COTS Journal, December 2021

December 2021, Volume 23 – Number 12 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

Disruptive Technologies for COTS Products: Software Defined Radio (SDR) Trends Over the Last Year Embedded Solutions Using Thunderbolt 4

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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

Disruptive Technologies for COTS Products: Software Defined Radio (SDR) Trends Over the Last Year

By Brandon Malatest, Founder - PerVices

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 20

DEPARTMENTS 6

Publisher’s Note 2022 Satellite Power Forecast High density power is needed to keep pace with projected 20X growth in New Space

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The Inside Track

Embedded Solutions Using Thunderbolt 4

By John Reardon, Editor

COT’S PICKS 24

Editor’s Choice for December

Cover Image The MQ-25 T1 drone maneuvering on an aircraft carrier to refuel.

COTS Journal | December 2021

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Rob Russell, Vice President, Aerospace and Defense, Vicor Corporation

2022 Satellite Power Forecast

High density power is needed to keep pace with projected 20X growth in New Space Satellite manufacturers competing in the “New Space” arena are tasked with providing solutions that will enable a 20X increase in internet bandwidth over the next 10 years.

The challenges to designing, developing and launching satellites to meet this demand are enormous. One major hurdle is the dueling requirements for shrinking satellite size while concurrently improving throughput. One of the most difficult problems to solve is powering advanced, high-current communications ASICs. To achieve this leap in throughput demand, satellite power designers must deliver 20X-30X more current to the load than legacy systems can provide, while simultaneously reducing the size, weight and cost of the power deliver network (PDN). These requirements will forever be at odds and will continue to escalate in the foreseeable future.

Vastly improved power density helps solve this problem for New Space low-earth-orbit (LEO)

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COTS Journal | December 2021

To achieve this leap in throughput demand, satellite power designers must deliver 20X-30X more current to the load than legacy systems can provide, ...

and mid-earth-orbit (MEO) satellites in the form of power modules that deliver high current for today’s AI-driven computing environments.

Combined with demonstrated radiation tolerance, they are a perfect fit for the critical needs for the burgeoning LEO and MEO satellite market.

With a 100V to 0.8V solution that is five times more power dense than the next best competitor, and an efficiency that provides up to a 50 percent reduction in power losses, this new generation of PDNs provides unparalleled capability for developers of satellite communication systems who need to reduce size, weight and cost to meet stringent mission requirements.

Innovations in power can help LEO and MEO satellites keep pace with their expected 20x growth in New Space. Vicor’s radiation tolerant power modules are five times more power dense than today’s standards products and can reduce power losses by 50 percent.

COTS Journal | December 2021

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U.S. Navy, Boeing Complete First Carrier Tests for MQ-25 The U.S. Navy and Boeing have successfully maneuvered the Boeing-owned T1 test asset on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier for the first time – an early step forward in ensuring the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueler will seamlessly integrate into carrier operations.

During an underway demonstration aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Navy flight deck directors – known as “yellow shirts” – used standard hand signals to direct T1 just like any other carrier-based aircraft. Instead of a pilot receiving the commands, however, it was a Boeing MQ-25 Deck Handling Operator (DHO) right beside the “yellow shirt” who commanded the aircraft using a new handheld deck control device.

“This is another significant step forward in demonstrating MQ-25’s integration into the Carrier Air Wing on the flight deck of our Fleet’s aircraft carriers,” said Capt. Chad Reed, Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager.

“The success of this event is a testament to the hard work of our engineers, testers, operators and the close collaboration and teaming from

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Naval Air Force Atlantic and the crew aboard CVN 77.”

The demonstration was intended to ensure the design of the MQ-25 will successfully integrate into the carrier environment and to evaluate the functionality, capability, and handling qualities of the deck handling system both in day and night conditions. Maneuvers included taxiing on the deck, connecting to the catapult, clearing the landing area, and parking on the deck.

“The Navy has a rigorous, well-established process for moving aircraft on the carrier. Our goal was to ensure the MQ-25 fits into the process without changing it,” said Jim Young, MQ-25 chief engineer. “From the design of the aircraft to the design of the system moving it, our team has worked hard to make the MQ-25 carrier suitable in every way.”

DHO’s trained in Boeing’s deck handling simulation lab in St. Louis, where they practiced entering commands from simulated “yellow

shirts” into the real handheld device. A simulated MQ-25, running the aircraft’s real operational flight code and interfaces, would move accordingly. The handheld controller is a simple, easyto-use device designed specifically for a generation of sailors who natively understand such handheld technology and have experience with controllers used in the gaming industry today.

The deck handling demonstration followed a two-year flight test campaign for the Boeing-owned T1 test asset, during which the Boeing and Navy team refueled three different carrier-based aircraft – an F/A-18 Super Hornet, an E-2D Hawkeye, and an F-35C Lightning II. “The Navy gave us two key performance parameters for the program – aerial refueling and integration onto the carrier deck,” said Dave Bujold, Boeing MQ-25 program director. “We’ve shown that the MQ-25 can meet both requirements, and we’ve done it years earlier than traditional acquisition programs.”Galleon’s XSR2 Family of Rugged Computing Products Achieves TEMPEST SDIP-27 Level A Certification

The

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Abaco Systems Selected to Equip New Military Vehicles Securing Border of India

Abaco Systems announced an award of $1.5 million over the next two years with Paras Defence, which supports a defense public sector unit (DPSU) for the Indian armed forces. Abaco’s XVR19 single-board computers (SBCs) will be used as part of the advanced radar on military trucks.

Mobile artillery fire from hostile forces has taken the lives of hundreds of warfighters and civilians over the years. Often, combatants can attack and move before they can be located and neutralized. The Indian armed forces have developed a new tool to quickly find these weapons after firing. The new truck-mounted advanced radar will give location details of fired hostile weapons like artillery, mortars, and rocket launchers. This allows Indian forces to plan and execute defensive or offensive military action, protecting both warfighters and civilians alike.

This program gives the military peace of mind that they can counteract any threat coming their way and know exactly where and how to deploy countermeasure resources. Abaco supports this system with XVR19 6U VME SBC, a rugged single

board computer featuring Intel’s highly integrated Xeon® E3-1505M V6 processor. The solution includes multiple SBCs on each truck.

Abaco faced a competitive vendor selection process and was ultimately selected for this design win based in part on our ability to integrate the XVR19 into the customer’s existing systems.

With a focus on the customer’s time schedule and an ability to deliver exactly what the DPSU required for the specific application, Abaco’s innovative design of the XVR19 demonstrated our capacity to deliver the required functionality to enable the customer’s success. This project will contribute substantial assistance to the military’s ability to counteract threats and determine where it may be necessary to reinforce their borders.

Abaco’s XVR19 is rugged, air-cooled, and perfect for command-and-control applications typical of the defense and aerospace markets on land, sea, or air. The XVR19 offers enhanced processor performance and storage, with improved protection against obsolescence. It has the reliability and stability typical of VME-based products with long-term availability assured from Intel’s long-term-supported IoT (Internet

Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

Awarded $1.2 Million Follow-on Order for Ka-Band Airborne SSPA/BUC

an In-Flight Connectivity (“IFC”) application.

Comtech’s Falcon 50Ka GaN amplifiers feature a tri-band Block Upconverter (“BUC”) and are packaged in ARINC 791 compliant housings.

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. announced it was awarded a follow-on order valued at $1.2 million for its Ka-Band Solid-State Power Amplifiers (“SSPAs”) that use state-ofthe-art Gallium Nitride (“GaN”) technology for

“Comtech offers a portfolio of GaN-based products that utilize the latest GaN technology to deliver RF amplification enabling high-speed satellite communications from ground-based and airborne terminals,” said Fred Kornberg,

of Things) CPU roadmap and Abaco’s new Vivo FPGA-based VME interface. It also provides extended longevity that is further enhanced

by Abaco’s industry-leading Product Lifecycle Management program, minimizing customers’ long-term costs of ownership. With integrated graphics and memory controller plus quad-core processing up to 3.0 GHz all in one device, the XVR19 provides an unmatched level of I/O bandwidth for both on-board and off-board functions as well as extended temperature capability and a range of air-cooled build levels.

Pete Thompson, vice president of product management for Abaco Systems, said, “Abaco is continually able to utilize innovative technology which ultimately enables our customers to succeed – in this instance, by working with Paras Defence to meet the specific needs of the application with our best-in-class XVR19 single board computer. This design win is further evidence of Abaco’s ongoing commitment to support warfighters across the globe with industry-leading products.”

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

“We continue to expand in the SSPA market offering both Ku-Band and Ka-Band products for IFC applications.”

Comtech’s Falcon product line encompasses Ku and Ka frequency bands and offers high linear power with excellent gain flatness and phase noise performance to support the latest waveform technologies and networks. The Ka-Band Falcons implement multi-sub-band switching, gain adjustment and equalization, and cooperative system calibration support such as Open BMIP. Comtech manufactures a wide variety of tube-based and solid-state power amplifiers for military and commercial satellite uplink applications. The Comtech Xicom product range encompasses power levels from 8 W to 3 kW, with frequency coverage in sub-bands within the 2 GHz to 52 GHz spectrum. Amplifiers are available for fixed and ground-based, shipboard, and airborne mobile applications. Please visit www. xicomtech.com for more information.

COTS Journal | December 2021

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Lockheed Martin leverages Radisys’ 5G software suite to support the fielding of relocatable 5G base stations within military tactical network

Lockheed Martin and Radisys have established an enterprise agreement for use of Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) software in Lockheed Martin 5G.MIL™ products. The agreement includes the development of critical capabilities like 5G-enabled wireless relay and Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB). Wireless relay to global network infrastructure is an important part of tactical communication when warfighters operate in places where wired interconnections are not possible or are cost-prohibitive.

The pace and scale of 5G deployment increase the demand for wireless relays as an alternative to fiber backhaul solutions. Lockheed Martin and Radisys are working together to accelerate 5G capabilities into Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL™ Hybrid Base Station to use within military tactical networks. RadiSys Connect 5G Software Suite is compliant with 3GPP Release 16, and it delivers enhancements in functionality, capacity, coverage,

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COTS Journal | December 2021

latency, mobility, and reliability to support the requirements of diverse 5G applications.

Lockheed Martin and Radisys have established an enterprise agreement for use of Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) software in Lockheed Martin 5G.MIL™ products. “With key collaborators such as Radisys, we can accelerate development and deployment of 5G.MIL™ network capabilities that benefit our defense and national security customers,” said Dan Rice, vice president, 5G.MIL™ Programs at Lockheed Martin. “Resilient mesh communications create a network effect that raises the deterrence capability of U.S. and coalition forces while improving battlefield effectiveness, should deterrence fail.”

Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL™ programs are leveraging the latest commercial technologies to bring 5G-enabled network solutions to market.

Across all operational domains, it’s increasingly necessary to support unified secure and resilient connectivity by enhancing commercial 5G technology for adaptive, interoperable terrestrial and non-terrestrial military networks.

“Lockheed Martin’s expertise building systems and platforms that operate in the toughest environments match our decades-long commitment to connecting the furthest stretches of the world,” said Munish Chhabra, head of Software and Services Business, Radisys. “By providing access to our industry-leading Connect RAN protocol software that is compliant to 3GPP specification and O-RAN architectures, we are helping to enable Lockheed Martin to develop 5G.MIL™ solutions aligned to their customer’s specific requirements.”

Radisys and Lockheed Martin have previously worked together on wireless mobility, including providing key technology to enable the world’s first commercial LTE-over-Satellite system. Radisys is a member of every major wireless industry working group and maintains strong relationships with 5G chipset and original equipment manufacturers to ensure software compatibility.

The

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VIAVI Brings its Geolocation Capabilities to the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform NITRO Mobility Available as rApp on Service Management and Orchestration Platform

Viavi Solutions Inc. announced that it has collaborated with Ericsson to bring geolocation capabilities to the recently-launched Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform. The collaboration will see VIAVI becoming one of the earliest independent software vendors to contribute its solution to run on the new service management and orchestration (SMO) platform.

The NITRO Mobility geolocation capability from VIAVI will be available as an rApp – a modular radio network application leveraging the non-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC) capability of the SMO platform.

NITRO Mobility is the leading platform for intelligence, assurance, and optimization based on geolocated, app-aware insight. The solution has been deployed by many Tier 1 operators globally, including one who used it to transform its RAN planning and “green” its network by reducing energy consumption.

The Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform enables any network to be intelligently automated and will work across new and existing

4G and 5G radio access networks (RANs), including purpose-built and Open RAN networks. Using the platform, Ericsson’s operator customers will be able to utilize the intelligence from one rApp, such as VIAVI NITRO Mobility, in combination with other rApps running on the platform, in the creation of services.

“VIAVI is committed to making rApps available from the wide array of capabilities across the VIAVI NITRO Mobility suite of solutions, and we’re focused on delivering geolocation, RAN performance, management, optimization and orchestration to ensure robust mobile networks,” said Deepak Shahane, Vice President and General Manager, Service Enablement, VIAVI. “We view the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform as an important step forward for enabling service innovation and automation across Open RAN and purpose-built networks. This journey is getting started with Geolocation that can be used by all other rApps in the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform / SMO. Over time we plan to add further similar foundational capabilities to the platform.” ”Ericsson believes that third-party rApps offer an important opportunity for disruptive innovation and co-creation for both purpose-built and Open RAN networks. We’re hoping that new and diverse players will come into the market and seek to co-create rApps with us and with our customers that can improve network per-

formance, enhance customer experience and reduce operational costs,” said Peo Lehto, Head of Solution Area OSS, Ericsson Digital Services.

“Our SMO platform, Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform, comes with an advanced SDK which is designed to facilitate and accelerate the development of rApps, and we are excited to work with a company like VIAVI that shares the same vision to bring innovation to network automation.”

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MoSys Partners with Silicom to Provide Stellar Packet Classification IP Optimized for Intel FPGA-Based SmartNICs and Infrastructure Processing Units

Supports 400Gbps Line Rate for 5G Wireless, 5G Packet Core, Broadband Network Gateways, Network Firewalls, Anti-DDoS, and Data Center Routing

MoSys, Inc. is focused on Accelerating Data Intelligence and provides both semiconductor and IP solutions to enable fast, intelligent data access for Cloud, networking, security, communications, and 5G systems. Today, MoSys announced that it has partnered with Silicom Connectivity Solutions to optimize MoSys’s Stellar Packet Classification IP for Silicom’s latest generation of Intel FPGA-based SmartNICs and Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs). The combination of MoSys IP and Silicom’s SmartNICs and IPUs (also sometimes referred to as Data Processing Units – DPUs)

can increase the performance of servers and switches that are deployed in virtualized Cloud datacenters, 5G Wireless networks, especially 5G User Plane Function (UPF), Broadband Network Gateways, Network Firewalls, Anti-DDoS, and Data Center Routing solutions.

Silicom FPGA IPUs and SmartNICs are an ideal platform for the MoSys Stellar Packet Classification IP, which is optimized for High Flexibility/ High Complexity Security (ACL) and Routing (LPM). The onboard Intel Stratix 10 FPGA of the Silicom SmartNIC N5010 hosts the MoSys hardware-accelerated algorithmic TCAM-like solution to help ensure that 100 to 400Gbps networks can keep up with 100s of millions of decisions per second that they have to process, even with databases of up to a million complex 10 tuple, 480 bit ACL security rules or 4 million LPM IPV4 and IPV6 routing rules.

“We are pleased to partner with Silicom to support their latest Intel-based FPGA IPU/ SmartNIC solutions with our accelerated MoSys Stellar Packet Classification IP to improve the wireless and broadband customer experience,” said Daniel Lewis, MoSys CEO. “When paired with the latest Intel® Stratix® 10 FPGAs, MoSys IP can provide significant acceleration for key network security and routing functions.”

“MoSys Stellar Packet Classification IP offers advanced capabilities that will help our IPU/SmartNIC customers accelerate a whole

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range of innovative data center, 5G and broadband networks and access edge solutions,” said Oren Benisty, Silicom’s EVP Strategic Sales. “We are pleased to be using MoSys IP, which has been optimized for our Intel FPGA Programmable Ethernet Cards.”

MoSys’s Stellar Packet Classification IP targets: · Routing – supports Longest Prefix Match (LPM) Ipv4/Ipv6 routing, including support for P4 and virtual routes for Cloud Data Centers, 5G User Plane Functions (UPF), P4 based systems, Network Classification, Carrier-Grade NAT, Broadband Network Gateways (BNG), NFVi, Flow Steering, L3 Forwarding and Filtering, vRouter, Open vSwitch Offload, and Cloud Gateways. · Security, Load Balancing and Traffic Analysis – supports very complex, 10+ tuple Access Control List (ACL) type lookups for Network Firewalls, Allow/Deny Lists, P4-based systems, Network Detection and Response (NDR), Anomaly Detection, Lawful Intercept, Anti-DDoS, L4 Load Balancing, Application Delivery Controllers (ADC), Application and Network Analysis, Network Telemetry, Test and Measurement, Network Packet Brokers, and other markets and use cases.

The Silicom FPGA SmartNIC N5010 series features a high-performance Intel Stratix 10 DX2100 FPGA with 8GB of HBM2, as well as DDR4 memories and quad QSFP28. MoSys IP utilizes the high-performance HBM2 memory to support millions of ACL and LPM rules.

The Silicom FPGA IPU NIC C5010X series features dual SFP28 and a high-performance Intel Stratix 10 DX1100 FPGA and on-board Xeon D CPU. This unique combination of FPGA and Xeon on one PCIe card enables general-purpose processing in addition to MoSys IP running on the FPGA. The presence of the CPU allows elaborate onboard control path processing in conjunction with in-depth search and lookup functions in the FPGA.

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DESE Research Showcases Lynx Software Technologies for NetworkAttached Mission Critical Systems

Lynx Software Technologies announced it will showcase its latest research collaboration with DESE Research (DESE), a leader in the development of innovative, high technology products for the defense, energy, space, and environmental industries. For the last two years, DESE and Lynx have been studying and prototyping hybrid software architectures to reconcile fundamental tension between mission systems’ safety, security, and maintenance requirements. More specifically, the focus of this joint project has been to explore the benefits of combining unikernels with separation kernels as a next-generation platform for cyber-resilient mission systems.

“Unikernel applications offer an elegant architectural improvement in security and scalability over virtual appliances and container apps, resolving the tension of trade-offs between the heavy-weight, but the isolated guest operating system (OS), vs the lightweight, but a not-so-isolated container,” said Will Keegan, Chief Technology Officer, Lynx Software Technologies. “DESE Research has a long history of innovation and technological achievement, and we are energized by the opportunity to help the company develop its next-generation products.”

Together with DornerWorks, a premier provider of embedded electronics engineering services for safety-critical markets, Lynx has prototyped the applicability, resiliency, and modular portability benefits of separa-

tion kernels, unikernels, and Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX)-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) applications to a general embedded gateway platform on hardware and software suitable for deployment in air, ground and sea vehicles, as well as their control centers.

The prototypes developed showcased the integration of the following software technologies: 1. A Xilinx MPSoC (Armv8-A) UltraScale+ running the LynxSecure separation kernel 2. Embedded VPN Virtual appliance 3. 1553 and Ethernet Intrusion Detection System (IDS) Unikernel The system is configured to isolate

external network services from real-time scheduled applications and platform security management capabilities. The architecture offers improved resiliency to vulnerability scanning and exploits compared to conventional hardened Linux container and hypervisor-based platforms.

“For nearly four decades, DESE has provided advanced engineering, scientific and technical services for our nation’s most security-centric agencies,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, CEO of DESE Research. “Similarly, Lynx has an extensive history and proven success in security, especially within industries similar to ours. We look forward to working together to create new, mission-critical solutions.”

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Bell Signs Contract to Build Flight Training Devices for the Czech Republic

Bell Textron Inc. has signed a contract with the U.S. Government to build the AH-1Z Flight Training Device for the Czech Republic’s new helicopter fleet. The delivery of training devices will play a key role in integrating new H-1 helicopters into the Czech Air Force.

The Flight Training Device (FTD) will be used for simulation and training purposes for prospective pilots of the combined AH-1Z and UH-1Y fleet. The delivery of the training device

by Bell ensures the continuous presence of Bell’s expertise throughout the Czech Air Force’s helicopter modernization program.

visual systems, and displays, will provide hardware and software products for simulation training, including the visual display system and control loading system.

“FlightSafety is proud to continue the long-standing collaboration with Bell supporting the H-1 program,” said Michael Vercio, senior vice president of simulation systems at FlightSafety. “The Czech Flight Training Device gives us another opportunity to provide a world-class training solution to a new set of pilots.”

“The Flight Training Device will provide Czech operators with the perfect tools for familiarizing themselves with their new H-1 helicopters,” says Mike Deslatte, Bell H-1 vice president, and program director. “The FTD for the Czech Air Force will ensure training activities progress smoothly in line with the delivery of the aircraft themselves.”

Bell selected FlightSafety International and VR Group as key subcontractors. FlightSafety International, a world leader in the design, manufacture, and support of flight simulators,

VR Group, a Czech company, has deep expertise in simulation technologies and will provide some of the moving models for the visual database system for the Czech H-1 FTD. VR Group will also be responsible for maintenance and support for the device after delivery. VR Group’s participation underlines the business opportunities brought to local Czech companies and organizations by Bell’s provision of the Czech Republic’s new helicopter fleet.

Galleon’s XSR2 family of rugged computing products have been fully evaluated and certified per the criteria outlined by the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Formal TEMPEST Certification Scheme, against Level A of the NATO Standard SDIP-27

ing milestone for Galleon and the XSR product line. Further to the encryption capability built into the XSR2, TEMPEST Level A certification helps mitigate risk for our customers, enhances overall confidence, and ensures the highest level of security has been met by this standard.”

TEMPEST is a U.S. National Security Agency specification and a NATO certification tasked with the primary goal of ensuring security-sensitive hardware is properly shielded against unlawful activities and those looking to obtain confidential information. TEMPEST “Level A” represents the strictest NATO standard and is often referred to as “FULL” in its protection against compromising emanations, eavesdropping, and other illegal spying activities in close physical proximity.

Hugh Tarver, Business Director for Galleon Embedded Computing, states “This is an excit14

COTS Journal | December 2021

“Working with Bell on the delivery and main-

Galleon Embedded Computing is a globally positioned worldclass leader in the development of high-performance, high-quality storage solutions and small rugged data recorder systems, servers, and netw ork-att ach ed storage devices.

Galleon’s offerings range from commercial-grade products for benign environments

tenance of the Flight Training Device for the Czech Republic’s new helicopter fleet opens up the possibility for us to further strengthen our leading long-term role in the country’s Air Force simulation capabilities,” said Ivo Gamba, VR Group technical director. “As one of the Czech Republic’s leading providers of defense training solutions, we are extremely excited to play our part in providing the FTD in cooperation with the team at Bell. Our local expertise creates a device of great benefit to Czech helicopter operatives.”

Production for the Czech Republic’s new H-1 helicopter fleet is proceeding on schedule, with Bell’s Amarillo Assembly Center recently receiving the first UH-1Y cabin for the Czech fleet. Bell anticipates that production and delivery of the Czech Republic’s new AH-1Z and UH-1Y aircraft will be complete by 2023. to ruggedized conduction-cooled products deployed in severe environments. With physical locations in Europe as well as North America, Galleon Embedded Computing’s competitive advantage is empowered by its global reach, extensive network of relationships, and uncompromised product quality.

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GA-ASI Announces Ne Mojave UAS

Next Step in UAS Capability Evolution Includes STOL and Unmatched Payload Capacity

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is unveiling a new Unmanned Aircraft System called Mojave, named for one of the harshest and most austere areas of the world, where deadly rattlesnakes and horned lizards adapt to survive the extreme forces of nature.

ground forces with a long-endurance, armed overwatch UAS that can quickly reload weapons at austere sites, located close to the conflict zone. This revolutionary design, based on 7 million flight hours of UAS experience, increases expeditionary employment options – making Mojave a real game-changer.”

Mojave is based on the avionics and flight control systems of MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1C Gray Eagle-ER but is focused on short-takeoff

GA-ASI’s history in UAS technology is second to none and is continually pushing technologies to adapt to emerging threats.

Predator-series UAS have evolved since their support of the U.S. war effort following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 to become not only a critical provider of Intelligence, Surveillance,

and landing (STOL) capabilities and increased firepower. It features enlarged wings with highlift devices and a 450-HP turboprop engine.

and Reconnaissance (ISR), but also provide kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities to neutralize threats and achieve overmatch.

Mojave provides options for forward-basing operations without the need for typical airport runways or infrastructure. It can land and take off from unimproved surfaces while also retaining significant advantages in endurance and persistence over manned aircraft. These innovations make Mojave the perfect UAS to perform armed overwatch, attack, and armed reconnaissance missions.

The Mojave project brings together all the best of the proven technologies for employment, sustainment, and production, and capability to achieve industry-leading reliability, range, and endurance. STOL capability increases the number of employment options available to Mojave, potentially including aircraft carrier-based options, unlocking naval missions, or sea-based support for special operations forces.

A prototype aircraft first flew this summer and is continuing to demonstrate exceptional short-field performance and other unique qualities.

The payload capacity is 3,600 lb. (1,633 kg) and Mojave can carry up to 16 Hellfire or equivalent missiles. Mojave can be equipped with a sensor suite including Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI), and Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) to support land or maritime missions.

“We’re proud to bring these extraordinary capabilities to our Predator line of UAS,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We are providing the

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Disruptive Technologies for COTS Products:

Software Defined Radio (SDR) Trends Over the Last Year

By Brandon Malatest, Founder - PerVices Trends in the software defined radio (SDR) market over the last 12 months have been centered around increasing performance while simultaneously navigating through challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. While a lot of capabilities in SDRs stem from advances in commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies enabling these advanced platforms, issues related to supply chain shortages for semiconductors have been particularly troubling.

This article discusses the types of COTS RF components, field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technologies, as well as capture, storage and playback solutions that had been driving the SDR industry forward over the past year. Alongside this, it discusses the unique challenges faced in the design and development of SDRs due to the global shortage of semiconductor based technologies.

SDR Technology Trends Over the Last 12 Months Extended capabilities for a variety of industry applications have been brought on by advances in SDRs with integrated COTS technologies. For starters, releases of convertor devices with higher sampling rates and bandwidths lead to higher instantaneous bandwidth SDRs. Instantaneous bandwidth generally refers to what is available at the output of the analog-to-digital convertor (ADC).

This is for complex IQ (in-phase and quadrature component) pairs of data, most often used in SDR, and corresponds to the sample rate of the ADC (whereas for real RF signals, this is one-half the sample rate, by Nyquist’s theorem). As well, increases in digital throughput (rate of data flowing to/from SDR from/to host system) has been important for passing this huge amount of data to a host system for processing. Combining both features in a one 16

COTS Journal | December 2021

package solution has also been a trend in the industry. Such products that offer the highest performance radio front end capabilities, as well as processing and storage capabilities.

This instantaneous bandwidth and increased data throughput is crucial for spectrum monitoring due to this application requiring capture of a very wide bandwidth of the spectrum almost instantaneously, for such tasks as ensuring clear communication channels, monitoring restricted areas for interference, and so on. Similarly for electronic warfare (EW) systems, the need to identify and counter threats, including surveillance and/or tracking radars, is critical to mission success. EW relies on detecting these threats over a wide capture bandwidth near instantaneously and providing counter measures.

Technologies enabling these capabilities have included new gigasample per second (GSPS) high speed convertors, high performance FPGAs and IP cores, as well as ultra high speed optical transceivers (qSFP+ 100G links) and their associated PCIe-based NICs.

Figure 1: NI Ettus X410 SDR

JESD204B interface based ADC/DACs are particularly crucial for enabling these wider bandwidths, as they allow for synchronizing multiple ADCs and the FPGA, thus increasing instantaneous bandwidth. Such advances in wide-bandwidth capturing and monitoring systems would not be possible without this interface.

FPGA with RFSoC technology has also been an important trend. For instance, the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ FPGA and Intel Stratix FPGA both offer high-throughput digital signal processing (DSP) and IP cores for highly parallel tasks like onboard forward error correction (FEC), JESD204 implementation, and digital up/down conversion (DUC/DDC). Integrating the latest Ethernet technology IP cores into FPGAs has also been crucial for packetizing such high amounts of data for sending over qSFP+ transceiver ports, which enable the lowest latency SDRs. The latest high-end SDR products have taken advantage of these COTS technologies. In terms of instantaneous bandwidth, the Pentek

Figure 2: Per Vices Cyan SDR

58891 offers 400MHz, NI Ettus X410 offers 500MHz, and Per Vices Cyan offers 1GHz (with 3GHz set to be released).

Different FPGA technologies tend to be used by different SDR companies. For instance, the X410 uses an RFSoC which provides customers with access to the Xilinx Zynq Ultrascale+ ZU28DR for on board processing; Per Vices Cyan platform utilizes a Intel Stratix 10 SoC and has multiple external storage and playback equipment that include FPGA based NICs for lossless data transfer. Each of these are attractive in

their own way to different audiences; the X410 offers more open access but limited resources and the Cyan platform requires an FPGA license but offers more FPGA resources (logic blocks for your own development, etc.). Throughput for the X410 had increased from 40Gbps to 100Gbps over 2 optical QSFP28 transceiver ports whereas Cyan uses four 40Gbps or 100Gbps link using qSFP+ ports.

Challenges Faced by the SDR Industry In the Past Year While the ability of these COTS technologies

to provide unprecedented capabilities to the SDR industry is noteworthy, it has not been entirely straightforward for SDR manufacturers to adopt these technologies. The biggest challenge faced in 2021 by manufacturers worldwide (Sony PS5 systems, cars & trucks, cell phones, etc), with SDRs being no exception, is associated with the supply chain for semiconductor based technology. The latest in graphics cards technologies, memory chips (SD based RAM), microprocessors, FPGA and complex SoC technologies, and many other microelectronic components (ADC/ DAC, solid state amplifiers, etc. ) are all in short

The biggest challenge faced in 2021 by manufacturers worldwide (Sony PS5 systems, cars & trucks, cell phones, etc), with SDRs being no exception, is associated with the supply chain for semiconductor based technology.

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supply and will likely continue to be so for part of 2022.

Numerous causes of this semiconductor shortage have been reported. Increased demand for semiconductor based technologies were caused by the shift to work from home, as more cell phones, laptops, and other electronics were required. Along with this, a decreased supply due to material shortages due to natural disasters, fires, as well as reduced production capacity at semiconductor facilities, was particularly problematic. Significant personnel at semiconductor foundries were lost due to strict COVID-19 measures, especially in China where the majority of semiconductors are manufactured. Multi-billion-dollar wafer fabrication plants are designed to operate 24/7, 365 days a year and require significant personnel for everything from maintenance to cleaning to engineering staff. Keeping a facility much cleaner than an operating room is a challenge in itself.

This challenge was further exacerbated by disasters such as the Taiwan drought; leading to a lack of large amounts of ultra-pure water used to clean factories and wafers.

Moreover, the shortage was intensified from anxious chip buyers, who were concerned about supply chain security amid global disruptions, resulting in buying more chips than the industry intended. The car industry was particularly volatile in their approach to purchasing chips, as the car industry bounced back much quicker than forecasted, despite having canceled their chip orders during shutdowns caused by the pandemic. Car manufactures worldwide used their

strong buyer position and acquired a large market share of chips despite the lack of supply from fabrication facilities.

The aftermath of the disruption is particularly noticeable by companies who now have to acquire chips that are in short supply. Overall, the demand for chips remains strong but are hard to come by.

This has even led to the increase in fake components on the market, resulting in having to be cautious when purchasing products.

For SDR company’s like Per Vices, we have done everything from having increased costs on ICs and the manufacturing process, to redesigning entire circuit boards with different components, to building some circuits ourselves.

Addressing this shortage, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), who are responsible for producing about 80% of micro-controller chips used in cars, said it would invest US$2.87 billion to expand capacity at its fabrication facility in Nanjing, China. While this is good news to various industries, this will not to be changing the status quo in the near future, as investing in and developing a production line for a new chip product can take weeks, if not months, and adding significant new wafer fabrication capacity takes years.

What to Expect for the Future of the SDR Industry As pointed out, it takes a long time for fabrication facilities to be upgraded to produce new chips. That being said, it is highly probable that chips will be developed and manufactured

at higher sampling rates, able to work in higher frequency ranges, while also advancing in terms of more integrated RF and digital systems with increased features embedded in these new chips. Also, the ability to send more IQ data over higher data rate optical based transceivers will result from the latest revisions of the JESD204 interface framework as well as better FPGA IP cores to packetize data and implement newer protocols.

In terms of industry applications, with the ever increasing use of the spectrum, important changes such as spectrum sharing policies will be increasingly used to monitor the diminishing number of spectrum bands. Monitoring, capturing, storing and playback of more bandwidth and spectrum will become possible due to higher data throughput capabilities. Also expected is the use of SDRs for more satellite based services, such as Starlink internet provider, especially as more commercial SDRs become capable of receiving in the Ka/Ku bands. Also in the satellite industry, newer GNSS satellite constellations, such as China’s BeiDou-3 and Europe’s Galileo, will require more ground station based tracking and monitoring systems in which SDRs are well suited for.

Per Vices has extensive experience in designing, developing, building, and integrating SDRs for many applications including radar, GPS/GNSS, low latency, spectrum monitoring and recording, interoperability, medical, test and measurement, and electronic warfare. Contact solutions@pervices.com today to see how we can help you with your SDR needs.

Figure 3: Semiconductor wafer in the process of fabrication COTS Journal | December 2021

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Embedded Solutions Using Thunderbolt 4

By John Reardon, Publisher In bringing together the combined efforts of both Apple and Intel, Thunderbolt has emerged as a Brand that will change the landscape of edge solutions and their simplicity. Thunderbolt 4 is taking over the previous generation Thunderbolt 3 with full downward compatibility plus support for the new USB 4 specification. Still reliant on the USB-C form factor, Thunderbolt 4 significantly improves overall performance opening the way for ingenious use within embedded applications.

Apple adopted the Thunderbolt standard early as a follow-on to FireWire, but their initial effort never gained widespread success. USB 3.0 supporting 5 Gbps was the most prevalent solution, with Apple seemingly more concerned about performance than pricing. But Intel and Apple made a move to increase the performance to 40 Gbps in support of the USB-C connector. This created what is referred to as the Alternative Mode that enabled Thunderbolt 3 controllers to

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transmit in their native language with reverse compatibility with USB 3.

In 2019 when the USB Org released USB 4, Intel move forward and released Thunderbolt 4 in 2020. Video support has increased in support of two 4K displays at 60Hz or one 8K display at 40Hz. Also increased is the amount of PCIe bandwidth to 32Gbps. This should support storage transfer rates of 3,000MB/s. As the number of downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports are added the addition of DMA protection from Intel’s Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O(VT-D) can assist with threats. This occurs by remapping requests from external devices and verifying authentication.

Through the release of USB PD 3.1 specification, Thunderbolt 4 describes a choice of three new fixed voltages: 28V (above 100W), 36V (above 140W), and 48V (above 180W) joining previously defined 5V, 9V, 15V, and 20V fixed volt-

ages. The USB Power Delivery architecture also defines a power negotiation protocol that ensures that access of this higher power capability can be done safely. Safety requirements for products that use power in the range of 100 - 240W are defined by the safety specifications dictated by the regulations for each country where the products will be used.

The use of Thunderbolt 4 is driven by the performance needs of the consumer market in support of fast laptops and gamers, the increased power and performance will certainly address critical applications at the edge. The streamlined thin cabling along with delivering sufficient power to drive certain classes of GPUs will certainly open doors for developers. It transmits data further with top transfer speeds at up to 2 meters in length. This opens numerous possibilities for edge solutions that may be used in vehicles or other transportable. Users are reporting that if peak speeds are not needed for the application

that longer cable lengths are possible.

Cable selection has become more complex as the possibility of plugging in a cable that doesn’t support the intended use has increased. The power side of the equation almost always will negotiate power concerns with the operative word being “almost”. On the data side, choosing the correct cable based on it is intended purpose is a must to affirm the data rates meet expectations.

The complexity of the standards weaves a path that is challenging to grasp. USB4 has four different versions with USB4 Gen 2X2 and USB4 Gen 2x3 as the most common. Referred to as USB4 20 Gbps and USB4 40 Gbps. In contrast, Thunderbolt 4 will guarantee you certain performance and power distribution levels. So in the end Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 are compatible with each other, but only Thunderbolt 4 guarantees those performance requirements that may be integral to your embedded applications.

One early adopter is General Microsystems with their X9 Spider. “The upside of OpenVPX and SOSA is interoperability and the spirit of the DoD’s push towards a modular open standards approach (MOSA), but the backplane can also be restrictive for I/O, bandwidth, and upgrade-

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ability,” says Ben Sharfi, GMS founder and chief architect. “Our X9 SPIDER VPX-HS and VPX-S modules provide 455Gbps of beyond-the-backplane I/O, patented cooling, sealed USB4/Thunderbolt4™, and scalability. Even though they’re SOSA aligned and interoperable, we also provide the industry’s highest-performance features and a path for system-level technology refresh with CPU and pinout upgrades that avoid backplane re-spins.” It’s hard to think of an electronics open standard more common than USB, and X9 SPIDER VPX-HS and -S use four plug-and-play sealed USB4 40Gbps Type-C ports with Power Delivery. These ports not only transmit and receive 40Gbps high-bandwidth off-board data via the front panel but provide Power Delivery up to 100W+ that can power a distant sensor or entire embedded system, simplifying system architecture design and cables while saving weight by alleviating a distant system’s power supply.

The GMS example shows how the speed of the interconnect can open up system architectures to new mindsets that are not bus-centric that can address the needs of the military. The possibilities of modular solutions that take advantage of performance processors from Intel and Apple to drive intelligent sensors and AI at the edge are a perfect solution to address a modern, connected military.

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December2021

COT’S PICKS Keysight Introduces Radar Scene Emulator Solution to Accelerate Path to Full Vehicle Autonomy Provides automotive OEMs with full-scene emulation to lab test complex, real-world scenarios Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS has introduced the Radar Scene Emulator, which enables automakers to lab test complex, real-world driving scenarios, accelerating the overall speed of the test. Keysight will demonstrate the new Radar Scene Emulator for the first time at CES 2022, Booth #4169, Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall.

algorithms to detect and differentiate multiple objects in dense, complex scenes. As a result, autonomous vehicle decisions can be made based on the complete picture, not just what the test equipment sees.

Test real-world complexity: Testing radar sensors against a limited number of targets provides an incomplete view of driving scenarios and masks the complexity of the real world.

“Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator offers automotive OEMs a breakthrough solution that will bring the road to the lab through full scene rendering,” said Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager for Keysight’s Automotive & Energy Solutions business unit. “The vision of fully autonomous vehicles is rapidly approaching, and we’re thrilled to be accelerating this vision into a reality.”

Full-scene emulation in the lab is critical to developing the robust radar sensors and algorithms needed to realize advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)/autonomous driving (AD) capabilities. Keysight’s full-scene emulator combines hundreds of miniature radio frequency (RF) front ends into a scalable emulation screen representing up to 512 objects and distances as close as 1.5 meters.

Automotive companies understand how complex it is to test autonomous driving algorithms and the safety issues at stake.

Using full scene rendering that emulates near and far targets across a wide continuous field of view (FOV), Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator enables customers to rapidly test automotive radar sensors integrated into autonomous driving systems with highly complex multi-target scenes.

Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator employs patented technology that shifts from an approach centered on object detection via target simulation to traffic scene emulation, offering automotive OEMs the following key benefits: See the big picture: The Radar Scene Emulator allows radar sensors to see more with a wider, continuous FOV and supports both near and far targets. This eliminates the gaps in a radar’s vision and enables improved training of 24

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Improved scene resolution: The ability to distinguish between obstacles on the road needs to be tested for a smooth and fast transition towards vehicle autonomy (i.e., Level 4 and 5 autonomy as designated by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)). Keysight addresses this technology gap with point clouds (multiple reflections per object), which improves resolution for each object.

Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator allows OEMs to emulate real-world driving scenes in the lab with variations of traffic density, speed, distance, and the total number of targets. Testing can be completed early for common to corner case scenes while minimizing risk.

Accelerate learning: Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator provides a deterministic real-world environment for lab testing complex scenes that today can only be tested on the road. Its test approach allows OEMs to significantly accelerate ADAS/AD algorithm learning by testing scenarios earlier with complex repeatable high-density scenes, with objects stationary or in motion, varying environmental characteristics, while eliminating inefficiencies from manual or robotic automation.

Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator is part of the company’s Autonomous Drive Emulation (ADE) platform, created through a multi-year collaboration between Keysight, IPG Automotive, and Nordsys.

The ADE platform exercises ADAS and AD software through the rendering of predefined use cases that apply time-synchronized inputs to the actual sensors and subsystems in a car, such as the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), vehicle to everything (V2X), camera and radar. As an open platform, ADE enables automotive OEMs, and their partners, to focus on the development and testing of ADAS/AD systems and algorithms, including sensor fusion and decision-making algorithms. Automotive OEMs can integrate the platform with commercial 3D modeling, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems, and existing test and simulation environments.

“Automotive companies understand the complexity involved with testing autonomous driving algorithms and the quality issues that can result if that testing falls short,” said Cheryl Ajluni, director of Automotive Solutions Marketing at Keysight. “Keysight’s new Radar Scene Emulator, with its unmatched level of resolution, represents a significant leap forward for ADAS/ Autonomous driving developers who value safety first.”

Keysight Technologies, Inc. www.keysight.com

December 2021

COT’S PICKS Cincoze All-New Wide-Angle FHD Sunlight-Readable Display Modules

Rugged embedded computer brand Cincoze announces the launch of three new 16:9 widescreen sunlight-readable display modules in 15”, 21”, and 24” to extend the CRYSTAL product line of industrial PCs and monitors. The 16:9 widescreen sunlight-readable display modules boast vivid colors, high brightness, responsive touch, and industrial-grade rugged design. The modules are ideal for IoT and smart cities, and they are the first choice for HMI applications such as vehicle charging piles, outdoor kiosks, and self-service platforms.

The new Cincoze 16:9 widescreen sunlight-readable display modules have multiple combinations, industrial-grade design, and 50,000 hours backlight life. The modules have the hardware durability and future upgradeabil-

ity for various industrial environments, such as IoT, smart cities, and other fields. The 15” is available now, 21” and 24” coming soon.

Cincoze. www.cincoze.com

The Cincoze sunlight-readable display module lineup currently includes 8” to 19” 4:3 modules, and the newly added 15”, 21”, and 24” 16:9 modules provide a more comprehensive range of size options. The new modules inherit the design concepts of the CRYSTAL series, including the patented convertible display system (CDS) modular system. CDS enables the addition of a P2000/P1000 series embedded system module to create a sunlight-readable panel PC or the addition of the M1000 series display module to create a sunlight-readable industrial monitor.

Multiple and flexible solutions to facilitate future upgrades and maintenance.

Cincoze’s 16:9 widescreen sunlight-readable display module uses a high-brightness display panel with vertical and horizontal viewing angles of 178° and 1000+ nits high brightness for crystal clear images even under outdoor sunlight. The screen’s 16.7 million colors and 1920x1080 Full HD display provide an immersive clear image. The panel is scratch-resistant with a 7H hardness rating, has a high-transmittance projective capacitive touch, support for multitouch (standard setting: five points), and a fast response time. The front frame is IP65 waterproof and dustproof and made from solid die-cast aluminum. The whole display module can operate smoothly at -20 to 70°C without any worry of damage from prolonged exposure to severe outdoor weather or harsh industrial environments.

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December 2021

COT’S PICKS 6.5-inch VGA display expands Tianma P-series line-up from RDS

Display solutions and embedded systems provider, Review Display Systems (RDS) have announced the availability of a new Tianma 6.5inch TFT display module. The P0650VGF1MA00 features SFT (Super Fine TFT) technology which ensures exceptional optical performance, a 4:3 classic aspect ratio, and VGA (640 x 480 pixels) resolution. Tianma P-series displays are designed to provide reliable and consistent operation when subjected to temperature extremes, vibration, and mechanical shock in challenging operating environments.

Wide viewing angle performance, consistent color performance, and brightness are key features of the P0650VGF1MA00 with Tianma’s implementation of SFT technology. Wide viewing angles of 85 degrees are supported in all direc-

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tions (up/down, left/right). The white LED backlight has a 100K hour half-brightness lifetime and provides a 1200cd/m² brightness specification. A contrast ratio of 900:1 ensures that display images are bright, concise, and uniform.

Justin Coleman, display division manager, RDS said, “The new 6.5-inch P-series display should prove to be a popular addition to the Tianma display portfolio. The compact size, resolution, and aspect ratio of the display combined with the excellent optical characteristics, deliver a highly versatile display module that will find use in many different applications and environments.”

The P0650VGF1MA00 features a single-channel 20-pin LVDS data interface that supports a configurable 6-bit or 8-bit RGB data which enables a color palette of up to 262K or 16.7M colors. The 6.5-inch display module has mechanical outline dimensions of 154.0mm (w) x 121.0mm

(h) x 7.1mm (d) and an active display area of 132.5mm (w) x 99.4mm (h).

The Tianma 6.5” TFT has been designed to function reliably under rigorous operating conditions found in many industrial, marine, aerospace, and medical applications yet still provide exceptional optical performance. Support for operation in harsh environments is aided with an extended temperature range of -30°C to +80°C. Typical applications for the new 6.5-inch Rugged+ display include medical devices, marine instrumentation, industrial process control, factory automation, and in-vehicle systems. The Tianma 6.5-inch P-series P0650VGF1MA00 TFT display module is now available for value-add and non-distribution sales only from Review Display Systems.

Review Display Systems https://review-displays.co.uk/

December 2021

COT’S PICKS

Microchip Continues Expansion of Gallium Nitride (GaN) RF Power Portfolio

bination of high-power density and yield, as well as high-voltage operation and longevity of more than 1 million hours at a 255o C junction temperature.

New Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) and discrete devices deliver performance levels required in 5G, satellite communication, and defense applications

They include GaN MMICs covering 2 to 18 GHz, 12 to 20 GHz, and 12 to 20 GHz with 3 dB Compression Point (P3dB) RF output power up to 20 W and efficiency up to 25%, as well as bare die and packaged GaN MMIC amplifiers for S- and X-band with up to 60% PAE, and discrete high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices covering DC to 14 GHz with P3dB RF output power up to 100W and maximum efficiency of 70%.

Microchip Technology Inc. announced a significant expansion of its Gallium Nitride (GaN) Radio Frequency (RF) power device portfolio with new MMICs and discrete transistors that cover frequencies up to 20 gigahertz (GHz). The devices combine high power-added efficiency (PAE) and high linearity to deliver new levels of performance in applications ranging from 5G to electronic warfare, satellite communications, commercial and defense radar systems, and test equipment.

Like all Microchip GaN RF power products, the devices are fabricated using GaN-on-silicon carbide technology that provides the best com-

“Microchip continues to invest in our family of GaN RF products to support every application at all frequencies from microwave through millimeter wavelengths, and our product portfolio includes more than 50 devices, from low-power levels to 2.2 kW,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete products business unit.

“Together the products announced today span 2

to 20 GHz and are designed to meet the linearity and efficiency challenges posed by the higher-order modulation techniques employed in 5G and other wireless networks, as well as the unique needs of satellite communications and defense applications.”

Microchip’s portfolio of RF semiconductors in addition to GaN devices ranges from gallium arsenide (GaAs) RF amplifiers and modules to low-noise amplifiers, front-end modules (RFFEs), varactor, Schottky, and PIN diodes, RF switches, and voltage variable attenuators. In addition, the company provides high-performance surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillators and highly integrated modules that combine microcontrollers (MCUs) with RF transceivers (Wi-Fi® MCUs) that support major short-range wireless communications protocols from Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi to LoRa®.

Microchip Technology Inc. www.microchip.com

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December2021

COT’S PICKS Abaco Systems Announces Latest 3U VPX High-Performance Computer with alignment to VITA 65 or SOSA™ technical standard

Abaco Systems announced the GRA115S available as a rugged 3U VPX VITA 65 or as a highperformance computer (HPC) form factor with a graphics output board and designed to align to the SOSA™ standard. This HPC reflects the market need for ever-increasing performance and delivers the latest in innovation to the rugged military and aerospace market and industrial/data sciences

markets for high-performance GPGPU computing and graphics generation applications.

As a leader in mission-ready systems, Abaco offering an HPC and graphics card aligned to the SOSA technical standard in our family of graphics products directly supports our commitment to deliver innovative solutions in the aerospace and defense market sector. With two form-factor options available, the open standard lowers overall risk for the end-user while fitting seamlessly into Abaco’s wider 3U portfolio, which includes the SBC3511, SWE440S, VP431, and VP831. The GRA115S also utilizes AXIS ImageFlex Support which provides

ease and acceleration of application development.

Pete Thompson, vice president of product management for Abaco Systems, said, “The GRA115S adds a powerful and flexible graphics output board, specifically aligned to the SOSA standard, to our family of designed to align products. It demonstrates Abaco’s continual industry leadership in adapting the latest GPU technologies for the rugged defense, aerospace, and industrial market sectors.”

Technical Details The GRA115S is based on NVIDIA’s® Turing architecture using either the NVIDIA RTX5000™or RTX3000™ platforms. Both versions take full advantage of the NVIDIA GPUDirect™ RDMA to minimize latency for real-time video and data streaming. Similarly, both choices of GPU also deliver real-time performance for encoding applications with dedicated H.265 and H.264 encode and decode engines. This card provides up to 9.49TFLOPs at peak performance. The GRA115S offers a PCI Gen 4 switch and high-speed, high-resolution multihead capability. This exceptional performance in GPGPU computing, AI inferencing, deep learning, sensor processing, and data analytics makes it ideal for use on a wide range of applications, including ISR, electronic warfare, OE/IR, and data science applications.

Abaco Systems www.abaco.com

DIGISTOR’s New Commercial-Class PCIe Gen 4 NVMe Solid State Drives Deliver The Fastest Performance For Even The Most Demanding Applications

Following the successful launch of its Citadel and C Series SSDs, DIGISTOR®, a leading provider of secure Data At Rest (DAR) storage solutions, launched its commercial-class PCIe Gen 4 NVM Express (NVMe) SSDs. These new drives deliver the industry’s fastest SSD performance for demanding applications, including AI, video editing, visualization, and scientific and engineering modeling and analysis.

“This next generation of SSDs marks a milestone in DIGISTOR’s commitment to delivering the industry’s best solutions for customers who demand reliable high-performance data storage in their computers, said Murray Ellis, Vice President of DIGISTOR Engineering. These products reinforce our technology leadership and ensure customers that we have diverse storage offerings, including solutions for encrypting or physically securing sensitive and classified DAR.” Available in the M.2 NVMe form factor and offering a capacity ranging from 500GB to 4TB, DIGISTOR’s SSDs are ideal for a range of devices, including laptops, desktops, workstations, and purpose-built systems. In addition, these SSDs use the latest in PCIe Gen 4 controller technology making them 2x faster than their PCIe Gen 3 equivalent drives.

DIGISTOR https://digistor.com/

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December 2021

COT’S PICKS IC speeds up with the 100Gbs Ethernet and discloses the new ComEth4682e 3U VPX Ethernet switchs

Interface Concept is introducing the eagerly awaited ComEth4682e, being a 3U OpenVPX Ethernet switch that is 25/100Gb Ethernet capable.

This switch has been developed for high-computing applications, including radar, sensor, electronic warfare, and network processing.

In addition, to offer remarkable switching capabilities, Interface concept pushes the Ethernet speed to the limits by bringing 100Gbs Ethernet to system integrators, who benefit from a real technological edge when it comes to dealing with performance in 3U VPX form-factor systems.

Based on the same design that led to the success of the well-known ComEth4582a, ComEth4590a, and ComEth4591a Ethernet switches, Interface Concept has developed a high-performance Layer3 switch with 10/25Gbs and 40/100Gbs Ethernet interfaces, ideally suited to be integrated with the most modern

centralized systems.

The on-board latest generation’s Marvell integrated network processor can separate the Control and Data Planes by software, which is ideal to ensure highly secured 3U VPX systems. The switch features a total of 44 x 25Gbps SerDes: 32 lanes are routed to the rear VPX connectors as 1/10/25Gbs Ethernet ports or can be merged into 4-lane Fat Pipes to obtain 8 lanes as 40/100Gbs Ethernet ports. Likewise, for the 12 optical fiber ports, they are routed to the front panel (MPO connector) as 1/10/25Gbs Ethernet ports or can be merged in a set of 4 fibers to obtain 3 lanes as 40/100 Gbs Ethernet ports.

The ComEth4682e is consistent with the Interface Concept product strategy and benefits from the proven and expandable switch wire network management application. It can be remotely configured by the switchware web interface, SNMP, or CLI interfaces.

“The ComEth4682e is a flexible, versatile and cost-effective high-speed Ethernet switch solution

Anritsu Introduces Rubidium™ Signal Generator Family Leading Market in Signal Purity and Frequency Stability with Exceptional Utility

exceptional frequency stability is achieved either by an optional internal Rubidium reference or by locking the signal generator’s time base to a 1 PPS reference from an optional internal GNSS/GPS atomic clock receiver.

Anritsu Company introduces the Rubidium™ signal generator family that delivers outstanding signal purity and frequency stability, even at high output power levels, across a broad frequency range of 9 kHz to 43.5 GHz. Coupled with built-in, easy-touse, at-location frequency and power calibration capability, Rubidium offers exceptional overall utility and long-term value in a broad range of commercial and military/aerospace measurement applications.

Utility, Ease of Use, and Long-Term Value The Rubidium signal generator features builtin, on-site frequency, and level calibration that is easily accessible with the touch of a button on the GUI interface. This feature ensures customer level, accurate frequency desired, timesaving, enhancing convenience, and increasing instrument availability.

An Anritsu CW USB power sensor is required for onsite level calibration. An internal GNSS/GPS atomic clock receiver or ultra-stability rubidium timebase option is required for onsite frequency calibration.

Groundbreaking Performance Signal purity is critical to a wide range of measurement applications, from radar testing to testing ADCs and DACs. The Rubidium signal generator offers groundbreaking low single sideband (SSB) phase noise of -136 dBc/Hz (typical) and -140 dBc/ Hz (measured) at 10 GHz and 10 kHz offset that is unmatched in the industry. Coupled with best-inclass harmonic and spurious performance, the signal generator enables customers to make measurements with better accuracy.

Rubidium offers an order of magnitude with better frequency stability compared to other signal generators that use an OCXO-based reference. This

Rubidium’s AM, FM/PM, and pulse modulation capabilities enable a wide range of complex analog modulated signals. An internal low-frequency generator can produce seven waveform types to modulate the carrier. Additionally, simultaneous modulation of AM/FM, AM/PM, or FM/Pulse is possible to generate complex modulation waveforms such as chirps. Broad signal simulation capabilities are built into the signal generator for pulsed radar testing.

The signal generator is housed in a 3U chassis with a 7-inch touch screen on the front panel with a traditional keypad/dial interface. A wide range of

Frédéric Le Goff Area Sales Manager at Interface Concept that will find its place in a huge number of embedded 3U VPX systems, including the ones aligned with the SOSA™ Technical Standard that may require separate Control and Data Planes,” said Frédéric Le Goff, Area Sales Manager at Interface Concept.

Furthermore, the ComEth4682e perfectly completes the new stage of IC’s 3U VPX product roadmap, including ARM and Intel-based SBC as well as FPGA boards. As part of its product policy, Interface Concept offers its boards in various operating temperature ranges, including standard, extended, rugged, and conduction-cooled grades.

Interface Concept www.interfaceconcept.com

options is offered to achieve optimum cost-to-function and measurement flexibility.

Wide Range of Applications Rubidium can be used in multiple applications.

It is ideal for low-phase noise applications, such as testing radar subsystems, up/down converters, or high-speed ADCs/DACs. The signal generator is

well suited for conducting nonlinear measurements without additional filters because of the exceptionally low harmonic, subharmonic, and non-harmonic performance at standard and high output power levels. The instrument can be used for a variety of interference measurements, as a signal source to test devices and systems, and as a frequency reference in calibration and metrology labs.

Anritsu www.anritsu.com

COTS Journal | December 2021

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December 2021

COT’S PICKS DDC-I Announces Deos Multicore Platform for Jacinto 7 Developers Targeting High Assurance Aerospace Market

DDC-I announced that it will port its Deos DO178C safety-critical real-time operating system to Texas Instruments’ Jacinto™ 7 family of processors.

Jacinto 7 processors running Deos™ provide an ideal platform for developing, deploying, and certifying DO-178C avionics software with the most demanding I/O, networking, and control requirements.

The Jacinto 7 processor family features a heterogeneous architecture optimized for control node and intelligent sensor applications. Featuring Arm® Cortex®-A72 cores and a mix of fixed and floating-point DSP cores, Jacinto 7 processors are also equipped with matrix multiplication accelerators for machine learning, integrated ISP, and vision processing. While primarily intended for automotive and industrial applications, the Jacinto 7 processor family’s integrated feature set also makes it an excellent choice for avionics systems.

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COTS Journal | December 2021

“Jacinto 7 processors provide a unique blend of high-performance multicore computing, co-processing, and versatile I/O that make it superb for avionics applications requiring data fusion, array processing, and other advanced control and sensor functionality,” said Greg Rose, vice president of marketing and product management at DDC-I. “Deos cache partitioning, time/space partitioning, and system redundancy features allow avionics developers to take full advantage of the Jacinto 7 processors’ multicore computing, I/O, coprocessing, and security features while reducing worst-case execution time to achieve the highest level of safety-critical operation.”

Deos is a safety-critical embedded RTOS that uses patented technology to deliver the highest possible CPU utilization on multi-core processors, including a broad range of Arm®-based processors and cores. First certified to DO-178 DAL A in 1998, Deos features hard real-time response, time and space partitioning, ARINC-653, and POSIX interfaces, all in a FACE™ Conformant Safety Extended and Safety Base Profiles. With an emphasis on multicore applications, Deos scales well in the gamut of avionics appli-

cations, from highly deterministic deeply embedded FADECs (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) and flight controls to complex high throughput displays and mission computers.

DDC-I’s SafeMC™ technology extends Deos’ advanced capabilities to multiple cores, enabling developers of safety-critical systems to achieve best-inclass multi-core performance without compromising safety-critical task response and guaranteed execution time. SafeMC employs a bound multiprocessing (BMP) architecture, safe scheduling, and cache partitioning to minimize cross-core contention and interference patterns that affect the performance, safety criticality, and certifiability of multi-core systems. Together with Deos’ unique redundancy features, avionics systems developers can develop highly robust systems using Multi-Core Processors (MCP), as specified by the Certification Authorities Software Team (CAST).

DDC-I www.ddci.com

December 2021

COT’S PICKS VPT Adds Point of Load Converter to Space Product Line

SVRPL Series is Designed for High-Performance Space Applications VPT, Inc. (VPT®), a HEICO company announces the availability of its SVRPL Series of space-qualified point of load DC-DC converters. Covering an input voltage range of 3.1 to 5.5 V and available in 6A out-

put surface-mount options, the SVRPL products are designed specifically for space applications facing harsh radiation environments while requiring low voltages and tight regulation for high-performance processors.

The SVRPL3R306SG is based on the Intersil ISL70001ASEH radiation-hardened monolithic buck regulator. It is designed to operate from a nominal 3.3 V or 5 V bus. The SVRPL3R306SG supplies low voltages at 6 A with high efficiency, making it an ideal choice to supply point-of-load applications such as high-performance space processors.

“The SVRPL3R306SG meets the demanding needs of modern rad-hard digital electronics operating in the harshest environments under the strictest of requirements.” Said Brandon Witcher, VPT’s Prin-

cipal Design Engineer. “It features high efficiency, tight regulation, low output ripple, fast load transient response, and exceptional Single-Event Transient (SET) performance. Furthermore, it is specifically designed to meet the rigorous requirements of the latest revision of MIL-PRF-38534 Class K.” The series is characterized for Total Ionizing Dose (TID) performance, including Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity (ELDRS) and Single Event Effects (SEE), and is operable over the full military temperature range (-55 °C to +125 °C) with no power derating, and has been submitted for qualification to MIL-PRF-38534 Class H and Class K, and Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) Level R. VPT, Inc. www.vptpower.com

CoolIT Systems Launches New HighDensity Server Solution with Gigabyte CoolIT Systems Inc. has announced a joint product launch with GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance servers and workstations. Two high-density servers, H262-ZL0 and H262-ZL2, will be equipped with direct liquid cooling for CPUs and more from CoolIT Systems. These cooling solutions are a result of the increasing TDP of modern CPUs, including the 280W versions of AMD EPYC 7003 processors. These hyperconverged servers with four nodes will meet the needs of HPC, HCI, in-memory computing, and scientific research.

To support high-end CPUs and plenty of flash storage, the H262 liquid-cooled servers were conceived and designed to provide stable, high-performance computing via direct liquid cooling. Traditionally, servers like the H262 series had to reduce the number of front bays to provide ample air for 280W CPUs. With a fully populated, 24 drives, H262 server the CPUs are limited to 200W TDP. However, the liquid cooling solution by CoolIT allows for the best of both worlds; plenty of fast flash storage and support for demanding workloads. The H262ZL0 has cold plates for cooling AMD EPYC 7003 processors, whereas the H262-ZL2 cools the EPYC CPUs, memory, and NVIDIA ConnectX®-6.

“Our customers have been asking for liquid-cooled solutions, and we are grateful to have partnered with CoolIT Systems to deliver efficient cooling. The new high-density H262 servers are GIGABYTE’s first wave of servers with direct liquid cooling kits, and have shown

impressive performance in our testing,” said Alan Chen, AVP of Network & Communication Business Unit at GIGABYTE. “Incorporating CoolIT Systems’ liquid cooling technology into GIGABYTE H262 servers will ensure high performance and availability, and warranties by GIGABYTE and CoolIT.” “This collaboration with GIGABYTE allows CoolIT to provide leaders in data center design with cutting edge solutions that combine both high performance and low electricity cooling solutions,” said Brandon Peterson, VP Product at CoolIT Systems. “Liquid cooling has become the new standard for scalable energy-efficient data center deployments, and GIGABYTE has

done a great job promoting this vision.”

To buy the complete server solution, customers can contact their Sales Rep at GIGABYTE to buy the H262 servers with the direct liquid cooling option pre-installed. For all other direct liquid cooling elements, from CDUs to rack manifolds, please contact the team at CoolIT Systems. The CoolIT and GIGABYTE teams work closely to assist customers and ensure system planning and deployment of H262 liquid-cooled servers goes smoothly, every step of the way.

CoolIT Systems Inc. www.coolitsystems.com

COTS Journal | December 2021

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December2021

COT’S PICKS Premio Accelerates Rugged Edge Connectivity with 5G-Ready Fanless Computers

The new carrier board module enables 5G wireless modems for lower latency and improved bandwidth in AI and advanced automation in edge applications

COTS Journal | December 2021

Premio’s RCO-6000-CFL industrial prod-

Premio Inc. announced support for 5G connectivity in its RCO-6000-CFL family of industrial edge computers. These ruggedized computers enrich rugged edge performance, enabling powerful computing in settings once considered too rigorous to access and process the real-time data required for industrial robotics, advanced automation, and artificial intelligence (AI). The systems capitalize on the advanced features of Intel®’s 9th generation Core™ processors, integrated high-speed NVMe storage, and the latest in enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) connectivity for emerging 5G markets in North America.

uct series supports rich expandability to boost wireless connectivity, streamline integration, and unlock automation capabilities in harsh IoT deployments. Leading-edge and legacy technologies are easily incorporated into a single intelligent, industrial computing solution. With more CPU cores, more memory cache, NVMe storage, and 5G capabilities, RCO-6000-CFL models are purpose-built for edge deployments. This industrial-grade solution maintains Premio’s proven rugged engineering through fanless design, broad voltage latitude, wide operating temperature, shock and vibration tolerance, and TPM 2.0 hardware security.

Integrated 5G support is made possible through a proprietary carrier board design, offering easy plug and play options with validated global 5G modem cards. This flexible, modular design enables a variety of expansion options ranging from additional I/O ports and now 5G connectivity. The 5G module (DTB-M2BK ) will also be available in Premio’s next generation of industrial edge computers, the RCO-6000-CML product family, launching in Q1 2022 with Intel®’s 10th generation Core™ processor support ( formerly known as Comet Lake).

“As new IoT applications and complex machine-learning workloads benefit from 5G technology, a new era of wireless connectivity will push beyond boundaries and reach a new level of automation. Today, computing solutions for the rugged edge must ensure mission-critical reliability and deliver intelligent results with minimal latency – demonstrated by the success of our partners in robotics automation, achieving machine intelligence and real-time inference with Premio systems,” added Seetoo.

“Collectively, both 5G connectivity and edge computing capabilities bring enormous benefits in applications leveraging machine learning 32

and hyper-automation,” said Premio’s Director of Product Marketing, Dustin Seetoo. “Premio offers high value on this landscape, tapping into deep expertise in electrical, mechanical, and thermal engineering to deliver dedicated, high performance computing building blocks that are making a difference in new, disruptive edge markets.”

Premio Inc. https://premioinc.com/

December 2021

COT’S PICKS New 10-Gigabit Ethernet XMC Module

Acromag’s new XMC633 module offers two independent 10-gigabit Ethernet interface ports with 10GBASE-KX4 protocol. The XMC mezzanine card mounts on VME, VPX, PCIe, and other embedded computing carrier boards. An industry-leading Intel® XL710 Ethernet Controller provides high-performance network connectivity with advanced off-load and virtualization capabilities. The rear I/O model XMC633 routes two KX4 interfaces to the P16 connector and is compatible with conduction-cooling frames.

Two other models are available. The previously released XMC631 model has four SFP+ front panel connectors for fiber optic or copper media transceivers, while the rear I/O model XMC632 routes two XAUI interfaces to P16. Optional VITA 61 connectors enable PCIe Gen3 data rates across eight high-speed serial lanes on the XMC P15 connector. Designed for COTS applications, these XMC modules are ideal for use in defense, aerospace, industrial, and scientific research computing systems. Extended temperature operation is supported for -40 to 85°C. “Acromag responded to requests for additional 10GbE interface protocols” stated Robert Greenfield, Acromag’s Business Development Manager. “Using the latest Intel Ethernet

Controlling the Electromagnetic Spectrum Whether in theatre or at a test range, an increasing number of electronic devices are used to control the spectrum and ensure readiness on the battlefield. These devices create a multitude of RF spectrum emissions on the ground, air,

Controller technologies, we can now support 10GBASE-KX4 and XAUI backplane interfaces.”

Employing Intel’s advanced XL710 4-port 10-gigabit Ethernet controller, these XMC modules optimize network performance with intelligent off-loading, innovative virtualization, and advanced traffic direction. When paired with a Xeon-D processor, the two Intel devices provide a balanced hybrid solution of computing and offload to achieve optimal performance and reduce bottlenecks. For example, with TCP stateless off-loads, the XL710 demonstrates leading performance vs. TOE solutions without restricting feature usage. Other features include precision timing, Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), and dynamic load balancing. Advanced traffic steering capabilities increase transaction rates and reduce latency.

In rugged systems, the dual KX4 or XAUI interface offers low-cost, low-power 10 GbE chipto-chip communication over the backplane. The four front I/O SFP+ ports support 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-T, and 10GSFP+Cu connections. Software support is available for Linux® and Windows® systems.

Acromag www.acromag.comm

or sea. It is crucial to monitor and manipulate these RF emissions using spectrum monitoring and security jamming. The data thus received is used for collecting intelligence, mission planning, interface hunting, in-field analysis, building signal libraries, and more. Spectrum monitoring and security jamming applications need high gain, rugged antennas.

The SAS family of ARA antennas are intended for applications such as EMC testing, spectrum monitoring, and security jamming.

These antennas are available from PPM Systems as part of a wide range of products for military and defense applications.

Depending on the application, several different configurations and options are available.

Some of the important features of these antennas include: • extremely broadband to mission specialized antennas covering full spectrum operations • multiple sizes and weight options to support a variety of platforms to handheld operations • available as passive units or as active units to support collection and jamming applications • varying voltage and power output levels to support varying mission requirements • single or multiple outputs to support ancillary devices and multichannel systems.

PPM Systems https://ppmsystems.com/

COTS Journal | December 2021

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November 2021

COT’S PICKS Abaco Systems Announces Newest Rugged Graphic Output Boards

Abaco Systems announced the release of both the NPN244 which is VITA 65 aligned and the NPN244S which is aligned to the SOSA™ technical standard. Both graphics output boards are rugged 6U VPX high-performance computers (HPC). The release in both form factors demonstrates Abaco’s leadership in adopting the latest GPU technologies for the rugged defense, aerospace, and industrial market sectors.

The NPN244 and the NPN244S are based on NVIDIA® Turing™ architecture and available on either the NVIDIA RTX5000™ or the NVIDIA RTX3000™ platform. These graphics output boards take full advantage of the NVIDIA GPUDirect™ RDMA to minimize latency for real-time video and data streaming, while more power-sensitive applications can make use of NVIDIA’s RTX3000. Ultimately, this allows the end-user to do more with

SATURN, from Diamond Systems Rugged Apollo Lake x5-E3940 SBC with Data Acquisition and PCIe/104 Expansion RDiamond System’s Saturn combines a feature-rich Atom-class processor-based SBC with a professional-quality industrial analog and digital data acquisition subsystem and flexible I/O expansion in a single board measuring 4.0 x 4.5 inches. A comprehensive suite of rugged features makes Saturn a perfect fit for rugged and harsh environment applications. Gemini is built with a top carrier board, middle COM, and bottom thermal solution.

Saturn was designed from the ground up with a comprehensive set of features to meet the challenges of rugged environments and applications: Saturn has an integrated professional quality data acquisition system with autocalibration and Universal Driver programming support, making it Diamond Systems’ newest 2-in-1 single board computer containing the CPU + I/O and DAQ subsystem on a single board. This 2-in-1 design reduces cost, saves space, and decreases weight.

• 16 single-ended / 8 differential analog inputs • 16-bit A/D resolution • 250KHz maximum A/D sample rate • 4 16-bit single-ended analog outputs • 24 digital I/O, 3.3V logic / 5V tolerant inputs 34

COTS Journal | December 2021

less, or to just do more, with up to 18.98 TFLOPs peak performance.

The NPN244S is a part of Abaco’s roadmap of over 20 products designed to align to the SOSA standard and their wider 6U portfolio – which also includes the IPN254, SBC6511, and SWE550S. The development of both boards reflects the market’s need for products that provide the very latest in high-performance GPGPU computing and graphics generation applications for our customer’s next-generation systems and architectures. The ability to choose between alignment to either the VITA 65 or SOSA standard in a 6U profile increases flexibility and lowers risk.

Both boards are aimed at data-intensive digital signal processing military and civil applications – including ISR, high-performance airborne radar,

Saturn’s data acquisition circuit features autocalibration, which maintains the best accuracy of the A/D and D/A circuits regardless of time and temperature swings. Using the supplied Universal Driver software library, the circuit can be quickly calibrated to within +/-2LSB accuracy at any time, relative to the onboard precision reference voltage circuit.

Saturn utilizes the OneBank cost-effective, compact PCIe expansion connector to allow its use with hundreds of I/O expansion boards from Diamond Systems and other embedded systems vendors around the world. It benefits the customer by enabling them to design a rugged c u st o m - t a i l o re d system based on off-the-shelf components to create a perfect fit solution.

Saturn includes M.2 2242 SATA socket

synthetic aperture radar, and ground moving target indicators and are supported by Abaco’s AXIS ImageFlex which enables rapid development of high-performance image processing, visualization, and autonomy applications aimed at size, weight and power (SWaP) sensitive platforms.

Pete Thompson, vice president of product management for Abaco Systems, said, “Abaco’s innovative approach allowing for an end-user to choose the profile that best meets their needs ensures we can deliver a product that enables our customers to succeed in the long run. Our commitment to continuing delivering the latest technology and products while expanding our portfolio maintains our position as industry leaders in the aerospace, defense, and industrial market sectors.”

Abaco Systems, Inc. https://www.abaco.com

supports up to 1TB flashdisk. Saturn also includes a MiniCard expansion socket with PCIe and USB support for versatile low-cost I/O. Diamond System’s http://www.diamondsystems.com

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Index

ADVERTISERS

Company Page # Website Annapolis Micro Systems ........................................ 30 ........................................ www.annapmicro.com Diamond Systems ................................................... 15 ................................. www.diamondsystems.com GET Engineering .................................................... . IFC ............................................... www.getntds.com Great River Technology ........................................... 22 ..................................... www.greatrivertech.com Holo Industries ...................................................... B/C ................................................ www.holoind.com MPL ...................................................................... 30 ..................................................... www.mpl.com New Wave DV ......................................................... 12 ......................................... www.newwavedv.com OSS ........................................................................ 23 .................................. www.onestopsystems.com Pentek .................................................................. 18 ................................................. www.pentek.com Per Vices Corporation ............................................

5 ................................................ www.pervices.com PICO Electronics, Inc ............................................. 13/IBC .................................... www.picoelectronics.com Pixus Technologies ................................................. 25 ................................ www.pixustechnologies.com Sealevel ................................................................. 10 ................................................ www.sealevel.com SECO ...................................................................... 4 ..................................................... www.seco.com U-Reach ................................................................. 11 .......................................... www.ureach-usa.com Versalogic .............................................................. IBC ............................................. www.versalogic.com COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at; 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009.

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