cancel flights. That means wasted time, higher costs, and increased risks for operators and the customers who depend on them,” said Peter Fuchs, Ascent AeroSystems CEO. “Our vertical cylinder configuration reduces the size of the airframe to an absolute minimum, making the drone really portable. Cylinders are also inherently strong. With a simpler structure it’s also easier to make resistant to water and dirt, so we’ve got the smallest, strongest, most environ-

team at Mercury Systems for this truly impressive facility, and I am proud of the Alabama citizens now supporting our military forces with trusted defense microelectronics.”

“The expansion of this facility further reinforces Alabama’s commitment to driving economic growth and prosperity through the creation of sustainable, high-quality jobs,” said Congressman Mo Brooks. “I congratulate the mentally resistant aerial vehicle possible,” said Nate Meringer, Chief Engineer.

Five years in the making, the Spirit is the ideal platform for public safety, military and intelligence operators. “The core is not much bigger than a coffee can and weighs just 3 pounds, but it can carry more than 10 pounds. With two batteries it can fit in a backpack and fly for more than 50 minutes. That’s unprecedented,” said CEO Peter Fuchs. “We’ve included quick-connect attachments on the top and the bottom of the drone, so you can configure it as needed to suit any mission.”

Dynetics Named Launch Customer Dynetics, a Huntsville, Alabama defense contractor, is the launch customer for Spirit. Mark Miller, Dynetics’ Vice President and Division Manager of Missile and Aviation Systems, said “Dynetics has been using Ascent’s coaxial technology for more than a year, and we’ve been impressed by the performance and reliability of these vehicles. Not only is the cylindrical shape great for austere environments, it also makes it possible to launch the vehicle in ways that other configurations simply can’t do. This opens up an entirely new set of potential missions that can’t be met by conventional UAVs.” Steve Norris, Dynetics’ Department Manager for Unmanned Systems, explained the company’s selection. “We have found that stability, maneuverability and speed of Ascent’s UAVs are excellent, and its lifting capability is outstanding for such a compact vehicle. We see a wide range of uses for this unique VTOL platform. The Spirit’s modular configuration also improves our ability to incorporate new technologies, so we can rapidly develop new payloads and demonstrate new capabilities to our customers in the defense and intelligence communities.”

COTS Journal | May 2019

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Mercury Systems Congratulates Boeing on KC-46A Pegasus Tanker Deliveries to U.S. Air Force

Mercury Systems, Inc. congratulates Boeing on its initial deliveries of KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft to the U.S. Air Force.

Jennifer Graves, General Manager of the Mercury Mission Systems group, attended Boeing’s delivery ceremonies in Everett, Wash. earlier this year, as a VIP guest in recognition of being a long-term trusted vendor that has supplied many mission-critical line replacement units (LRU) to Boeing on time and defect free.

“Mercury Systems is honored to be a supplier to Boeing on this vital program to modernize our nation’s long-range, airborne tanker fleet with next generation technology and capability,” said Ms. Graves. “Mercury continues to earn recognition as a top-rated supplier, delivering ‘first-time’ quality products on time and meeting Boeing’s delivery schedule to the U.S. Air Force.”

Since the first delivery events in January, Boeing has continued to deliver tanker aircraft to the Air Force at both McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas and Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

Mercury Systems develops and supplies the hardware and software required by nine on-platform, flight-certifiable avionics boxes that enhance mission effectiveness with improved situational awareness, giving aviators greater operational flexibility.

Harris Corporation Awarded $212 Million F/A-18 Electronic Warfare System Contract, Melbourne, Fla. Highlights: • Provides highly reliable electronic warfare technology for aircraft safety and mission success • Continuous modernization has helped to keep naval aviators ahead of emerging threats • Recognized for 100 percent on-time delivery over 21-year, $2 billion partnership Harris Corporation has been awarded a $212 million contract modification to supply the next production lot of electronic jammers to protect U.S. Navy and Foreign Military Sales F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft against electronic threats. The contract, which represents the largest order on the program to date, was received during the third quarter of Harris’ fiscal 2019.

Harris will manufacture and deliver Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) jammers for the F/A-18C/D/E/F variants, with deliveries under the new contract expected to be 10

COTS Journal | May 2019

completed by August 2022. The Harris ALQ214A(V)4/5 is the key onboard electronic warfare (EW) jamming system for the IDECM program, protecting the aircraft from electronic threats, including sophisticated integrated air defense systems.

The award continues Harris’ 21-year partnership with the Navy and perfect on-time delivery record over the life of the IDECM program.

The company has received $2 billion in awards

to date from the Naval Air Systems Command for AN/ALQ-214 development and production.

“Our commitment to continually modernize IDECM has helped to keep naval aviators ahead of emerging threats and out of harm’s way,” said Ed Zoiss, president, Harris Electronic Systems. “The flawless delivery record to the Navy over the past two decades is a remarkable achievement and a reflection of the dedication and hard work of the Harris EW team.”

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Citadel Defense receives U.S. Government award to expand development of their CUAS technology that defeats threat drones and swarms U.S. Air Force captures the innovation of small business and creates a Silicon Valley success story with Citadel Defense.

We are creating new and innovative solutions with deep learning, AI, and software-controlled hardware, that allow us to address new threats in weeks rather than months or years. Our technology detected and defeated drones the system never saw before. Rapidly fielding this capability with unprecedented speed and agility advantages our warfighters.”

United States Air Force has awarded Citadel Defense with another contract for their industry-leading counter drone solution that defeats enemy drones on the battlefield and has strong potential for broader commercial application. The company’s mobile system has now been operated by each military service and many government agencies. Citadel has emerged as an industry leader in developing, deploying, and integrating anti-drone solutions with their Titan product. See how customers have used Citadel technology to protect their airspace.

Outcompeting the Adversary Will Roper, USAF’s Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, has improved how the USAF partners with companies like Citadel to field tomorrow’s military faster and smarter than ever before. When asked about the importance of Citadel’s mission, LTC(R) Matt England, U.S. Army and now VP of Business Development for Citadel, said, “Our Titan CUAS system autonomously clears the Warfighter’s airspace, allowing them to be unconcerned with threat drones and purely focused on the mission at hand. It’s the quintessential Force Multiplier to protect Servicemen and women while empowering their mission.”

When asked by a Senior Air Force Official how the company stays ahead of the rapidly changing threat, Christopher Williams, CEO of Citadel Defense answered, “We’ve attracted some of the world’s most talented engineers.

The United States is competing against peer adversaries on defense innovation.

Through USAF’s partnership with Citadel, the asymmetric threat posed by drones is being neutralized by Citadel’s Titan.

COTS Journal | May 2019

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DDC is Again Recognized for Outstanding Quality & Delivery Performance by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems!

Data Device Corporation (DDC) receives the 2018 Supplier of the Year award for exceptional performance from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). As a multiple time recipient of this award (2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018), DDC is proud to be recognized for our long-term commitment to delivering quality products on-

time, contributing to the success of our customers and the critical missions they serve.

DDC was selected to receive this prestigious award based upon having achieved and maintained GA-ASI award qualifications of 100% quality rating and a 100% on-time delivery rating throughout 2018, placing DDC within the top 1% of GA-ASI’s supply base for the year. This exceptional level of quality and performance has been at the core of DDC’s commitment to superior service and total customer satisfaction for more than 50 years.

Acquisition Enables Converged SmartNIC Solutions to Address Dynamic Workloads in the Data Center

Xilinx, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Solarflare Communications, Inc., an Irvine, Calif.-based privately-held company. Solarflare is a leading provider of high-performance, low latency networking solutions for customers spanning FinTech to cloud computing. The acquisition will enable Xilinx to combine its industry-leading FPGA, MPSoC and ACAP solutions with Solarflare’s ultra-low latency network interface card (NIC) technology and Onload application acceleration software, to enable new converged SmartNIC solutions, accelerating Xilinx’s “data center first” strategy and transition to a platform company.

Xilinx and Solarflare have been collaborating on advanced networking technology for the last two years, with Xilinx becoming a strategic investor in 2017. The two companies recently 12

COTS Journal | May 2019

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, in recognition of Outstanding Quality and Delivery Performance has awarded RFMW with their Supplier of the Year Award at a ceremony held at RFMW’s corporate office in San Jose, CA. The GA-ASI spokesperson stated, “Your commitment to excellence contributed to timely, high-quality production of Predator series remotely piloted aircraft systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems solutions to support security priorities worldwide.”

Upon acceptance of the award, Joel Levine, President of RFMW congratulated everyone involved, including the RFMW Warehouse, Value Add group, Product Management and Sales teams. “2019 marks RFMW’s 16th year in business and this award highlights our continued commitment to customer service excellence that comes with specialization and focus. Our team works in harmony both internally, from sales to shipping, and externally, with our customers and suppliers to provide on-time delivery of the highest performance and most advanced products in the RF / Microwave industry.”

Joel Levine, President of RFMW and Colleagues

Xilinx to Acquire Solarflare

RFMW Receives General Atomics Supplier of the Year Award

demonstrated their first joint solution – a single-chip FPGA-based 100G SmartNIC, processing 100 million packets per-second receive and transmit, all at less than 75 watts.

“The Solarflare team has worked very closely with Xilinx on next-generation networking technology and business collaboration since Xilinx became a strategic investor,” says Russell Stern, chief executive officer, Solarflare. “Our shared vision for the future of data center and cloud computing and the integration of our respective technologies makes this acquisition the ideal next step for our customers, employees, and investors, as well as the broader data center industry.”

“Solarflare has been a pioneer in key areas such as high-speed Ethernet, application acceleration, and NVMe-over-fabrics, which are the critical components needed to build the next generation of SmartNICs for cloud and enterprise technologies,” says Salil Raje, executive vice president and general manager, Data Center Group, Xilinx. “Acquiring Solarflare brings Xilinx

both market-leading technology and exceptional engineering talent with expertise in networking hardware, software, firmware and drivers. We are very excited about the possibilities with Solarflare as part of the Xilinx family to enable the adaptable, intelligent world.”

Russel Stern President & CEO of Solarflare

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Northrop Grumman Corporation has released SeaFIND™ (Sea Fiber Optic Inertial Navigation with Data Distribution), a next generation maritime inertial navigation system succeeding the company’s MK-39 Mod 3 and 4 series Inertial Navigation System product line

SeaFIND provides proven navigation capabilities in a compact and affordable package, making it ideal for applications where low cost as well as reduced size, weight and power requirements are critical. It is the first maritime inertial navigation system to move from the existing ring laser technology to Northrop Grumman’s new enhanced fiber optic gyro technology (eFOG™). The system has embedded navigation data distribution capabilities, leveraging Northrop Grumman’s proprietary algorithms for low data latency and allowing for the system to interface with a multitude of users that require accurate position and timing.

“SeaFIND allows us to meet a critical customer need where low size, weight and power requirements, as well as reliable position-keeping performance in GPS-denied environments, are critical,” said Todd Leavitt, vice president, maritime systems, Northrop Grumman. “This new approach features eFOG technology, which allows us to maintain performance equivalent to our ring laser gyro based systems, but in a much smaller footprint and at a reduced cost.”

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The system is designed using a modular system architecture and is comprised of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a separate electronics unit (EU) connected via a single cable. Its smaller coil size and denser IMU package allows for flexible installation in tight places.

Applications include guidance systems for unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles, coastal and offshore patrol vessels, as well as small, medium and large surface vessels. SeaFIND is non ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and available for use by domestic and international navies.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide.

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Expediting Software Certification for Military Systems, Platforms

Program seeks to develop process for continuous software certification and mission risk evaluation, reducing impediments to developing and fielding new defense capabilities

Military systems are increasingly using software to support functionality, new capabilities, and beyond. Before a new piece of software can be deployed within a system however, its functional safety and compliance with certain standards must be verified and ultimately receive certification. As the rapid rate of software usage continues to grow, it is becoming exceedingly difficult to assure that all software considered for military use is coded correctly and then tested, verified, and documented appropriately.

“Software requires a certain level of certification – or approval that it will work as intended with minimal risks – before receiving approval for use within military systems and platforms,” said Dr. Ray Richards, a program manager in DARPA’s Information Innovation Office (I2O). “However, the effort required to certify software is an impediment to expeditiously developing and fielding new capabilities within the defense community.”

Today, the software certification process is largely manual and relies on human evaluators combing through piles of documentation, or assurance evidence, to determine whether the software meets certain certification criteria. The process is time consuming, costly, and can result in superficial or incomplete evaluations as re-

viewers bring their own sets of expertise, experiences, and biases to the process. A lack of a principled means of decomposing evaluations makes it difficult to create a balanced and trustworthy process that applies equally to all software. Further, each subsystem and component must be evaluated independently and re-evaluated before it can be used in a new system. “Just because a subsystem is certified for one system or platform does not mean it is unilaterally certified for all,” noted Richards. This creates additional time delays and review cycles.

To help accelerate and scale the software certification process, DARPA developed the Automated Rapid Certification Of Software (ARCOS) program. The goal of ARCOS is to create tools and a process that would allow for the automated assessment of software evidence and provide justification for a software’s level of assurance that is understandable. Taking advantage of recent advances in model-based design technology, “Big Code” analytics, mathematically rigorous analysis and verification, as well as assurance case languages, ARCOS seeks to develop

a capability to automatically evaluate software assurance evidence to enable certifiers to rapidly determine that system risk is acceptable.

“This approach to reengineering the software certification process is well timed as it aligns with the DoD Digital Engineering Strategy, which details how the department is looking to move away from document-based engineering processes and towards design models that are to be the authoritative source of truth for systems,” said Richards.

To create this automated capability, ARCOS will explore techniques for automating the evidence generation process for new and legacy software; create a means of curating evidence while maintaining its provenance; and develop technologies for the automated construction of assurance cases, as well as technologies that can validate and assess the confidence of an assurance case argument. The evidence generation, curation, and assessment technologies will form the ARCOS tools and processes, working collectively to provide a scalable means of accelerating the pathway to certification.

Throughout the program’s expected three phases, evaluations and assessments will occur to gauge how the research is progressing. ARCOS researchers will tackle progressively more challenging sets of software systems and associated artifacts. The envisioned evaluation progression will move from a single software module to a set of interacting modules and finally to a realistic military software system.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Rugged, High-Density Computing for Combat Vehicles

By Aneesh Kothari, Vice President, Systel Today’s modern combat vehicle is increasingly being outfitted with next-generation technology and densely sensored systems, generating immense amounts of raw data.

New requirements demanded by Army leadership, including artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL), directly support the mandates for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and unmanned ground vehicles.

These new requirements necessitate the need for sophisticated IT architectures capable of not only providing high-speed processing and

Deep Learning Training and Inferencing Model Š NVIDIA 16

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high-power performance but also capable of surviving the harsh environmental conditions encountered by combat vehicles and their crews.

Advances in computing in both technology and ruggedization are enabling a multitude of new capabilities. A prime example is the rise of the general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) which has led to an exponential leap in computing power. Historically, computing processing power has been directly

proportional to number of central processing unit (CPU) computing cores and amount of random access memory (RAM). The massive increase in AI and DL requirements throughout the defense space has led to increased reliance and importance in GPGPU technology.

GPGPUs can host thousands of small, efficient computing cores designed to process complex software algorithms in parallel, unlike the sequential processing ability of CPUs. This technology has outpaced the tenets

of Moore’s Law which has held remarkably steady since Intel® founder Gordon Moore predicted in 1965 a two-year cadence whereby processor performance would double.

GPGPUs are increasingly making Moore’s Law obsolete as improvements in the technology and design outpace this industry bedrock principle.

DL algorithms rely on immensely complex and sophisticated calculations to effectively and efficiently perform AI tasks such as image recognition – think enemy vehicle recognition in hostile environments. Two iterative steps must be taken in order to deploy AI capabilities in a combat application: training and inferencing. During the training stage, data is placed in the first layer of a DL neural network with decisions based on attributes and weighted inputs propagated through the network. Trained networks are streamlined and deployed into the field during the inference stage for real-world applications. These

The Raven-Strike®

Raven-Strike® Example Combat Vehicle Workflow © Systel, Inc. COTS Journal | May 2019

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processes are continually iterative with incredibly large matrices of data sets, requiring computing power equal to the task.

Companies like Systel, Inc. headquartered in Sugar Land, TX are taking advantage of new technological advances to offer next-generation computing needed for the future fight.

Systel’s Strike™ series consists of small form factor (SFF), high-performance embedded edge computing (HPEEC) solutions. Fully rugged and purpose-built for combat vehicle deployment, systems such as Systel’s Raven-Strike® computer integrate multiple Central Processing Units (CPUs) and GPGPUs to act as AI-enabling hardware solutions.

Raven-Strike® is a single line-replaceable unit (LRU), designed for centralized ingest and data fusion of all vehicle sensors. This allows for the ability to seamlessly collect, process, exploit, and disseminate critical data at near real-time speeds. Enabling hardware such as Raven-Strike® allows the use of AI to shift the workload from man to machine and optimize and enable critical capabilities such as hostile fire detection and localization (HFDL), aided target recognition and detection (AiTR/AiTD), shot detection, au-

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tonomous mobility, active protection systems (APS), threat detection and identification, and predictive analytics and maintenance.

The aim of AI applications like MUM-T is not to remove the warfighter from the equation but to ease the cognitive burden and overload on the soldier. Reducing demands on the armored vehicle crew and streamlining decision making points through AI ultimately results in better protection of critical assets and leads to continued tactical superiority on the battlefield.

It’s not enough to have data center processing capabilities through the use of GPGPU technology. Systems deployed at the forward edge must be completely ruggedized for harsh environment use. A prime challenge faced by system integrators is the significant heat produced by high-performance electronics. Integrators must successfully design and implement optimized cooling technologies to dissipate high wattages. The “push-pull” is that new requirements demand increasingly higher-performance and higher wattage electronics in small footprints with size, weight, power, cooling, and cost (SWaP-2C) considerations at the forefront. The result is that companies like Systel are asked to take data cen-

ter server rack performance and implement it into fully sealed, SFF embedded systems for vehicle integration.

Systel utilizes advanced thermal management techniques to cool fully sealed, fully rugged computers with high wattage electronics at extreme operating temperature ranges. Additional vital environmental and rugged build considerations include shock and vibration, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and power filtering, and dust and water ingress. A robust engineering and production loop of analysis, validation, and testing must be ingrained to ensure prototype and production systems are designed and manufactured with paramount importance placed on harsh environment survival.

Raven-Strike® is Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9 which mitigates program risk and time to deployment. Proven rugged computing solutions are a vital pillar of the next-generation of combat vehicles and help ensure continued technological dominance over our adversaries.

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Shift Toward Standardized System Solutions for Military Ground Vehicles

By Nicholas Pease and David Procter, Product Managers at TE Connectivity (TE)

Military ground vehicle interconnect solutions are shifting from custom, one-off designs to systems comprised of readily available standardized components.

Standardized options can handle applications faster, better and more economically.

Current Market & Practices A shifting battlefield is challenging the traditional approach to platform design in military ground vehicles, which play an integral role in modern militaries. Today, vehicle interconnect solutions are highly sophisticated and designed to withstand the harshest environments ground forces will encounter, including extreme temperatures, water immersion, vibration, shock, fire and more. Wiring harnesses and complete interconnect solutions form the backbone connecting critical command and control functions. Presently, however, multiple sub-systems (like radar, communications and GPS) in the same vehicle all operate independently of each other and are often incompatible.

A lack of standardization across vehicle fleets can result in inconsistent Human Machine Interface (HMI) — including crew controls, displays and connectivity — while also leading to increased training and maintenance costs, in addition to more time spent on both.

Each driver or operator is trained specifically for their vehicle, with service, maintenance and spare parts also unique to that vehicle. In critical situations this prevents platform sharing of common parts between vehicles, thereby reducing the number of available vehicles to a ground fleet as damage is incurred and systems are affected.

Interconnect systems are made up of numerous unique parts which presents inventory and stocking challenges, further delaying a damaged vehicle from returning to service.

These systems are in service for many years and are subject to significant upgrades as requirements frequently change to address new threats, scenarios and technology. Additionally, as current and future ground vehicles demand more sophisticated onboard communication systems, power distribution, and active protection systems, more electronics lead to space constraints within the vehicles. All of

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these issues lead to a significantly higher cost of ownership throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle. full bitstream signature-based authentication.

Shifting Landscape Drive Toward Standardization To reduce defense spending and homogenize platforms, many governments are driving toward standardization. These new standards are already beginning to redefine electrical interfaces used in advanced military ground vehicles. Several countries leading the charge with examples of vehicle and system architecture specifications mandated on all new programs include: • United Kingdom: UK MOD Defense Standard 23-09, Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) The initiative specifies the mandatory standards for the design and implementation of land vehicle platform electronic and power infrastructures, physical interfaces, HMI and Health & Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS). The use of GVA was first applied in Ocelot (Foxhound) armored vehicles enabling quick and easy electronics and wiring replacement.

• United States: US VICTORY This standard defines a set of open standards developed by a government-industry partnership for interfaces and component types. VICTORY represents a combination of C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and EW (electronic warfare) with a DataBus-centric approach.

• Australia: DEF (AUST) 11297 Australia’s approach maximizes the use of open, modular and scalable hardware and software by using a generic combat system architecture and wiring replacement. This is very similar to the United States’ VICTORY standard.

Figure 1 - A typical sealed harness assembly for military ground vehicles (courtesy of TE Connectivity)

The standards above are beginning to define standard electrical interfaces on equipment, including connector specifications, sizes, platforms and pin assignment. Although these standards differ slightly in scope and content, they are driving toward the same basic principles: standardization and compatibility of vehicle systems and interfaces.

Impact of Standardization Advancing Electrical Harness Design A significant benefit of moving toward standardization is being able to use CommercialOff-The-Shelf (COTS) components. Designed to specific standards (such as connectors types and pin assignments), COTS products enable manufacturers and support networks to keep replacement parts readily available for new designs or repairs. This situation stands in contrast to fully bespoke components. If a vehicle that uses custom components is damaged or requires maintenance, it could be out of action for months awaiting a custom replacement part. However, using COTS components can reduce repair and replacement times to hours or days.

Ground vehicle interconnect system designs have become increasingly complicated with limited continuity between designs. Allowing vehicle architects to source standardized systems from COTS components and suppliers allows more focus on the functionality and longterm repairability of systems, thereby reducing complexity of designs, improving performance and reducing costs. Currently, electrical designers face demanding challenges during the design process and can benefit from a onestop source for military-standard interconnect systems. A fully integrated supply chain that offers all the required components and manufactures Military-Standard Interconnect Systems, along with design and engineering expertise, can be a valuable long-term partner.

Roadmap to the Future Spec’d for Success Working with a large supplier such as TE, designers can confidently make their product selection knowing a complete range of components are available that meet and exceed GVA, VICTORY, and other military standards.

Given the challenges, complexity, and critical-

ity of mission-ready harnesses and cabling, it’s advisable for designers to work with a knowledgeable supplier early in the design process.

Engineering knowledge, offered by TE engineers who are experts in the needs of next-generation military applications, can guide users to the right set of components for their specific applications and standards.

TE has developed compatible systems of components for specific applications. Several examples of current end-to-end systems available are: • TE System 25: Environmentally sealed, flame and fluid resistant system that is suited to rugged military vehicles, especially exposed or exterior applications.

• TE System 100: Sealed low-toxicity, lowsmoke, zero-halogen system that is designed for confined, enclosed environments such as internal vehicle or marine areas.

• TE System 200: Sealed, high-temperature, and resistant to aggressive fluids. Suited to engine compartments or areas with prolonged, high-temperature exposure.

A leading global connectivity supplier for COTS Journal | May 2019

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Photo by: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck - An M1A1 Abrams main battle tank fires its main gun during a pre-deployment training exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Nov. 9, 2018.

defense, TE is a one-stop-shop for harsh environment interconnect solutions. TE offers a fully integrated supply chain that includes wire and cable, tubing, molded parts, backshells and connectors from its Raychem, DEUTSCH, Polamco and AMP product families. Selecting from standardized systems and components, users can quickly design and implement requirements for future platforms.

Looking to the future, manufacturers could eventually produce power distribution units, power and data cables, connectors, various switches and other components that are pre-manufactured to the military standards of each country. This will allow for almost immediate demand satisfaction, a high-level of quality, and the ability to plug-and-play using standardized parts that put vehicles back at full force-readiness with minimal effort and cost.

The drive toward standardization will lead to a complete overhaul of the design process. The result would be improvements for everyone, starting with the system designer all the way through to the soldiers on the ground. Readily-available, standardized assemblies and systems are the future; military readiness and ground defense are depending on it.

COTS Journal | May 2019

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May 2019

COT’S PICKS Pentek’s New 3U VPX Board Optimizes High-Speed Optical and RF I/O Connectivity

• OpenVPX Compliant Optical and RF I/O to VPX Backplane • Jade Architecture with Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale FPGA offers price, power and processing performance advantages • Navigator Design Suite expedites development and custom IP integration Pentek introduced the newest member of the Jade™ family of high-performance 3U VPX boards.

The Model 54851 is based on the Kintex Ultrascale and features two 500 MHz 12-bit A/Ds with two programmable multiband digital down converters (DDCs) and one digital up converter (DUC) with two 800 MHz 16-bit D/As. The 54851 is the first board utilizing this new 3U VPX architecture with advanced wideband I/O options.

VITA 67.2, containing multi-position blind-mate analog connectors with SMPM contacts.

• Option -112: RF connections based on ANSI/ VITA 67.3 type C, containing multi-position blind mate analog connectors with SMPM contacts, spring-loaded on the backplane allowing more movement and larger diameter cables for better performance.

Future options for higher density optical and RF connectors are planned as the supporting standards become available. Organizations such as The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA™) Consortium are specifying additional types and apertures for VITA 67.3.

The Model 54851 can be populated with a range of Kintex UltraScale FPGAs to match specific

“Recent enhancements to OpenVPX have greatly improved I/O capabilities,” said Robert Sgandurra, director of Product Management.

“These enhancements play well into Pentek’s modular approach to product design by offering optical and RF options for high-performance I/O that perfectly match our product capabilities.”

The Model 54851 takes advantage of these VPX I/O options for RF and optical interconnects through the VPX backplane: • Option -110: Optical connections based on VITA 66.5 (draft), containing blind-mate MT optical connectors with fixed contacts on the plug-in module and floating displacement on the backplane.

• Option -111: RF connections based on ANSI/

VadaTech Announces New AMC with Dual High performance 40/50/100GbE Host Bus Adapter VadaTech, a leading manufacturer of integrated systems, embedded boards, enabling software and application-ready platforms, announces the AMC243. VadaTech AMC243 Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is a dual port 40/50/100Gb Ethernet Unified Wire Adapter, with a PCI Express 3.0 x16 host bus interface, optimized for storage, cloud computing, HPC, virtualization and other datacenter networking applications.

The module has 4GB of DDR-4 memory with ECC. The AMC243 offers support for integrated offload of IPsec, TLS/SSL, DTLS and SMB 3.X 24

COTS Journal | May 2019

crypto. The AMC243 provides sub micro-second end-to-end latency, while offloading the host CPU from a variety of typical storage, networking, and cloud related protocols. This will enable savings in host CPU acquisition costs, power and operational costs, and dramatically increases system performance.

FCoE and iSCSI support in AMC243 benefit from high reliability features that include memory ECC, data path CRC and T10-DIX offload, in addition to the checksums and CRC available at different protocols layers. High performance iSCSI and FCoE provide a drop-in replacement upgrade from legacy SANs to converged networks.

requirements of the processing task, spanning from the entry-level KU035 (with 1,700 DSP slices) to the high-performance KU115 (with 5,520 DSP slices).

The KU115 is ideal for demanding modulation/ demodulation, encoding/decoding, encryption/decryption, and channelization of the signals between transmission and reception. For applications not requiring large DSP resources or logic, a lower-cost FPGA can be installed.

The Model 54851 also includes a complete multi-board clock and sync engine and a large DDR4 memory. In addition to supporting PCI Express Gen. 3 as a native interface, the Model 54851 includes optional high-bandwidth connections to the Kintex UltraScale FPGA for custom digital I/O. Pentek www.pentek.com

May 2019

COT’S PICKS Pixus Technologies annouce new OpenVPX chassis with RF interfaces and a rugged SDR

As the Microwave/RF industry moves to more open standard architectures, prototyping/test systems will be required for fast and efficient product development. Pixus will be displaying one of their new VITA 67 open frame test/dev chassis for OpenVPX. The VITA 67 specification defines RF signaling across the open standard backplane architecture. The versatile Pixus chassis allows either 3U or 6U boards of various configurations to be tested.

With a line of modular instrumentation cases, Pixus will also have a couple of examples of their Vario and RiCase style enclosures. The versatile enclosures allow various sizes and configurations to be utilized in a vast array of applications.

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Pixus Technologies http://www.pixustechnologies.com/

Pixus will also display a rugged Software Defined Radio (SDR) based on X310 from Ettus Research, a National Instruments brand. The weatherproof, rugged enclosure features IP67 sealing for water and dust ingress. The Pixus RX310 contains two extended bandwidth daughterboard slots covering 10 MHz – 6 GHz with up to 160 MHz of baseband bandwidth, dual 1/10 GigE high-speed interfaces, and a large user-programmable Kintex-7 FPGA. The RX310 series can be used in various types of airborne, shipboard, ground vehicle, or outdoor designs.

Klocwork employs stricter standards and increased features Klocwork overview stricter standards, increased features, and shorter development cycles make it easier for development teams to find bugs and avoid security holes. The goal is to identify problems early on and, ideally, to help prevent bugs. Klocwork’s Shift-Left approach already helps the developer to program by simultaneously analyzing the currently processed part of the program in the background. Early detection of problematic code parts before build reduces the later testing effort. There are several hundred so-called checkers available, which examine the software for malicious code, buffer overflows, memory leaks, coding standards, etc. and help you to fix them. Of course, own checkers can be implemented, so that the analysis can be adapted to the application.

One of the strengths of Klocwork is the interaction of the client analysis with the server components. Projects can be centrally managed and configured and synchronized with the client, including a complete analysis of the appli-

cation for the application responsible. Thanks to the collaborative functions, the subsequent tasks can be distributed through direct feedback in the IDE, but also through connection to external systems (eg bug trackers) and thus accelerated. Over 100 different metrics make Klocwork a powerful reporting tool that provides IT managers with the most up-to-date overview of the quality of the software as well as historical data used to represent the evolution of application code issues over a period of time.

A reporting generator offers the opportunity to answer complex questions about the security and maintainability of the entire code base in minutes. In addition to continuous reporting, continuous analysis in the application lifecycle is becoming increasingly important. Klocwork provides plug-ins for popular continuous integration systems such as Jenkins, so analyzes do not have to be done as part of a nightly build, but are triggered right after a developer commits.

Only the changed components are considered and a real-time overview of the quality status of the application is possible.

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May 2019

COT’S PICKS M-Max 950 CU

High Performance Rugged 19/2” System with Extended GPU Performance from MicroMax Computer Intelligence Details • Specification • High performance Intel Xeon E3-1505L V5, 2.0-2.8 GHz • Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics controller • IP66 rated dust and moisture protection • Shock handling up to 40g, Vibration up to 2.5g • Operating Temperature: −40 to +50 °C

Pasternack Launches a New Comprehensive Product Line of Tunnel Diode Detectors Available with SameDay Shipping New Tunnel Diode Detectors Cover Broadband Frequencies Ranging from 100 MHz to 26 GHz and exhibit Fast Pulse Response Risetimes Pasternack has introduced a new product line of coaxial packaged tunnel diode detectors that are in-stock and available with no MOQ required. These detectors are ideal for prototype and proof-of-concept applications used in aerospace and defense, military and commercial radar, test and measurement, SATCOM applications and more.

Pasternack’s comprehensive offering includes 26 models of tunnel diode detectors that feature rugged Germanium planar construction

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COTS Journal | May 2019

The M-Max 950 CU high-performance rugged industrial computer provides reliable operation in tough environments. The fully-ruggedized 19/2”-type aluminum chassis is fanless and uses natural convection and conduction cooling in accordance with MIL-STD-810 standards. COTS technology components allow configuring the M-Max 950 family to comply with a wide variety of airborne, marine and ground vehicle applications.

MicroMax http://www.micromax.com/

Delivering outstanding performance comparable to high-end desktop systems, it also features extended graphics capabilities, providing up to 6x HDMI outputs.

and operate over octave and broadband frequencies that range from 100 MHz to 26 GHz. These zero biased designs are available in both positive and negative video output polarities and offer excellent dynamic range with very efficient low-level signal detection. Another added benefit is an extremely fast pulse response risetime of 5 nsec typical. These detectors have maximum input power handling of +17 dBm and exhibit a flat video output response across wide frequency bands over a maximum temperature range of -65°C to +115°C. All models are RoHS and REACH compliant and available in compact cylindrical packages that feature an SMA male RF input connector and an SMA female video output connector.

“Our new tunnel diode detector product line is ideal when fast and sensitive power detection capability is needed. We offer a comprehensive selection of broadband high-performance designs that cover a variety of applications, plus detailed datasheets, applications support and

immediate, in-stock availability with no MOQ required,” said Tim Galla, Product Manager.

Pasternack www.pasternack.com

May 2019

COT’S PICKS Mercury Systems Announces Rugged Servers with Second Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors New rugged rackmount servers deliver the latest data center-level performance to enable customers to efficiently power their C4ISR edge applications Mercury Systems, Inc. unveiled its rugged rackmount server product lineup featuring Intel® Second Generation Xeon® Scalable Processors ( formerly code-named “Cascade Lake”). Mercury’s new EnterpriseSeries™ RES-XR6 line of configurable servers, equipped with the latest Intel processors, enable users to customize a solution which provides the optimum balance of compute density, size, weight, and power (SWaP), based on their specific application needs.

Known for their high performance, configuration flexibility, environmental resiliency and availability, Mercury’s server platforms provide the processing backbone for key artificial intelligence (AI), radar, C4ISR, and tactical networking defense applications.

“Our customers require the latest processing platforms to stay ahead of and counteract adversarial threats,” said Scott Orton, Vice President and General Manager of Mercury’s Trusted Mission Solutions group. “Mercury partners with industry leaders, such as Intel, to ensure rapid technology adoption, allowing our customers to tailor solutions optimized to meet their current needs and scalable to ensure future mission success.”

Mercury’s EnterpriseSeries RES-XR6 Server Highlights: • Improved efficiency for AI applications: Intel® Deep Learning Boost extends Intel Advanced Vector Extensions-512 (Intel AVX-512) to accelerate inference applications and speed up dense computations characteristic of convolu-

tional neural networks (CNNs) and deep neural networks (DNNs).

• Tailored Performance: To meet current and future processing requirements, customers can fine-tune server configurations with the latest Intel Xeon Scalable processors including Platinum 8200, Gold 6200 + 5200, Silver 4200 and Bronze 3200 with 2-way and 4-way multiprocessing. The EnterpriseSeries RES-XR6 can be configured with 2-4 Intel Scalable Processors (112-224 cores). Intel’s Optane Data Center persistent memory technology enables quicker access to more data by directly attaching multiple terabytes of memory, a maximum of 6TB, to the CPU. • Configuration Versatility: A robust array of form-factors, high speed I/O, storage options, security features, patented technologies and expansion choices allow users maximum flexibility. For specialized customer applications, Mercury’s in-house facilities support rapid prototyping of modified COTS test and evaluation units with 3D model prototypes available within 48 hours.

• Engineered for harsh environments: EnterpriseSeries servers meet a wide range of military specifications including MIL-STD 810G, 461F (EMI/RFI), 901D (shock), 167-1 (vibration), 1474-D (airborne noise), and 740-2 (structural borne noise). Advanced thermal and mechanical design features deliver superior resilience to shock, vibration, dust, sand and temperature extremes. Additional reliability features, testing, and certifications are available upon request.

• Low Total Cost of Ownership: Greater performance per dollar and extended operational life with scalability options, enables customers to consolidate workloads, resulting in more virtual machines per server, fewer total servers and lower total cost of ownership.

Mercury Systems Inc. www.mrcy.com

COTS Journal | May 2019

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May 2019

COT’S PICKS Abaco Announces Ultra-high Performance Graphics, Vision and AI Evaluation Platform Featuring NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier Module • Delivers up to 5.7 TeraFLOPS for maximum performance in advanced applications • Minimal SWaP enables deployment in constrained environments • Wide range of I/O provides maximum flexibility Abaco Systems today announced the GVC1001 ultra-high performance graphics, vision and AI evaluation platform. It is based on the recently-released NVIDIA® Jetson™ AGX Xavier™ module that features an NVIDIA Volta GPU with 512 Tensor Cores and an 8-core ARM® CPU. The GVC1001 is capable of up to 5.7 TeraFLOPS of performance.

The GVC1001 is ideal for deployment on

highly constrained platforms such as autonomous vehicles. Typical applications include embedded training, 360° situational awareness, EO/IR processing, non-cert Degraded Visual Environment (DVE), display processing, moving map and many more.

These types of compute-, data- and image-intensive applications are now requiring AI, deep learning techniques and inferencing engines which the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier module delivers. This new level of processing is required for advanced digital maps, image recognition, image segmentation, object localization, image fusion, image stabilization, object tracking and image correction within the target applications.

The GVC1001 is particularly suitable for ground vehicles as it provides two CANBus ports for vehicle data. It is capable of very high bandwidth with video ingest from multiple cameras over the two 10GbE ports. Additionally, for data-intensive applications, the 512-core CUDA®-ca-

pable Volta GPU opens up a broad range of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications. These include wide area persistent surveillance, hyperspectral sensor fusion, IED detection, and synthetic aperture radar processing.

“As an NVIDIA Jetson Preferred Partner in the military/aerospace segment, we have early access to NVIDIA’s design and support resources, meaning we can innovate earlier, and be on the leading edge of NVIDIA’s product roadmap – to the benefit of our customers,” said Peter Thompson, Vice President, Product Management, Abaco Systems. “The GVC1001 delivers a huge amount of customer- and application researched value, and is an off-theshelf solution that can reduce cost, risk and time to market.”

Abaco Systems Inc. www.abaco.com

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May 2019

COT’S PICKS Elma Adds Liquid Flow Through (LFT) Cooling to OpenVPX Development Platform New chassis design accommodates up to six VITA 48.4 boards VITA 48.4 Liquid Flow Through (LFT), Elma Electronic Technical Highlights Test & development platform for 6U OpenVPX Plug-In Modules requiring VITA 48.4 LFT cooling Elma Electronic Inc. has added liquid flow through cooling capabilities to its expanding line of OpenVPX development platforms. Designed to accept up to six 6U VPX modules on a 1” pitch, the new chassis also incorporates either a built-in power supply or a VITA 62 plug-in power module.

The VITA 48.x family of standards covers multiple cooling approaches. Ratified in July 2018, VITA 48.4 Liquid Flow Through (LFT) defines the basic dimensions, heat exchanger, mechanical assembly and chassis interface for LFT cooling for 6U VPX Plug-In

Green Hills Software Adds Arm Architecture for a Trifecta of FACE 3.0 Certifications INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS Certified Conformant to the Latest Version of the FACE Technical Standard for Arm, Intel, and Power Architectures Green Hills Software, the worldwide leader in high-assurance operating systems, today announced it has completed the certification of conformance for its INTEGRITY®-178 Time-Variant Unified Multi Processing (tuMP™) RTOS for Arm® architectures to the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE™) Technical Standard edition 3.0. The INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS was previously certified for both Intel® and Power Architecture®, therefore all three major processor architectures used for security- and safety-critical applications are now certified.

All certifications cover both the Safety Base and Security profiles and include verification for C, C++ and Ada support for both profiles. Even though version 3.0 of the FACE Technical Standard was published almost 1.5 years ago (November 2017), the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS remains the only software certified conformant to the latest revision.

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Modules. It specifies the dimensions and tolerances to ensure mechanical intermateability within associated subracks.

provide a cooling capacity of 500W. For easy system monitoring, a flow indicator shows whether liquid is circulating.

An integrated liquid-to-air heat exchanger on the development platform provides the needed fluid for cooling via quick disconnect (QD) coupling assemblies. The plug-in modules use liquid flowing through a core heat exchanger located within the heat-sink of the module to cool the electronic components on the circuit boards. The QD coupling assemblies allow the connection to a chassis coolant inlet and outlet.

Optional backplanes can be built with wider slot pitches of 1.2” and 1.6” to accommodate wider plug-in modules.

Elma Electronic http://www.elma.com

Ram Rajan, senior vice president of engineering for Elma Electronic, said, “As new industry standards are developed, our customers are looking for products that will help them put these standards into practice. The new LFT development platform is intended for proof of concept testing as well as development tasks, giving designers the ability to test and incorporate this new liquid cooling methodology successfully.”

The chassis’ built-in heat exchanger uses either water or a high flow rate water/glycol mixture to Attaining conformance to the FACE 3.0 technical standard can be challenging for an operating system that is not designed to support the breadth of multicore architectures that exist in the market today. The FACE technical standard now requires any Operating System Segment (OSS) that claims support for multicore partitions to meet the 2015 update to ARINC-653 Part 1 Supplement 4, including the ability for “Multiple processes within a partition scheduled to execute concurrently on different processor cores.” Simplistic multi-processing architectures, such as Asymmetric Multi-Processing (AMP), are not sufficient to meet the requirements of Supplement 4. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP implements a richer set of multi-processing functionality, allowing any combination of AMP, Bound Multi-Processing (BMP), and Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP). BMP is an enhanced and restricted form of SMP that can statically bind an application’s ARINC-653 processes (i.e. threads) to a specific set of cores, allowing the system architect to more tightly control the concurrent operation of multiple cores.

The INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS implements AMP, BMP, and SMP on all of its FACE conformant processor architectures. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP functionality also makes it the only multicore RTOS solution suitable for Integrated Mod-

ular Avionics (IMA) as it provides the required features and tools necessary for system designers/integrators as well as sustainment operations to calculate the Worst Case Execution Times (WCET) of their airborne applications, while also mitigating the multicore interference risks and challenges.

“Green Hills Software is aggressively committed to compliance with the latest open standards, such as the FACE technical standard and ARINC 653 Part 1 Supplement 4,” said Dan O’Dowd, founder and chief executive officer of Green Hills Software. “While other RTOS suppliers claim to have multicore solutions for airborne systems, only Green Hills Software has flexible FACE 3.0 certified conformant solutions that enable equipment integrators and future sustainment operations to truly achieve and maintain an Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) system. Our FACE 3.0 certified conformant INTEGRITY-178 tuMP products, coupled with our advanced multicore RTOS features, are a giant step forward in reducing vendor-lock of critical airborne systems in today’s military aircraft.”

Green Hills Software www.ghs.com

May 2019

COT’S PICKS

OSS Introduces GPUltima Rugged Rack-Scale AI Solution and Demonstrates Full Range of AI on the Fly™ Accelerated Computing Products for the Warfighter

One Stop Systems, Inc. has introduced GPUltima Rugged Rack-Scale AI solution and will demonstrate its award winning AI on the Fly™ system platforms at the Navy League’s Global Maritime Exposition, Sea-Air-Space 2019 (SAS), the largest maritime exposition in the U.S., being held this week at Gaylord National Convention Center.

The company’s AI-system platforms accelerate autonomous vehicles, record high-speed surveillance data, detect real-time threats, deploy countermeasures and sift through mountains of radio transmission data to keep the warfighter at the forefront of AI technology.

OSS’ new GPUltima Rugged Rack-Scale AI solution is a rugged, modular, rack-level system housed in mobile shelters. The product performs RF spectrum signal analysis for a government intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) application with sustained simultaneous ingest, processing and storage up to 24GB/s. The full system rack utilizes a single dual processor server node to run up to 16 leading-edge FPGA signal acquisi-

tion cards 400TB of solid-state NVMe storage, 14.3 petaflops of GPU compute acceleration and an archival storage system.

AI on the Fly solutions are different than traditional datacenter-centric AI infrastructures, as they deploy the latest highest-speed commercial processing, input/output, networking and storage technologies in harsh and rugged environments.

The solutions meet unique criteria for shock and vibration, redundancy, large operating temperature, altitude ranges and uninterrupted power sources.

“OSS has unique expertise in high speed PCIe interconnect, scalable GPU compute systems and Ion Accelerator NVMe storage systems, as well as an extensive history of supplying ruggedized systems to the demanding military and aerospace industries,” said Steve Cooper, CEO of OSS. “Our AI on the Fly solutions range from embedded deployments based on the Bressner suite of Box PCs and custom CDI FPGA network interfaces, to high-end deployments using multi-rack systems made up of ingest, compute, storage and accelerator building blocks.”

One Stop Systems, Inc. www.onestopsystems.com

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May 2019

COT’S PICKS

ETS-Lindgren integrates the R&S CMX500 for 5G Wireless Device Test Requirements

2G) and connectivity (WLAN, Bluetooth®) testing.

The combination of the R&S CMX500 with the R&S CMW500 provides complete coverage of all major commercial wireless technologies.

The R&S CMX500 radio communication tester from Rohde & Schwarz brings extensive device testing capabilities to the market, covering standalone (SA), non-standalone (NSA), TDD, FDD, FR1 and FR2.

“5G NR is one of many radio access technologies that needs to be tested on the next generation of wireless devices,” says Jari Vikstedt, Director Wireless Solutions with ETS-Lindgren. “The ability to upgrade an existing ETS-Lindgren Wireless OTA and EMC/EMI test system to support 5G NR with the simple addition of a R&S CMX500 gives our customers the easiest and most cost-effective way to enable 5G testing.”

ETS-Lindgren is integrating the R&S CMX500 radio communication tester to offer turnkey 5G test solutions to its customers. Pairing the R&S CMX500 with ETS-Lindgren’s CTIA-compliant EMQuest™ Antenna Measurement software and regulatory-compliant TILE!™ emissions and immunity software will provide comprehensive 5G OTA and EMC/EMI test capabilities. The R&S CMX500 provides support for all 5G NR modes including FR1 (sub6 GHz) and FR2 (mmW), non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA), for both FDD and TDD. The R&S CMX500 works seamlessly with the R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester, the industry standard for cellular (LTE, C-IoT, 3G,

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“Different from other solutions on the market, the R&S CMX500 was designed from the ground-up to meet all of the diverse testing needs of 5G with a single solution,” says Michael Thorpe, Product Manager, Rohde & Schwarz. “We are excited to be part-

nering with ETS-Lindgren to bring 5G NR OTA and EMC testing capabilities to the market.”

ETS-Lindgren www.ets-lindgren.com/

May 2019

COT’S PICKS Micro Digital Announces eheap™ Enhancements

Micro Digital is pleased to announce new eheap enhancements. eheap is a heap manager designed specifically for embedded systems. New features are: Multiple heap support.

• Aligned allocations.

• ARM Cortex v7M MPU region allocations.

• Integral 8-byte and 12-byte block pools. eheap can efficiently support any number of heaps. Each can be independently configured to support tiny to very large heaps, each with an appropriate number of bins and other features.

Having multiple heaps is essential for achieving 100% isolation of partitions in secure systems.

Allocations can be aligned on any powerof-two boundary from 8 up to a specified maximum. Allocation efficiency is improved by accumulation of spare space in chunks ahead of chunks with aligned blocks. This also results

in steady growth of aligned blocks, which improves aligned allocation performance. eheap supports ARM Cortex-v7M MPU region allocations, thus permitting dynamic region creation at run time. This is simpler and more flexible than static region creation at compile time. To do this, allocated regions must have power-of-two sizes and be aligned on their sizes. eheap uses subregions to greatly improve the efficiency of region allocations.

Integral block pools have been added to greatly improve speed and efficiency of smallblock allocations for object-oriented languages such as C++. The pools operate like normal heap operations and if a pool becomes empty, blocks are transparently allocated from the main heap.

Thus block pools can be sized for normal, rather than peak requirements.

sizes to support a wide range of RAM sizes.

• Deferred free chunk merging.

• Bin sort and bin seed.

• Self-healing via bi-directional scanning.

• Debug chunks and statistics to aid debugging.

• High performance and deterministic operation.

• Small code and data footprint.

• RTOS and compiler agnostic.

• Licensed standalone and as part of SMX. eheap will run on any embedded system, with or without an RTOS. Micro Digital www.smxrtos.com

These new features add to previously announced eheap features: • Configurable number of bins and

COTS Journal | May 2019

33

COTS COTS

Index

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COTS Journal | May 2019

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