COTS Journal, March 2021 by RTC Media

March 2021, Volume 23 – Number 3 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing JOURNAL

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.

SPECIAL FEATURES

16 Software Defined Radio for Radar

Modernization & Service Life Extension Programs

DEPARTMENTS 6

Publisher’s Note Defense in a Competitive age

The Inside Track

By Reza Mohammadi, Per Vices Corporation, Senior Analyst

COT’S PICKS 24

Editor’s Choice for March

COTS Journal | February 2021

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

John Reardon, Publisher

Defense in a competitive age In a recent 76-page report presented to the British Parliament by the Secretary of State, the report outlines the changing mission from the days of the Cold War

to the modern-day threats brought about by the shift towards technology-based threats. It recognizes that the threats facing the West have changed and need to be addressed with a clear-eyed understanding of the future. By offering a framework on how to assess the threats being faced, the paper describes the next decade as a decade of unprecedented levels of investment into defense infrastructure. It describes a “Global Britain” as having no choice in joining its Allies and friends in shaping the future through leadership. That it must act to protect the lives of billions throughout the world with more than just words and be prepared to act in both deterring threats and defeating the enemy. Historically, bold plans were not followed up with sufficient funding to execute. The Prime Minister seems to be reacting in a way that will turn a hollow promise into credible action by increasing funding by 14% over the next 4 years. This will enable new ships and missiles to be built along with an integrated strategy to communicate across all domains. This marks a significant change towards Artificial Intelligence that facilitates real-time threat analysis and mobilization. Britain is the second-largest contributor to NATO and a Nuclear power that feels an obligation to modernize along with the United States to affirm they are threat-

COTS Journal | March 2021

focused, modernized, financially stable, and prepared to confront future challenges. The need to modernize everything across all branches will mean that no stone will go unturned. State-sponsored threats in recent years have consisted of using computers rather than bullets, to create civil strife. This occurred during the debate regarding Brexit, where Russians used social media and other cyber techniques to inflame social unrest and put British leadership on their back heels. The future for the British military will parallel in many ways the same goals that the United States is employing. The Future Combat Air System will address the strategic use of UAVs in parallel with manned aircraft. They are establishing a National Space Operational Center for Space Domain Awareness. They are investing heavily in cybersecurity through the National Cyber Force or NCF. At the heart of confronting these threats is the Strategic Command. It is here that they will be driving a multi-

domain integration by optimizing their digital backbone through a greater reliance on AI. The goal is to modernize from stem to stern the entire military infrastructure of Great Britain. To sustain its role in the world theater and to affirm that they are prepared to face the future with an advance, streamline fighting force that employs the latest in COTS technology. Artificial Intelligence Essential to British defense will be AI and AI-enable autonomous capabilities. This will modernize and accelerate decision-making and operational tempo. It is believed that future conflicts will be won or lost on the speed and efficacy of the AI solutions employed. Some of their greatest threats will come from the unscrupulous and unprincipled use of AI by others. The UK must help shape international standards for the use of AI. COTS Journal | March 2021

Modernization of long-range precision rocket systems, drones, communications, electronic warfare will transform the Army over the next decade.

Space Domain Awareness Space and its access to it are fundamental to military operations effectiveness. Loss of, or disruption to, the space domain would severely impact the ability to undertake most defensive tasks and leave them with a severe impediment. They hope to be a meaningful player in space by 2030 by taking advantage of a vibrant space commercial sector and harnessing niche expertise to place capability into the hands of the user and enhancing their credibility as an international partner. The Royal Navy The goal of the navy is to transform and become more threat-focused and more lethal. The modernization of the fleet, retiring older obsolete ships will position them as the foremost navy in Europe and one of only three navies in the world to be able to operate two 5th 8

COTS Journal | March 2021

generation carriers and F-35B jets. The goal is to cement their commitment to NATO Security objectives. The UK’s rich shipbuilding enterprise will count the military as their largest customer with this renaissance building a sustained pipeline of ships throughout Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Army Receiving significant investment, the goal is to become a more agile, integrated, lethal, and expeditionary force. Investment in new vehicles such as the Ajax, Boxer, and Challenger III is planned. Modernization of long-range precision rocket systems, drones, communications, electronic warfare will transform the Army over the next decade.

While the renewed structure is optimized to operate, warfighting capabilities will remain the cornerstone of deterrence with the British 3rd Army division at the heart of this force. Operating independently or as part of a multilateral deployment. The Royal Air Force The Air Force is facing a radical change as equipment that has a limited utility in the digital and future operating environment is retired and increasing the fleet size beyond the 48 aircraft that have already been ordered. The goal is to have the Royal Airforce be among the most technologically innovative, productive, and lethal air forces in the world. Through upgrades to meet the threats and exploit multidomain integration, the new planes will incorporate enhanced weapons and the most advanced radar systems

in the world. This will include investment in software and capability updates with the rest of the global F-35 fleet. The investment in the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) represents a paradigm shift in the UK’s combat air industrial sector to achieve the pace, affordability, and operational capabilities needed to meet modernday demands. Through new procurement approaches the goal is to deliver capabilities twice as fast, at a lower cost, designed and delivered in a fully digital enterprise. They hope is to exploit model-based design, systems engineering, and the latest agile design principles for the most efficient supply chain possible. The establishment of the Secretary of State’s office for Net Assessment and Challenge or SONAC will try to ensure that everything they do considers the ever-evolving threat picture.

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NASA’s Perseverance Rover reaches Mars with the help of the open-source real-time operating system RTEMS! After years of preliminary work by NASA and a traversed flight distance of 292 million miles, the Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars on 18 February 2021. One of the main goals of the Mars mission is to search for signs of primeval microbial life. The rover will analyze the geology of the planet and the climate of earlier times and will be the first mission to collect and store Martian rocks and regolith (broken rocks and dust). Subsequent NASA missions, in collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency), will send spacecraft to Mars to collect these cached samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis. The two main computers onboard, the Command and Data Management Unit (CDMU) and the Altitude Control Computer (ACC) of the Perseverance Rover Mars mission were controlled using the Open Souce real-time operating system RTEMS 4.5.0. The SMU processor module was built around a SPARC V7 processor, the TSC695F, and an application-specific I/O IC. RTEMS has guaranteed long-term availability and stability of the software platforms for real-time operation since 1995.

The open-source system platform has ensured long-term availability and stability of the software platforms for real-time operation since 1995 and relies on a worldwide developer and support community. It is supported in Europe by the system developers of embedded brains GmbH from Puchheim. Due to its reliability, RTEMS is ideal for applications certified for high safety requirements according to IEC standard 61508 or the US standard DO-178 B of the FAA, the Federal Aviation Administration. “The Mars mission, with the help of the Perseverance Rover, will give us a new view of the universe’s past and prepare the Red Planet for human exploration. RTEMS offers ‘hard’ real-time capability and high scalability compared to other open-source operating systems with real-time capabilities. Minimal boot times, very high reliability, and long-term robustness with low resource consumption are further plus points,” says Thomas Dörfler, managing director of embedded brains. The sum of its properties makes RTEMS ideal not only for use in the aerospace sector, engine control, and driver assistance systems in the automotive sector but also for safety-relevant in-

dustrial applications such as driverless transport systems. In the scientific field, RTEMS has been used successfully for years, e.g. at DESY Elektronen-Synchrotron in Hamburg. RTEMS is available with numerous ports for the most common hardware architectures. These include Intel x86, MIPS, Coldfire, Renesas V850, Sparc, PowerPC, ARM, and Risc-V. In particular, radiation-hardened Sparc processors are relevant for aerospace applications. embedded brains support RTEMS customers throughout Europe and offer user-specific concept development, development support, porting, and driver and software development for RTEMS. In addition to getting started with RTEMS development as quickly as possible, customers also benefit from a significantly reduced time budget and application development costs. embedded brains also offer technical RTEMS training, standard support for experienced users, and project-specific support for R&D teams. As a member of the RTEMS Steering Committee, Thomas Dörfler knows that customer demands are constantly growing and that it is essential to actively accompany continuous development.

In this image, NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance uses an X-ray spectrometer to help search for signs of ancient microbial life in rocks. 10

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Reflex Photonics awarded multimillion-dollar contract to deliver radiation-resistant optical transceivers for advanced, high-throughput communication satellites.

from support from the European Space Agency ARTES Scylight program with financial contribution from the Canadian Space Agency to pursue the development of advanced, high-speed, digital inter-satellite optical fiber communication modules.

SpaceABLE optical modules developed for ARTES Scylight program

Tullio Panarello, Vice President, and General Manager Fibre Optics and Components at Smiths Interconnect, commented: “The optimization of our radiation-resistant transceivers to address the rigorous demands of GEO HTCS would not have been possible without the reputable crossfunctional teams at Reflex and the invaluable contribution of the Canadian and European space agencies”.

Reflex Photonics, a Smiths Interconnect company, has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to deliver thousands of SpaceABLE®28 optical module devices to be used in state-of-the-art, high-throughput communication satellites (HTCS) that will be deployed in geostationary orbit. Building on the recognized robustness inherent in the design of Reflex Photonics’ optical modules, the SpaceABLE®28 line will provide radiation-resistant optical interconnect modules tested and qualified for use in a harsh space environment. Reflex Photonics has benefited

Abaco Systems Wins Order to Support Upgrade of AC-130J Gunships Abaco Systems, Inc. announces a design win with an initial value of $505k, and a lifetime potential of $4.5m supporting a major defense prime upgrade to an existing Side Head-Up Display platform in AC-130J gunships. This Side HUD application is to enable operational visibility of the battlespace for the platform.

HTCS and satellite constellations. The contract award to Reflex Photonics acknowledges our market-leading design expertise and our commitment to technical excellence.” The ARTES Scylight program was designed to address the development, demonstration, and utilization of innovative optical technologies for digital satellite communication and foster commercial support for new market opportunities.

Optical communication technology is becoming one of the major revolutions in HTCS. It will bring unprecedented transmission rates, data security, and resilience to the future

Abaco’s newest high-performance embedded computing system, the MAGIC1A, was chosen after a competitive selection process, by meeting and exceeding the requirements for key upgrade features including increased storage space for mission and flight data, higher processing capacity, and cybersecurity capabilities. Abaco was selected for its ability to innovate and deliver while meeting critical schedule requirements.

Abaco has delivered ~50 legacy MAGIC1 systems over the past several years for this application. The MAGIC1A delivers the latest in Graphics and Computer Processing to a rugged SWaP-C3 improvement on a legacy design, which ensures seamless integration and an extensible technology roadmap. The operational stability of the legacy product combined with a cleantech insertion and upgrade path to current generation capabilities with the MAGIC1A system made Abaco the ideal choice for this design win. The customer required pin-compatibility with the legacy system and an upgrade to the MAGIC1A met that need. Abaco’s innovative approach will allow the customer to reduce the technology footprint on the platform via an SDI I/O upgrade on the system. John Muller, Chief Growth Officer at Abaco Systems, Inc. said, “We have had an excellent source of relationship capital with this customer from years of exceptional service. Our innovative approach met synchronized expectations to deliver exactly what the customer needed to succeed. This design win is a prime example of Abaco’s ability to innovate so that we can deliver best in class military and aerospace contributions.”

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Full-duration, eight-minute-plus engine burn caps “Green Run” test campaign that helps certify core stage for the launch Stage to be refurbished and delivered to Kennedy Space Center for stacking with other SLS components

The cryogenic core stage built by Boeing for NASA’s first Space Launch System (SLS) rocket completed hot fire testing today at NASA’s Stennis Space Center as part of the SLS rocket’s Green Run test campaign on the B-2 test stand. Data from the test validated the core stage’s successful operation and will be used to help certify the stage for flight. “Deep space exploration took an important step forward today,” said John Shannon, SLS vice president, and program manager for Boeing. “The advancements made on the allnew SLS core stage are positive for NASA and the national supply chain. The team is using knowledge gained from Green Run to move forward on our new production system and future stages while delivering the first stage

Leidos tech scanned thousands of “big game” deliveries Federal law enforcement used advanced cargo screening equipment, manufactured by Leidos, to help elevate security leading up to the NFL’s championship game last weekend between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

for a test flight.”

The Boeing-built SLS core stage is fueled by liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks feeding four RS-25 engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, together producing 1.6 million pounds of thrust during the test and at launch. During a mission, the stage’s engines produce 2.2 million pounds of thrust. The engines burned for a full duration of 499.6 seconds, or eight minutes and 19 seconds, during the test, providing critical verification data. After post-test checkouts, the core stage will go to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with the Orion crew spacecraft, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage upper stage, and solid rocket boosters, and then be prepared for launch. That complete vehicle will fly the first mission of NASA’s Artemis program, called Artemis I, which will be an uncrewed test flight of Orion around the moon to prepare for crewed missions. Only the SLS has the

Why you should know: Security is always tight for the big game, but this year brought elevated concerns from a rising tide of domestic extremism and coronavirus restrictions. Specifics: The game and events leading up to it are logistical feats that require thousands of vehicles delivering everything from food to souvenirs, media equipment, and people. Inspecting them is much more efficient using

power to launch Orion, crew, and cargo to the moon and enable sustainable lunar exploration. Boeing is the prime contractor to NASA for the SLS core and upper stages and avionics. “I want to thank our NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Boeing teams that overcame storms and a pandemic to prove out the SLS core stage’s capability and safety,” said Shannon. The SLS will continue to evolve past Artemis III, which is planned to be the landing of the first woman and next man on the moon. Boeing is already working on evolvable capabilities for the rocket system such as the Exploration Upper Stage, with additional power that will be key for meaningful human exploration of the moon and Mars.

x-ray technology than manually searching each vehicle. Customer impact: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) used three VACIS® M6500 units, large x-ray machines that scanned vehicles for unauthorized explosives, weapons, and people entering the event’s perimeter. CBP, which oversaw event security along with state and local law enforcement, has used Leidos cargo scanners at the big game six years in a row. Background: Since 2014, Leidos has deployed 89 VACIS® M6500 units for CBP at airports and seaports from coast to coast, where they’ve scanned hundreds of thousands of cargo containers entering the country for explosives, weapons, and illegal drugs. From the source: “These VACIS units are high-throughput mobile inspection systems that scan anything up to a full-size cargo container using low-dose x-rays, allowing CBP inspectors to view their contents quickly without having to open them,” said George Walther-Meade, manager of the Leidos Ports & Borders division.

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New “Sputnik Moment” for NATO

Brussels 29 January 2021 – an important international debate on the geopolitics of emerging and disruptive technologies was held last week. According to many experts, this topic relates to the so-called new “Sputnik moment” for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the need to build technological potential of the member states, including Poland. The event was organized by the Permanent Representation of Poland to NATO and the Kosciuszko Institute. In 2020, the use of digital technologies in all aspects of the socio-economic functioning of states, institutions, and businesses has grown significantly. At the same time, the status of emerging and disruptive digital technologies as the most important piece of the geopolitical puzzle, i.e., the position of individual superpowers and countries in the international arena, has become firmly established. Digital technologies have greatly accelerated the economic development and capabilities of individual countries, but they have also become tools used for offensive purposes: from the spread of cyberweapons and strengthening intelligence capabilities, to the manipulation and interference in democratic processes, as well as successful attempts at compromising the integrity of strategic digital infrastructure of NATO member states. Among the key technologies that will present the greatest opportunities and threats to the Alliance during this decade are artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced data analytics, and space technologies. “In order to navigate this increasingly rapidly evolving landscape of technological change and threats, the transatlantic community first needs a thorough understanding of the nature of the challenges posed by the implications of technological developments for international policy and security, in order to immediately take concrete steps that build our technological capacity,” – Izabela Albrycht, President of the Kosciuszko Institute and, since July 2019, Poland’s representative in the NATO Advisory Group on New and Disruptive Technologies, said during the meeting. Marcin Ociepa, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense noted that “we are in the middle of the new era of fundamental technological change. We witness the rapid and intense technological race that will have a major effect on NATO business.

[…] We need to understand the threats and opportunities that stem from technological development and have an impact on the military forces, and we need to have a common understanding of these challenges within the NATO”. Minister Ociepa mentioned cooperation of allies on both sides of the Atlantic, learning from each other, and sharing of good practices as key to tackling those threats. Poland’s Ambassador to NATO Tomasz Szatkowski explained that in response to these challenges, many steps have been taken within NATO that have a significant impact on the functioning of the Alliance. At the 2019 London Summit, the importance of new

IZABELA ALBRYCHT, Chair, The Kosciuszko Institute

and disruptive technologies for NATO and the Allies was highlighted, both in terms of the need to adapt and maintain technological superiority and to take advantage of new opportunities associated with them. It also established the NATO Innovation Council and the Emerging and Disruptive Technologies Advisory Group to support the Alliance’s technological development. Furthermore, seven technological areas most relevant to NATO were identified, including artificial intelligence, autonomous, quantum, space, or hypersonic technologies, but also data and advanced data analytics. A strategy for implementing new and disruptive technologies is planned to be adopted at the NATO Ministerial Meeting in February this year.

Ambassador Szatkowski noted that from Poland’s point of view an important area in the context of new technologies is defense and deterrence, therefore the Permanent Representation of Poland to NATO initiated a debate on this issue with the participation of representatives of the allied countries already last year. The activities of NATO, in which it is expected that all member countries will actively participate, are aimed at preparing the Alliance for – as NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoana put it during CYBERSEC Forum 2020 – a new “Sputnik moment”. This time, however, the competition for NATO does not come only from Russia, but also from China. For this reason, it is crucial that the Alliance and its partners (including Australia, Japan, and South Korea) understand and share a common position on the new technological challenges. During the meeting, Assistant Secretary-General for New Security Challenges David van Weel presented how the Alliance must adapt to these changes. He indicated that it is necessary to change the culture of innovation. “We need to build effective collaboration with academia and the private sector, including those outside the defense sector, as well as with start-ups. An ecosystem needs to be created in which breakthrough innovations can be made at the pace that dynamic technological development forces, rather than at a pace constrained by long procedures”. The Kosciuszko Institute’s report “Geopolitics of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies“ published in October 2020 perfectly shows all mechanisms of using advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G technology, and in the future also quantum computing in building military, political and economic power of countries, defense alliances and international organizations. The event included the presentation of key assumptions and conclusions of the report, as well as a discussion of the most important geopolitical aspects related to the development of technology. Participants included permanent representatives of NATO member states representatives of defense and foreign ministries, as well as renowned experts.

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Lockheed Martin And NEC Put AI To Work On Programs Like NASA’s Artemis Mission

Lockheed Martin and NEC Corporation have signed a collaboration agreement to extend their partnership utilizing NEC’s System Invariant Analysis Technology (SIAT). The companies are also finalizing a licensing agreement with a multi-year option. “The power of AI is leveraged across our entire enterprise, and with a trusted partner like NEC, we gain the resources to expand its abilities at scale across our internal operations,” said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space. “By proactively analyzing telemetry data we are able to deliver our systems even faster and streamline the work that our employees do every day.” For several years, Lockheed Martin and NEC have been working together to evaluate the effectiveness of SIAT for early production testing and operational scenarios. As a result, Lockheed Martin has integrated SIAT into the Technology for Telemetry Analytics for Universal Artificial Intelligence (T-TAURI) AI service. This allows the organization to drive proactive anomaly detection during the design, development, production, and test phase of spacecraft development – even before applications in mission operations. NEC’s SIAT advanced analytics engine uses data collected from sensors to learn the behavior of systems, including computer systems, power plants, factories, and buildings, enabling the system itself to automatically detect inconsistencies and prescribe resolutions. By integrating within Lockheed Martin’s T-TAURI platform, a comprehensive time series analysis framework, the team can gain an exhaustive, holistic understanding of a system, creating a foundational system for other advanced technologies like system-level digital twins. Since the initial partnership between NEC and Lockheed Martin, the teams have already seen applications for early pathfinding to detect production Across the space domain, Lockheed Martin is applying AI technology to provide proactive insights during production and for operational mission requirements 14

COTS Journal | March 2021

anomalies and software regression testing. “We’re thrilled that the innovative SIAT developed by NEC provides value to Lockheed Martin as it addresses not only the development of complex systems but also the uniqueness of deep space exploration,” said Motoo Nishihara, executive vice president, CTO, and Member of the Board, NEC Corporation. “Together, we are committed to strengthening our solution and finding new ways to apply this technology.” Proven AI Results Lockheed Martin has already successfully applied this technology on several operations to date. For example, the team used it to analyze the unprecedented amount of data that was produced by the Orion vehicle during testing. Within a four-hour period, T-TAURI and SIAT built a model of the vehicle’s normal operations from nearly 150,000 sensors to establish over 22 billion logical relationships for analysis. The resulting models can be used to monitor all future tests of subsequent vehicles to compare expected and irregular behavior to analyze consistency and aid in regression analysis. Without these advanced AI and ML tools, it would be impossible for a single engineer to analyze massive amounts of data manually at the speed needed to analyze the data in its entirety. Going forward, AI will continue to be applied on future missions in several ways, including future ground station support for customer satellite operations as well as expanding the application for human-rated systems to demonstrate an increase in speed of anomaly detection and root cause analysis on a mission.

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L3Harris 3D Printed Space Experiment Files on the International Space Station

In February 2021, an L3Harris-designed Radio Frequency (RF) circuit and an array of various 3D printed material samples launched into space, bound for the International Space Station (ISS). As part of an experiment to assess the viability of 3D printed materials for RF applications, the circuit will reside outside the Space Station, exposed to the extreme environment of space. The experiment will test the durability of 3D printed radio

frequency circuits in space for potential use in future small satellites. L3Harris 3D Printed Space Experiment Flies on the International Space Station ISS Robotic Arm Installing a MISSE Science Carrier on the MISSE Flight Facility. Image: NASA Selected by ISS U.S. National Laboratory for space effects studies, the project consisted of an L3Harris RF circuit that was 3D printed by Nano Dimension Ltd, an additive manufacture electronics provider. Housed on the MISSE Flight Facility and mounted to the exterior of the orbiting laboratory, the harshness of space is the true test of the material’s durability, which could lead to the development of applications in future space missions. “Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is playing a critical role in advancing the development and applications of small and nanosatellites and the overall Low Earth Orbit (LEO) economy,” said Dr. Arthur C. Paolella, senior scientist, L3Harris. “The applications of 3D printing are broad, touching almost every aspect of research,

design, and manufacturing. The main objective of this project is to fly an experiment consisting of an integrated communications circuit fabricated by additive manufacturing and analyze the RF properties of those materials in a space environment.” In addition to many satellites that use RF communications systems, the ISS orbits in a low Earth orbit environment, providing investigators and scientists a better understanding of how 3D printed technology tolerates the space environment. L3Harris 3D Printed Space Experiment Flies on the International Space Station The Alpha Space MISSE Flight Facility with the MISSE-11 Science Carriers Installed (carriers are closed) Image: NASA The experiment will stay outside the ISS for about six months before being brought back to earth for evaluation. Funding for the project is provided by Space Florida, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, and the L3Harris Innovation Office.

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SAIC Wins $830 Million U.S. Armey Contract for Aviation Systems Engineering Services

institutes, life cycle sustainment commands, and foreign military sales activities.

Science Applications International Corp. has won an $830 million contract to continue providing hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) aviation systems engineering services for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation & Missile Center (DEVCOM AvMC), Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration (S3I) Directorate.

“We are honored to have been chosen as the primary provider for the Aviation Systems HWIL Engineering contract and look forward to our continued support of the S3I Directorate, the DEVCOM AMC, and the American soldier,” said Bob Genter, President, Defense & Civilian Sector, SAIC.

Under the potential 5.5-year contract, SAIC will continue to provide systems engineering and integration services to all branches of the armed services and their associated program executive offices/program managers, Department of Defense components, combatant commanders, science and technology programs, other government agencies, test/ training commands, cooperative research and development, and education agreement partners, universities and research centers/

NSWC Crane hypersonics expert aims to connect research and ‘doers,’ maximize investments in enterprise Dr. Sarah Armstrong was named Director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office Systems Engineering Field Activity (JHTO SE FA) at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) in January 2021. Over the course of her career, Dr. Armstrong has also worked as a failure analysis engineer, a radiation-hardened analog integrated circuit designer, task manager, customer advocate, and branch manager. Dr. Armstrong said adversaries have aggressively pursued hypersonic technologies and capabilities, and the U.S. has developed an integrated

Work under this contract will be performed under General Services Administration’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) professional services contract, managed by the Army Contracting Command - Redstone Arsenal. “SAIC is privileged to support cutting-edge engineering efforts at S3I and DEVCOM AvMC along with our teammates,” said Gabe Camarillo, senior vice president, Army Business Unit. “We look forward to extending our supstrategy to accelerate the development and fielding of hypersonic systems, both offensive and defensive. The 2018 National Defense Strategy says hypersonics is one way to “ensure we will be able to fight and win the wars of the future.” “The physics of flight change in a hypersonic environment,” said Dr. Armstrong. “There are technical challenges to be addressed throughout the systems. My job is to take the systems engineering view of the overall hypersonics strategy and break it down into pieces of approachable technologies for the research community to address. We then accelerate the transition of those technologies into program implementation.” Hypersonics is a category of weapons that can travel within the upper atmosphere (about

port to Army aviation modernization in the Huntsville, Alabama area in the years to come.” As part of the task order, SAIC will specifically support HWIL Aviation Systems including life cycle support to manned and unmanned systems (hardware, software, interfaces), subsystems, components, testbeds/laboratories/infrastructure, external interfaces/ networks, and support equipment (e.g., avionics, communication/navigation/surveillance, flight controls, data buses, sensors, seekers, weapon systems, data links, command and control, health monitoring systems, ground equipment). Manned and unmanned systems include rotary, fixed-wing, targets, robotic platforms, counter unmanned aerial systems, and associated systems/technologies. The life cycle includes concept research, requirements, design, development, accreditation, testing, operation, and maintenance. 15 to 30 miles above Earth) for sustained periods at greater than five times the speed of sound. Commercial flights range from about 5.9 miles to 7.2 miles above the earth’s surface, according to Adam Beckman, a lecturer for aviation studies at Ohio State University quoted in a 2018 Time article. The U.S. Air Force awards Astronaut Wings at 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. According to the CNO NavPlan, “Characteristics of premium value in a fight for contested seas are distributed weapons of increasing range and speed … stealth, deception, and sustainability.” In October 2020, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OSD) for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E))’s Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO) established its Systems Engineering Field Activity at Naval Support Activity, Crane. The Field Activity works with the Pentagon-based JHTO to coordinate architectures, interfaces, schedules, and plans to transition a more modular, affordable, and upgradable hypersonics portfolio of capabilities and technologies. “I look for similarities between program needs and ways to maximize investments,” said Dr. Armstrong. “I look at today’s research and state-of-the-art systems and determine how they can help carry out the long-term strategy for the hypersonics enterprise.”

COTS Journal | March 2021

SPECIAL FEATURE

Software Defined Radio for Radar Modernization & Service Life Extension Programs By Reza Mohammadi, Per Vices Corporation, Senior Analyst The fundamentals of defense systems are changing. Technology shifts are happening at an unprecedented pace, putting us leaps and bounds ahead of where we have come from, and the electronics and components critical to modern warfare need to keep up with these advancements. Radar systems, like many life and mission critical systems, are built and designed with the ex-

Figure 1 18

COTS Journal | March 2021

pectation that they will last for many years in service. Since this time line is quite long when compared to the lifespan associated with many electronic components, many of these radar systems require Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) at approximately the mid life of the radar system or must be replaced by a new modernized radar system. The SLEPs offer a path forward to replacing or upgrading a subset of the radar system in order to help address

component obsolescence without the need for replacing the entire radar system, while radar modernization offers a path for replacing the entire legacy system with a new and modern system with new features, capabilities, performance enhancements, and maintainability. In either option above, software defined radios (SDRs) offer the perfect solution. SDRs are radio systems that operate across a large part of

These obsolescence issues not only create availability problems but also impacts the overall maintenance, support costs, and time to repair in sourcing these obsolete components. the spectrum but have all the decoding and use completed in software as opposed to traditional systems where this is completed in hardware. This results in SDRs enabling the replacement of some hardware components with software. To explain the architecture of a typical SDR system, let’s analyze the data flow of a radar system. From Figure 1, we see there are two radio functionalities required; transmit and receive. On the transmit side, a digital waveform is generated, converted to an analog signal, and transmitted. On the receive side, the data returning to the radar system goes through a radio receive chain and is then converted to a digital signal and processed. In an SDR, both the transmit and receive functionalities can be achieved with plenty of flexibility and within the same unit while ensuring excellent phase coherency and isolation. This flexibility extends from the radio front end which allows operation across different RF bands including L-band, S-band, X-band, and Ku-band, along with high and adjustable radio bandwidths. These systems can also offer different combinations of independent radio receive chains and radio transmit chains to best meet the system requirements. In addition, all of the radio chains are phase coherent and offer excellent stability. On the digital side of the SDR, the on board FPGA allows for waveform storage, waveform generating, and triggers to transmit the specified waveform at a specified

time – all desirable features for transmit functionality of a radar system. For the receive functionality, the FPGA also allows for additional DSP to be performed on the device, including filtering, digital up conversion and digital down conversion. As previously mentioned, SLEP offer solutions to handle component obsolescence or performance issues that exist due to new mandates of the equipment. These obsolescence issues not only create availability problems but also impacts the overall maintenance, support costs, and time to repair in sourcing these obsolete components. In many cases, the best solution involves replacing only the components or parts of the system that are going obsolete, as opposed to replacing the entire system, as this approach helps to reduce costs, complexity, and a lengthy re-certification program. For these instances, software defined radios are a great solution as they offer a solution for many parts of the system including the radio receive chains, radio transmit chains, and DSP component. The result is the ability to replace, for example, an obsolete radar receiver or radar transmitter with an SDR, without needing to change the existing duplexer, amplifier, processing unit, or control unit. By using the SDR in this capacity, system integrators and radar manufacturers can realize significant COTS Journal | March 2021

Figure 2

cost savings while also reducing supply chain complexity and overall system complexity. With the flexibility afforded by the technology, SDRs are able to be easily configured for integration into legacy systems while ensuring no other changes to data formats, interfaces, or other considerations are required. In turn, this newly integrated component, the SDR, is designed for longevity, ease of maintenance, and overall extends the life of the radar system as a whole. As an added benefit, the integration of the SDR into the system can result in improved performance and reliability through the use of state-of-the-art technologies, although these are also sometimes limited by other parts of the legacy system and may require a radar modernization. This leads to the other option for managing near end of life radar equipment; replacing the entire system with a higher performance and modern solution. The decision to move forward with a full replacement may also occur for a variety of reasons including performance, cost to service, reliability, and anticipated maintenance of the aging radar system. With the advancements of other technologies and the changes in the environments in which radars are required to operate in, new and modern equipment may be required and the replacement option may be the best approach for the long term. As new technologies have progressed, the re20

COTS Journal | March 2021

quirements imposed on radar systems have progressed as well. It is now a very common need to have radar systems detect smaller targets, such as drones and other UAVs, and these targets have become smaller as the technology powering these crafts has improved. Another trend in technological improvements impacting radar requirements falls under response times. Radars today are now expected to have a significantly faster response time when compared to the requirements of the past in order to keep up with evolving threats and transformations to targets of interest. Similarly to the changing expectations due to new technologies, radars today must also adapt to changes in the environments in which they operate in. When compared to the past, radars today need to accommodate a greater presence of non-static clutter such as wind turbines, communication towers, increased air traffic, and other defense systems. Figure 2 (on previous page) illustrates some of these sources and the impact they have on radar systems today. The increase in types and numbers of these sources of clutter introduces new challenges ranging from RF interference, such as other radar systems, to phys-

COTS Journal | Mrch 2021

ical interference, such as wind mills. These environmental changes has added additional requirements for radars today, which all lead to radar modernization programs. Once again, SDRs are a great fit to address the evolving requirements associated with the radar modernization programs. Aside from the need for fewer pieces of equipment and components, and therefore a smaller footprint, SDRs offer superior flexibility and performance demanded by radar systems today. The transition from a traditional, analog intensive architecture to a new and modern digital architecture is one of the reasons why SDRs can offer this flexibility and performance increase. By having more of the system functions performed in a digital domain, the system becomes inherently more flexible for upgrades, new features, and increased performance at the same pace as advancements in digital technologies. In particular, SDRs are capable of performing advanced DSP algorithms, reducing the burden on other parts of the system and offering a more integrated solution. The SDR can also be used for waveform storage, triggering, digital filtering, digital up conversion and digital down con-

version, enabling more done on a single unit. Moreover, due to the high stability and accuracy of the time source within SDRs, these systems can be used to keep system time and provide a common clock to all parts of the system, helping ensure phase and stability requirements are met at a system level as opposed to individual component levels. Overall, SDRs are an ideal choice for both service life extension programs or new radar modernization programs. The integrated design, small form factor, flexibility, and high performance of these SDRs is beneficial for both types of programs with a significant cost savings expected as SDRs are easily integrated and offer a less strenuous maintenance and support schedule. When selecting the best SDR for either of these programs, it is important to consider the performance, including frequency of operation, number of channels, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) operation, bandwidth, latency, and FPGA capabilities. It is also important to consider vendors with experience in the radar market as this helps to reduce costs, complexities, and will result in an easier integration effort. Many SDRs are still offering lower performance

solutions, however, there are some vendors who do offer mission critical SDRs that have been and can continue to be integrated into radar systems for both SLEPs and new modernization efforts.

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COTS Journal | March 2021

March 2021

COT’S PICKS

Leopard Imaging Collaborates with Socionext, Hailo, and AWS to Launch EdgeTuring™

Delivers Next-generation AI Processing Solution for Video Analytics Leopard Imaging Inc., a leading global provider of embedded camera design and manufacturing, is collaborating with three leading companies to deliver EdgeTuring™: a next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) processing solution for video analytics. Leopard is working with Hailo, an AI chipmaker for edge devices, Socionext, a leading provider of advanced systemon-chip (SoC) solutions for imaging and video systems; and Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platforms, to launch their transformative solution. The venture produces high image quality and high energy efficiency for AI inference nodes, benefiting a wide range of applications in industrial automation, smart devices, smart retail, and others. Innovative AI Edge Device Cuts Costs and Delivers Faster Performance Leopard Imaging has been working to address the need for affordable multiprocessing power in deep learning applications. Using Socionext’s SC2000 image signal processor and the Hailo-8™ M.2 AI acceleration module, Leopard Imaging’s EdgeTuring™ consumes less power, performs at a higher level, and ensures greater reliability for video analytics and privacy at the edge than alternative solutions. Leveraging AWS services such as Amazon Kinesis Video Streams and Amazon Kinesis Data Streams (Amazon KDS), EdgeTuring™ creates a seamless experience for customers to stream and analyze videos using a simple internet connection. “EdgeTuring™ has an accuracy ranging from 95% to 99% for several state-of-the-art deep learning-based computer vision applications, such as object detection, image classification, and others. Additionally, it processes frames much faster, supports more functions, consumes less power, and costs much less than any comparable solution—all with the ability to stream inputs in real-time,” said Bill Pu, President, and Co-Founder of Leopard Imaging. “We believe that this strategic collaboration will help us carve a new path forward in the AI-driven camera industry. We want to break away from the 24

COTS Journal | March 2021

status quo and embrace these opportunities to adopt new AI solutions.” Launched just last year, the Hailo-8TM enables customers to integrate high performance AI capabilities of 26 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) into edge devices, providing a more flexible solution for accelerating a wide range of deep learning-based applications with high efficiency—optimizing time to market with a standard form factor. A comparison between the Hailo-8’s average Frames Per Second (FPS) with competitors across multiple standard NN benchmarks (based on the latest published figures) shows that Hailo’s AI modules achieve up to 26x higher FPS rate. Leopard Imaging has previously launched various high-definition embedded camera products with AI solutions. By creating more efficient processes and solutions, their products have helped significantly reduce operating costs—increasing precision and improving reliability. “We are excited to work with Leopard Imaging, Socionext, and AWS to bring unprecedented AI-based products to the edge market,” said Orr Danon, CEO, and Co-Founder of Hailo. “As demand for AI at the edge grows, our innovative AI processor and acceleration modules, together with the solutions created by these industry leaders, will help usher in a new generation of AI that is more powerful, more scalable, and more cost-efficient.”

“It’s a pleasure to announce our strategic collaboration with three global leaders in the AI solutions space,” said Takuji Nukiwa, President at Socionext America. “When it comes to edge technology, our new generation of chips enables more capabilities, and these new capabilities lead to new opportunities. The transformation of edge technology ushers in a new wave of smart industries that will continue to evolve and grow with the changing technologies.” AWS provides coverage-connected by high throughput, low latency, and highly redundant networking, which allows EdgeTuring™ to combine the advantages of both edge computing and cloud computing to achieve more functions in more applications. The field of AI computing solutions is thriving and involves applications for broader markets that rely on high data rate, fast processing, low power consumption, and low latency. For example, smart cities need numerous cameras to produce video streams that need to be quickly processed, meaning every millisecond counts. Presenting in real-time on the production floor means a more effective and efficient process— leading to higher quality outputs and reducing operational costs. Leopard Imaging Inc. www.leopardimaging.com

March 2021

COT’S PICKS EIZO Expands Its Line of COTS Rugged Monitors with Three Customizable Models that Comply with MIL Standards EIZO Rugged Solutions Inc. has released three rugged LCD monitors to join its current line-up – Talon RGD3202W (32-inch), RGD2802 (28-inch), and RGD2102W (21.5-inch). The Talon series of COTS (commercial offthe-shelf ) rugged LCD monitors offer a range of sizes, screen resolutions, and feature sets for displaying highly detailed rugged applications such as those used in naval display systems, target tracking, mission/ground control centers, and airborne ISR operations. They are ready to be deployed in extreme environments with ruggedized features such as sunlight readability (optional), water resistance with IP65 ( front), built-in heaters (optional), and conformal coating to protect components. They are test-

ed for vibration, shock, altitude, and extreme temperatures to comply with MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461. The RGD3202W is a 32-inch model with 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution for displaying highly detailed rugged applications in full across a spacious screen. It also supports a simultaneous display from more than one input so multiple applications can be viewed on a single screen, providing operators with a centralized view of important information.

The RGD2802 is a 28-inch square model with 2K x 2K (2084 x 2084) resolution. It is ideal for military and mobile air traffic control centers for displaying radar and other high-resolution visual data. The square format and customizable housing allow it to be easily adapted to existing consoles. The RGD2102W is a 21.5-inch, Full HD (1920 x 1080) model with optional NVIS (Night Vision Imaging System) support for environments using night vision equipment. EIZO carries out the production process for NVIS support in-house, including the measurement and adjustment of NVIS display characteristics for every unit, and complies with MIL-STD-3009. NVIS support is also available as an option for other Talon rugged monitors. Talon monitors are custom made to fit specific requirements to help customers fulfill

their project goals – LED backlight customization, projected capacitive (PCAP) and analog resistive touchscreen options, custom housing, interfaces, image enhancement technology, optical bonding, increased temperature endurance, and more are tailored to suit each rugged environment and application. EIZO Rugged Solutions Inc. www.eizorugged.com

COTS Journal | March 2021

March 2021

COT’S PICKS TECHWAY releases cost-effective PCIe carrier-boards with VITA 57.4 site based on Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ System-on-Chip (SoC)es TECHWAY announces new PCIe SoC platforms with an FMC+ site, called PFP-ZU+ that are based on Xilinx MPSoC devices. TECHWAY has 12+ years of development experience in Xilinx FPGA-based PCIe platforms with FMC/ FMC+ interfaces. Thanks to their know-how, they offer cost-effective solutions to help bring the SoC technology into industrial applications. The platforms are 100% compliant with the FMC+ standard, PFP-ZU+ fit all VITA 57.1 and VITA 57.4 mezzanine cards. Thanks to this compliance, PFP-ZU+ can serve any protocols and interfaces. As a multi-purpose board, PFPZU+ is a “swiss-knife” for real-time applications. The boards are a perfect fit for system integrators who are looking for reducing development time thanks to ready-to-integrate boards. The PFP-ZU+’s versatility comes from useful features including a fully FMC+ site, DDR4, and RLDRAM2 memories, multiple boot options, etc. Users can access multiple interfaces (Ethernet, Display Port, USB) from the ARM-

COTS Journal | March 2021

based Processing System, allowing them to easily design stand-alone equipment without a PC host. A new FireFly™ module, available in option, allows high-speed optical communication. This module provides direct and easy access to data. PFP-ZU+ is the perfect match between real-time multi-core ARM processors and high-performance UltraScale+ programmable logic. PFP-ZU+ features the Xilinx ZU7CG or ZU11EG devices to optimize performance/price ratio for high-end applications. PFPZU+ can be easily used in a standard PC environment with a full development kit available for both Windows and Linux or in your enclosure as stand-alone equipment. TECHWAY - Signal Vision System www.techway.fr/?lang=en

March 2021

COT’S PICKS

Concurrent Technologies announces a 3U CompactPCI® board based on 11th Gen Intel® Core™ Processor - Air and Conduction-cooled 3U CompactPCI processor

Concurrent Technologies announces a new 3U CompactPCI processor board based on the recently launched 11th Gen Intel® Core™ Processor. TP B9x/31d is plug-compatible with the popular TP B1x/3sd family allowing transitions for higher

performance and extending the life of CompactPCI deployments. There are two processor choices: a 4-core i7-1185GRE based solution which provides a performance increase at lower power consumption compared to its predecessor 3U CompactPCI board; and a 2-core i3-1115GRE based solution that offers sufficient performance for most existing applications at a reasonable price point. TP B9x/31d will support features such as soldered down memory with in-band error correction for high reliability and an optional M.2 module for high bandwidth direct-attached storage. A key technology transition consideration is that TP B9x/msd supports an array of capabilities providing the root of trust and data at rest protection that are required to meet modern security standards. Concurrent Technologies Corporation www.gocct.com

DATA MODUL presents its own SMARC module based on the latest Intel Atom x6000E processors. DATA MODUL is expanding its SMARC product family in the embedded sector and presents the eDM-SMX-EL, a compact, powerful SMARC 2.1 module that supports the new Intel Atom® x6000E, Pentium® and Celeron® N & J series processor generation (codename Elkhart Lake). Thanks to the improved graphics performance of the processor, the new module can support three independent displays with a resolution of up to 4Kp60, making it ideal for a variety of graph-

ics-intensive low-power IoT applications. Compared to its predecessor, the new credit-card-sized eDM-SMX-EL increases CPU performance by more than 40 percent, graphics performance by a factor of two, and, with up to four cores, offers an excellent performance/watt ratio (4.5W 12W TDP). In addition to the usual controller interfaces such as CAN, the module has a dual GbE with TSN to ensure real-time capable device communication. In addition, there is a large increase in data throughput thanks to the PCIe Gen3 (8 GT/s) and USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbit/s) interfaces. Also noteworthy is the up to 16 GByte LPDDR4X working memory with a speed of 4267 MT/s. With the In-Band

ECC feature, which can be configured in the BIOS, no additional memory is required; instead, part of the RAM is used for this purpose. This means that the customer can dispense additional memory and save costs. “The new eDM-SMX-EL module is aimed at system developers who are looking for SoC-based COMs with particularly low power consumption in a miniature format,” explains Richard Pinnow, Head of Product Management for Embedded Solutions at DATA MODUL “The small footprint, high flexibility, and cost-effectiveness of our SMARC 2.1 module will be a game-changer for many industries and applications in the field of edge computing.” The module is designed to operate in the full industrial temperature range of -40°C to +85°C. This, combined with its low height and high performance, allows the eDM-SMX-EL to be used in many multimedia and IoT applications. Also, the module has very low maintenance requirements thanks to its extremely long service life of 10 years even in 24/7 continuous operation. For a quick design start and the shortest possible time-to-market, the module can also be combined with the SMARC carrier board eDM-CB-SM-IPCS recently introduced by DATA MODUL. The board has a V-by-One interface, which means that high-resolution displays with a resolution of up to 4k can be operated. DATA MODUL www.data-modul.com/en

COTS Journal | March 2021

March 2021

COT’S PICKS Advanced Energy Unveils 48-Volt DCInput Power Supply for Telecom and Computing Applications

Designed to provide high power in a small form factor, the new CSU2000ADC-3 is the industry’s only carrier-grade DC-input power supply in the CRPS form factor Advanced Energy unveiled a new 48-volt DC-input power supply designed for computing, storage, and networking applications. The new Artesyn CSU2000ADC-3 joins the company’s market-leading CSU series of AC-DC power conversion solutions and broadens AE’s product portfolio to meet data center power supply needs for telecommunications, data communications, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise IT customers. The CSU2000ADC-3 has 48 V input and 12 V output at 2000 W. This new DC-DC power supply is the industry’s only 2 kW carrier-grade power supply, providing unmatched scalability and a path for power capacity flexibility while satisfying unique carrier requirements for input cabling. It features an industry-standard common redundant

Pasternack Launches New 5G Omni, Rubber Duck, and In-Building Dome Antennas New Antenna Line Supports Sub-6 GHz 5G Wireless Applications Pasternack, an Infinite Electronics brand and a leading provider of RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave products, has just launched a new series of Omni, rubber duck, and dome antennas to address a wide range of Sub-6 GHz 5G wireless applications. Pasternack’s 16 new antenna models include 5G rubber duck antennas that feature a tilt and swivel blade design, SMA connectors, and nominal gains ranging from 3 to 5 dBi. The new Omni antenna selection includes models optimized for 600, 700, 850, 1800, and 2600 bands, N-Type connectors, and nominal gains ranging from 0 to 4 dBi. In addition to the rubber duck and Omni antennas which can be used on a host of equipment including routers, access points, switches, and other devices, Pasternack now offers in-building dome antennas that include low-PIM models. This fifth-generation, cellular, coax-fed antennas with N-Type connectors offer nominal gains ranging from 2 to 7 dB and VSWR 28

COTS Journal | March 2021

p o w e r s u p p l y (CRPS) form factor, making it simple for customers to design into their systems. Designed to serve a wide range of applications in traditional AC data centers, DC telco central offices, as well as increasinglycommon DC data centers, the CSU2000ADC-3 delivers universal usage across these three environments, which reduces customers’ development time, cost, and risk. “Our customers want a one-stop partner for power conversion solutions and this introduction of a 48-volt DC-input power supply is the next important milestone in building our complete CSU series portfolio,” said Brian Korn, vice president, and general manager of data center computing, telecom, and network products, Advanced Energy. “Our new CSU2000ADC-3 provides our customers with the predictable performance and future-proof system designs they’ve come to expect from AE.”

levels as low as 1.5:1. “Our new Omni and rubber duck antennas are perfect for upgrading stock rubber duck and Omni antennas found on many access points, routers, PLCs, switches, and other communica-

The introduction of the CSU2000ADC-3 comes at a time of exponential growth in data computing, storage, and networking, fueled by accelerated adoption of cloud computing and Internet usage, as well as growing investments in hyperscale data center infrastructure, as the world experiences the 4th industrial revolution. To meet the growing demand, today’s data centers require increased compute density, and that in turn requires a higher level of power density, where AE continues to lead the industry. Advanced Energy www.advancedenergy.com

tions devices. Our new dome antennas provide wide frequency coverage, high gain and are ideal for use in DAS, cellular and Wi-Fi networks,” said Kevin Hietpas, Product Line Manager. Pasternack www.pasternack.com

March 2021

COT’S PICKS World’s First Multicore Avionics Certification to CAST-32A Uses the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP Multicore RTOS

Green Hills Software announced that the INTEGRITY®-178 tuMP™ multicore real-time operating system (RTOS) is the first operating system to be part of a multicore certification to RCTA/DO-178C and CAST-32A. The certification is part of a Technical Standing Order (TSO) authorization for CMC Electronics’ PU-3000 Avionics Computer, and the TSO submission included evidence of meeting all CAST32A requirements for multicore processors. “CMC Electronics selected the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS after determining that it uniquely pro-

vides the robust partitioning, resource configuration, and certification support required for CMC’s next generation of multicore avionics products,” said Don Paolucci, Vice President, Engineering, at CMC Electronics. “INTEGRITY-178 tuMP reduces development and integration costs for CMC and our customers by providing full support for multicore processing with mixed-criticality applications up to DO-178C DAL A airborne safety requirements and certified conformance to the FACE™ Technical Standard.” “Green Hills Software is proud to be part of the world’s first certified multicore avionics solution with a multicore operating system,” said Dan O’Dowd, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green Hills Software. “We designed INTEGRITY-178 tuMP as a multicore RTOS from the beginning, and our 80 staffyear investment in multicore robust partitioning has paid off for our customers and their customers. While other companies have talked about getting a multicore certification for almost three years, CMC has achieved it using INTEGRITY-178 tuMP.” The PU-3000 series of avionics computers is the fourth generation of avionics computers from CMC Electronics and is fit for the civil and military retrofit markets. Modular by design, the multicore PU-3000 can be used as a common computing platform in a large variety of functions allowing customers to simultaneously host combinations of several levels of applications into “one box” varying from primary flight display (PFD), navigation display (ND), flight management systems (FMS), radio management systems (RMS), flight director systems (FDS) to critical mission applications. CMC’s avionics computers are capable of hosting multiple high-demanding software applications developed to varying Design Assurance Levels, up to and including DAL A. The

High Power Pulsed Amplifier Spans X-Band RFMW announces design and sales support for a line of high-power pulsed amplifiers from Elite RF. Providing linear power spanning 8 to 11 GHz, the MP8.0011G504828 delivers 100 Watts Psat with 52 dB of gain. Ideal for a variety of high-power applications including communications, radar, EW, industrial, scientific and medical, the amplifier uses GaN technology to achieve excellent gain with a typical duty cycle of 10% and offers flexibility to manage SWaP-C demands for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) requirements. The rugged design provides stability and built-in self-protection against reverse

PU-3000 received authorization as a Flight Director under TSO-C198 “Automatic Flight Guidance and Control System (AFGCS) Equipment.” The TSO was approved by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), with reciprocal acceptance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The INTEGRITY-178 tuMP high-assurance RTOS from Green Hills Software is the only RTOS that has been part of a multicore system certified to DO178C airborne safety requirements. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP is a multicore RTOS with support for running a multi-threaded DAL A application across multiple processor cores in symmetric multi-processing (SMP) or bound multi-processing (BMP) configurations, as well as supporting the more basic asymmetric multi-processing (AMP). INTEGRITY-178 tuMP was the first RTOS to be certified conformant to the FACE Technical Standard, edition 3.0, and it is the only RTOS with multicore interference mitigation for all shared resources, enabling the system integrator to meet CAST-32A objectives. Multicore interference happens when more than one processor core attempts simultaneous access of a shared resource, such as system memory, I/O, or the on-chip interconnect. The bandwidth allocation and monitoring (BAM) functionality in INTEGRITY-178 tuMP ensures that critical applications get their allocated access to shared resources to meet their required deadlines, significantly lowering integration and certification risk. Together, the flexible multi-processing architecture and the multicore interference mitigation enable a system integrator to maximize multicore processor performance while meeting safety and security requirements. Green Hills Software www.ghs.com

polarity and overheating. Housed in an aluminum alloy case, the MP8.0011G504828 features SMA connectors and heat sink mounting holes for needed cooling. Also available in a 19” rack mount equipped with a power supply and all required cooling. RFMW Ltd. www.rfmw.com

COTS Journal | March 2021

February 2021

COT’S PICKS QuickLogic Joins DARPA Toolbox Initiative to Provide Mil/Aero/Defense Grade Programmable Logic

QuickLogic Corporation announced that it has signed an agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to be an authorized supplier of embedded FPGA IP and opensource FPGA tools through the DARPA Toolbox Initiative. DARPA research teams will now be granted access to QuickLogic’s customizable eFPGA IP technology and 100% open source FPGA development tools. The DARPA Toolbox provides open licensing opportunities with commercial technology vendors to researchers engaged in DARPA programs.

able in commercial off-the-shelf products, operating in some of the most extreme environments such as high-temperature ranges, and exposure to high radiation levels. Also, QuickLogic’s technology has been production-proven across numerous process nodes in multiple foundries. QuickLogic’s eFPGA cores can span thousands of Look-Up-Tables (LUTs) to nearly one million LUTs, with optional fracturable DSP capability and BlockRAM support. Importantly, the eFPGA cores are backed by 100% open-source FPGA tools, ensuring mil/aero/defense contractors have complete visibility into the toolchain as well as longevity of support and supply through the complete containerization of the tools long into the future.

QuickLogic’s FPGA/eFPGA technology has been deployed in production volumes by the military, aerospace, and defense markets for three decades – spanning air, land, sea, and space applications. These uses require unique functionality not avail-

The DARPA Toolbox provides easy, low-cost, scalable access to state-of-the-art tools and intellectual property (IP) under predictable legal terms and streamlined acquisition procedures. The goal is to reduce reliance on low-quality, low-cost tools

PPM Systems Supplies Custom Filters to British Army

of narrowband cavity filters in bandpass and bandstop versions. They are an important element that allows for increased co-location and integration of systems onto common platforms. The use of filters reduces intermodulation and outof-band noise, providing optimum signal levels and traffic throughput.

PPM Systems has designed and produced 90 custom filters for the British Army spectrum team based at Blandford Camp to support the Army’s Battlefield Tactical Communication and Information Systems (BATCIS) program to upgrade its capability. The custom filters include multiple designs

WIN Enterprises Announces 7” Capacitive Touch Screen ARM v8-based IP67 Panel PC WIN Enterprises, Inc., a leading developer and a modifier of new and existing embedded x86 motherboards announces the PL-50300 series of industrial wireless panel PCs These IP67 Panel PC are ARM-based PC systems with integrated LCD and multi-touch touch-screens suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. The waterproof PC comes with a rugged die-cast chassis. The system features a fanless design and NEMA 4x standards to ensure reliable operation in most hazardous environments, resisting high levels of dust, dirt, grease, shock, and vibration while meeting required EMI/RFI resistance compliance. 30

COTS Journal | March 2021

Paul Cotterill, PPM Systems Business Development Manager, said: “This was a significant order for high-quality filters across 30 custom types and is a good example of PPM’s rapid Features Q170 • More RAM and significantly enhanced CPU • Enhanced GPU and I/O performance • Compact, waterproof with rugged construction • Economical cost • Low power envelope Three wireless-capable versions are available that include: Wi-Fi only; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or with 4G Cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. WIN Enterprises, Inc. www.win-ent.com

and IP that increase execution risks and complicate post-DARPA transitions. “QuickLogic is proud to have been a solution provider for mission-critical applications for over 30 years,” said Brian Faith, president, and CEO of QuickLogic. “Now, through the DARPA Toolbox, researchers can take further advantage of QuickLogic’s deep domain expertise in FPGA/eFPGA technology across numerous foundries and process nodes, with the trust that we have earned for the high reliability, quality, and longevity of support required for defense applications.” “By providing access to QuickLogic’s tools, DARPA researchers can bring a larger variety of FPGA/ eFPGA-based products to bear on DARPA programs,” said Serge Leef, program manager for the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) at DARPA. Anritsu Company www.anritsu.com/en-us/

design capability to supply these types of filters.” Cavity filters are ideal where low insertion loss and medium to high power handling are required with high selectivity and out-of-band rejection. PPM Systems can supply custom filters in a range of designs and technologies including lumped element (LC), cavity and comb filters, microstrip, ceramic coaxial, and helical filters. PPM Systems https://ppmsystems.com/

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Index

ADVERTISERS Company Page # Annapolis Micro Systems ........................................ 23 Broadcom .............................................................. . 17 Diamond Systems .................................................... 14 GET Engineering .................................................... . IFC Great River Technology ........................................... 15 Kingston Technology ............................................. . IBC MPL ...................................................................... 23 Neonode ................................................................. 5 OSS ........................................................................ 22 Pentek .................................................................. BC PICO Electronics, Inc ............................................. 25 Pixus Technologies ................................................. 20 Sealevel ................................................................. 4 SECO ...................................................................... 21 Versalogic .............................................................. IBC

Website ........................................ www.annapmicro.com ............................................. www.broadcom.com ...................................www.diamondsystems.com ............................................... www.getntds.com ..................................... www.greatrivertech.com .............................................. www.kingston.com ..................................................... www.mpl.com .............................................. www.neonode.com .................................. www.onestopsystems.com ................................................. www.pentek.com .................................... www.picoelectronics.com .............................. www.pixustechnologies.com .............................................. www.sealevel.com ................................................ www.seco.com/en ............................................. www.versalogic.com

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