COTS Journal, January 2023

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.

—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.

By Allen Badeau, Chief

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing JOURNAL

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

John Reardon, Publisher

The idea of“Big.”

It is almost a daily occurrence that I am asked how big the defense budget is and how that stacks up with other countries.

In 2022 Congress approved a budget of $813 Billion for the year. By itself, the number looks massive, and it is much more than our advisories in stacking it up against

the rest of the world. But does this number really paint a picture of the market opportunity that your company faces, or is this nothing more fictitious number I used as a kid when I said it’s a BaZillion?

The defense budget of the United States is scary big, but it includes so many different line items that to believe

that $813 billion represent the total available market is silly. From this budget comes line items that many call the “beans and Bullets” or the consumables, for example, payroll dollars and munitions. Another way to consider it is how it is applied to the different branches of the service. As of 4 April 2022, the FY2023 presidential budget request of $773 billion included $177.5 billion for the Army, $194 billion for the Air Force and Space Force, and $230.8 billion for the Navy and Marine Corps (up 4.1% from FY2022 request).

But does that help?

Then there are the many diagrams that split the pie. For example, 15% go to research and development, 20% to procurement, 40% to Operations and Maintenance, and 24% to personnel. What does that mean, and how can I understand from these numbers the market potential? Again I would challenge you.

Recently, I saw an announcement that Canada just committed to a $19 billion deal for 88 F-35s. That led me to explore what other countries have been buying F-35 and the value of those contracts. I thought about

the agreement for building submarines in Australia and the value it would bring to General Dynamics and others. The estimated value of this deal is more than $40 billion, with France receiving nearly a Billion dollars per the cancellation agreement. This led to another easily recognized $150 Billion in revenue for our friends at Lockheed and General Dynamics.

If you think about all the NATO countries and allies buying equipment, whether to upgrade an aging fleet of F-15s or to purchase replacements, you might want to look at the defense budgets of countries like Germany, Israel, Japan, and England. If you consider that every Javelin Missile sent to Ukraine from England is replenished by Lockheed and Raytheon, the number gets bigger.

As we sit here and debate the defense budget and the cost of the war in Ukraine, all hoping to understand the total available market for our high-performance computing solution, I will convey a cautionary note. You can’t consider the $150,000 that each HIMAR missile costs to launch, and as we adjust budgets to replenish the “beans and bullets,” the dollars spent on technology may be significant but a bit manic.

The Army is already testing and moving forward with what they refer to as “Sensor-to-Shooter”.

Canada just committed to a $19 billion deal for 88 F-35s.

The INSIDE TRACK

Raytheon Technologies demonstrates FlexLink

Adaptive Connectivity Solution in support of U.S. Army’s Project Convergence

Exercise successfully demonstrated a range of JADC2 capabilities

Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) successfully demonstrated solutions needed to connect defense networks and simplify U.S. Army command and control systems during the Army’s Project Convergence exercise.

Key among those technologies was FlexLink, an open-system radio technology developed by the company’s Collins Aerospace business that’s designed to connect multiple air and ground platforms.

During the exercise, FlexLink was installed on U.S. Army UH-60M helicopters and was able to establish a joint command and control network at distances exceeding 200 nautical miles. The demonstration was key to validating the Army’s Project Convergence concept, which is the service’s contribution to the Defense Department’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative.

The FlexLink solution is the first open systems radio prototype to be integrated into U.S. Army platforms. The demonstration bridged four joint service and coalition networks, all operating at different security levels using a multi-level security cross-domain solution to allow for integrated, connected communication across the battlespace.

“We demonstrated that our ready-now open systems radio can be integrated with existing platforms,” said Phil Jasper, president of Mission Systems for Collins Aerospace. “Providing resilient communications across networks is key for reducing decision-making time and supporting effective operations in any highly contested environment.”

FlexLink Adaptive Connectivity Solution for communication, navigation, and surveillance delivers resilient network connectivity and assured positioning, navigation, and timing to

connect the battlespace. The system can operate across a variety of U.S. Department of Defense communication networks, from advanced tactical datalinks to legacy narrowband line-of-sight, both wideband and narrowband SATCOM, high-frequency, commercial mesh networking waveforms, as well as emerging directional line-of-sight resilient capabilities. FlexLink was designed using modular, open systems architecture to allow capabilities to be added or updated quickly and cost-effectively.

Three Raytheon Technologies businesses, Collins Aerospace, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense were selected to participate in the Project Convergence 22 Technology Gateway at Yuma Proving Ground. The businesses demonstrated a variety of capabilities including intelligent gateway technologies, zero-trust cybersecurity solutions, and the upgraded Multi-Functional Lightweight Command Launch Unit.

The INSIDE TRACK

Foxconn Partners With NVIDIA to Build Automated Electric Vehicles

Foxconn to Manufacture NVIDIA DRIVE Orin Computers for Global Automotive Market, Integrate NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion Sensor Architecture for EV Fleets

NVIDIA and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), the world’s largest technology manufacturer, announced a strategic partnership to develop automated and autonomous vehicle platforms.

As part of the agreement, Foxconn will be a tier-one manufacturer, producing electronic control units (ECUs) based on NVIDIA DRIVE Orin™ for the global automotive market. Foxconn-manufactured electric vehicles (EVs) will feature DRIVE Orin ECUs and DRIVE Hyperion™ sensors for highly automated driving capabilities.

“This strategic cooperation with NVIDIA strengthens the intelligent driving solutions Foxconn will be able to provide. Together, we are enabling the industry to build energy-efficient, automated vehicles,” said Eric Yeh, senior director of the Software Development Center at Foxconn. “This is a well-considered partnership that leverages unique strengths on each side in the pursuit of innovative EV development and opportunities.”

Program Will Help Warfighters Make Faster, More Informed Decisions

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a $406 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) for the Intelligence Systems Infrastructure, Tools and Enhancements (InSITE)

The partnership with Foxconn will allow NVIDIA to further scale its efforts and meet growing industry demand as more transportation leaders select DRIVE Orin for intelligent vehicles. In addition, by building EVs on the DRIVE Hyperion-qualified sensor set, Foxconn will speed up its time-to-market and time-to-cost strategies.

“Our partnership with Foxconn will provide OEMs developing intelligent driving solutions with a world-class supplier that can scale for volume manufacturing of the NVIDIA DRIVE Orin platform,” said Rishi Dhall, vice president of automotive at NVIDIA. “Foxconn’s decision to also use the DRIVE Hyperion sensor suite for its EVs will help

accelerate their path to production without compromising safety, reliability or quality.”

The automotive-grade NVIDIA DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip achieves up to 254 trillion operations per second and is designed to handle a large number of applications and deep neural networks that run simultaneously in autonomous vehicles. NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion is a modular development platform and reference architecture for designing autonomous vehicles. Combined, they serve as the brain and central nervous system of the vehicle, processing massive amounts of sensor data in real-time so autonomous vehicles can safely perceive, plan and act.

program to advance information collection and analysis across its customer set.

InSITE will modernize AFRL/RI’s intelligence information collection, sharing, and analysis capabilities by implementing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence solutions. This will enable warfighters to make faster, better-informed decisions to deny, disrupt or defeat threats across all domains and with our global allies.

“Our innovative solutions will meet today’s advancing threats at unprecedented speed and accuracy, transforming decision-making and analysis,” said Rebecca Torzone, vice president and

general manager, of combat systems and mission readiness, at Northrop Grumman. “Building on our 40 years of support to the AFRL/RI, Northrop Grumman will digitally transform InSITE to meet its space domain awareness and counter space intelligence mission priorities.”

Utilizing its digital capabilities, Northrop Grumman will provide cloud-enabled applications to foster data exchanges across U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customer centers and satellite locations, including the U.S. Space Force’s recently established National Space Intelligence Center in support of “One AFRL, Two Services.”

Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect, advance, and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.

The INSIDE TRACK

The future of the F-35

How an engine upgrade and better cooling would unlock the fighter jet’s true power

The U.S. Department of Defense has an ambitious plan to update the F-35. And amid all the documents, discussions, and details, there is one very important factor: the demand for the cooling system.

Since the fighter jet first took flight, the amount of cooling needed to control waste heat from its many electronic systems has doubled. And that demand will continue to grow, as officials add to the increasingly high-tech stack of

sensors, jammers, and other systems that make the F-35 what it is: a flying data center and command post. Or, as military officials sometimes call it, a “quarterback in the sky.”

At the moment, the future F-35’s cooling needs are out of reach. But they don’t have to be.

To make them possible, two Raytheon Technologies businesses – Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace – are proposing a pair of improvements:

• An upgraded power module for the engine would boost performance and provide the compressed air the cooling system requires.

• A new, optimized cooling system that uses

compressed air more efficiently.

Combining those upgrades, company experts say, would give the F-35 a fast and cost-effective way to stay formidable for decades – well into the forthcoming era of even more advanced aircraft.

“The F-35 has to be not just equal to the nearpeer fighter threat. It has to be superior,” said Rick “Slash” Crecelius, a former F-35 pilot and retired U.S. Navy captain who now works as a director for customer integration at Pratt & Whitney. “But the technological advantage is a temporal thing. If we take too long, we start falling behind.”

Boeing launches O3b-mPOWER satellite incorporating Vicor radiation-tolerant power modules

The December 16 launch of Boeing’s O3b mPOWER communication satellite marks a milestone for Vicor Corporation (VICR NASDAQ), whose high-performance, radiation-tolerant modules support Boeing’s satellite mission. Boeing’s O3b satellite will help deliver broadband internet access to the “other 3 billion” (O3b) people around the globe where access is limited or nonexistent.

Drawing on an extensive heritage, Vicor power modules are ideally suited for powering advanced communications ASICs and FPGAs that require a very low-noise operating environment enabled by Vicor’s soft-switching, high-frequency ZCS/ZVS power stages. The thermally adept modules in an SM-ChiP package provide superior density and efficiency.

High-density, radiation-tolerant power

delivery network for NewSpace

The complete source-to-point-of-load solution comprises four SM-ChiP modules powering advanced ASICs and FPGAs from a 100V bus: the BCM3423, a 100V input, 300W, K=1/3 bus converter; the PRM2919, a 33V input 200W regulator; a VTM2919 150A cur-

rent multiplier with an output of 0.8V; and a VTM2919 50A current multiplier with an output of 3.3V.

The modules, which are manufactured in Andover, Mass., (USA) are available in high-density SM-ChiP BGA packages. Chips are rated for operation from –40 to 125°C.

The INSIDE TRACK

ARIES Embedded and Emdalo Technologies Partner for FPGA Solutions

Combined Hardware and Software Expertise to Further Embedded Modules with Microchip’s PolarFire ® SoC Architecture

ARIES Embedded, a specialist in embedded services and products, and Emdalo Technologies, a software engineering development company, have started a partnership for further advancing embedded modules based on Microchip’s PolarFire® SoC architecture. “The PolarFire SoC combines a high-performance 64-bit RISC-V multicore processor subsystem with low-power FPGA technology,” stated Andreas Widder, Managing Director of ARIES Embedded. “In Emdalo Technologies, we’re excited to have an extraordinarily experienced, qualified partner to jointly further this future-ready technology.” Ivan Griffin, Director at Emdalo Technologies, added: “Our cooperation with ARIES Embedded perfectly fits with our focus on delivering excellent solutions in embedded systems, machine learning, AI, information security, and IIoT applications. We’re proud to provide intelligent software

for ARIES Embedded’s high-performance system-on-modules with PolarFire inside.”

High Performance at Low Power

Based on Microchip’s PolarFire® FPGA architecture, ARIES Embedded has developed the M100PF and M100PFS system-on-modules (SoM). The platforms successfully provide reliable embedded systems for secure, power-efficient computation in a wide range of applications, including smart embedded vision, industrial automation, communications, and IoT. The M100PF SoM family implements the PolarFire FPGA and spans from 100K logic elements (LEs) to 300K LEs. It features 12.7G transceivers and offers up to 50 percent lower power than competing mid-range FPGAs. The M100PFS SoM integrates a hardened real-time, Linux-capable, RISC-V-based MPU subsystem on the mid-range PolarFire SoC-FPGA family, bringing low power consumption, thermal efficiency, and defense-grade security to embedded systems. For a quick and easy project start, ARIES Embedded provides evaluation platforms for both SoMs.

The INSIDE TRACK

Air Force Research Laboratory selects BAE Systems to develop advanced seekers for maritime targeting from air-launched platforms

BAE Systems has received a $12 million Phase 2 contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop advanced seekers for maritime targeting from air-launched platforms.

Under the terms of the contract, BAE Systems is leading the development, integration, and testing of its multi-mode seeker for maritime strike applications. BAE Systems has received a $12 million Phase 2 contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to further develop a low-cost, all-weather, multimode (radar/infrared) open architecture seeker under the Maritime Weapon Innovation Program (MWIP) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (also known as QUICKSINK).

QUICKSINK munition concept provides air-delivered maritime surface vessel defeat capability for the warfighter via a cost-effective precision-guided munition kit. The program aims to integrate the new seeker developed by BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™ research and development organization. The Weapon Open Systems Architecture (WOSA) compliant seeker is designed to be plug-and-play – providing semi-autonomous precision targeting of maritime sur-

face vessels at low cost by retrofitting existing weapon systems to achieve torpedo-like seaworthy capabilities from the air.

“Our new multi-mode modular seeker enables precision identification and engagement of surface targets at great distances over a large area,” said Peter Dusaitis, chief scientist at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs. “Our seeker technology will greatly increase the warfighter’s capabilities, enabling combatant commanders with a new way to defend against maritime threats cost-effectively.”

Phase 2 focuses on the integration and test maturation of a prototype multi-mode seeker

system through free flight capability demonstration against a maritime target.

Under the terms of the contract, BAE Systems is leading the development, integration, and testing of its multi-mode seeker for maritime strike applications. The company’s solution extends and uses its experience from Phase 1, its precision munitions portfolio, and its sensor research area. Its previous open architecture seeker development work includes the Seeker Cost Transformation (SECTR) program and its Microwave Array Technology for Reconfigurable Integrated Circuit (MATRICs™) Transceiver – a field-reprogrammable array of radio frequency subsystems.

The INSIDE TRACK

OSS Receives $3 Million AI Compute Order for Use by Missile Defense Agency

One Stop Systems, Inc. has received a $3 million order from a prime military contractor to upgrade a radar simulation system operated by the U.S. Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency.

The order includes deliveries of OSS 4UV compute accelerator systems, each powered by eight of the most powerful PCIe Gen4 Tensor Core GPUs available on the market today and using proprietary OSS Gen 4 PCI express-over-cable technology. The systems will

be deployed in edge mobile radar systems and data centers where they will be used for lab and field artificial intelligence (AI) training.

OSS compute accelerator systems are intended to boost the performance of an existing compute-intensive radar simulation system that uses AI to generate virtual simulations to improve the accuracy and speed of missile defense systems deployment.

OSS commenced system shipments in the fourth quarter of 2022, with the remaining units to be delivered in the first half of 2023.

“We see this radar simulation application for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency as a signifi-

cant validation of the capabilities and effectiveness of our compute accelerator technology for AI applications,” stated OSS’s CEO, David Raun. “We believe we were chosen for this upgrade because of our proven track record with similar simulator programs and our ability to consistently deliver the highest performance computing technology in harsh environments at the rugged edge.

“Where speed and reliability are the most critical factors, OSS can deliver compute accelerators that utilize the fastest GPUs in the world and the latest Gen 4 PCI Express technology,” added Raun. “This enables OSS to deliver ‘performance without compromise.’”

The INSIDE TRACK

UK military’s acquisition of 60 allterrain armored vehicles alongside European partners will support domestic and international objectives, says GlobalData

Following the British Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s announcement that it has signed a procurement agreement for 60 BvS10 amphibious all-terrain armored vehicles valued at £140 million ($200 million);

Tristan Sauer, Land Domain Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“The UK’s decision to acquire a fleet of BvS10 platforms alongside critical European partners is a reflection of evolving procurement priorities within the British armed forces, as well as within the wider western military community. This contract provides several strategic and geopolitical benefits, as the UK’s procurement agreement for 60 BvS10 vehicles is part of the larger Collabora-

tive All-Terrain vehicle (CATV) program, which is being pursued by NATO ally Germany and future NATO member Sweden following an agreement by the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Arctic.

“On a national level, the procurement of these vehicles reflects the vision outlined in the Future Soldier reform initiative published in March 2021. The provision of BvS10 FATVs will enable the Future Commando Force to retain critical mobility and aquatic insertion capabilities during operations in extreme cold-weather environments.

“The second national level benefit of this pro-

curement program lies in its impact on the domestic industrial defense sector, as the manufacture of 463 platforms will create key jobs for British firms which are part of the manufacturing supply chain. For example, the BvS10 employs a 5.9-liter turbocharged diesel engine produced by Cummins Inc, with all 60 engines destined for the UK’s FATVs to be manufactured locally at a facility in Darlington. The British armed forces already operate four variants of the BvS10, there is an established domestic supply chain for spare parts and technical support, which the Future Commando Force can rely on throughout the anticipated 30-year lifecycle of these new platforms.”

The INSIDE TRACK

New Quantum Capabilities for Naval Warfare Centers

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and all 14 Naval Warfare Centers signed a memorandum of understanding on Dec. 2 with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Information Directorate to establish a conduit for the exchange of technical expertise and the exploration of co-projects with a focus on creating useful quantum computing capabilities for the Department of Defense.

The agreement gives Navy scientists and engineers access to AFRL’s IBM’s Quantum Hub (IBM-Q) processor, providing the ability to explore Navy-relevant problem sets focused on operations research, quantum machine learning, quantum simulation, classical simulation, and crypto-analysis.

“As we reimagine Naval Power, we know that quantum technologies are critical to the future

Canada Announces The Procurement Of The F-35 Lightning II

F-35 ranked as the most capable, survivable, and affordable solution

The Government of Canada announced it is procuring Lockheed Martin’s 5th Generation F-35 Lightning II aircraft as a result of the Future Fighter Capability Project competition.

The Royal Canadian Air Force will receive 88 F-35A multirole stealth fighters, a sustainment solution tailored to Canada’s sovereign requirements, and a comprehensive training program.

“Canada is our friend and a close ally. Their decision to procure almost 90 jets underscores the value of the incredible F-35 Lightning II,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer of, the F-35 Joint Program Office. “The F-35 is the best in the world, providing unmatched interoperability to America, Canada, and the additional 15 nations that have selected the fighter. It is a global game-changer. Through power projection, the F-35 is at the tip of the spear for deterrence. Its forward presence will continue to ensure that potential adversaries choose diplomacy over armed conflict.”

“We are honored the Government of Canada has selected the F-35, and we look forward to con-

battlespace,” said Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, Chief of Naval Research. “This collaboration will help ensure our warfighters have the tools they need for mission success.”

Quantum computers offer the potential for faster and more efficient calculations, many of which fall under the realm of combinatorial optimization, machine learning, risk analysis, and chemistry, which are all areas highly pertinent to the development of technology critical for military use.

To manage access to the IBM-Q Hub and facilitate advancements in quantum computing, NRL stood up a Naval Quantum Computing Program Office (QCPO) with Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific serving as the co-lead, and with other representatives from Naval Warfare Center quantum subject matter experts.

tinuing our partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian defense industry to deliver and sustain the aircraft,” said Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin’s vice president, and general manager of the F-35 program. “The selection of F-35 strengthens allied airpower in Canada, North America, and around the world.”

The F-35 strengthens Canada’s operational capability with its allies as a cornerstone for interoperability with NORAD and NATO. As a critical node in the 21st Century Security mission space, the F-35 gives pilots an advantage against any adversary and enables them to execute their mission and come home safe.

Collaboration among Naval QCPO members will accelerate advancement in quantum research by creating a structure for shared resources, information sharing, and the publication of joint findings.

NIWC Pacific’s mission is to conduct research, development, engineering, and support of integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber, and space systems across all warfighting domains, and to rapidly prototype, conduct test, and evaluation, and provide acquisition, installation, and in-service engineering support.

“Together with our Canadian industry partners, we are honored by this selection and the sustainment of critical jobs that will continue to equip Canadian workforces with advanced skills,” said Lorraine Ben, chief executive, of Lockheed Martin Canada. “The F-35 program yields tremendous economic benefits for Canada’s aerospace and defense industry, and we look forward to continued growth.”

To date, the F-35 operates from 27 bases worldwide, with nine nations operating F-35s on their home soil. There are more than 890 F-35s in service today, with more than 1,870 pilots and 13,500 maintainers trained on the aircraft.

AI in DoD Requires Security, Education, and ATO

By Allen Badeau, Chief Technology Officer at Empower AI

When deployed military personnel undertake sensitive field missions, operations centers at the Department of Defense (DoD) are tasked with making real-time decisions, such as where to go to avoid hostile forces or when to deploy reinforcements, based on constantly shifting information.

These high-pressure decisions often require a significant amount of background information to accurately assess the situation. Normally, artificial Intelligence (AI) would be an easy way to streamline necessary data and support the decision-making process. But due to DoD routinely working with highly classified data, standard AI solutions are not viable.

The Pentagon must implement AI that can access and organize classified data. To do that,

it needs to understand how AI fits into highsecurity environments.

Privileged AI: Easier said than done Often, people associate AI with one-off unattended bots that automate tasks such as budget management or desk work. But AI within DoD is different for one critical reason: it must be able to work with the same authority as privileged accounts.

A privileged account is authorized to perform high-security functions that everyday users cannot perform. A system administrator overseeing 5,000 user accounts with sensitive information needs support, but any AI that works within those parameters would need advanced privileges.

This authorization is especially crucial for AI operating at the tactical edge. If DoD urgently needs to know the locations of all the fighter jets within a particular region but receives conflicting information from its numerous classified databases, standard AI programs are not authorized to look through and deconflict the information. The time it takes to find the correct information without AI assistance may risk the lives of warfighters or citizens.

To help people make informed decisions more quickly, everyone from the human deciding on the automation gathering the information must have the capability to see all relevant information. While defense agencies understand this, there are several challenges associated with integrating privileged AI into a network.

Often, people associate AI with one-off unattended bots that automate tasks such as budget management or desk work.

Education and Authorization are the best approachese

The most common challenge associated with AI in DoD is a general lack of trust and understanding of how secure AI would operate. While standard AI often consists of unmanaged automation conducting repetitive tasks, advanced AI is closely managed by the people using it. It would not make decisions such as where to send reinforcements or when to fire missiles; rather it would merely provide the relevant information to the person making that decision.

One way to combat the misconception that AI would oversee critical decisions is by implementing standard AI tools for humans to interact with. By allowing people to be directly involved in dictating and monitoring an AI’s responsibilities, they become familiar with the limitations and benefits of AI, making them less distrustful and resistant to the technology.

Change management is another part of the education process. Ensuring that each agency meets the baseline requirements needed to fully understand and realize all the potential impacts of implementing AI into a secure network ensures a smooth undertaking.

Another obstacle is the need for standardized authority to operate (ATO) for AI. ATO is an accreditation and certification process that allows the government to evaluate applications and ensure they are safe to run on critical systems. While the ATO itself does not affect the privileges or credentials associated with automation, it cannot be used as intended – to confirm the AI solution is secure – when each

agency has its requirements.

While this is not an issue easily solved, one thing agencies can do is ensure they have the baseline capabilities that lend to clean AI

software. Things such as ensuring AI runs within cleared environments on software made in the U.S. by cleared developers are great starting points when looking to standardize ATO and enhance inter-agency collaboration.

Another way to streamline the ATO process is to use the AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) model. Historically, deploying AI requires different vendors for each step of the implementation process (purchase, installation, and maintenance). These vendors have different standards, often leading to ineffective deployment and unfocused goals, making it difficult to secure ATO. AIaaS streamlines the buying, installation, and maintenance process, ensuring that AI is focused on mission-relevant capabilities.

Education and authorization need to be a critical piece of DoD’s AI strategy when planning for the next few years. Without AI that can operate at a high-security level, the government is putting the lives of warfighters and citizens at risk. With international threats becoming more prevalent, the government must utilize every available asset to stay ahead of its adversaries. Using AI in secure networks can provide previously unattainable insight into the information needed to ensure that the well-being of everyone, from the citizen to the warfighter, is protected.

Evolve or Perish through System Monitoring

By Dr. Otto Fest, President and Founder of Otek

For decades now the ability to monitor systems to avoid a catastrophic failure has led the Engineers at OTEK Corporation to build solutions that modernize the infrastructure of the past. It is not uncommon for meters decades old to be abandoned by the original manufacturer leaving the displays and metering a “time bomb” waiting to fail. The idea is simple, to build solutions that are retrofitted to existing needs through form fit and finish, and yet do so with modern and reliable UI. The company has been dedicated for more than 48 years to eliminating the “Stuck Needle” syndrome with

high-quality, fault-tolerant metering solutions.

“Simplicity is the most difficult goal to reach”

The capital expenditure for building nuclear power plants for example, and the regulatory oversite required to do any significant change challenges their owners to find an alternative solution. Having started in the energy market, OTEK understood that other market segments could benefit from its expertise in building plug-and-play solutions that meet their demands. The goal was to employ a current loop

transmitter between 4-20mA to offer a fault-tolerant low-cost metering solution. By using a patented Powerless technology, OTEK can build solutions that are direct replacements for an original part or upgrade to a more modern digital solution.

The bigger the Capital Expenditure, the more critical time becomes. When losses are calculated in dollars per second, it is impossible to wait weeks or even months for a solution. This has focused OTEK on the real-world needs of the industry. The goal is to have a low-cost me-

ter, that is not subject to cyber security threats, fits into the existing panel with no rewiring required, and can be had in real-time through a spares program. The prohibitive costs associated with the introduction of a meter requiring significant changes and alterations make the elegance of a retrofit solution from OTEK perfect. No recertification, no entry point for unauthorized third parties, and decades of future use.

The vast product offering of OTEK includes digital panel meters, controllers, batch counters, process loggers, and bar graph indicators. OTEK is focused on finding solutions in support of nuclear and fossil power plants, water and wastewater utilities, military contractors, aerospace, maritime, oil and gas, chemical, pulp, and paper, and the automotive industries. The idea is to work closely with the clients to determine the course of action that best meets their instrumentation and control needs and then supply a product that exceeds every prerequisite and requirement. Simply put, the OTEK goal is to replace the millions of analog and digital meters that are aging with high-quality replacements with no change to the underlying system.

Application Note

In the early 1980s, OTEK was commissioned by the United States Airforce to build the first

MIL-SPEC Meter to replace a meter used extensively throughout several airframes. Notable was the C-135 Stratotanker, still flown today after many variants. This rich history of addressing advances in space, within the space shuttle, and advances in nuclear energy are supported by numerous patents and a knowledge that critical system monitoring can never be compromised. After decades the library of direct replacement SKUs for industry-standard meters is in the hundreds with the number of variants now well beyond comprehension.

Critical Mission Time Between Failures or CMTBF has been calculated to be more than 40 years. Combined with the plug-n-play, nothing to change installation, OTEK has reduced the need for high volumes of costly spares inventory. Typically a meter can be replaced within 3 to 5 minutes with no special expertise. Maintenance and calibration can also occur in less than 5 minutes. Through incorporating numerous open and MIL standards, OTEK has extensive applicational knowledge in support of the end use of their meters – from space to maritime and everywhere in between.

By employing the latest in LED technologies, OTEK can offer a wide array of displays that tie into existing panels and yet offer advanced displays that can better convey informational thresholds or limits. This can be done through several digital displays that represent the data in varied ways. Displays can be selected to offer digital or analog gauges; they can be bar graphs with alarms or meters. Or you can request a drop-in replacement for many of the popular discontinued gauges.

Through decades of experience, the Engineers at OTEK have continued to evolve their solutions and have recently released their NTM

product line that includes advanced digital solutions. This third-generation metering solution are designed to be a digital replacement for analog metering. OTEK employed its patented loop-power technology to allow for a 2-wire compatible analog meter replacement with no external power required. Having already addressed many end-of-Life concerns (EOL), the breadth and width of products in this class of products is impressive and will continue to evolve as client needs are translated into offthe-shelf solutions.

Corporate Philosophy

Through decades of research, design, and a suite of intellectual property, OTEK can create solutions from the perspective of the client. It may be that you are replacing an OEM part and want an equivalent product that won’t trigger a re-certification, you may wish to have a meter that can deal with specific input signals, or you may want to modernize the meter altogether. The OTEK product library and experienced application team can approach the desired solution in whatever way is needed.

OTEK has established itself throught the decades as a premiere metering company in critical applications where accurate monitoring is a prerequisite for safe operation.

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Ambarella Expands CV3 Family of Automotive AI Domain Controllers With New CV3-AD685

CV3-AD685 Provides Single-Chip Solution for Multi-Sensor Perception, Fusion, and Path Planning

Ambarella, Inc. announced the CV3AD685, the first production version of the CV3 family of automotive AI domain controllers, targeting L2+ to L4 autonomous vehicles. Its next-generation CVflow® AI engine includes neural network processing that is 20x faster than the previous generation of CV2 SoCs, along with additional general vector processing capabilities to provide the overall performance required for fully autonomous driving (AD) stack processing, including computer vision, HD radar, deep fusion, and planning. It also integrates advanced image processing, a dense stereo, and optical flow engine, Arm® Cortex® A78AE and R52 CPUs, an automotive GPU for visualizations, and a hardware security module (HSM). The CV3-AD685 is an “algorithm first” architecture that provides support for the entire AD software stack.

Ambarella’s CV3-AD685 Automotive AI Domain Controller

“Following the recent endorsements from

major tier-1 suppliers, our CV3-AD domain controller family is transforming the automotive AD and ADAS market, through its unique combination of highly efficient AI processing, advanced image processing, and ultra-low power consumption,” said Fermi Wang, CEO of Ambarella. “The new CV3-AD685 delivers new mass-production price and performance options for our customers. It extends our lead in AI performance-per-watt and introduces new radar processing capabilities that uniquely enable the single-chip centralized processing of raw video and 4D imaging radar data.”

The CV3-AD685’s highly-efficient CVflow AI neural vector processor (NVP) engine enables high performance, low latency, and low-power NN processing. The NVP is enhanced to efficiently enable the latest advancements in NN inference, including support for transformer networks. Additionally, the CVflow’s general vector processor (GVP) provides traditional computer vision processing while including specific optimization enhancements for HD radar. Twelve Arm Cortex A78AE CPUs and 3 dual-core, lockstep pairs of Cortex-R52 CPUs are included. CV3-AD685 is targeting ASIL-B on the chip level, with an ASIL-D safety island.

The on-chip image signal processor (ISP) provides outstanding imaging in low-light con-

ditions, including high dynamic range (HDR) processing to extract maximum image detail in high-contrast scenes, enhancing the AI and computer vision capabilities of the chip and delivering clear video for viewing. CV3-AD685 also provides high-resolution video recording and streaming at very low bit rates with efficient encoding in the H.265 and H.264 video formats.

The hardware security module (HSM) provides isolation of different domains and secure software provisioning, as well as a suite of advanced cybersecurity features, such as asymmetric/symmetric crypto acceleration, secure storage, key provisioning, encrypted CVflow tasks, true random number generator (TRNG), one-time programmable (OTP) memory, DRAM scrambling, and DRAM virtualization.

Fabricated in Samsung’s advanced 5nm automotive process technology, the low power consumption CV3-AD685 SoC is an ideal platform for efficiently implementing assisted and autonomous driving for L2+ to L4 vehicles, multi-sensor ADAS, DMS, and OMS in-cabin monitoring systems, multi-channel electronic mirrors with BSD, and intelligent parking assistance and automated parking systems.

Ambarella ambarella.com

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Syntiant Introduces Production-Ready Edge AI Software Solutions for Image Detection, Tracking, and Classification

Syntiant Corp. announced the availability of a full suite of pre-trained and customizable deep-learning models for computer vision applications.

Capable of running on most hardware platforms including CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, FPGAs, and ASICs, Syntiant’s edge AI algorithms are being deployed in security and IP cameras, 360/VR cameras, video doorbells, video conferencing systems, and other use cases.

“We are building upon our leadership position in voice and audio by offering scores of off-the-shelf machine learning models for edgebased image and vision applications,” said Kurt Busch, CEO of Syntiant. “These hardware agnostic models can be easily customized and work on a wide range of SOCs, including our NDP200, which brings together the best of both worlds into a powerful, compact, highly efficient turnkey solution.”

“Software service revenue for edge AI is expected to grow to over five billion in 2027, with most of that derived from computer vision,” said Lian Jye Su, an analyst at ABI Research. “New models and use cases are emerging every month. Furthermore, end users need to integrate computer vision into end devices with various form factors, processing power, and battery consumption. Having developer-friendly and production-grade edge AI software allows quick onboarding and development of edge AI-based computer vision models. As a result, enterprises can overcome the lack of edge AI expertise and focus on operation.”

Syntiant syntiant.com

Introducing OSBOURNE – the new NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin carrier board from Diamond Systems!

Featuring interchangeable I/O adapters, multiple expansion sockets, and a PCIe slot connector

AGX Orin is the new top-of-the-line Jetson GPU / AI compute module from NVIDIA. It features up to 275 TOPS (tera-operations per second) and up to 5x the performance of the previous AGX Xavier module (Nvidia test results). Diamond’s Osbourne carrier board provides access to all the I/O and compute capabilities of Orin in a compact and rugged design that is suitable for both commercial and rugged applications.

Built-in I/O includes 1 1/10Gb Ethernet port + 1 optional 1Gb Ethernet port; 3 USB 3.2 / 2.0 ports + 1 fixed USB 2.0 port; 2 RS232/422/485 + 2 fixed RS-232 serial ports; 2 CAN ports; 8 GPIO 3.3V lines; 1 HDMI port; Audio I/O; and auxiliary I2C and SPI port.

Diamond Systems diamondsystems.com

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Microchip Launches Radiation-Tolerant Power Management Device Targeting Low-Earth Orbit Space Applications

The commercialization of the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) region is transforming space exploration and satellite communication at roughly 1,200 miles above Earth. For satellites to successfully operate and reach their destination, it is essential to select components that can withstand the harsh space environment. Building on its existing radiation-tolerant portfolio, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) announces today the introduction of its first commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) rad-tolerant power device with the MIC69303RT 3A Low-Dropout (LDO) Voltage Regulator. The new high-current, low-voltage MIC69303RT is a power management solution targeting LEO and other space applications. The device is available for prototype sampling in both plastic and hermetic ceramic to support the requirements of the mission.

The MIC69303RT is based on proven COTS devices, making it easier to conduct a preliminary evaluation and early development. Operating from a single low-voltage supply of 1.65 to 5.5 volts, the device can supply output voltages

as low as 0.5V at high currents, offering high-precision and ultra-low dropout voltages of 500 mV under extreme conditions. The MIC69303RT is a companion power source solution for Microchip’s radiation-tolerant space-qualified microcontrollers such as the SAM71Q21RT and PolarFire® FPGAs including the RTPF500TLS.

“The MIC69303RT is Microchip’s first rad-tolerant power management device with a hermetic ceramic package, latch-up immunity, and 50 Krad total dose robustness,” said Bob Vampola, vice president of Microchip’s aerospace and defense business unit. “Microchip has over 60 years of space flight heritage in a comprehensive portfolio that allows customers to choose products designed to work together and accelerate their design processes.”

“This COTS rad-tolerant power management solution enables new design possibilities in space applications,” said Keith Pazul, director of marketing for Microchip’s analog power and interface business unit. “Customers can design their space system with confidence by selecting the COTS MIC69303RT space-qualified part to power Microchip space-qualified MCUs and FPGAs.”

Designed for harsh aerospace applications,

the MIC69303RT is operational in temperature ranges from -55°C to +125°C. It is offered in 8-pin and 10-pin package configurations with radiation tolerance up to 50 Krad. The low noise of the output is critical to sensitive RF circuits, the post-regulation of switching power supplies, and industrial power applications.

The MIC69303RT device is the newest space-qualified product by Microchip and is manufactured in compliance with the following MIL Class Q or Class V requirements: screening testing, qualification testing, and TCI/QCI specifications. The plastic MIC69303RT is compliant with high-reliability plastic quality flow derived from AEC-Q100 automotive requirements with specific additional tests necessary for space applications.

Development Tools

The MIC69303RT Plastic Evaluation Board is designed to evaluate the performance of the plastic engineering IC version for the MIC69303RT. The 4-layer PCB allows the user to easily change and measure the electric parameters of the device at different input and output conditions.

Microchip microchip.com

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High-performance single-board computer designed for graphicsintensive tasks

Embedded computing platform supports up to four 4K resolution displays

Embedded systems and display solutions provider, Review Display Systems Inc. (RDS) has announced the introduction of an AMD-powered mini-STX single-board computer (SBC) from a leading global provider of embedded technology, Kontron. The new high-performance Kontron D3724-R mini-STX industrial motherboard supports the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2000 series processors with integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics and is available in three versions.

Developed and engineered in Germany, the compact, highly integrated mini-STX SBC is designed for use in a wide range of embed-

APEM, Inc. Low-Profile Joystick is Tough and Precise

The expanded availability of APEM’s XS Series low-profile joystick/thumbstick provides designers with more industrial-grade precision control options.

APEM announces expanded availability of the XS Series low-profile joystick/thumbstick, ideal for robust applications requiring precise control of industrial equipment, construction vehicles, and marine vessels.

Many of the most challenging industrial, commercial, and marine applications incorporate extensive operator control interfaces, via wired or wireless consoles, armrests, belly boxes, and pendants. Users need responsive multi-axis devices supporting precise control, designed to survive the harsh environment. Because these installations have limited space, APEM has developed the XS Series with these manufacturers, OEMs, and end users in mind.

XS Series joysticks are three-axis—X, Y, plus Z center tap—with a minimized yet very usable height. The compact size of just 47mm overall height above the panel face is one of the lowest available, making the joystick less vulnerable to impact, and allowing it to be located on dense control arrays without restricting access to other

ded applications with demanding graphic-intensive tasks such as digital signage, ticketing terminals, information kiosks, medical displays, and industrial-use PCs.

The fanless, industrial D3724-R motherboard series is based on the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2000 series processors and offers significantly higher performance than its predecessor R1000 series. Exceptional graphics performance is delivered with the integrated AMD Radeon Vega GPU providing support for up to three DisplayPorts, one HDMI port, one Embedded DisplayPort V1.4, and one dual-channel LVDS (24bit) and drives up to four independent displays in 4K resolution (4096 x 2160 pixels).

Peter Marchant, embedded business manager, RDS said, “The new D3724-R provides a step-up in processing and graphics performance over the pin-compatible Kontron D3714 SBC by using the newer, more powerful AMD Ryzen 2000 series processors. The D3724-R series provides a comprehensive feature and toolset which enables customers to easily offer different performance options for their products without the need for additional design and development.”

Review Display Systems Inc. review-displays.com

devices. The minimal height means that guarding provisions can also be lower on control panels, providing suitable drop protection while avoiding interference with user actions.

Nylon covering a stainless-steel shaft provides a durable and easily gripped surface, and the entire assembly is rated IP66 at operating tempera tures from -22 to 185DegF. The two-convolution gaiter is designed so that self-alignment is guaran teed, and no sealing washer is needed.

XS joysticks can be installed as a drop-in or rear-mounted for best design flexibility, and they are tested to survive a 1m free fall, along with vibra tion resistance following IEC 60068. The joystick is designed to meet industrial-grade EMC and ESD ratings under IEC 61000. The expected lifetime of 10 million cycles in such a trim form factor is made possible with an updated metal gimbal/base pivot mechanism and limiter for the Hall ef fect sensor, and improved wire routing. A comprehensive validation plan ensures adherence to all performance requirements.

With a standard operating voltage of 3.3 or 5VDC, the Hall effect sensor can operate as a sin gle- or dual-axis, with dual and dual-inverse out puts available. Outputs can be analog or PWM, each including center-detect and center-tap sig naling.

A straightforward part number configurator lets users easily select among five signaling options, five gain levels, four-movement limiter types, two handle shapes, and four spring force levels. Other customization options, including color, are available.

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Supermicro Adds ARM-based Servers using Ampere® Altra® and Ampere Altra® Max Processors targeting CloudNative Applications

Supermicro is announcing an expanded product line with exciting new ARM-based series of servers as part of the MegaDC family. Using Ampere Altra® and Ampere Altra® Max processors, the Mt. Hamilton platform leverages a single unified motherboard design, targeting cloud-native applications, such as Cloud Gaming, Video-on-Demand, CDN, IaaS, Database, Object-Storage, dense VDI, and Telco Edge (Distributed Unit and Centralized Unit) solutions. In addition, the new servers address several objectives for cloud-native workloads, specifically delivering high performance per watt while executing scalable workloads and those that require very low latency responses.

Supermicro Expands Server Product Lines

ioSafe® 1522+ NAS Device Delivers Comprehensive Hard Drive and Data Protection from Fire and Water

The recognized leader in on-site data protection, ioSafe®, today introduced the ioSafe 1522+, an innovative five-bay network attached storage (NAS) device that sets new standards in power, protection, and security. The new device is a flexible, inclusive solution for businesses of all sizes, including those with remote locations in fire and flood-prone areas.

“The 1522+ is the next proof point in our commitment to delivering the world’s most innovative and effective fireproof and waterproof data protection solutions,” said Randal Barber, CEO of ioSafe parent company CDSG. “This powerful device helps businesses and government agencies, media companies, and creative professionals restore normous amounts of data faster than ever after a disaster, ensuring as little disruption to their businesses as possible.”

The ioSafe 1522+ is a flexible, all-in-one solution for large and small businesses across industries, including those with remote facilities.

Its powerful dual-core AMD processor is ideal for taxing business environments. The 1522+ comes standard with 8GB of configurable RAM and is upgradeable to 32GB, making it ideal for a wide

with

ARM-based Servers Using Ampere Processors

“Supermicro continues to bolster our product line by introducing ARM-based servers, using the Ampere Altra and Altra Max CPUs,” said Ivan Tay, SVP of Product Management, Supermicro. “Expanding our already broad server product line gives customers even more choices for their specific workloads. We can quickly offer optimized application servers for customers worldwide using our Building Block Solutions approach.”

Supermicro’s MegaDC ARM-based product lines use a Building Block design which features a single socket motherboard paired with an Ampere Altra or Altra Max CPU with up to 128 cores per server (currently the highest core count in the server industry), up to 4TB of DDR4 memory, and a modular design supporting unparalleled options for max I/O, PCIe, and storage.

The Supermicro MegaDC product line in-

range of storage environment tasks, including running virtual machines and data server applications for a department or an entire company.

New to ioSafe NAS devices is an optional 10GbE network port for the fastest access and performance. In addition, four 1 GbE LAN ports enable link aggregation for high throughput and failover support.

The 1522+ is the only solution using the trusted Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM), which includes on-site or cloud-integrated backup, data encryption, data sharing, synchronization, and surveillance.

“I have seen an ioSafe device perform above expectations in a live-fire situation in Portland, Oregon, where a dental practice suffered a complete loss of building and equipment. We extracted the drive, performed a 100% recovery, and had the practice back in business the following day. ioSafe products perform, surviving both extremes: the fire itself and the fire department’s water when extinguishing the fire,” said Tom Wynkoop, Hardware Support Supervisor, Astra Practice Partners, a company that provides front- and back-office solutions for dental practices in the Pacific Northwest.

ioSafe

iosafe.com

cludes a range of servers with a single Ampere Altra or Altra Max CPU, in a 1U or 2U form factor, with up to four double-width GPUs or up to 24x 2.5” U.2 NVMe hot-swappable drives. In addition, the systems include an onboard redundant 25GbE SFP28 Ethernet networking using NVIDIA Mellanox CX4. Designed with highly efficient air cooling, the Supermicro ARM-based line of servers has been certified up to 35°C (95°F) ambient temperature for Enterprise and 55°C (131°F) for Edge applications.

“In collaboration with Supermicro, Mt. Hamilton brings Ampere’s dense, efficient compute to a broad set of use cases from the central cloud to the distributed edge,” said Jeff Wittich, Chief Product Officer, Ampere. “Leveraging Ampere’s Cloud Native processors, Mt. Hamilton enables 2-3X more performance per rack on common cloud-native workloads, helping customers better meet the scalability demands of the cloud now and in the future.”

Supermicro supermicro.com

January 2023COT’S PICKS

New 3U VPX ATR and 19” Rackmount Chassis Join WILD100™ Family of Chassis, Backplanes & Chassis Managers

Annapolis Micro Systems has introduced a rugged WILD100 8-Slot 3U OpenVPX SOSA™Aligned ¾ Air Transport Rack (ATR) Chassis (WC3A80) and two WILD100 19” Rackmount 3U OpenVPX Chassis (WC31E0 & WC31DH).

The new chassis join the WILD100 Family of Annapolis Chassis, Backplanes & Chassis Managers, most of which were developed in alignment with the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard and support C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS).

WILD100 products feature 25 Gbps Line Rates on Data and Expansion Planes via:

• 25/40/100Gb Ethernet

• SDR/DDR/QDR/EDR Infiniband

• Gen 3/4 PCI Express

• Custom protocols up to 25Gbps per lane

All three chassis include a secure WILD Chassis Manager (WABGM0 or WABGM2). The chassis managers are SOSA-aligned and VITA 46.11 compliant, and are powered by a Xilinx

UltraScale+ ZU5EG or ZU11EG MPSoC and Microsemi PolarFire MPF200T FPGA for security functions. Multiple security and advanced features are available; contact the factory for details.

WC3A80 ATR Chassis

The top-loading forced-air, conductioncooled WC3A80 is in production and is shipping to customers. It has eight 3U OpenVPX slots:

• Four Primary RF/Compute Intensive Payload Slots with 14.6.11 profile

• One I/O-intensive SBC Slot with a 14.2.16 profile

• One 40/100GbE Switch Slot with 14.4.14 profile

• One Timing Slot with a 14.9.2 profile

• One 12V-only VITA 62 Power Supply Slot

Payload slots feature VITA 66.5C and VITA 67.3C connectivity, and optional MIL-DTL-38999 SOSA-aligned circular connector(s) with 19 RF or four 24-fiber MT connections. Up to two dual redundant MIL-STD-1553 interfaces are supported. The rugged unit supports operation from -40 to 70°C and storage from -50 to 85°C ambient air and is targeted at demanding airborne and land/sea-based applications.

WC31E0 & WC31DH 19” Rackmount Chassis

The front-loading forced-air, conductioncooled WC31E0 (in production), and WC31DH (in

development) have 14 and 13 3U OpenVPX slots, respectively. Both include:

• Eight Primary RF/Compute Intensive Payload Slots with 14.6.11 profile

• One Timing Slot with a 14.9.2 profile

• Two 12V-only VITA 62 Power Supply Slots

The WC31E0 Chassis also includes:

• One I/O-intensive SBC Slot with a 14.2.16 profile

• Two 40/100GbE Switch Slots with 14.4.14 profile

The WC31DH Chassis also includes two HD Switch slots that feature high-density VITA 91 connectors with double the available density, up to 64 lanes of Ethernet or PCIe or 128 LVDS pairs.

The two HD switch slots allow the WC31DH Chassis to handle all Data and Control Plane Ethernet via one slot, with the second switch slot dedicated to the expansion plane – Ethernet, PCIe, and/or LVDS (for low latency jamming or radar applications).

“The new VITA 91 high-density connector allows for a completely switched backplane, so the expansion plane is no longer defined by a fixed backplane PCB but is now fully reconfigurable,” said Jay Grandin, Annapolis Micro Systems VP of Product Development.

Annapolis Micro Systems annapmicro.com