COTS Journal, June 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

By John Reardon,

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford transits the Atlantic Ocean, March 19, 2023.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Ron Stephens, Q-Tech Corporation

Does anybody really know what time it is?

Precise timekeeping is of the utmost importance in science and technology and has been since the beginning of recorded time. Yet no one really knows what time is. If you look up the word “time” in a good dictionary, you will see one of the longest entries, with dozens of definitions. In 400 AD, St. Augustine said, “What, then, is time? If no one asks me, I know; if I wish to explain to him who

asks, I know not.” Time is what a clock measures. The first clocks were natural phenomena like the sun rising and setting and the motions of the stars in the heavens. Sundials were developed, and then water clocks and sand-filled hourglasses. Later, pendulum clocks became the ultimate in precision. Physicists needed accurate clocks to measure natural phenomena, and accurate

Deep Space Atomic Clock Moves Toward Increased Spacecraft Autonomy

timekeeping was crucial to navigation. In the eighteenth century, we understood light as one example of an electromagnetic wave with very short wavelengths and high frequency. Frequency is the inverse of time or how often something happens in a given time interval. Thus, measuring time and frequency was crucial to the most cutting-edge physics.

In the twentieth century, Einstein’s theory of relativity defined time as part of a four-dimensional space-time. Furthermore, time was relative; measured time was different for observers moving at different speeds. Communicating with our satellites depends on taking relativistic time into account, and our GPS systems would only work correctly by doing so. To meet the timekeeping needs of modern technology, the most accurate clocks are atomic clocks and crystal oscillators. Atomic clocks, which depend on the frequencies of energy transitions in atoms, are the most precise measuring device for long periods. Crystal oscillators are most accurate for times less than 1 second, which is also crucial. The best clocks today, like in satellites, include an atomic clock and a crystal oscillator working together.

Quantum physics took the mysteries of time to a whole other level. Is time continuous or discrete? Is there a minimum size of time duration, a quantum of time? Is time fundamental, or is it an emergent phenomenon, or is it an illusion?

Many scientists now think that time is not fundamental

but that it emerges out of nothingness. Of course, nothingness itself is being redefined. Thoroughly empty space is now believed to be a quantum foam, with virtual particles popping into and out of existence randomly and continuously. When these virtual particles interact, they become entangled, and the information is recorded as a sort of Akashic* record that is created and begins to manifest as what we call space.

Time, in this view of things, is the record of the sequence, the order in which events between particles occur. Remember that the particles themselves are just blips in the waves in the quantum field. And that’s about as far as I can go for now because even a crystal professor doesn’t understand quantum physics.

But the precise measurement of time and frequency are at the cutting edge of how quantum physicists attempt to further our understanding of things at the smallest scales and, surprisingly, also at the largest scales. Advances in precise timekeeping help cosmologists investigate the Big Bang and the history and structure of the entire universe. More practically, almost all our modern electronic technologies depend on precise timing. Because atomic clocks are expensive, large, and power-hungry, crystal oscillators are the workhorses in electronic devices, from your kitchen appliances, radios, TVs, computers, watches, cell phones, satellites, and fiber optic highspeed data communications.

* Akasha is a Sanskrit word and means “Primary Substance,” from which all things are formed.

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

In the twentieth century, Einstein’s theory of relativity defined time as part of a four-dimensional space-time.

The INSIDE TRACK

The Open Group Future Airborne Capability Environment™ (FACE) Consortium Releases Conformance Contributions to Airworthiness

The Open Group Future Airborne Capability Environment™ (FACE) Consortium has released a new Conformance Contributions to Airworthiness guide, detailing how artifacts and activities for FACE Conformance contribute to flight certification evidence.

The guide is aimed at suppliers developing FACE conformant software in parallel or before developing verification evidence for flight certification. Conformance to the FACE Technical Standard produces artifacts that can be leveraged as developers and integrators move towards flight certification (qualification for airworthiness). The guide targets two representative standards for airworthiness –the international civilian standard DO-178C/ ED12C and the U.S. military standard MILHDBK-516C.

Programs of record under the Department of Defense (DoD) increasingly require

FACE-conformant software components due to the benefits of modularity, portability, and ease of integration. The new guidance can reduce the cost and effort of achieving FACE Conformance and flight certification. Specifically, it aims to cross-reference activities and artifacts for FACE Conformance that can contribute to airworthiness evidence required for flight certification.

“The release of the Conformance Contributions to Airworthiness is an important milestone in our ongoing journey to refine business processes and technical practices that promote integration and delivery of improved capabilities. It provides an important tool for those needing to leverage airworthiness and FACE conformance requirements. We are proud that our comprehensive conformance program continues to grow and positively impact the industry and our national and international membership,” commented

The guide brings key benefits for system integrators planning to incorporate FACE Units of Conformance (UoCs) as well as to developers and suppliers of the UoCs, as an aid for the planning and development of their software. They can expect a reduction in effort and schedule by leveraging data produced to achieve FACE Conformance and also to be used to support flight certification, ultimately reducing the acquisition costs of airworthy systems that incorporate FACE UoCs.

Software components certified as FACE conformant must be reused, leading to recurring savings. Additionally, the artifacts can be revised to support software product lines and have reuse benefits when extended into other product lines, such as document templates.

Alicia Taylor, The Open Group FACE Consortium Director.

The INSIDE TRACK

IFS and Lockheed Martin Sign Enhanced Partnership to Keep Aerospace and Defense Assets Mission-Ready

IFS, the global cloud enterprise applications provider, and Lockheed Martin announced a joint partnership to promote products and services to help aerospace and defense organizations maximize the value of their enterprise software investments, modernize their equipment maintenance and support processes, and keep assets missionready.

IFS and Lockheed Martin have worked together for several years. In 2021, IFS and Lockheed Martin announced that the U.S. Navy had selected both companies to deliver an intelligent maintenance solution to power the streamlining of multiple legacy

systems into a single, entirely digitized, and insight-driven logistics system. The solution comprises capabilities for planning and executing maintenance, repair, and overhaul of more than 3,000 assets, including aircraft, ships, and land-based equipment.

This new agreement will build on the success of the two companies. IFS software will be available in the Lockheed Martin Innovation Demonstration Center at its Training and Logistics Solutions facility in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, IFS and Lockheed Martin will collaborate on bid processes for customer opportunities and share technology roadmaps to align their technology offerings for aerospace and defense customers.

Scott Helmer, Aerospace & Defense President, IFS, commented: “This agreement

builds upon a key relationship with one of the world’s leading A&D manufacturers and defense contractors. It will provide both organizations with strong alignment on complementary solutions and services to help A&D organizations ensure Total Asset Readiness.”

Reeves Valentine, Vice President of Land and Maritime Solutions at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, said: “At Lockheed Martin, we develop highly-tailored solutions to help our customers achieve their critical missions,” He added: “Delivering digital tools that feature intuitive interfaces, streamlined workflows, and AI-powered features keeps our military ahead of evolving threats. This partnership with IFS combines both companies’ efforts to ensure our customers have the most innovative defense capabilities.”

The INSIDE TRACK

Curtiss-Wright Selected by General Dynamics to Provide MRO Services for the Austrian Army’s Ulan Infantry Fighting Vehicle Fleet

The agreement provides cost-effective replacement/overhaul of the original Ulan IFV turret drive system electronic components and mechanical hardware.

Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division announced that it was selected by General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services to help extend the operational life of the Austrian Army’s fleet of Ulan Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV). Under the contract, valued over $10 million, Curtiss-Wright will replace the original electronic components used in the ground vehicle’s turret drive stabilization system and overhaul the vehicle’s mechanical components. The contract began in February 2023 and is scheduled to run through the end of 2028.

Curtiss-Wright’s MRO services will help keep Austria’s Ulan Infantry Fighting Vehicle fleet at the optimal operational state for decades. As the original supplier, almost twen-

Concurrent Technologies Announce New Distributor Agreement with SoC-e

Concurrent Technologies, a world-leading specialist in the design and manufacture of highend embedded computer solutions and systems for critical applications, announces it has signed a distribution agreement with SoC-e, an internationally recognized provider of advanced equipment for real-time, high-availability Deterministic Ethernet networking for critical sectors.

ty-five years ago, of the Ulan IFV’s turret stabilization technology, Curtiss-Wright can cost-effectively update the electronic components on the vehicle using oneto-one fit, form and function replacements. Even better, as the original OEM, Curtiss-Wright can overhaul the system’s mechanical components at far more significant cost savings than having an alternative supplier replace the vehicle’s turret drive hardware.

About Curtiss-Wright’s Turret Drive Servo System

The TDSS uses a modular architecture and standard system configurations, which speeds system development and enables programs to reach demonstration and production phases more rapidly. Using preconfigured TDSS system components also reduces the time and costs associated with the requirements definition process.

The TDSS enables system integrators to select the exact aiming and stabilization solu-

This significant distribution agreement enables Concurrent Technologies to offer SoC-e’s Relyum Advanced Networking Solutions portfolio within their home markets of the U.K. and USA and additional worldwide territories. Including SoC-e’s reliable, robust, and field-proven Relyum solutions further strengthens Concurrent Technologies’ position as a market leader in delivering cutting-edge solutions for the aerospace and defense sectors.

In particular, the integration of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) enables systems based on

tion their platform requires - from a manually operated drive to a highly sophisticated, stabilized drive system – while streamlining enhancements and/or system modification for use on different platforms. This approach is more cost-effective and flexible than traditional bespoke aiming and stabilization system alternatives. TDSS system components can be easily adapted on different ground vehicle turrets to meet dynamic program requirements, including performance and precision.

The TDSS products covered by the contract are designed at Curtiss-Wright’s Drive Technology facility in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland. Curtiss-Wright is shipping the products to General Dynamics European Land Systems in Vienna, Austria.

single ethernet fabrics to process real-time traffic more efficiently, eliminating the need to use extra legacy real-time data.

Miles Adcock, CEO of Concurrent Technologies, commented:

“Building strong relationships with strategic industry partners is a core focus for our organization. We are pleased to work alongside the experienced SoC-e team to enhance our product offerings. The collaboration enables us to deliver our leading range of solutions and systems to our home and global markets faster and more efficiently than ever before.”

Mikel Idirin, CEO of SoC-e, commented:

“Working with established partners like Concurrent Technologies is an exciting opportunity for us. Their clear strategy to deliver rugged systems with Advanced Networking capabilities and their extensive global sales network align with our ambitions and objectives. We are confident that this partnership will bring mutual success and further strengthen our positions as industry leaders.”

The INSIDE TRACK

Red Cat Receives Order for 200 Long-Range, High-Speed Drones for Ukrainian Deployment

Red Cat Holdings, Inc. announces that it will fulfill a purchase order to provide 200 long-range, high-speed FPV (first-person view) drones to Ukrainian drone pilots engaged in conflict with Russia.

The FPV drones will be delivered to Ukraine in June. The drones to be shipped have the highest power-to-weight ratio in the drone industry, offering increased maneuverability, especially when combined with the FPV functionality of the drones. These FPV drones can also fly in GPS-denied and GPSjammed battlefield conditions.

“Fortunately, Red Cat has the U.S. man-

ufacturing capacity required to quickly deliver on such orders,” said Red Cat CEO Jeff Thompson. “We are pleased to provide our product to Ukrainian drone pilots, and we look forward to continuing to engage with them, including by providing our new nighttime drone, the Teal 2. Much drone activity is performed at night, and the Teal 2 is at the forefront of nighttime drone capabilities.”

Officially launched last month, the Teal 2 is designed to Dominate the Night™ and is equipped with Teledyne FLIR’s new Hadron 640R sensor. This provides end-users with the highest resolution thermal imaging in a small (Group 1) form factor and is optimized for nighttime operations. Red Cat’s other technology partners for the Teal 2 include Athena AI, Reveal Technology, and Tomahawk Robotics.

Red Cat Officially Launches Teal 2 Military-Grade sUAS at AAAA Summit in Nashville

The INSIDE TRACK

Boeing Begins First U.S. Air Force B-52 Radar Upgrades

The first U.S. Air Force B-52 aircraft has arrived at Boeing [NYSE: B.A.] to begin upgrades as part of the Radar Modernization Program (RMP).

The RMP program will give the B-52 “fighter-like” radar capabilities, increasing navigation accuracy, targeting, and tracking, and will provide new, high-resolution mapping. The new radar will also be able to engage

multiple targets simultaneously.

“The B-52 brings unique, critical capabilities to the U.S. Air Force as they move to a future two-bomber platform strategy,” said Jennifer Wong, director of Bomber Programs. “By modernizing the B-52 radar, we’re increasing the relevancy of the aircraft for the warfighter for close air support or strategic attack.”

Following the on-schedule completion of the radar program Critical Design Review, Boeing began low-rate initial production of

the new radar system for operational testing and evaluation. Work on B-52 modernization occurs at Boeing sites in Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

RMP program upgrades include a new, wide-band radome on the aircraft’s nose; two high-definition, touch-screen, large area displays; two display sensor system processors that will connect the radar with other B-52 systems; two hand controllers and a modern active electronically scanned array radar.

Advancing Joint All-Domain Operations to Stay Ahead of Ready: Lockheed Martin Accelerates Modernized Capabilities for U.S. Army

Today, more than ever, the U.S. Armed Forces and its allies must demonstrate credible military deterrence to foster stability, peace, and prosperity across the globe. Lockheed Martin and defense industry partners are teaming up with the U.S. Army to enable a network of advanced systems across all domains that can operate in highly contested environments.

One of the most significant areas of focus for allies is the Indo-Pacific. Strategically-postured regional capabilities are critical to support deterrence, provide 24/7 counterfire capability and strike land and maritime targets.

To meet our customers’ immediate needs, Lockheed Martin is tailoring solutions to optimize current assets and advance the development and delivery of modernized, connected capabilities like the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM),

Delivering capable, connected systems, like the demonstrated THAAD Weapon System/PAC3 MSE integration, enables a tightly integrated, layered missile defense system. Integrating PAC-3 MSE into the THAAD Weapon System provides a critical 21st-century security capability that gives the warfighter more options with existing equip-

ment so they can choose the best interceptor for any threat.

Lockheed Martin-built systems already demonstrate JADO-enabling capability to seamlessly and securely connect assets in the joint battlespace supporting prompt and decisive action in joint military exercises like the INDOPACOM-sponsored Northern Edge and Valiant Shield.

PAC-3 MSE, and RAIDER X.

The INSIDE TRACK

Drop-in Defense Advanced GPS

Receiver replacement features M-Code protection and a full-color graphical user interface.

At the Joint Navigation Conference in San Diego, BAE Systems unveiled NavGuide™, a next-generation Assured-Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) device featuring M-Code Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. NavGuide is a field-installable replacement to the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) designed for quick integration into current DAGR mounts and accessories without mission interruption.

NavGuide features a three-inch, full-color graphical user interface for the dismounted soldier and easily integrates with existing mounted platforms and systems. The device leverages the advanced M-Code GPS signal with enhanced jamming and spoofing protection. NavGuide is portable, versatile, and precise and enables vehicular, handheld, sensor, and gun-laying applications to allow the military to defeat adversaries in various challenging threat environments.

“The market demanded a cost-effective and high-performance system upgrade that was more intuitive to the user and could be easily integrated into platforms currently using DAGR. The result was NavGuide,” said Todd Peterson, Director of Engineering for Navigation & Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “NavGuide also provides a moving map, situational awareness capabilities, 9-line targeting, and meets key military environmental requirements.”

BAE Systems has more than 45 years of military GPS experience and has delivered nearly two million GPS devices on over 280 platforms worldwide. The company produces M-Code GPS receivers in multiple form factors and levels of capability, which are available to the U.S. armed forces and its allies via foreign military sales.

Production of NavGuide will take place at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 278,000-square-foot engineering and manufacturing center of excellence is home to more than 800 military GPS experts and continues to expand to accommodate business growth.

The INSIDE TRACK

Announcing AWS Snowblade for U.S. Department of Defense JWCC customers

AWS announces the availability of AWS Snowblade for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract customers. AWS Snowblade is designed to provide AWS compute, storage, and other hybrid services in remote locations, including Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) environments for the DoD. AWS Snowblade is the first AWS Snow Family device designed to meet U.S. Military Ruggedization Standards (MIL-STD-810H), enabling JWCC defense customers to run their operations in edge locations subject to extreme temperatures, vibrations, and shocks. With support for 208 vCPU in a portable, compact 5U, half-rack width form factor, AWS Snowblade is the densest compute device of the AWS Snow Family, allowing JWCC customers to run demanding workloads in space, weight, and power (SWaP) constrained edge locations.

AWS Snowblade adds to the AWS hybrid cloud and edge computing services that extend AWS infrastructure and services to the tactical edge, helping run low-latency applications close to where data originates, is processed, and acted upon. AWS Snowblade supports a select set of AWS services, including Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, AWS CloudTrail, AWS IoT Greengrass, AWS Deep Learning AMIs, Amazon Sagemaker Neo,

and AWS DataSync. Using AWS hybrid cloud services like AWS Snowblade, customers can benefit from a consistent AWS experience using the

same services, APIs, and tools to develop, deploy, and manage their applications from AWS Region to the tactical edge locations.

Revolutionizing Aerospace Power Management: Advancements in Smart Contactors

By Karl Kitts, Serves as senior manager, advanced system architecture for the global aerospace, defense

and

marine business unit of TE Connectivity.

Aerospace power systems are at the crux of an emerging revolution. As our skies become populated with sophisticated increasingly electrified aircraft, a wide array of drones and even electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, a fresh approach to aerospace power management is paramount. Amid this innovative flurry, contactors have been steadily evolving into intelligent power management tools that extend beyond traditional power control, providing insightful diagnostic information that enhances system reliability.

Contactors, traditionally seen as simple electromechanical switches, have undergone remarkable transformation. Contemporary contactors feature integrated electronics,

sensors and communication capabilities, redefining their role in aerospace applications. Advanced contactors, commonly referred to as “smart contactors,” have shown promise in not only efficiently managing power flow but also providing fault detection and prediction, thus ensuring optimal performance.

Monitoring and Control: The Backbone of Power Management

Today’s smart contactors seamlessly monitor and control power flow by leveraging a variety of sensing techniques. Resistive sensing, for instance, uses a precision resistor to gauge current flow. Despite its accuracy, resistive sensing has some drawbacks, such as generating excessive heat, particularly in high-current contactors. Other

approaches like current transformers (CTs) and Hall-effect sensors measure the magnetic field created by the current to monitor power flow.

Hall-effect sensors, in particular, offer several benefits, including excellent isolation between primary and secondary circuits, high accuracy, superior dynamic performance and exceptional reliability. Despite the type of sensor chosen, supporting electronics are vital to collecting information, thereby making intelligent decisions on system configuration.

Smart contactors offer the ability to react autonomously to overload fault conditions, delivering rapid response times. What’s more, these contactors can be customized for specific

Image 1: TE’s KILOVAC solid state power controller

Image 2: TE’s Hall Effect Sensor

load requirements through various means like connector pin programming, DIP switches, external resistor additions or software coding, underscoring their flexibility.

Broadening Horizons: Beyond Overcurrent Protection

While overcurrent detection is a primary role for smart contactors, these advanced devices can also detect a variety of other fault types. For instance, phase faults, including loss of phase and improper phase rotation, can be sensed to ensure efficient three-phase power delivery. Leakages and ground faults can be detected via multiple sensors along the wiring path, helping identify faults and prevent electrical failures.

Arc fault detection is another critical feature of modern smart contactors. Traditional protective devices often overlook these faults, which can lead to overheating. Arc faults detection is a powerful tool that allows preemptive measures, averting potential system damage.

Redefining Contactors: Solid-State Revolution

The advent of power semiconductors has paved the way for solid-state relays, an exciting development for contactor technology. By replacing power contacts with metal-oxidesemiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), the solid-state approach promises enhanced reliability due to the elimination of moving parts. However, the increased thermal output of these devices necessitates careful heat management strategies to avoid failure.

The “hot-switching” challenge associated with contactors has gained prominence with the industry’s push toward more electric aircraft

(MEA). This is where hybrid contactors come into play. A hybrid contactor combines the low ON resistance of an electromechanical contactor with the non-arcing power switching of power electronics. This technology can substantially increase the hot-switching life for high-voltage DC (HVDC) contactors.

Another promising innovation is the SolidState Power Controller (SSPC), which merges a full solid-state power switch with monitoring and communication features. These smart devices can be configured remotely, thereby improving system reliability and availability.

From Sensing to Prediction: The Future of Contactors

With integrated microcontrollers, smart contactors and SSPCs can collect and analyze crucial operational data, enabling fault prediction and offering timely, flexible responses. The monitoring of real-time current and voltage levels can provide insight into the health of the contactor as well as the overall aircraft electrical system. For instance, observing data related to running currents, temperature and the number of cycles can enable predictive maintenance, thus extending the life of the contactor.

This data-driven approach extends beyond contactor health. For instance, initial power-up current draw can reveal inrush currents to motors or pumps, providing insight into components like bearing wear. This intelligence can help schedule timely lubrication and maintenance tasks, preventing potential component failure.

When compared over time, this operational data can reveal significant insights into system health. Spotting trends in sensor data can enable

early detection of faults in the wiring system, further ensuring system reliability.

Harnessing Data: Enhancing System Health and Predictive Maintenance

Aerospace is a domain that presents several unique challenges. Contactors must function in demanding environments and ensuring their optimal performance is crucial for safe and efficient aircraft operations. A comprehensive approach to monitoring and data analysis can provide a holistic understanding of the system’s health.

The concept of harnessing data for better predictive maintenance can be scaled up, using multiple devices and additional sensors throughout the wiring system to create a holistic “big picture” overview. This data can then be utilized for advanced analysis and prediction, fostering a comparison of conditions across the system and allowing for the anticipation of potential problems.

Integrated Assemblies: The Future of Aerospace Power Management

As contactors become increasingly complex and sophisticated, many industry players are opting for custom-designed, applicationspecific power panels as an all-encompassing power management and distribution solution. These panels, which house not just relays and contactors but also control electronics, can provide advanced monitoring and control capabilities. These plug-and-play solutions exemplify the future of power distribution in the aerospace industry, integrating all required components in a compact, custom package.

Another promising innovation is the Solid-State Power Controller (SSPC), which merges a full solid-state power switch with monitoring and communication features.

Embracing Intelligent Power Management for Aerospace Applications

In a rapidly evolving aerospace landscape, smart contactors, hybrids and SSPCs are revolutionizing power management. By harnessing the power of integrated electronics, sensors and advanced communication features, these next-gen devices are taking on a central role in power distribution, fault management and system health analysis.

In this era of advanced digital technology, it’s vital to embrace these technological strides, redefining the potential of power management in the aerospace industry. As the skies become more congested with diverse aircraft types, including those operating new missions, ensuring efficient power management and fault prediction will be key to maintaining the high standards of safety and reliability for which the aerospace industry is renowned.

Technology often has a habit of advancing at an ever-accelerating pace, especially in a field as dynamic and critical as aerospace. The future, it seems, lies in smart contactors and SSPCs, which are revolutionizing the power management landscape by effectively

marrying traditional contactor technology with advanced digital capabilities.

A significant shift observed in this domain is the move toward hybrid contactor designs. These intelligent devices blend the low ON resistance advantage of traditional electromechanical contactors with the non-arcing power switching capabilities of power electronics. This combination not only eliminates a significant wear-out mechanism within the contactor but also drastically enhances the hot-switching life for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) contactors, providing an attractive solution for applications requiring numerous hot-switching cycles.

On the other hand, SSPCs are emerging as highly effective power management tools. An SSPC brings together a full solid-state power switch and multiple monitoring and communications capabilities. This combination offers an integrated overcurrent trip curve that guards the wiring interconnects and the load against excessive current draw or short circuits. SSPCs can communicate for command and status over a vehicle data bus, enhancing system reliability and availability. High voltage

SSPCs even come equipped with a built-in precharge feature, which allows efficient power up while reducing surge currents.

The transition from traditional contactors to these advanced technologies is driven by the constant quest for efficiency, reliability and longevity in the aerospace sector. Not only do these solutions offer enhanced performance, but their intelligent, data-driven operations allow for predictive maintenance, thus reducing unplanned downtime and extending system life.

As a new era emerges, it’s evident that the aerospace industry is standing on the cusp of a significant shift in power management. Smart contactors, hybrids and SSPCs, coupled with advanced data analysis, are poised to redefine the understanding of system health and application of predictive maintenance. Such advancements are expected to further bolster the industry’s laudable commitment to safety, reliability and efficiency in the skies.

Karl Kitts serves as senior manager, advanced system architecture for the global aerospace, defense and marine business unit of TE Connectivity. With more than 35 years’ experience, his expertise is in high-current military and aerospace power distribution, electrical relays and power contactors, electronics circuit protection, HVDC relays, sensors, time delays and solid-state devices. Connect with Karl Kitts at www.DesignSmarterFaster.com.

The impact of Electronic Warfare on a 21st Century Fighter

By John Reardo, Publisher, COTS Journal

What can go wrong is a question for the ages, but when paired with the complexities of an F-35 aircraft, the challenges are daunting, to say the least. One Stop Systems, a company known for building advanced, high-performance platforms recently won a contract to provide the US Airforce an advanced system to simulate Electronic Warfare threats on the F-35 aircraft. The idea is to bombard the plane with an array of RF mix signals to challenge the safeguards employed and determine the worldwide EW threats the aircraft may encounter.

The F-35

The F-35 is an aircraft in three iterations with numerous variants to address various needs. From vertical take-off to supersonic speeds, the plane, with over 600 in service for the United States and a similar number being used by our allies, has become the predominant stealth fighter jet in the world.

The plane has brought together the latest technology to achieve overall air superiority. The aircraft can dominate all battle theater by using the most advanced engine and RADAR system available.

To protect its dominance in the air, engineers are using advanced simulation to test the vulnerabilities of the aircraft. The F-35 has a complex sensor array that needs to be challenged for its deficiencies that might cause failures. These can be brought about by a geographically specific threat or through never perceived compound actions from our adversaries.

Electronic Warfare

Electronic warfare (EW), as defined by the Department of Defense (DOD), is military activities that use electromagnetic energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum (“the spectrum”)

and attack an enemy. The spectrum is a range of frequencies for electromagnetic energy that has recently been updated to include the entire

Image 1: An F-35A Lightning II from the F-35A Demonstration Team flies over Tacoma, Wash., July 4, 2021. The demonstration team headlined both the Gig Harbor Wingsand-Wheels and the Tacoma Freedom Fair air shows for the Fourth of July weekend, showcasing the advanced capabilities of the F-35 to the Pacific Northwest. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jake Welty)

Image 2: The PCIe Gen 4 3U Short Depth Intel Server (SDS-3U-4i)

electromagnetic spectrum. Competing powers have come to understand our reliance as a vulnerability. This has created a race for supremacy in understanding the EW spectrum to create a theater dominance. This is achieved through denying access, degrading, or accessing the EMS-dependent systems of our adversaries. The impact would significantly degrade the overall threat.

The ability to challenge a platform like the F-35 is a technically difficult task requiring high computational speeds and the ability to access high-speed storage synchronously. The OSS SDS (Short Depth Server) is an ideal choice for the Airforce. OSS has used this platform for other SIGINT applications on board the Rivet Joint, a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, and a similar application involving RADAR for the Army.

The threat to be monitored is a range of frequencies from zero to infinity. By simulating the oscillating electronic fields characterized by frequency and wavelength, the system can manufacture a wide array of physical characteristics, including radio waves, microwaves, millimeter waves, infrared radiation, etc., both manmade and naturally occurring. The SDS is ideal for repetitively calculating FFTs (Fast Fourier Transforms) due to its three architectural advantages: the GPU-based parallel processing, the PCIe interconnect, and the low latency storage supported by OSS’ ION software.

The Threat

The F-35 is a complex aircraft that moves at 1.6 times the speed of sound; it has only a single pilot and relies heavily on accurate and secure data which can be threatened by electronic warfare. Electronic threats come in three

primary forms. Electromagnetic attacks (EA) involve directed energy to destroy operational capabilities. EA can include either offensive or defensive measures. Examples include expendable decoys or high-energy lasers. ES, or Electromagnetic Warfare Support, is a close cousin to SIGINT because they have similar functions of search, interception, identification, location, and exploitation of electromagnetic radiation. ES is distinguished by the oversight of the operational commander allowing it to be more effectively used during peacetime. Electromagnetic Protection, or EP, is what we think about most when considering EW. EP allows for friendly RADAR and comms to be unaffected in the presence of jamming our adversaries.

Electronic warfare employs various features for detection, denial, deception, disruption, degradation, exploitation, protection, and destruction.

The Challenges

Determining the vulnerabilities of an F-35 aircraft with the most advanced systems architectures ever employed and the possibilities of cascading issues increases the threat exponentially. Many experts worldwide believe the Russians have the most experienced and best-equipped EW units. Combine this with China making significant investments, and how these threats may evolve is still being determined. This is not unlike the threats the Navy faces with the most powerful ships, such as the Aircraft Carrier Gerald Ford, which

Figure 3: Taking Aim- An Army paratrooper uses a Dronebuster 3B to disrupt enemy drones as part of Exercise Shield 23 in Pula, Croatia, April 20, 2023. Exercise Shield is an annual Croatian air defense exercise that aims at strengthening the execution of air defense tactics against low and medium altitude moving aerial threats.

Figure 4: Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars

now finds itself more vulnerable to swarms of drones than ever before; the F-35 faces unknown threats in the form of EW. It is incumbent on the OSS solution to ensure these systems are fully functional and remain in perfect working order.

One area that is key to the aircraft is the AN/APG-81 fire control RADAR. Being able to track multiple targets, whether air-to-air or air-to-ground, including high-resolution mapping and ultra-high bandwidth communications, challenging any possible vulnerability of the system is required to affirm the plane is not impacted.

The ability to obtain supremacy is hampered by the need to be specific to the enemy rather than impede friendly aircraft simultaneously. This challenge requires both an offensive and defensive posture that improves our systems from attack as we learn the impact of threats. Another concern is international law’s commercial constraints in governing the RF spectrum and how EW Supremacy might impact civilian concerns.

The Key Elements

The features of the SDS are suited for the volumes of simulation data required that demand

high speeds with very low latencies. The PCIe Gen 5 platform is highly configurable and will be upwardly compatible as future generations hit the market, making it a perfect choice for the application. Another attractive feature of the SDS is the hot-swap SSD drive canisters that allow the system to avoid storage constraints throughout an entire simulation test. The ability to have a contiguous simulation without interruption was vital to the Airforce’s need.

The OSS SDS is highly scalable and can support up to nine racks of simulation equipment along with hot swap and high-capacity storage canisters supporting up to 490TB of data. Ideal for flight line use, the canisters can easily be removed without interrupting the simulation to be reviewed in a lab environment in greater detail.

One critical concern is the speed and latency surrounding the storage component of the platform. OSS used its industry-leading ION 6.1.0 storage accelerator software. The ION software toolset was developed by an advanced team of storage experts at a research facility in Utah in conjunction with Western Digital. Designed for use across numerous

platforms, the ION software supports various RAID configurations with throughput up to 50GB/Sec with latency well below the required 100 microseconds. By delivering this near-native NVMe performance, ION was a perfect match for the application.

Conclusion

The threat of Electronic Warfare is increasing exponentially as our reliance on complex sensor arrays and contributing data sets increase. The SDS, from OSS, will contribute significantly to our ability to achieve the air supremacy sought. From the multiple terabytes per second in computing ability to the PCIe backbone that can transfer data at a blinding speed of 32 GB/s, the SDS performs outside a data center like no other.

The OSS SDS platform employs an architecture incorporating the fastest system design possible with an eye toward the future. The F-35 vulnerabilities are identified and fixed in real-time using an FFT algorithm in this highly efficient environment. This and other advances will take the United States from a position of participating to being a leader in EW.

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OSS Rigel Edge Supercomputer Receives NVIDIA Certification

One Stop Systems, Inc. has received NVIDIA systems certification for its OSS Rigel Edge Supercomputer™..

Rigel is the only edge-certified AI system using four of NVIDIA’s powerful GPUs based upon the NVIDIA HGX™ A100 platform. The Rigel system was thoroughly tested by OSS and evaluated by NVIDIA to ensure it met the NVIDIA-Certified standard for performance, functionality, scalability, and security.

According to NVIDIA, accelerated applications are transforming enterprise computing. Enterprises today need a computing infrastructure that provides the performance, reliability, and scalability to deliver cutting-edge products and services while increasing operational efficiencies. NVIDIA-Certified Systems enable enterprises to confidently deploy hardware solutions that securely and optimally run their modern accelerated workloads—from desktop to the data center to edge.

Maximize Networking Performance with X-ES Embedded Routers

Extreme Engineering Solutions announces the XChange6300 Embedded Services Router

“This highly valued NVIDIA certification for Rigel advances our sales process with key prospects by providing our customers with peace of mind that their AI applications that are based on any NVIDIA-supported framework will operate at the edge—inside land, sea, and air vehicles—with similar results to what they expect in the data center,” noted OSS chief product officer, Jim Ison. “It reaffirms our exceptional AI workflow performance and the unmatched value we deliver for our customers who demand ‘performance without compromise’ in rugged applications.”

conduction-cooled XMC/PMC router card that can plug into existing sockets or used in standalone applications. X-ES has refined and improved their earlier XPedite5205 ESR to roll out a refreshed design for maximum longevity, along

with an XChange6300 development platform and ruggedized, deployable, packaged router systems.

The XChange6300 utilizes Cisco’s industry-leading Mobile Ready Net technology, which provides highly secure data, voice, and video communications to stationary and mobile network nodes across wired and wireless links. Cisco’s networking capabilities can be combined with UHF, VHF, WiFi, and other radio platforms to create mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) without requiring a connection to central infrastructure for military and emergency response.

The XChange6300 extends the Cisco enterprise infrastructure beyond the reach of traditional fixed-network infrastructure, making it ideal for military and aerospace, oil and gas, mining, smart grid, heavy construction, transportation, homeland security, and public safety applications.

Extreme Engineering Solutions

One Stop Systems, Inc. onestopsystems.com

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Fast Touch Display Modules offering Rapid Time-to-Market

These small, high-CV MLCCs enable revolutionary board space, weight, and component count reductions in high-reliability military applications.

Inelco Hunter has announced the availability of the Powertip STM32 range of touch display modules incorporating a powerful STMicroelectronics MCU chip with an Arm Cortex-M7 480MHz core. The Powertip STM32 modules are aimed at applications where rapid response times and smooth graphics are needed.

The STMicroelectronics MCU provides a very high level of performance, resulting in rapid response times and very smooth graphics. For example, instrumentation products can plot graphs quickly without jitter and support full MJPEG video playback.

Time-to-market is of the essence these days, and the easy-to-use TouchGFX Plug & Play software will enable developers to define the display’s graphic touch interface very quickly using graphic icons from the supplied library stock. In addition, custom graphical blocks can be rapidly generated, or Graphics can

be uploaded directly to the system from external sources.

Uniquely, Inelco Hunter provides their own BSP (Board Support Package), allowing customers to develop using STM32CubeIDE or KEIL MDK, effectively turning the display into a standalone embedded module in its own right.

Screen sizes range from 3.5” to 5” with a high resolution and wide viewing angles - typically 480x272 pixels with an 80° full viewing angle and a brightness of 800+ lumens.

The displays feature Capacitive Touch input technology. Low power consumption is also a key feature - the built-in Chrom-ART accelerator saves processing power and frees up the MCU for other applications where needed. The STM32 modules all feature Embedded 16MB RAM and 32MB QSPI Flash memory, plus a Micro-SD slot for expandable storage. Support is provided for I2C, UART, SPI, USB, RTC, Ethernet and CAN bus.

Developers will no longer need to work on the MCU hardware platform, shortening the development time by many months. Also, the purchasing

team must only manage one component instead of multiple items like Flash, RAM, and MCU. All of these are very unstable at the moment in terms of supply. With IHL stock lead times of 12 weeks available, this offers a quick turn-to-market solution. Customized solutions can also be provided, including casing options as one example.

Inelco Hunter provides helpful, in-depth engineering support, ensuring rapid implementation and speeding up the customer’s time-to-market. This added-value support is at the core of Inelco’s philosophy and has been for the last 30 years, setting them apart from the “stock & ship” distributors.

Customers increasingly seek complete solutions with a high degree of service to provide them with truly converged, totally embedded solutions. This has inspired Inelco Hunter to develop their “Totally Embedded” range of services and embedded hardware/software solutions which include: Camera Modules, SoM Modules, Smart Display Modules, Embedded Systems (Pi plus Displays), Thermal Printers, Connectors and Cable Harnesses.

Inelco Hunter inelcohunter.co.uk

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VIAVI Introduces T/Rx Electromagnetic Spectrum Solution

Viavi Solutions Inc. (introduced T/Rx, a cutting-edge solution designed to meet the unique needs of professionals operating in complex radio frequency (RF) environments.

The VIAVI T/Rx is a compact, lightweight, ruggedized system that allows users to sense, capture, replay, alter, and train RF signals with unprecedented precision and flexibility. Commercial applications include RF environment monitoring and recording, RF generation for network stress and loading, interference detection and analysis, and spectrum deconfliction. Military applications include Signal and Electronic Intelligence collection, electronic protection/ support/attack, and interference detection and analysis. The modular hardware and software architecture allows the T/Rx to be configured for different RF environments. Whether for commercial or military applications, T/Rx provides a comprehensive set of tools and capabilities to enable mission success.

T/Rx is designed for ease of use and swift deployment in various environments, including air, sea, land vehicles, backpacks, and fixed installations. When coupled with the VIAVI Ranger system, the most comprehensive test solution for live analysis or offline forensic RF post-processing, T/Rx allows users to adapt to changing RF environments and create a realistic, dynamic electromagnetic spectrum for any scenario.

“VIAVI understands the importance of providing a modular and easy-to-use solution for our commercial and military and defense customers, and T/Rx is the culmination of years of research and development in transmit and receive signal processing,” said Mark Pickard, Director, Synthetic and Modular, VIAVI. “With the VIAVI T/Rx, operators can easily understand and control the electromagnetic environment with a standalone system or with distributed emitters and sensors in larger areas of operation. The T/Rx was developed for complex RF problem-solving.” Viavi

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Curtiss-Wright Collaborates with Cog Systems to Bring Advanced VPN Security Technology to Remote Federal Workers

Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division announced that it is collaborating with Cog Systems to bring two-layer encrypted, NSA-approved, Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) technology to devices used by remote federal defense and civilian organization workers for access to classified networks over any public WiFi or cellular network. Curtiss-Wright will distribute Cog Systems’ Aegis R51 Enhanced Retransmission Device (ERD) for use with its PacStar® family of CSfC Integrated Solutions powered by PacStar 400-Series rugged hardware and enabled by PacStar software products, including IQ-Core Network Communications Manager (NCM), IQ-Core Crypto Manager (CM), and IQ-Core Remote Operations and Management (ROAM). The Aegis R51 ERD enhances CSfC VPN security by sitting between any wireless carrier or WiFi network and an end user’s devices, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop.

“The Aegis R51 ERD meets the NSA require-

ment for an Enhanced Retransmission device in a tiny package that magnetically attaches to a user’s phone or laptop and integrates with simple USB pass-through charging. This makes PacStar’s CSfC solutions even better by allowing users to access classified networks from any WiFi or Cellular network,” said Dominic Perez, CTO at Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions.

“Remote work is everywhere, and federal workers need the same capabilities we see being utilized in every Fortune 500 company. Partnering with Curtiss-Wright to bring this remote access via the Aegis R51 ERD and PacStar CSfC Solutions will bring productivity enhancements to our federal workers allowing for better situational awareness and the ability to work regardless of geography or other impediments to working in the traditional office,” said Carl Nerup CEO of Cog Systems.

The Aegis R51 ERD is the only device fully compliant with CSfC Mobile Access Capability Package 2.5 requirements for Enhanced Retrans-

Transtector Releases Outdoor AC Panel Surge Protectors with High-Capacity MOV, 100-300 kA Options

Transtector, an Infinite Electronics brand leading to end-to-end power and signal integrity solutions, has released a new line of outdoor AC panel surge protectors with high-capacity metal oxide varistor (MOV) technology. They protect AC power networks and local AC equipment from transient surges and EMI interference.

The new line of outdoor MOV AC panel surge protectors was designed to meet the needs of the telecommunications industry, industrial facilities, and IT and data centers.

Transtector’s new AC panel surge protectors include models for all common AC services. These include 120 Vac single-phase, 120/240 Vac split-phase, 208/120 Vac three-phase wye, 277/480 Vac three-

mission Devices. It provides an additional layer of protection and isolation from untrusted networks by implementing a Firewall and Protocol Break in a compact and discrete device. The Protocol Break sanitizes the incoming data flow, reducing the threat from malicious attachments and ensuring only clean data reaches connected devices. The Firewall can be tuned to only accept data from known IP addresses and to block data from other addresses before it reaches a connected device.

Built on an isolated and modular architecture, Aegis R51 ERD uses Cog Systems’ Virtual Mobile Device SDK and formally verified type-1 virtualization. The Aegis R51 ERD features discrete virtual machines (VM) running on a Type-1 Hypervisor that keep critical processes secure and enable MILS architectures.

Curtiss-Wright curtisswright.com

phase wye, 240 Vac three-phase delta, and 480 Vac three-phase wye.

They are available with 100 kA, 200 kA, or 300 kA surge capacity per phase.

The new outdoor devices are dual-listed to meet two sets of Underwriter Laboratories’ safety and performance standards. They satisfy UL 1449 requirements as Type 2 SPDs and UL 1283 certification as EMI filters.

The new AC panel surge protectors are rugged enough for outdoor use. They are housed in watertight, corrosion-proof NEMA 4X enclosures that mount to a wall. Their operating temperature range is -40 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Our new line of outdoor AC panel SPDs with MOV technology do double duty in protecting AC power networks and local AC equipment from harmful transient surges and EMI interference,” said Transtector Product Line Manager Dan Rebeck.

Transtector transtector.com

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Honeywell Introduces a New Small Satcom System, VersaWave with 5G, for the Advanced Air Mobility Market

A new satcom system will enable beyond-visualline-of-sight communication for unmanned aerial vehicles.

Honeywell has unveiled VersaWave, a new small satcom system with 5G, for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) industry. VersaWave combines satcom, cellular (i.e., 5G, 4G, 3G), WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity in an extremely small, lightweight package. These new connectivity features enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) communication for the AAM and UAS industry in a very small, light package in its performance class.

At just 2.2 pounds, Honeywell’s VersaWave with 5G is a hardware and software solution that combines multiple connectivity options in

a single package and transitions between cellular and Satcom seamlessly and automatically, providing reliable Inmarsat satcom connectivity when outside cellular coverage. The system’s cellular capability includes high-speed 5G connectivity supporting low latency and high data transfers at a low cost, whether on public or private networks. It also has onboard Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reporting for real-time position tracking.

“VersaWave significantly enhances our small satcom system introduced in 2021, and we expect it to be adopted not just by the AAM market but also by defense and commercial customers,” said Steve Hadden, vice president, and general manager, Services and Connectivity, Honeywell Aerospace. “By adding cellular connectivity, the new sitcom system will pro-

vide customers with the flexibility to choose their connectivity solution based on individual needs without having to install multiple systems.”

VersaWave with 5G will enable vehicle command and control, data transfer, and video streaming. The system is also WiFi- and Bluetooth-enabled for remote configuration.

VersaWave with 5G is undergoing qualification and certification and is planned to be commercially available in the third quarter of 2023. Users of the current small satcom system can upgrade with minimal downtime of their AAM and UAS platforms

Honeywell honeywell.com

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Liquid Instruments Delivers Multiinstrument and Customization Capabilities Across Test Portfolio

Moku Version 3.0 brings software consistency across hardware devices, demonstrating the company’s commitment to strengthening its products with new features over time.

Liquid Instruments, a leading innovator in software-defined instrumentation, today announced the release of Moku Version 3.0 for its flexible, FPGA-based Moku: Pro, Moku: Lab, and Moku: Go products.

The latest software upgrade improves consistency in user experience and code portability across devices and enhances development efficiency to speed up future feature releases. The release also brings significant upgrades to Moku: Lab, the company’s original product, underscoring Liquid Instruments’ commitment to developing software-defined test and measurement solutions that improve with new features over time.

Since launching with three instruments in 2015, Moku: Lab has evolved to support 12 professional-grade instruments — from engineer-

ViaLite Precision Timing Keeps US Stock Exchange at Peak Performance

A prominent US stock exchange uses new ViaLite optical fiber GPS/GNSS links to ensure its IT systems receive mission-critical timing and synchronization signals. Knowledge of the precise time is crucial in guaranteeing the performance of high-speed, low-latency trading systems.

The distributed GPS equipment includes a ViaLite GPS 1U chassis with integrated 1x8 and 1x16 GPS splitters for the receiving side. Also supplied are Blue OEM modules for the transmit side, which can support links as long as 50 km or more.

“ViaLite products were chosen for their advanced performance, as well as our best-in-class quality, reliability, and support,” said Craig Somach, ViaLite Director of Sales.

ViaLite ViaLite.com

ing research essentials like an Oscilloscope and Spectrum Analyzer to advanced tools like a Laser Lock Box and Lock-in Amplifier. With the latest updates, Moku: Lab users can leverage exciting new features to accelerate development timelines, minimize costs, and optimize workflow. The enhanced benefits include Multi-instrument Mode for using two instruments simultaneously and Moku Cloud Compile for writing and deploying code to enable custom features. These capabilities are available to users who bought the product years ago at no additional charge, just a simple software download.

For Moku: Pro and Moku: Go, Moku Version 3.0 makes the Phasemeter available on the desktop app for users working on Windows or macOS computers. Enhancements to Multi-instrument Mode include improved inter-instrument data resolution when using the PID Controller and Frequency Response Analyzer, and for Moku: Pro, the PID Controller can be added to an output channel for the Lock-in Amplifier, opening new use cases for closed-loop control systems, precision spectroscopy, and more.

“We’re increasing the frequency of Moku product updates to accelerate our mission to

help engineers and scientists build innovative technology to solve the world’s greatest challenges,” said Daniel Shaddock, CEO and co-founder of Liquid Instruments. “Moku Version 3.0 is a culmination of years of hard work and is the most powerful upgrade to Moku: Lab since we launched it eight years ago. We look forward to hearing feedback from our users and releasing more capabilities that meet and exceed their expectations in the years ahead.”

From optics and photonics engineering to aerospace and defense projects, top companies and institutions around the world rely on Moku: Lab to achieve more faster. The latest upgrades bring even more power and flexibility for researchers.

“Moku: Lab, with its intuitive user interface, precision lock-in amplifier, and simultaneous data logging capability, was instrumental in validating the proof of concept of a novel RF sensor acquisition system design,” said Steve Kooper, Director of Engineering at Martin Company.

Bidirectional power converters from VICOR

NBMs are fixed ratio (non-regulating), non-isolated, bidirectional DC-DC converters. These patented high-performance power modules provide a complete DC-DC solution and do not require an external input filter or bulk capacitors. In addition, the NBM2317 features built-in hot-swap

capability and inrush current limiting. The NBM’s low output impedance supports a fast transient response. The NBM family of converters are available in through-hole Converter housed in Package (ChiP™) and Surface Mount (SM-ChiP™) boardmount packages. All manufacturing is performed in the Vicor state-of-the-art ChiP™ fab in Andover, Massachusetts.

VICOR vicorpower.com

Liquid Instruments liquidinstruments.com

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Newest Elma Rugged SFF AI System Powered by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin System-on-Module

Elma Electronic has expanded its line of rugged small form factor (SFF) edge computing systems to include the JetSys-5330, based on the powerful NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™ system-on-module (SoM). The new rugged AI platform delivers up to 275 TOPS and numerous expansion sites for custom I/O and storage requirements, making the JetSys-5330 an ideal platform for rugged, deployed deep learning applications.

By enabling advanced data processing in harsh environments, the JetSys-5330 is ideal for several rugged and mission-critical applications utilizing wireless multi-access edge computing as well as those in remote or outdoor environments. Rugged industrial applications, including robotics and autonomous mining, agriculture, and construction vehicles, can also benefit from the JetSys-5330 edge computing capabilities.

Mark Littlefield, director of system products for Elma Electronic, commented, “The power of AI brought to the edge by this latest NVIDIA Jetson-based JetSys platform is enhanced by the versatile and extensive I/O interfaces and storage capabilities. This new system can handle multiple concurrent video pipelines, enhancing data handling and processing power for rugged systems.”

The NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin is a powerful SoM for AI applications, featuring a 2048-core NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPU with 64 Tensor Cores and a 12-core Arm® Cortex®-A78AE. Deep learning and vision accelerators, a video encoder/decoder, high-speed I/O, 204 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and up to 64 GB of DRAM contribute to its impressive processing capabilities.

Easily configurable and expandable to meet mission requirements, the JetSys-5330 combines the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin module with Elma’s new JetKit-3110 carrier card, which provides the necessary power and interfaces for the SoM as well as three mini-PCIe slots (one that doubles as mSATA) and two M.2 slots (one B-Key and one M-Key) for custom I/O or fixed storage expansion.

The platform’s rugged design is IP67 rat-

ed and qualified to standards including MILSTD-810G, MIL-HDBK-704F, MIL-STD-1275D, and others. The platform’s power consumption ranges from 53 W to 130 W, depending on the

system configuration. Maximum weight is 16 lbs with an optionally available fan kit.

Elma Electronic elma.com

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Cincoze releases the highperformance & compact embedded computer DX-1200 for industrial automation

Rugged embedded computing brand - Cincoze launched the DX-1200 embedded computer, the latest addition to its Rugged Computing - DIAMOND product line. Featuring a compact, high-performance design, the DX-1200 overcomes space limitations while retaining extreme capability. The DX-1200 supports the latest 12th gen Intel Alder Lake-S processors, has a rich selection of native I/O, and supports flexible modular expansion to meet the requirements of a wide range of applications. The DX-1200 inherits the same rugged features that underscore the DIAMOND product line, such as wide temperature, voltage support, and vibration and shock resistance. It has also passed several industry certifications, making it an ideal choice for smart manufacturing, machine vision, and edge AI applications.

12th Gen Intel Performance

The DX-1200 supports 12th gen Intel® Core™ i9/i7/i5/i3 (Alder Lake-S) processors based on

the Intel 7 process, with up to 16 cores (8P + 8E) and 24 threads, delivering more than 1.35x the processing performance of the Comet Lake-S platform. Support for up to 64GB of 4800MHz DDR5 memory with ECC technology, giving the extra stability and reliability needed for industrial automation and applications, effectively reducing the risk of failure and data loss. The Intel® Xe architecture of the UHD 770 graphics chip boosts GPU image classification inference performance to 2.8× the speed of the Comet Lake-S platform, providing the processing performance needed for AI and edge computing.

10GbE networking and high expandability

The DX-1200 is built to satisfy the broadest range of industrial application requirements, so it includes a rich selection of native I/O interfaces and supports optional extra I/O, such as LAN, M12, DIO, and COM, through the addition of Cincoze exclusive modules. For application environments requiring high-speed transmission, the DX-1200 can be equipped with up to 4× 10Gbps LAN to deliver large images and files rapidly. To achieve multiple network connections and reduce wire clutter, up to 8× PoE can be installed, providing data and power through the network cable. And to meet the rapidly in-

creasing demand for wireless networking in industrial applications, the DX-1200 provides one M.2 Key E slot and two Mini PCIe slots for adding WiFi, GNSS, 4G, and Bluetooth.

Tough, secure, and industry-certified

The DX-1200 embodies the rugged design elements of the Rugged Computing - DIAMOND product line, providing broad temperature support (-40 - 70°C), wide voltage input (9 - 48 VDC), and overvoltage, overcurrent, and ESD protection. The DX-1200 complies with the US military shock vibration standard MIL-STD810G and has internationally recognized UL/cUL/EN/CB 62368-1 safety certification to ensure product safety and reliability further. To meet the requirements of specific industrial applications, the DX-1200 has also passed several industry certifications, such as the EMC EN 501213-2 standard in EN 50155 and the EN 45545-2 fire protection standard for railway computing and the E-mark certification for vehicle EMC. The DX-1200 has become the best solution for industrial automation with its rich certification, rugged design, and stable performance.

Cincoze cincoze.com

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