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Volume 16 Number 4 April 2014
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The Journal of
Military Electronics & Computing
X
10
Embedded Technologies Tackle Video
XX
Processing Challenges
CONTENTS
April 2014
Volume 16
DEPARTMENTS
6
E ditorial
The Word Business
Unmanned
Systems Investment
8
The Inside Track
44
COTS Products
50
Marching to the Numbers
Number 4
SPECIAL FEATURE
Positioning
Video
Processing:
OpenVPX
Boards
and VME
and Systems
10
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 the 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.
EV mbedded
ME and VPX
Technologies
Follow Parallel
Tackle
andVideo
Overlapping
Processing
Paths
Challenges
Jeff Child
14
16
VME
R
elaying
and Video
OpenVPX
to Ground
Stake Out
Poses
Territory
Bandwidth
alongHurdles
the Continuum of Choices
Michel Stern,Fadeley,
Christopher
GE Intelligent
Tech Source
Platforms
20
System Management on VPX Leveraging Established Technologies
Mark Overgaard, Pigeon Point Systems
TECH RECON
DoD Budget Report: Major Programs
TECH RECON
Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Ground Systems
22
Major DoD Programs Budget Emphasizes Cost-Effectiveness
Jeff Child
28
DoD’s Unmanned Ground Vehicle Goals Strive for Autonomy
Jeff Child
On The Cover: Instead of a traditional periscope, the
Virginia class submarines have two telescoping photonics
masts.
mast
high-resolution
cameras,
On
TheEach
Cover:
VMEcontains
has a long
legacy of being
able to insert
along
with light-intensification
andsame
infrared
sensors,
new computing
technology into the
systems.
Suchan
infrared
laser rangefinder,
and kept
an integrated
ESMbomber
array.
VME
technology
upgrades have
the B-2 Spirit
The
USSwith
Minnesota
(SSN
783) is shown
here
during
sea
outfitted
advanced
processing
for years.
Shown
here,
atrials
B-2 last
SpiritJune.
bomber aircraft from the 509th Bomb Wing,
(U.S. NavyAir
Whiteman
photo
Force
courtesy
Base, MO.
of Huntington
flies over Kansas.
Ingalls Industries/
(U.S. Air Force photo).
Released)
SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT
SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT
Mitigating Obsolescence
in Test Technologies
Annual EOL and Component Obsolescence Directory
30
Synthetic Instrumentation Eases ATE Obsolescence Woes
32
O
rganizations
EnhanceRADX
Methods
of Handling Board- and IC-Level Obsolescence
Robert
Wade Lowdermilk,
Technologies
Jeff
Child Carey, Wilkes University
Dr. David
34
Annual EOL and Component Obsolescence Directory
TECHNOLOGY
FOCUS
TECHNOLOGY
FOCUS
FPGA Processing Boards
VME SBCs for Tech Refresh
38
FVPGA
Processing
Boards Alive
Ride Signal
Processing
Wave
38
ME SBCs
Keep Refresh
with New
Technology
40
40
Coming
Coming in
in April
May
See Page 50
48
Jeff
Jeff Child
Child
FPGA
Processing
Boards
Roundup
VME SBCs
for Tech
Refresh
Roundup
Digital subscriptions available: cotsjournalonline.com
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4
COTS Journal | April 2014
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COTS
EDITORIAL
Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief
Unmanned Systems Investment
W
hile of course all types of military systems rely on increasing amounts of embedded computing and electronics, to me there’s something special about the role
they serve in unmanned systems—including air, sea and ground
unmanned platforms. By definition unmanned systems depend
on computing architectures to provide control and automation of
their activity. Moreover, while there are other subsectors of technology where the defense industry is a follower, there are parts of
unmanned systems development where the military is a leading
technology innovator. Beyond just the military, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), for example, continue as the most dynamic
growth sector of the world aerospace industry this decade.
According to market research firm Teal Group, UAV spending will more than double over the next decade from current
worldwide UAV expenditures of $5.2 billion annually to $11.6
billion, totaling just over $89 billion in the next ten years. If you
look at the DoD’s latest Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap
(FY2013-2038), a comparison of DoD funding plans versus industry predictions shows that the DoD will not be the bulk user
within that market. However, the DoD does intend to be the most
innovative user. As the roadmap describes, UAVs have grown to
a sizable fleet providing a variety of capabilities that the DoD will
need to maintain over the near term.
On the UAV payload side of the equation, Teal Group’s research provides 10-year funding and production forecasts for a
wide range of UAV payloads. Adding up Electro-Optic/Infrared
Sensors (EO/IR), Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs), SIGINT
and EW Systems, C4I Systems, and CBRN Sensors, the total was
worth $2.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2013 and forecast to increase to
$4.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2022. The report says that the UAV electronics market will grow steadily, with the fastest growth and opportunities in SAR and SIGINT/EW.
An important evolution in the way the DoD views unmanned
systems in recent years it to treat them as part of an overall Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) strategy. The President’s FY 2015 DoD Budget Request released last month describes
them as part of what it calls Global Integrated ISR operations.
For the Air Force part of that, the FY 2015 Budget Request realigns and reprioritizes capability and capacity across the ISR portfolio. For medium-altitude, permissive ISR, the Air Force plans
to sustain the current capability of 50 steady state MQ-1/MQ-9
Combat Air Patrols (CAPs), with the ability to support 65 surge
6
COTS Journal | April 2014
MQ-1/MQ-9 CAPs until the full transition to an all-MQ-9 fleet is
made later in the FYDP. The FY 2015 budget calls to fully resource
55 steady state MQ-9 CAPs by FY 2019. Under the BCA (Budget
Control Act)-level funding, the Air Force would expect to further
reduce the overall MQ-9 capacity beginning in FY 2016.
Looking at the Global Hawk, in the FY 2015 Budget Request,
the Air Force alters its high-altitude ISR capacity through the
restoral of the RQ-4 Block 30 and subsequent planned retirement
of the U-2 in FY 2016. Investment funds are added to RQ-4 Block
30 to ensure platform viability beyond 2023, improve reliability,
and improve sensor performance to close the gaps with the U-2.
Finally, in accordance with the FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, the Air Force will divest the MC-12W manned
medium-altitude ISR capability and transfer this capability to the
U.S. Army and Air Force Special Operations Command.
In the Navy /Marines segment, investment in unmanned systems will bring the first Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System
(STUAS) aircraft and MQ-4 Triton Unmanned Aircraft System to
the Fleet with the procurement of 24 systems through FY 2019.
In the area of Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS)—which comprises unmanned maritime vehicles (UMVs), including both
unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) and all the integrated sensors and payloads aboard
them—funding is falling in the short turn, but future UMS inventories continue to rise. The thinking is that, as new littoral combat ships arrive in service, support for UMS designed to be used
aboard them will rise.
Meanwhile for the Army, as 10 years of war wind down, DoD
inventories and funding of Unmanned Ground Systems (UGSs)
are expected to decrease in 2014. But in proportion, UGSs aren’t
considered a Major Weapons System within the FY2015 Budget
Request. That said, the dip this year is expected to be followed
by a gradual upward trend in 2016 and beyond with the fielding
of new programs of record (PORs) to meet expanding mission
requirements. The Army has a 30-year UGS campaign plan based
on the goal to coordinate and synchronize UGS RDT&E efforts
with Army force modernization requirements.
While DoD plans and budgets for unmanned systems vary
across its different branches, it’s clear that this category of military
platforms has become both a vital part of U.S. military strategies
and a technology driver at the same time.
Innovation
That Detects.
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theSe ew, Sigint and c4i SubSySteM deSignS are
born froM our long Standing expertiSe in analog,
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what it takeS to coMbat next-generation electronic
attackS.
Mercury
alSo
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extenSive
core
See us at AUVSI’s
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conSiStS of receiver coMponentS, noiSe SourceS, voltage
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Visit mrcy.com/protect to see how Mercury Systems’ SIGINT and
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Copyright © 2014 Mercury Systems, Innovation That Matters
are trademarks of Mercury Systems, Inc.
The
INSIDE TRACK
Northrop Grumman G/ATOR System Approved for LRIP Phase
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research Development and
Acquisition approved the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar
(G/ATOR) program for Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) at a Department of Defense acquisition event known as Milestone C. Northrop
Grumman is the G/ATOR system prime contractor. Over the past year,
the system was subjected to intense test and environmental conditions,
proving the capability of providing excellent situational awareness against
a variety of platforms, including fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, cruise
missiles and unmanned autonomous system platforms (Figure 1).
G/ATOR’s open architecture design and the ability to scale the system
technology permit the product line to meet a multitude of ground- and
ship-based radar missions and capabilities. The Milestone C decision
follows last year’s successful completion of Developmental Testing,
Operational Assessment and a formal Marine Corps Production Readiness Review. To ensure the system was subjected to a broad range of
operational conditions, Developmental Testing was conducted in both
the littoral environment at the Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island, VA, as well as the desert and mountain environments at the
Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, AZ.
Northrop Grumman
Los Angeles, CA.
(310) 553-6262.
www.northropgrumman.com
Figure 2
The Rockwell Collins Flight2
avionics system will provide the
Royal Air Force of Oman C-130
aircraft with unrestricted access to
global airspace by meeting CNS/
ATM requirements.
Oman C-130 Aircraft
to be Upgraded with
Avionics Running on
LynuxWorks RTOS
LynuxWorks announced the
LynxOS-178 real-time operating system (RTOS) will be used
in the Rockwell Collins Flight2
avionics management system.
8
COTS Journal | April 2014
Figure 1
G/ATOR’s open architecture design enables it to meet a multitude of
ground- and ship-based radar missions and capabilities.
The deployment of the Rockwell
Collins Flight2 avionics system
will be for the Royal Air Force of
Oman’s C-130 upgrade program (Figure 2). The Rockwell
Collins Flight2 avionics system
will provide the Royal Air Force
of Oman C-130 aircraft with
unrestricted access to global
airspace by meeting Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/
Air Traffic Management (CNS/
ATM) airspace requirements
that are currently identified.
Included in the avionics
upgrade are new primary flight
displays, a state-of-the-art flight
management system, autopilot,
communication radios, navigation sensors and surveillance
systems including MultiScan
Hazard Detection Weather
Radar, Traffic Alert Collision
Avoidance System, Terrain
Awareness and Warning System
and digital map. The upgrade of
the three planes will provide the
Oman Air Force with state-ofthe-art capabilities consistent
with the world’s leading C-130
operators.
LynuxWorks
San Jose, CA.
(408) 979-3900.
www.lynuxworks.com
Navy Awards General
Dynamics Contract for
MLP 3 Afloat Forward
Staging Base
The U.S. Navy has awarded
General Dynamics NASSCO a
$128.5 million contract for the
detail design and construction
of the Mobile Landing Platform
(MLP) 3 Afloat Forward Staging
Base (AFSB). NASSCO is a business unit of General Dynamics.
Under the terms of the contract,
NASSCO will provide the detail
design and construction efforts
to convert the MLP 3 to an AFSB
variant. The work will be performed at NASSCO’s San Diego
shipyard and is scheduled to be
completed by October 2015.
The MLP AFSB is a flexible
platform and a key element in
the Navy’s large-scale airborne
mine countermeasure mission.
The ship is designed to facilitate
a wide variety of future mission sets in support of special
operations. With accommodations for 250 personnel and a
large helicopter flight deck, the
MLP AFSB will provide a highly
capable and affordable asset to
the Navy and Marine Corps.
General Dynamics NASSCO
San Diego, CA.
(619) 544-3400.
www.nassco.com
The
INSIDE TRACK
Mil Market Watch
Total Graphics Chip Market shares
Figure 3
GMLRS is an all-weather rocket
designed for fast deployment that
delivers precision strike beyond
the reach of most conventional
weapons.
Lockheed Martin
Receives Army Contract
for Guided MLRS Rocket
Production
Lockheed Martin received
a $255 million contract in late
2013 from the U.S. Army for
Lot 9 production of the Guided
Multiple Launch Rocket System
(GMLRS) Unitary rocket. The
new allotment of rockets will be
delivered to the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Republic of Italy.
Delivery will begin in April
2015. Work will be performed at
the Lockheed Martin facilities in
Camden, AR and Dallas, TX.
GMLRS is an all-weather
rocket designed for fast deployment that delivers precision
strike beyond the reach of most
conventional weapons (Figure
3). GMLRS Unitary rockets
greatly exceed the required
combat reliability rate and have
established a reputation for affordability.
Market share
this quarter
Market share
last quarter
Unit Change
Qtr-Qtr
Share
Difference
Qtr-Qtr
Market Share
Last Year
AMD
18.3%
20.7%
-10.4%
-2.4%
19.7%
Intel
65.1%
62.9%
5.1%
2.2%
63.0%
Nvidia
16.6%
16.3%
3.4%
0.29%
16.8%
Others
0.07%
0.12%
-43.7%
-0.06%
0.542%
Figure 4
According to Jon Peddie Research, the GPU market is up with Intel and Nvidia graphics winners in Q4 2013,
while AMD was down.
GPU Market Grows as Intel, Nvidia and AMD Jockey for Share
With GPGPU technology becoming an important solution for key military applications, the GPU chip
market is being watched closely these days. Jon Peddie Research (JPR), the industry’s research and consulting firm for graphics and multimedia, has estimated graphics chip shipments and suppliers’ market share for
2013 4Q. The quarter was the second quarter in a row to show a gain in shipments, up 1.6 percent quarter-toquarter, and up 2 percent compared to the same quarter last year.
According to the report, AMD’s overall unit shipments decreased 10.4 percent, quarter-to-quarter; Intel’s
total shipments increased 5.1 percent from last quarter; and Nvidia’s shipments increased 3.4 percent. The
attach rate of GPUs to PCs for the quarter was 137 percent, and 34 percent of PCs had discrete GPUs, which
means 66 percent of the PCs are using embedded graphics. The overall PC market increased 1.8 percent
quarter-to-quarter, but declined 8.5 percent year-to-year. Most of the PC vendors are guiding down to flat for
the next quarter.
The popularity of tablets and the persistent economic slowness are the most often mentioned reasons for
the decline in the PC market. The one bright spot in the PC market has been the growth of gaming PCs where
discrete GPUs play a significant role. The CAGR for total PC graphics from 2013 to 2017 is -1.3 percent in
2013; 446 million GPUs were shipped and the forecast for 2017 is 422 million. Overall, the trend for discrete
GPUs is roughly flat with a CAGR from 2013 to 2017 of-1.3 percent. The Jon Peddie Research’s Market Watch
is available now in both electronic and hard copy editions. For information about purchasing the report, contact Robert Dow at JPR Robert@jonpeddie.com.
Jon Peddie Research
Tiburon, CA.
(415) 435-9368.
www.jonpeddie.com
In combat operations,
each GMLRS rocket is packaged in an MLRS launch pod
and is fired from the Lockheed
Martin HIMARS or M270
family of launchers. GMLRS
is an international cooperative
program among the U.S., France,
Germany, Italy and the United
Kingdom. Other international
customers include Japan, Jordan,
Singapore and the United Arab
Emirates.
Lockheed Martin
Bethesda, MD.
(301) 897-6000.
www.lockheedmartin.com
April 2014 | COTS Journal
9
SPECIAL FEATURE
Video Processing: Boards and Systems
Embedded Technologies Tackle
Video Processing Challenges
With video now a critical centerpiece of situational awareness, embedded computing
solutions are tasked for processing, distributing and displaying growing amounts of
captured video information. A new crop of board- and box-levels solutions are feeding
those needs.
Jeff Child
Editor-in-Chief
10
COTS Journal | April 2014
SPECIAL FEATURE
E
ven in this era of tighter budgets,
the move to more advanced video
display technologies continues
to be strong. There are two main reasons for that. On the one hand there’s a
fundamental shift in technology toward
network-centric operations. On the other
hand, there’s an acknowledgement that a
reduced military will need to increase its
situational awareness capabilities, and the
sharing and display of information feeds
into that trend. As part of that, video processing technology has moved front and
center now. Driving that is the goal for every UAV, every vehicle, every aircraft, every ship and every soldier on the ground
to be able to quickly share video information with almost any level of the DoD’s
operation.
UAVs and other military platforms
are capturing large amounts of full-motion video and still imagery—a lot of that
moving to high-definition (HD). That
video is monitored and used in real time
but also stored for later analysis. Leveraging cutting-edge graphics chips developed
for the demanding gaming market, military graphics subsystems are now able to
offer complex video and graphics functionality in highly integrated board-level
solutions. Command and Control systems
have embraced these capabilities and now
rank among the most demanding users of
these advanced graphics technologies.
One shift that’s been happening in the
military video processing world is the idea
of doing the processing on the system—
such as an airborne platform—before
transmitting it to the ground. Along such
lines, last fall Mercury Systems announced
the deployment of one of its OpenVPXbased sensor processing subsystems on
an airborne intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) application. The
subsystem can process and exploit huge
amounts of sensor data in real time, store
it on board for retrieval and forensic analysis, and send imagery to ground stations
or handheld devices. The unit integrates
Figure 1
The Skyquest VRD1 Video Management
System (VMS) provides extensive video
I/O that supports a wide variety of analog
and digital formats and provides on-thefly conversion, switching, recording and
network streaming of the platform’s
video data.
Intel Xeon server-class processors, general
purpose graphical processing units (GPGPUs) and ruggedized solid state disk storage arrays­—essentially a server-class computing capability in a SWaP-constrained
airborne environment.
Linking to Storage Systems
As the sheer amount of video data
grows, it has become critical that storage of
captured data doesn’t become a bottleneck.
Addressing that challenge, Curtiss-Wright
Controls Defense Solutions has demonstrated its Skyquest VRD1 Video Management System (VMS) and Vortex Data Transport System (DTS) working together. The
demo showed control and display of video
sensor data with support for secure, removable storage of that video. The combined system is targeted at applications that require
real-time viewing and recording of large
amounts of high-definition (HD) video data
and require a method for storing and encrypting that data while being able to access
it on demand for post-mission analysis.
The VRD1’s extensive video I/O supports a wide variety of analog and digital
formats and provides on-the-fly conversion,
April 2014 | COTS Journal
11
SPECIAL FEATURE
switching, recording and network streaming of the platform’s video data. Allowing
the integrator to route all video through
a VRD1, to connect all of the sources and
destinations, reduces system complexity and
maximizes flexibility while also reducing total mass: this VMS approach has saved more
than 40 lbs. of cabling in previous applications (Figure 1). When a VRD1 is combined
with Curtiss-Wright’s DTS, system design-
ers are able to securely store and encrypt all
of their video data on the turn-key DTS’s
2.5-inch SATA solid state drive.
Video Tracking in Small Footprint
At the other end of the size spectrum
are subsystems that enable better video capture on small platforms. An example is GE
Intelligent Platforms’ ADEPT3100 rugged
miniature automatic video tracking and imFigure 2
The ADEPT3100 combines video
tracking and image stabilization in a
single device. The 34 mm x 24 mm card
can operate with PAL or NTSC analog
video signals, and incorporates onboard
serial links, allowing it to interface to
most platforms.
age stabilization solution. Designed specifically for environments in which size, weight
and power are severely constrained—such
as small autonomous platforms and manportable devices—the ADEPT3100 combines video tracking and image stabilization in a single device. Despite its extremely
small size, at 34 mm x 24 mm, it is approximately the size of a microprocessor, the ADEPT3100 can operate with PAL or NTSC
analog video signals, and incorporates onboard serial links, allowing it to interface to
most platforms. The module has a weight of
just six grams and power consumption of
only 1.5W (Figure 2).
To keep pace with the rapidly changing
display needs of military system developers,
mezzanine card solutions are a convenient
way to swap in new video processing electronics. An example is the VPP-8112 video
I/O and processor XMC from Creative Electronic Systems. The VPP-8112 is specifically
designed as a powerful video acquisition and
processing solution for harsh environmental
conditions. The VPP-8112 features the DaVinci digital media processor from Texas Instruments. It incorporates an ARM CortexA8 processor, running an embedded Linux
system, a floating-point VLIW DSP, a video
image coprocessor for H.264 and MPEG-4
video compression, decompression, and a
3D graphics processing unit.
12
COTS Journal | April 2014
A42_COTS_1-3V_2-25x9-875_Layout 1 3/5/14 4:45
SPECIAL FEATURE
Transformers
and Inductors
all!
sm
O
C
I
P
k
hin
...t
think...
low profile
from
.18"
ht.
Over 5000 Std.
Ultra Miniature
Surface Mount
(and Plug-In) Models
Figure 3
COTS Journal’s Jeff Child is briefed on Sabtech’s Data Display Computer at an industry
trade exhibition.
Its multiple integrated I/O peripherals provide native support for a PCIe x1
Gen2 link, two Gigabit Ethernet links, one
SATA-II interface for external storage and
two USB 2.0 ports. The VPP-8112 has two
stereo audio inputs and outputs to complement the video capability of the module.
The VPP-8112 module has options for aircooled and conduction-cooled operating
environments.
Mezzanines for Mixing and
Matching
Another mezzanine-based video solution example is the family of M59x graphics
boards from Aitech Defense Systems. The
M595 PMC and M597 XMC boards can
both simultaneously drive two independent
video streams in a wide variety of graphics
and output formats for flexible video input
and frame grabbing formats to meet users’
specific application needs. Both singlewidth mezzanine boards integrate multiple
supporting 2D/3D hardware engines. This
includes LVDS, SDI, HDI, SMPTE 292 and
H.264, and graphics languages including
DirectX, OpenGL and OpenCL.
The M595 and M597 use the advanced
AMD/ATI E4690 graphics processing unit
(GPU) operating at 600 MHz with a 512
Mbyte on-chip GDDR3 SDRAM frame
buffer. The E4690 enables multiple video
outputs from its native video ports and
eliminates the need for external transmitters or encoders. It works with an integrated, onboard FPGA to support a wide
variety of additional video output formats,
overlay, underlay and keying features as
well as multiple video input formats and
signal conditioning options.
The M595, a dual-head display XMC,
transfers graphics and video to the host
system via a high-speed eight port PCIe
link. Interfaces include two RGBHV (CRT)
channels, an HDTV/TV out port, an LVDS
channel and four single-link DVI/HDMI/
DP channels through the E4690. Both of
these DO-178/DO-254-certifiable mezzanine products are available in vibrationand shock-resistant versions as well as in
conduction-cooled and air-cooled versions
and to commercial, rugged and military
specifications with a maximum operating
temperature range of -55° to +85°C.
Flat Screen Systems in CRT Slot
A lot of military video display technologies these days are replacing older sys-
Audio / 400Hz / Pulse
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Transformers / Power
& EMI Inductors
te ly
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ta lo g im
om
fu ll C a
c
.
’s
o
s
ic
c
See P
ctroni
w w w.
picoe
le
PICO units manufactured
and tested to MIL-PRF-27
requirements. QPL units
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sample quantities.
PICO Electronics Inc.
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Call Toll Free: 800-431-1064
E Mail: Info@picoelectronics.com
FAX: 914-738-8225
MILITARY•COTS•INDUSTRIAL
TRANSFORMERS & INDUCTORS
April 2014 | COTS Journal
13
SPECIAL FEATURE
tems that had quite different mechanical
footprints. Large, bulky CRT-style monitors took up a lot more space than today’s
thin HD flat screen displays. Sabtech took
advantage of that in their Sabtech Data
Display Computer (SDDC) product. The
SDDC is a rugged, general-purpose computer that could fit in the volume of a CRT
monitor, but features a large flat screen 19”
(diagonal) display for optimal viewing. It
has a backlit 102-key keyboard with tactile feedback and a three-button HULA
pointing device. The keyboard and pointing device are environmentally sealed and
can be operated with gloves on. It comes
with one BD-DVD drive and can have up
to two removable solid state hard drives. A
rear-mounted USB port provides connectivity to any compatible peripheral device.
Audio communications are supported with
microphone and headphone jacks, and an
integrated speaker provides for audible
alarms. Dual copper Gigabit Ethernet ports
provide LAN connectivity through locking
sealed connectors.
In addition to industrial and general
military applications, the SDDC is a direct
replacement for the OJ-454(V)/UYK Data
Display Console and ORTSNET workstation used in the Aegis Operational Readiness
Test System (ORTS). In this configuration,
the SDDC runs ORTS Network Emulation
Terminal (ORTSNET) software, providing
status, maintenance direction, fault reporting, indication and display, and readiness
assessment of the Aegis Weapon System.
Aitech Defense Systems
Chatsworth, CA.
(888) 248-3248.
www.rugged.com
Creative Electronic Systems
Geneva, Switzerland.
+41 (0)22 884 51 00.
www.ces.ch
Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions
Ashburn, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
www.cwcdefense.com
GE Intelligent Platforms
Charlottesville, VA.
(800) 368-2738.
defense.ge-ip.com
Mercury Systems
Chelmsford, MA.
(866) 627-6951.
www.mrcy.com
Sabtech Industries
Yorba Linda, CA.
(714) 692-3800.
www.sabtech.com
Untitled-18 1
14
COTS Journal | April 2014
5/2/12 2:03:25 PM
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Video Processing: Boards and Systems
Relaying Video to Ground Poses
Bandwidth Hurdles
Using a customizable H.264 hardware encoder is essential to delivering the high
compression ratio and guaranteed speed needed for mission-critical manned and
unmanned video streaming applications.
Christopher Fadeley, Software Engineer, Tech Source
T
he change in emphasis to a more
avionics approach to the military
theater has introduced a new set
of challenges in terms of technological
feasibility. It is often requested to have an
active video feed sent large distances back
to ground, with low latency and in high
definition. These criteria must be met at all
times. The video feed is typically used for
monitoring and/or recording of the mission, so if the video feed arrives too late or
in poor quality, the resulting images are of
no use to control staff and the mission can
be compromised.
The real challenge is dealing with the
low bandwidth available to stream video.
All transmissions must be sent wirelessly,
and ground control may be a long distance
away, especially when it involves remotecontrolled UAV or intelligence gathering
missions (Figure 1). Wireless transmission
is usually performed in an atypical method
with limited bandwidth, like a cellular relay
or satellite transmission. This often puts a
very strict limitation on the data transfer
rate of the video.
Raw Video Bandwidth Issues
Raw video by definition is lossless,
but it is also highly wasteful in the amount
of data it takes to display. A 1080p 30fps
16
COTS Journal | April 2014
raw video has a data rate upward of 200
Mbytes/s. Raw video has its place in the
military field in the form of live local
viewing and GPGPU processing on the fly.
But in applications where the video needs
to be streamed remotely, raw video is not
feasible.
The solution is to compress the video,
but this comes with its own set of challenges. Compressing video can cause a
Figure 1
UAVs need the feed streamed remotely in as timely a fashion as possible, otherwise the
mission may be compromised. (Photo credit: Joe Lena, iStock.com).
SPECIAL FEATURE
drop in quality. The bigger challenge is that
video must be sent in a timely fashion and
compression introduces latency. Latency
is the time between the camera capturing
the video and the time that data is actually
displayed or recorded remotely or locally.
Compression takes time, especially if high
quality and/or resolution are needed.
The best way to ensure low latency
with reasonable compression is to use
dedicated compression hardware. And
given the military field, the hardware must
be ruggedized to survive in harsh environments and still consume low power.
Keeping that low power while compressing with expected results can be difficult.
Hence the hardware must also be computationally efficient.
Standard Encoding
The current standard for compressing video is H.264/MPEG4-Part 10 AVC.
This process of compression is also called
encoding. H.264 is now the most widely
adopted advanced video codec in part due
to its high compression ratio and highly
configurable options. The strict bandwidth limitations make the configuration
of H.264 a necessity. H.264 can encode to
either a constant or variable bitrate. For
more about constant vs. Variable Bitrate,
see the web-only sidebar “Constant or
Variable Bitrate?” in the online version of
this article.
Raw Video Feed
Camera/Sensor
Video Decoder
Decoded Video
MPEG MUX
H.264 Stream
H.264 Encoder
MPEG-TS Stream
RTP Stream
RTP Packetizer
UDP Packetizer
UDP Stream
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Stream
H.264 Decode
Receive
• Rugged Survivability…
High level shock and
vibration beyond VITA 47
Figure 2
• Lightweight, high-speed
connector system
Block diagram shows the full pipeline
of sending video remotely and then
displaying at control.
• “Pinless” Interface tested
to 10,000 mating/
unmating cycles
Bottleneck Troubles
If a video stream is difficult to encode, there is a chance the variable bitrate
encoder will surpass the available bandwidth, and this could result in potential
loss of video (dropped frames or buffered
delayed frames). Therefore, constant bitrate settings are most often used for the
military space. Variable bitrate encoders
do have the option to enact a strict maximum size in order to limit this potential
for overflow, but this can cause more
strain on the encoder and is unnecessary
for most military applications, and ultimately the variability of the bitrate is an
unnecessary addition to an already complex system.
H.264 also has various profiles or
ways in which the encoding is handled—
the three primary profiles are Baseline,
Main and High. Baseline is computationally simple and fast to encode. Main and
High add more features (like B-frames),
making the resulting compression ratio
better, but at the cost of computation time
and hence latency.
• Backward compatibility
to VITA 46 connector
system
Time Is of the Essence
Compression ratios keep getting better and better, but this always comes at
the cost of simplicity and processing time.
And anything that becomes more computationally difficult typically takes longer
to process. The process to receive video
from a sensor and send it back to ground
is quite complex as Figure 2 shows. For
more on the process of moving video data
between a sensor and the ground, see the
www.te.com/multigig
©2014 TE Connectivity Ltd. family of companies.
All Rights Reserved. MULTIGIG RT, TE Connectivity
and the TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks of the
TE Connectivity Ltd. family of companies.
April 2014 | COTS
TE_COTS_Multigig_2p25x9p875.indd
1
Journal
3/4/14
17 2:43 PM
SPECIAL FEATURE
A TQMa28 module
with a Freescale i.MX28
can save you design
time and money
web-only sidebar “Path of Video Data” in
the online version of this article.
Dedicated H.264 Hardware
TQ embedded modules:
■
Are the smallest in the industry,
without compromising quality
and reliability
■
Bring out all the processor signals
to the Tyco connectors
■
Can reduce development time by
as much as 12 months
The TQMa28 module comes with
a Freescale i.MX28x (ARM926™)
and supports Linux, WinCE 6.0
and QNX operating systems.
The full-function STKa28-AA Starter
Kit is an easy and inexpensive
platform to test and evaluate the
TQMa28 module.
The encoding time is manageable
based on hardware and settings. A dedicated H.264 hardware encoder is an absolute requirement to properly meet user
expectations. CPUs are too slow due to
their fundamentally serial approach. And
the GPGPU approach is possible but is
ultimately wasteful in power and still not
as fast as a dedicated encoder. The only
way to have both a high compression ratio
with guaranteed speed is to have dedicated
hardware to perform the tasks.
With a dedicated encoder, the time to
encode and wrap into a streaming format
is minimized. As mentioned before, the
real user of time is the process of sending the encoded data back to ground. But
this may be difficult to improve upon and
depends on the communication method
between the capture and the display sites.
This encoded video must also be decoded on the receiving side. This means
the encoded stream must be extracted
from the MPEG-TS mux and decoded
back to regular pixel data before being
displayed. This is essentially reversing
the whole encoding process already performed and in turn takes a similar amount
of time to the encoding process. Hence,
like the encoding process, this too must be
optimized as much as possible to ensure
a timely display of remote video. Many
of the latest GPUs (graphics processing
units) have built-in decoders that display
applications can use.
Too Late Is Useless
Technology in Quality
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Ad.indd
1
| April 2014
2/3/14 3:56 PM
Video needs to be sent back to control in a timely fashion, otherwise the
entire mission could be compromised.
The reality of the situation is the video
being shown at ground will always be
“late” when compared to what is actually
happening. The goal is to limit “how late”
the video is by as much as possible. If the
video is too late, it is ultimately useless and
decisions made back at ground are being
made with a faulty reality. The result of
these decisions based on incorrect data
can be devastating.
The dedicated encoder on board must
Figure 3
The VC100x XMC H.264 encoder
allows video to be sent remotely and in
a timely fashion.
then be optimized for the specific environment. As previously mentioned, the strict
bandwidth limitations are the real challenge. And with these strict bandwidth
limitations, the video will never look perfect. And if it is a high motion video, it
may not even be close. Hence, if the video
isn’t time-sensitive (monitoring the video
instead of controlling back at ground),
certain optimizations can take place at the
encoding layer that add extra time (in the
magnitude of ms), but potentially ensure
better quality.
As previously mentioned, implementing a high profile encode may take a few
extra milliseconds (5-20ms), but it may be
the necessary addition to make the video
useable. Filters (like temporal motion filters) can also be applied, which analyze
the video frames for items like motion and
sharp contrast and then computationally
alleviate these issues. Again, any addition
to the pipeline will always add some degree of extra time.
Tradeoff Factors
Encoded video will always have the
tradeoff between size, quality, power
consumption and speed. The smaller the
size, the worse the video will look. And
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the more processing that needs to be performed to improve this quality adds to the
final latency and power. Further developments in the encoding field will continue
to improve this situation, but this tradeoff
will always be an inherent issue.
For now and for some time, H.264 is
the standard for compressing video, and
military applications must work within
both compression level and the bandwidth
limitations to ensure successful implementation.
Alleviations and Implementation
Based on implementation and application need, there is the possibility to
implement a system that highly alleviates
this tradeoff simply via brute force with
multiple streams. If the encoding product
has multiple dedicated encoders on board
that can be customized individually and
bandwidth availability permits, then both
encoders can be utilized to meet all needs.
For example, one encoded stream can
be set to encode at the full 30 frames per
second at low quality ensuring every frame
is sent timely and with no frame loss. And
the other encoded stream can be set to encode at a higher quality but at a lower frame
rate (5fps for example) and with more leniency for buffering. This way a video feed
can be analyzed in real time with no frame
loss for live use and the second higher quality stream can be recorded (locally) or referenced live if there is a sudden need for
high visual fidelity.
A few card and box level encoders with
this dual encoding capability are available
in the market today. One such example of
a product is the Tech Source Condor VC
100x (Figure 3). This rugged XMC card
is highly configurable and is an extremely
low power hardware encoder that is used
in several current programs to achieve the
low encoding latency with very high efficiency. With two independent encoders, it
achieves the dual mode configuration that
is discussed here.
Another configuration is to utilize a
combination of raw and encoded video
utilizing the same feed. For example in a
manned aircraft, the raw video can be captured and analyzed locally for live motion
tracking and radar display while the encoded version can be sent back to ground
for mission control, recording and analysis.
Priorities and requirements must first be
properly evaluated in order to implement a
successful and effective system.
There will always be latency in sending
video from aircraft back to ground. There
is simply no way around this reality. The
solution is to alleviate as many bottlenecks
as possible in the pipeline prior to implementation. A dedicated hardware encoder
is an absolute necessity to limit this delay.
Only a dedicated customizable encoder optimized for high efficiency with low power
consumption can be used in both manned
and unmanned avionics streaming.
Tech Source
Altamonte Springs, FL.
(407) 262-7100.
www.techsource.com
Untitled-1 1
20
COTS Journal | April 2014
9/17/09 3:09:10 PM
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TECH RECON
DoD Budget Report: Major Programs
Major DoD Programs Budget
Emphasizes Cost-Effectiveness
The 2015 Defense Budget Request balances modernization with the need to
accommodate the nation’s fiscal challenges. A focus on technology upgrades to
existing platforms along with an overall network-centric strategy means embedded
computing has a key role to play.
Jeff Child, Editor in Chief
W
ith a budget deal in place, there’s
at least the promise of more
certainty in the year ahead. But
many advanced programs are likely to see
some shifts in funding, and tech refresh
and upgrade programs are already seeing
an increase in activity. Looking forward,
this year sees at least a more normal planning cycle. For years, the President’s Budget
Request for the DoD typically came midFebruary. But last year, because of the uncertainty regarding sequestration, the budget proposal was kicked to April. This year
the schedule was back to at least closer to
normal, with the Budget Request going to
Congress on March 4.
At $0.4 billion less than the enacted FY
2014 appropriation, the President’s proposed
defense budget provides $495.6 billion in
discretionary budget authority to fund base
defense programs in fiscal year 2015. Within
that budget, the acquisition funding request
for the DoD totals $153.9 billion, which includes $154.2 billion in new budget authority for FY 2015 offset by the cancellation of
$0.3 billion of prior year funding. The $154.2
billion for the base budget includes $90.7
billion for Procurement-funded and $63.5
billion for Research, Development, Test and
Evaluation (RDT&E)-funded programs.
Out of that amount, $69.6 billion is for programs that have been designated as Major
22
COTS Journal | April 2014
Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs).
Figure 1 shows a breakdown of how major
program funding is being allocated.
Within the MDAP umbrella, the major categories include: Aircraft, C4 Systems,
Ground Programs, Missile Defense, Munitions and Missiles, Shipbuilding/Maritime
Systems, and Space Based and Related Systems. Mission Support and Science and Technology also fall under the MDAP net. Covered in this article are the details of the major
DoD Weapons Systems budgeted for, highlighting those that use the largest amounts of
embedded computing and electronics.
actually are among Army programs, not
Air Force. The plan divests the aging OH-58
Kiowa Warrior over the next few years, beginning with the termination of the Cockpit
and Sensor Upgrade Program and the discontinuation of all major modifications. The
lost capacity is replaced with former Guard
and Reserve AH-64 Apaches and UAVs in
the Active force. Procurements of UH-60
Blackhawk and UH-72 Lakota Light Utility
Helicopters (LUH) are allocated in the National Guard and Army Reserve for homeland defense and theater missions.
Aircraft and Related Systems
On the UAV side, investment continues in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Predator
and Army Gray Eagle UAVs. For Predator,
the Budget Request funds for development
and fielding of USAF modifications to the
airframe and ground station elements continue. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) divests their MQ-1s starting in FY
2015. For Gray Eagle, the Army continues
development and integration of the Universal Ground Control Station, a ground-based
sense-and-avoid system, and a signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability; and procures
19 Gray Eagle aircraft.
Meanwhile, for the U.S. Air Force
MQ-9 Reaper UAV Program, the plan is to
continue development, transformation and
Similar to other segments, the budget
for aircraft comprises a blend of modernization plans, program terminations and
program restructurings. As Figure 2 shows,
investment continues in general technology
UAV development, but even more investment is being made in upgrading existing
manned aircraft. Due to the funding constraints, the FY 2015 budget delays the Air
Force Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)
for two years to fully investigate lower cost
options. There is no funding in the FY 2015
request for CRH, but the development program for it is funded beginning in FY 2016.
Except for the CRH, all the aircraftrelated program restructures in the budget
UAVs Offer Advanced SIGINT
TECH RECON
FY 2015 Modernization – Base: $153.9 Billion
Space Based
Systems
$7.2
Shipbuilding &
Maritime
Systems
$22.0
($ in billions)
Aircraft & Related
Systems
$40.0
C4I Systems
$6.6
Ground Systems
$6.3
RDT&E S&T
$11.5
Mission Support
Activities
$43.1
COSATM Enabled
5 x 3U cPCI Slots
Missile Defense
Programs
$8.2
15 Function Modules
SWaP-Optimized
Missiles &
Munitions
$9.0
Configure to Customize
Numbers may not add due to rounding
Figure 1
DoD FY 2015 Major Program categories.
fielding of Reaper aircraft and ground stations to field and maintain 50 steady state
and 65 deployed (surge) Combat Air Patrols
(CAPs) in FY 2015, growing to 55 MQ-9
Reaper CAPs by FY 2019. The FY 2015 request supports the procurement of 12 aircraft and 12 fixed ground control stations.
Additionally, the request includes funding to
support the modification of additional MQ9s to the extended range (ER) configuration.
For the DoD’s largest UAV, the Global
Hawk, the FY 2015 budget request puts the
Block 30 version back into play. The Global
Hawk family includes the U.S. Air Force
RQ-4, Navy MQ-4C and NATO Alliance
Ground Surveillance (AGS) Unmanned
Aircraft System programs. The RQ-4 Block
30 includes a multi-intelligence suite for imagery and signals intelligence collection, and
the Block 40 includes multi-platform radar
technology for synthetic aperture radar
(SAR) imaging and moving target detection.
The DoD has decided to restore the 21 Block
30 systems and fund modernization efforts
to operate beyond FY 2023.The final two
Block 40 USAF RQ-4s will be delivered in
FY 2014.
The budget funds USAF development
efforts for the Block 30, Block 40, ground
stations and Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion programs; the U.S. contribution to the NATO AGS; and the Navy MQ4C Triton Engineering and Manufacturing
Development effort and advance procurement for four planned Low Rate Initial Production systems in FY 2016.
Small UAV System Funding
Investment in the Small UAV category
also continues. The FY Budget Request calls
for upgrades to system hardware and performance-based logistics support for the RQ-7
Shadow. The plan procures upgrades and
provides training and contractor logistics
support for the RQ-11 Raven. It also procures three systems. Each system consists of
five air vehicles, two ground control stations,
payloads, launch/recovery system and associated ground support equipment. Funding
is also allocated to conduct operational test
and evaluation, and provides contractor logistics support for the RQ-21 Blackjack.
One of the DoD’s most expensive programs, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) (F-35),
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TECH RECON
is targeted for a further development and
aircraft procurement. The budget asks for
continued development of the air system,
F-135 single engine propulsion system,
conducts systems engineering, development and operational testing, and supports
follow-on development. The plan procures
a total of 34 aircraft: 2 CV for the Navy, 6
STOVL for the Marine Corps and 26 CTOL
for the Air Force in FY 2015.
Among the more advanced programs is
the P-8A Poseidon, which is a multi-mission
platform based on a derivative of the Boeing
737 aircraft. The aircraft carries sensors on
board that all contribute to a single fused tactical situation display, which is then shared
over both military standard and Internet
protocol data links, allowing for seamless
delivery of information between U.S. and allied forces. The P-8A will carry a new radar
array, which is a modernized version of the
Raytheon APS-149 Littoral Surveillance Radar System. The budget procures eight P-8A
aircraft, support equipment and spares, and
provides advance procurement for 15 FY
2016 aircraft.
Major Ground Programs
The DoD continues to modernize its
ground force capabilities, with emphasis
on existing platforms. The Department
determined that the Ground Combat
Vehicle (GCV) design concepts were not
optimized for the future Army and canceled the program following Technology Development efforts in FY 2014. The
Army funded additional modernization
and upgrades of select Major Defense
Acquisition Programs (MDAPs). Stryker
vehicles, Abrams Tank, Bradley Fighting
Vehicle and Paladin 155mm Howitzer are
all undergoing modernization. Continued
technology research and concept exploration will benefit future Army and Marine
Corps combat portfolios. The Marine’s
long-term ground force development
is focused on the Amphibious Combat
Vehicle (ACV). This Pre-MDAP will deliver shore- and sea-based infantry to the
battlefield in vehicles designed for future
operational environments. Figure 3 shows
a breakdown of Ground Vehicle funding.
The only remaining major new vehicle in the works is the Joint Light Tactical
Vehicle (JLTV)-a joint program currently
24
COTS Journal | April 2014
FY 2015 Aircraft & Related Systems – Base: $40 Billion
($ in billions)
Aircraft
Modification
$6.0
Aircraft
Support
$6.3
Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle
$2.4
Cargo
Aircraft
$8.2
Technology
Development
$1.4
Support
Aircraft
$1.9
Combat
Aircraft
$13.8
Numbers may not add due to rounding
Figure 2
DoD FY 2015 Major Aircraft Program funding.
in development for the Army and Marine
Corps. The JLTV is intended to replace
the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled
Vehicle (HMMWV), which is the current
light tactical vehicle. There are two variants planned: Combat Support Vehicles
(3,500 lb) and Combat Tactical Vehicles
(5,100 lb). The FY 2015 budget completes
engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) efforts and testing in preparation for Milestone (MS) C decision in
fourth quarter. It also funds Low Rate
Initial Production (LRIP) following MS
C decision. EMD contracts were awarded
to AM General, Lockheed Martin and Oshkosh Corporations to build 22 vehicles
each. Development also continues on the
Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV),
a vehicle designated to replace the M113
Armored Personnel Carrier program that
was terminated in 2007. The budget funds
continued development efforts to include
Milestone B decision and EMD award
planned for first quarter FY 2015.
Perhaps the poster child for longterm successful technology upgrades, the
M1A2 Abrams is still the Army’s main battle tank. The Army has modernized it with
a series of upgrades to improve its capabilities, collectively known as the System
Enhancement Package (SEP) and the Tank
Urban Survival Kit (TUSK). Currently
funded modifications to the M1 Abrams
include Vehicle Health Management and
Power Train Improvement & Integration
Optimization, which provide more reliability, durability and fuel efficiency. Survivability enhancements include Frontal
Armor upgrades.
The FY 2015 Budget Request asks for
modifications and upgrades needed to
maintain the armor facility at a sustainable level and minimize loss of skilled
labor. The plan procures numerous approved modifications to fielded M1A2
Abrams tanks, including the Data Distribution Unit (DDU) and Blue Force Tracking 2 to enable network interoperability,
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FY 2015 Ground Systems – Base: $6.3 Billion
($ in billions)
Weapons
$0.6
Combat
Vehicles
$1.8
Heavy Tactical
Vehicles
$0.1
Light Tactical
Vehicles
$0.3
Support
Equipment
$3.4
Medium Tactical
Vehicles
$0.1
Numbers may not add due to rounding
Figure 3
DoD FY 2015 Major Ground Systems funding.
Ammunition Data Link (ADL) to enable
firing of the Army’s new smart 120mm
ammunition, and the Low Profile Commander’s Remote Operating Weapon Station (CROWS).
Shipbuilding and Maritime
Systems
With the shift to an Asia-Pacific defense strategy, Navy funding is enjoying a
stronger focus. But the central principle
to the U.S. Maritime Strategy remains forward presence. Forward presence means
the idea of promoting conflict deterrence
by ensuring forces are in a position to expeditiously respond to conflict. The Shipbuilding Portfolio for FY 2015 includes
the funding for the construction of seven
new ships (two Virginia Class SSN 774
nuclear attack submarines; two Arleigh
Burke DDG 51 Class Flight IIA destroyers;
and three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).
The funding in this category finances the
developmental efforts, the equipment procurements and the construction of ships
that will allow the U.S. Navy to maintain
maritime superiority well into the 21st
26
COTS Journal | April 2014
century. Figure 4 highlights the FY 2015
Shipbuilding Portfolio Budget Request.
Aircraft carriers remain the centerpiece of U.S. Naval forces. Currently
there are 10 active carriers in the Navy’s
fleet. The CVN 78 class ships will include
new technologies and improvements
so that the ship and air wings can operate with fewer personnel by replacing
maintenance-intensive systems with low
maintenance systems. The new A1B reactor, Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), Advanced Arresting Gear
(AAG) and Dual Band Radar, all offer
enhanced capability. The Gerald R. Ford
class will be the premier forward asset for
crisis response and early decisive striking
power in a major combat operation. FY
2015 budget funds a third year of construction for USS John F. Kennedy (CVN
79), completion costs for USS Gerald R.
Ford (CVN 78), and continued development of ship systems.
AEGIS Destroyer Procurement
The DDG 51-class AEGIS Destroyer
is another key vessel type in the Navy’s
TECH RECON
arsenal. This Arleigh Burke class is comprised of three separate
variants: DDG 51-71 represent the original design, designated
Flight I ships, and are being modernized to current capability
standards; DDG 72-78 are Flight II ships; and DDG 79 and later
ships are Flight IIA ships. The budget funds two DDG 51 AEGIS
class destroyers as part of a multiyear procurement for nine ships
from FY 2013 - FY 2017 and provides advance procurement for
two ships beginning construction in FY 2016.
A critical part of the Navy’s strategy involves the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The LCS is a fast, agile and small surface combatant
capable of anti-access missions against asymmetric threats in the
littorals (coastal areas). Interchangeable mission modules for Mine
Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare are
used to counter anti-access threats close to shore, such as mines,
quiet diesel submarines and swarming small boats. The seaframe
acquisition strategy procures two seaframe designs, which are a
separate and distinct acquisition program from the mission module program. The two programs are synchronized to ensure combined capability. The Budget Request funds construction of three
LCS seaframes and procurement of mission modules.
Command, Control, Communications and Computer
Systems (C4)
Perhaps one of the most active consumers of embedded computing and electronics is the C4 (Command, Control, Communications and Computer) Systems part of the DoD’s Budget. The
DoD is transforming and developing new concepts for the conduct
of future joint military operations. The overarching goal is full
spectrum dominance—defeat of any adversary or control of any
situation across the full range of military operations—achieved
through a broad array of capabilities enabled by an interconnected
network of sensors, shooters, command, control and intelligence.
Sometimes called network-centric operations, this interconnectivity increases the operational effectiveness by assuring access to the
best possible information by decision makers at all levels.
Net-centricity transforms the way that information is managed to accelerate decision-making, improve joint warfighting and
create intelligence advantages. Hence, all information is visible,
available, usable and trusted—when needed and where needed—
to accelerate the decision cycles. Net-centricity is a service-based
architecture pattern for information sharing. It is being implemented by the Command, Control, Communications, Computers
and Intelligence (C4I) community via building joint architectures
and roadmaps for integrating joint airborne networking capabilities with the evolving ground, maritime and space networks. It
encompasses the development of technologies like gateways, waveforms, network management and information assurance. Figure 5
shows the funding breakout of the C4 Systems category. The major
programs here include JTRS and WIN-T. The JTRS Program of
Record(s) was transitioned to a Military Department-management
program in 2013.
Tactical Networking Radio Systems
The former Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) was a joint
Department of Defense (DoD) effort to develop, produce, inte-
FY 2015 Shipbuilding and Maritime Systems – Base: $22.0 Billion
($ in billions)
Surface
Combatant
$7.4
Technology
Development
$1.8
Support
Ships
$1.1
Outfitting &
Post Delivery
$0.5
Support
$3.5
Submarine
Combat
$7.7
Numbers may not add due to rounding
Figure 4
DoD FY 2015 Major Shipbuilding and Maritime funding.
FY 2015 Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and
Intelligence (C4I) Systems – Base: $6.6 Billion
($ in billions)
Automation
$0.6
Base
Communications
$0.6
Theater
Combat C3 &
Services
$4.4
Information
Security &
Assurance
$0.6
Technology
Development
$0.4
Numbers may not add due to rounding
Figure 5
DoD FY 2015 Major Command, Control, Communications and
Computer Systems (C4) program funding.
grate, test and field a family of software-defined, secure, multichannel, digital radios that are interoperable with existing radios
and increase communication and networking capabilities for
mobile and fixed sites. The program encompassed ground, airborne, vehicular, maritime and small form fit variants of the radio
hardware; 15 waveforms for porting into the JTRS hardware; and
network management applications.
Now under the general category of Tactical Networking Radio Systems, FY 2015 budget funds include the Army’s Low Rate
April 2014 | COTS Journal
27
TECH RECON
Initial Production of the Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) Non-Developmental Item hardware and software,
and the qualification and operational testing and sustainment of fielded radios and
certified waveforms. The budget request
funds the development efforts associated
with Army waveforms and Joint Enterprise Network Manager (JENM), and the
Small Airborne Link-16 Terminal (SALT)
28
COTS Journal | April 2014
intended for fielding to the AH-64 Apache.
Funds continue operational testing, platform integration and initial sustainment
support for the Mid-Tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) program.
high-capability backbone communications network, linking Warfighters in the
battlefield with the Global Information
Grid. The network is intended to provide command, control, communications,
computers, intelligence, surveillance and
WIN-T Rolls Forward in 2015
reconnaissance. The system is developed
The Army’s Warfighter Informa- as a network for reliable, secure and seamtion Network-Tactical (WIN-T) is the
less video, data, imagery and voice sercornerstone for the Army’s high-speed, vices for the warfighters in the theater to
enable decisive combat actions. The WINT program development consists of four
increments. Increment 1 (Inc 1) provides
“networking at the halt” by upgrading the
Joint Network Node (JNN) satellite capability to access the Ka-band defense Wideband Global Satellite (WGS). Increment 2
(Inc 2) provides networking on-the-move
and delivers the network to the company
level. Increment 3 (Inc 3) provides Integrated Network Operations development.
Increment 4 (Inc 4) provides protected
satellite communications on-the-move.
A lot of deployment and development activity is planned for WIN-T in FY
2015. The budget funds the upgrade of
81 WIN-T Inc 1 units with Modification
kits to enhance interoperability with units
fielded with WIN-T Inc 2. Also funded is
the procurement of WIN-T Inc 2 for one
Brigade Combat Team and one Division.
The Army will continue fielding and support for previously procured Low Rate
Initial Production equipment. Support
is planned for Development Testing that
leads to a Follow-on Test and Evaluation
in 1st quarter FY 2015.
The Budget Request also funds development of Network Operations software
(Build 4) as part of WIN-T Inc 3. Integration will be supported for 179 Modification kits for the AN/TRC-190 line of sight
radio systems. The plan is to also procure
and field Tactical NetOps Management
Systems to 48 non-WIN-T units, along
with program management support for
Single Shelter Switch (SSS), High-Capability Line of Sight, Battlefield Video-Teleconferencing Center, and Troposcatter
Communications systems upgrades.
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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Mitigating Obsolescence in Test Technologies
Synthetic Instrumentation Eases
ATE Obsolescence Woes
ATE obsolescence can be a costly long-term problem. By moving to modular, software
defined synthetic instrumentation, system developers can enjoy a new path toward
efficient test operations.
Robert Wade Lowdermilk, Co-Founder and CTO RADX Technologies
Dr. David Carey, Assoc. Professor of EE, Wilkes University
B
etween 1980 and 1992, the U.S.
DoD spent over $50 billion on Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and
Systems (ATS) procurements. During that
time period, and until relatively recently,
ATS were developed to support a single
military weapon, an electronic warfare or
communications system. This resulted in
a proliferation of unique and costly ATE,
all of which, like the systems they support,
have life cycles of 20+ years. And similar to
the weapon systems they support, military
ATS face an Obsolescence Management
(OM) problem that is on the order of billions of dollars. With ATE, the OM problem is both acute and recurring, because
ATE is typically comprised of discrete, offthe-shelf General Purpose Electronic Test
Equipment (GPETE)—analyzers, oscilloscopes, meters and so on. Such GPETE
have life cycles that are often far shorter
(4-7 years) than the military ATE in which
they are deployed (25+ years), as shown in
Figure 1.
The ATE OM problem is exacerbated
by the fact that, for budgetary and other
reasons, OM is usually only considered
once End-of-Life (EOL) for key GPETE is
looming. Unfortunately, recently fielded
and even new ATS procurements do not
include OM as a key requirement, so the
30
COTS Journal | April 2014
ATE OM problem continues to grow. Moreover, ATS procurements that consider OM
tend to focus on component-level obsolescence—without examining the impact of
Commercial Demand 4-7 Years
component changes on the ATE software
and its efficacy as a whole. ATE program
managers will often attempt to “bolt-on”
OM when an EOL situation forces action.
Demand Commercial
Demand Military
Maturity
Decline
(and Obsolescence)
Growth
Phase-Out
Government Demand: Up to 25+ Years
Introduction
Figure 1
Commercial vs. military instrumentation life cycle ("product life cycle data model," American
standard ANSI/EIA-724, September 19, 1997).
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
RF SIGNAL
GENERATOR
MODULE
SWITCH
RF DOWN
CONVERTER
MODULE
DIGITIZER
MODULE
FPGA
PROCESSOR
MODULE
DISPLAY
PROCESSOR
POST
PROCESSOR
SWITCH
SWITCH
SIGNAL CONDITIONING
RF SIGNAL INTERFACE
EMBEDDED CONTROLLER
ARBITRARY
WAVEFORM
GENERATOR
MODULE
CONTROL
PROCESSOR
Figure 2
SDSI block diagram for RF, microwave and wireless communications test and measurement.
However, bolting-on OM in the middle of Figure 2 contains a high-level block dia- or direct digitization of input RF signal(s).
a program is more expensive and substan- gram of an SDSI for RF, Microwave and Once the signals are digitized, specific meatially less effective than if included from Wireless Comms stimulus, test and mea- surements are performed by DSP-based
surement.
or numeric processing techniques within
program start, since a bolt-on approach
The Embedded Controller (EC) pro- the FPGA for real-time measurements
can rarely address the key elements that
vides housekeeping,
dominate the Life Cycle Cost (LCC). As a
result, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) local and remote
of ATE includes the rewrite and recertifica- control for the SDSI,
as well as non-realtion of Test Program Sets (TPS), but also
GPETE calibration, repair and other logis- time DSP functions,
DSP post-processing
tics expenses.
A promising capability for fundamen- on FPGA output and
tally addressing ATE OM issues that has
display processing for
emerged in recent years is Software De- the system and each
Amazingly compact
fined Synthetic Instrumentation (SDSI). “synthesized instruand designed to run
Analogous to Software Defined Radio
ment.” The EC also
completely fanless, the
Relio R2 is perfect for
(SDRs) that synthesize “radio” function- hosts sequences TPS
applications requiring
alities, SDSI “synthesizes” measurement
that are run locally
high reliability, small
capabilities or “instruments” via software
on the SDSI. TPS are
footprint, scalable
processing, and long
that runs on a common hardware plat- usually written in a
product life cycle.
form. SDSI provides a fundamental benefit
high-level, mark-up
Relio R2 systems offer:
or scripting language
in ATE OM because SDSI mitigates and
• Intel Dual-Core i7, i3 or Atom Processor
and typically include
in some cases can eliminate the required
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet
• Optional 802.11 a/g/n Wireless Interface
multiple instruments,
change and recertification of TPS—which
• 2 RS-232, 1 RS-485 and 4 USB Ports
multiple
measuredominates ATS TCO. SDSI can also greatly
• Video and Audio Interfaces
ments
and,
in
many
reduce the expense associated with GPETE
• Versatile Mounting Options
calibration and repair, which also is a pri- cases, multiple Unit
Visit www.sealevel.com/cots044/r2 or scan the QR code.
Under Test (UUT)
mary contributor to ATS TCO. And since
SDSI may also be modular and off-the- settings as well.
shelf (MCSDSI), the modular replacement,
For each TPS
technology insertion, reduced logistics
measurement,
the
sealevel.com • 864.843.4343 • sales@sealevel.com
expenses and multi-source procurement EC configures signal
advantages associated with modular, off- paths and uses either
the-shelf products also accompany SDSI. RF down conversion
April 2014 | COTS Journal
31
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
troller (via GigE) using protocols such as
Interchangeable Virtual Instrument (IVI).
Depending on the hardware modules and
Measurement Science software loaded
and the RF interfaces included, the SDSI
discussed earlier can replace multiple instruments and support dozens of discrete
or sequenced (automatic) tests on a wide
number of different UUTs.
SDSI Improves TPS Portability
Figure 3
MCSDI with PXIe chassis and modules
and synthesized real-time spectrum
analyzer. (Courtesy RADX and NI).
and within the EC’s CPU for non-realtime measurements. Similarly, the SDSI
supports stimulus capabilities to test the
receive side of UUTs. For ATE applications, the EC also supports remote control,
during which the EC receives ATE commands from and provides individual measurement or TPS results to the ATS Con-
DoD program managers certify ATE
TPS on mission-critical programs to provide assurance that TPS, when conducted
correctly on a given UUT, provide adequate functional and parametric coverage
to warrant mission readiness. TPS rewrite
and recertification is required when obsolete instruments are replaced with new
(and different) ones. And the cost of TPS
rewrite and re-certification almost always
exceeds the cost of discrete instrument
replacement. Studies by the Army have
shown that TPS rewrite and recertification
costs, many of which stem from ATE obso-
CUBE
The
™
lescence, dominate ATE TCO—by as much
as a factor of 5:1.
Because of the inevitable differences
in instrument generations, as well as the
underlying instrument-specific software
over an ATS life cycle, TPS modification
and recertification on discrete or modular
instruments is virtually unavoidable. Rather
than try to avoid TPS modification and recertification, SDSI, because its software defined instrumentation accommodates generational changes in underlying technology
with relative ease and with minimal or no
impact to TPS, coupled with its inherent
modularity to accommodate technology
insertion, provides a fundamental means to
anticipate the inevitable changes that must
occur over time and to minimize their impact and costs.
Hardware/ Software Isolation
Because an SDSI synthesizes measurements using software that runs on top of
its underlying hardware platform, there is
inherent isolation between the SDSI hard-
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COTS Journal | April 2014
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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
ware and the software defined “instrument.”
Accordingly, there is also a similar degree
of isolation between the SDSI hardware
and the TPS that calls the synthesized instrument to test a particular UUT. Similar
to conventional instruments, SDSI will
require software and hardware upgrades
throughout its life cycle.
However, because hardware or software changes made internally to the SDSI,
assuming they do not affect instrument precision, do not affect the hardware and software interfaces to the UUT or to the TPS,
the need to rewrite TPS due to SDSI hardware or synthesized instrument changes is
greatly reduced if not eliminated entirely. In
summary, properly designed SDSI should
be immune to hardware and software obsolescence from the standpoint of TPS portability.
SDSI’s fundamental change in TPS
portability can benefit both new and legacy
ATE systems into which it is inserted. For
new ATE systems, TPS should only require
modifications and recertification to accom-
UUT Repair Cost Reductions and Productivity Gains with Synthetic Instrumentation
140 Units/Mo.
130 Units/Mo.
99 Units/Mo.
120 Units/Mo.
110 Units/Mo.
100 Units/Mo.
$2,500
$2,402
$2,224
$1,723
98 Units/Mo.
$2,000
$1,750
131 Units/Mo.
$1,500
90 Units/Mo.
$1,250
80 Units/Mo.
$1,054
70 Units/Mo.
65 Units/Mo.
$1,000
$750
60 Units/Mo.
50 Units/Mo.
$2,250
Radio H Semi
Automatic Test
Radio H Synthetic
Radio T Manual Test Radio T Synthetic
Instrument Automatic
Instrument Automatic
Test
Test
$500
UUT Failure Diagnosis and Repair Productivity
UUT Repair Cost (Extrapolated from Original Figure)
Figure 4
U.S. Army Ground Radio UUT productivity gains and repair cost reductions from SDSI use.
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April 2014 | COTS Journal
33
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
modate new functionality. And these TPS
should require recertification only if the
underlying hardware or software modules
change in a way that affects the measurement science.
Easier TPS Modifications
For insertion into existing programs,
TPS would only have to be modified once,
as opposed to several times as each legacy
instrument is replaced with a successor
generation. Similarly, for SDSI, TPS only require recertification once to accommodate
the initial replacement. In most cases, once
an SDSI has been inserted into an existing
ATE system, TPS modifications and recertification should be extremely rare, which
will result in significant reductions in TPS
LCC, and therefore overall ATE TCO.
In studies conducted by the author
and in other studies published at IEEE Autotestcon, the cost to rewrite and recertify
TPS on discrete replacement instruments
is, on average, approximately $150k/TPS.
This expense, because of the life cycle of
GPETE, will recur over the life of the ATE.
Developing and recertifying TPS on SDSI
is typically about $45k/TPS, which results
in a savings of approximately $105k/TPS
or 70 percent per TPS. When multiplied
across dozens of TPS per instrument and
three to five generations of GPETE over the
life of an ATS, the potential savings in TPS
costs alone are very significant. In addition,
as more SDSI become deployed throughout the DoD, the potential for upgrading
ATE to test and diagnose faults in multiple
weapon systems becomes feasible, enable
further savings.
From Modular to Synthetic
Modular GPETE—such as VXI, LXI
and so on—emerged in the 1980s to eliminate subsystem redundancy by leveraging
common infrastructure and thereby reducing ATE Size, Weight and Power (SWaP)
and supporting modular replacement, both
of which reduce TCO. Like GPETE, MGPETE is also designed to perform specific
functions—to measure signal frequency,
Before
The choice is clear. Z Microsystems’ FPGA based display
solutions provide REAL TIME ENHANCED VIDEO which
greatly improves visibility through the toughest conditions
including; fog, sand, smoke, underwater, low-light and
much more.
*Simulated images
34
COTS Journal | April 2014
one would use a frequency counter, spectrum analyzer and/or oscilloscope, each of
which is housed in a separate instrument
or module.
MGPETE eliminates subsystem redundancy and provides modular replacement
by distilling instruments down to their measurement-specific components, with common elements shared among modules. SDSI
eliminates instrument-level redundancy by
providing an instrument synthesis platform
that can emulate a number of instruments—
or measurements—with little or no additional hardware. To add another measurement function using MGPETE, one adds
another measurement-specific hardware or
hardware/software module. To add another
measurement function using SDSI, one
simply adds another software module. Accordingly, in most instances, one SDSI can
replace several discrete or modular instruments, which leads to wholesale savings in
logistics, calibration and TPS maintenance
expense, all of which are important factors
in ATE TCO.
After
Video demos at
zmicro.com/rtev
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Life-Cycle Mismatch
Methodology for Enhancing Legacy TPS/ Quantifying SDSI Cost
MGPETE also still suffers from the ATS Sustainability via Employing Synthetic
Employing SDSI on both new and
relatively short life cycle of traditional Instrumentation Technology,” IEEE Au- existing ATE programs should result in
GPETE, so it does not address the ATE
totestcon 2011 Proceedings, the authors
substantial cost savings that stem directly
OM problem that results from the mis- identified six primary ATE OM objec- from the SDSI architectural advantages
match in life cycle between off-the-shelf
tives that rationalize the use of and would (software defined instruments effected
instruments and military ATE. Further- benefit from SDSI insertion. For more on
via common hardware) over discrete and
more, since ATE TCO is dominated by that investigation, see the web-only sidebar non-SI-based modular instrument ATE
TPS maintenance and GPETE calibra- “ATE OM Objectives and SDSI” in the online
solutions. The anticipated OM and TCO
tion and repair costs, MGPETE, with a version of this article.
benefits from incorporating SDSI into ATE
relatively short life cycle and with a conventional software architecture that inextricably connects TPS software with the
underlying instrument hardware, contributes to the former problem and does
not address the latter problem whatsoever.
Modular SDSI, since it uses software to
synthesize specific measurements and it
supports modular replacement and potentially seamless tech insertion, shows great
promise in addressing both problems.
Many MCSDSI today employ PXI Express, the modular implementation of PCI
Express with added instrumentation features that is supported by leading GPETE
suppliers including National Instruments,
Keysight Technologies (formerly Agilent),
RADX Technologies and others. Figure
3 depicts a typical rackmount MCSDSI
that includes a National Instruments PXIe
chassis and modules, and a local display
showing a RADX Technologies real-time
100GbE FMC Carrier FPGA –
synthesized Spectrum Analyzer. For more
They are here! The 100GbE Processor AMC with Cavium
AMC534
details on RADX Technologies’ family of
CN6880 and a high-end FPGA with Altera Stratix V
•Altera™ Stratix V GT FPGA
SDSI equipment, see the web-only sidebar
usher in the next echelon of performance. With 100G out
•Distributed processing for
“RADX LibertyGT 1200B Modular, COTS
the front ports and 40GbE across the backplane,
performance & reliability
Benchtop SDSI Family” in the online verthe market just hit a new dimension of speed, density,
•Dual zQSFP+ ports to
sion of this article.
and options. Whether it’s the full ecosystem of
PXIe-based MCSDSI supports field
front
panel
f
MicroTCA-based
products or a customized architecture,
Mic
sparing at the module level, which can
come
to
VadaTech–The
Power of Vision.
save substantial amounts over sparing at
the instrument level. And MCSDSI that
includes appropriately designed, standards-compliant, measurement science
100GbE Processor AMC –
software that enables technology inserAMC738
tion, may be field upgraded with software
Chassis
Application - Ready
•Cavium™ CN6880 multi-core
upgrades and software/hardware modules.
Boards
Platforms
Platforms
•Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA
Doing so avoids costly EOL “Last-Time•Dual CFP2 or zQSFP+ ports to
Buys” of obsolete modules while simulfront panel
taneously extending the ATE life cycle by
adding new functions and capabilities not
foreseen when the systems were originally
deployed—all while preserving existing
TPS, which is essential in avoiding costly
rewrite and recertification efforts. In “A
The 100GB Revolution
Is Taking Off
The World’s Highest Performance
AMC Line Cards - from VadaTech
April 2014 | COTS Journal
35
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
are significant enough that SDSI should be considered for most, if
not all new ATE programs. Furthermore, cost savings from inserting SDSI (especially modular SDSI) into existing ATE programs
appears to be able to offset new hardware and/or software procurement costs associated with doing so. In addition, employing SDSI
also yields productivity improvements that help reduce costs and
also improve ATE program effectiveness, which ultimately enhances weapon, EW and communication systems readiness.
In a study conducted at Tobyhanna Army Depot, we compared the costs of maintaining obsolete GPETE with the costs of
inserting (modular) SDSI to quantify the anticipated reduction in
maintenance costs. The study, which was limited in scope, but very
informative nonetheless, did confirm the theory that replacing discrete instruments with SDSI should both increase productivity and
reduce costs. Some of the data from the project on two subject U.S.
Army ground radios is contained in Figure 4. As shown by the data,
the increases in productivity measured 41 percent in terms of units
per month repaired, while the reduction in UUT repair cost was
reduced by 48 percent. With such savings and productivity gains,
combined with the 3:1 savings realized from TPS rewrite and recertification, the return on investment for MCSDSI insertion into ATE
programs with at least one more obsolescence cycle is quite clear.
Long-Term Benefits
The reliance of ATE on off-the-shelf GPETE results in costly
obsolescence issues that, unmitigated, will continue to erode the
military’s ability to provide reliable and repeatable test results and
assure mission readiness of critical systems. Upgrades, enhancements, migration and modernization are needed for new test and
measurement capabilities, improved test throughput and efficiency,
and help with OM. This must be accomplished while considering
the risks associated with software and TPS rewrite and recertification. Current projections indicate that the operation and sustainment (O&S) costs for obsolete GPETE and ATE will continue to
grow, which given budget limitations, is untenable.
While it’s early in the process, the potential for SDSI to fundamentally address the ATE OM issue and, in so doing, improve
ATE program efficiency and dramatically improve the cost effectiveness of military ATE is significant. By deploying modular SDSI
on new ATE programs, the DoD can eliminate future growth of
downstream ATE OM issues. And by inserting modular SDSI into
existing ATE programs that have remaining GPETE replacement
cycles, the DoD can address the most costly and disruptive aspects
of today’s ATE obsolescence issues.
RADX Technologies
Palo Alto, CA.
(765) 481-1430.
www.radxtech.com
36
COTS Journal | April 2014
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
FPGA Processing Boards
FPGA Processing Boards Ride
Signal Processing Wave
As FPGA chip vendors continue to bulk up and enhance their offerings, FPGA
processing board vendors are developing more powerful solutions aimed at military
signal processing system designs.
Jeff Child, Editor in Chief
B
ecause several military applications
have an insatiable appetite for more
digital signal processing muscle, the
role of FPGAs in such systems is huge as
they beef up their signal processing capabilities. Such systems continue to call for ever
more data collection capacity. For example,
they need to process captured data—in the
form of radar captured video or images. To
keep pace, board-level FPGA computing
solutions have grown to become key enablers for waveform-intensive applications
like sonar, radar, SIGINT and SDR. An
example system relying heavily on FPGA
processing includes Raytheon’s AN/SPY-3,
the first U.S. shipboard Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system. It operates in the X-band radar frequencies (8 to
12 GHz frequency range). It will be used in
the Gerald R. Ford-class carriers (Figure 1).
Faster FPGA-based DSP capabilities
combined with an expanding array of IP
cores and development tools for FPGAs
are enabling new system architectures. Today FPGAs are complete systems on a chip.
And the military is hungry to use FPGAs
to fill processing roles. The high-end lines
of the major FPGA vendors even have
general-purpose CPU cores on them. Devices like the Xilinx Virtex-6 and -7 and the
Altera Stratix IV and V are examples that
have redefined an FPGA as a complete processing engine in its own right.
38
COTS Journal | April 2014
Figure 1
Systems that rely heavily on FPGA
processing include Raytheon’s AN/
SPY-3, the first U.S. shipboard Active
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
system. It operates in the X-band radar
frequencies (8 to 12 GHz). It will be used
in the Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) shown
here in drydock last October.
For its part, late last year Xilinx announced a 4.4M logic cell device, more
than doubling its highest capacity Virtex-7
2000T device. As the highest-end device
of Xilinx’s All Programmable UltraScale
portfolio, they also announced the Virtex
UltraScale VU440 3D IC. Using advanced
3D IC technology, the VU440 device delivers more at 20nm than publicly stated
competitive plans at 14/16nm. The Virtex
UltraScale VU440 device delivers 50M
equivalent ASIC gates for next-generation
production and prototyping applications.
Among the latest Altera FPGA developments, the company announced the
availability of a broad range of JESD204B
solutions designed to simplify the integration of Altera FPGAs and SoCs and highspeed data converters in systems using
the latest JEDEC JESD204B standard. The
interface standard is used across many applications, including radar and software
defined radios. JESD204B is a high-speed
serial interface standard that greatly simplifies circuit board design when interoperating FPGAs with analog-to-digital
converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog
converters (DACs).
Altera has validated device interoperability with leading data converter suppliers, including Analog Devices and Texas
Instruments (TI), and is actively working
to expand its offering by validating interoperability with many other data converter companies. Altera offers JESD204B
solutions that support its latest 28 nm
products, including high-performance
Stratix V FPGAs; mid-range Arria V
FPGAs and SoCs; and low-power, lowcost Cyclone V FPGAs and SoCs.
Two Are Better
Than One
BXT7059 System Host Board
Trenton Systems’ BXT7059 system host board supports
two long-life, multi-core, Intel ® Xeon ® processors. The
SHB’s extensive PCI Express 3.0 interface capabilities
support a whole host of standard, off-the-shelf I/O option
cards. Additional BXT7059 board features include:
Choose from our extensive standard backplane options
to pair the BXT7059 with the I/O cards needed in your
unique system application. PCIe Gen3, PCI-X, and PCI
I/O, video, graphics, NIC and GPU cards are supported.
Additional Trenton backplane features include:
48GB DDR3-1600 system memory capacity
Robust card interfaces maximize signal integrity
Up to 40 PCIe links including multiple x16 PCIe interfaces
Standard and custom engineered backplane solutions
I/O includes six SATA ports with RAID support, multiple
Ethernet ports, on-board video and eight USB interfaces.
Integrated backplane I/O and network communications
capabilities enhance system design flexibility and value
Our board engineering experts are available to discuss your unique military computing application requirements.
Contact us to learn more at 770.287.3100 / 800.875.6031 or www.TrentonSystems.com
The Global Leader In Customer Driven Computing Solutions™
770.287.3100 www.TrentonSystems.com
800.875.6031
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS:
FPGA Processing Boards Roundup
Virtex-7 Boards Offered in XMC
and VPX Form Factors
XMC Links Virtex-6 FPGA to PCIe,
SRIO and Gbit Ethernet
6U OpenVPX Card Has Stratix V
FPGAs and Anemone Coprocessors
Two highly configurable modules feature
advanced digital signal processing (DSP)
capabilities and multiple I/O options and are
available from 4DSP in both 3U VPX and XMC
from factors. The FM780 is XMC (VITA 42.3)
compliant with a PCI Express Gen 2 interconnect
while the VP780 is 3U VPX form factor (VITA
46) compliant. Both modules provide an FMC
(FPGA Mezzanine Card, VITA 57) site and
two 4DSP Board Level Application Scalable
Technology (BLAST) locations that are closely
coupled to the onboard Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA,
and 2 Gbytes of DDR3 SDRAM.
Acromag’s XMC-6VLX mezzanine modules
feature a configurable Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA
enhanced with multiple high-speed memory
buffers, I/O and numerous high-bandwidth serial
interfaces. The FPGA provides rapid processing
and is closely coupled to the serial interconnects
to prevent data transfer bottlenecks. 10Gbit
Ethernet, PCI Express, Serial RapidIO and
Xilinx Aurora implementations are supported.
Optional front-panel I/O adds dual SFP ports
for Fibre Channel or copper Gbit Ethernet
and a VHDCR connector for expanded I/O
signal access. Typical uses include simulation,
BittWare offers a 6U VPX board powered by
Altera’s 28-nm Stratix V FPGAs. The S5-6UVPX (S56X) is a rugged VITA 65 6U VPX card
providing a configurable 48-port multi-gigabit
transceiver interface supporting a variety of
protocols, including Serial RapidIO, PCI Express
and 10GigE, and two VITA 57 FMC sites for
enhancing the board’s I/O and processing
capabilities. When combined with the optional
BittWare Anemone floating point coprocessors,
the board packs a powerful punch for those
applications requiring flexible FPGA processing
in a rugged form factor.
The Virtex-7 FPGA device available on board is
user-programmable and can implement high-end
signal processing algorithms. Based on customer
requirements, front-panel I/O modules may be
added to enable the FM780 or VP780 to perform
data acquisition and waveform generation,
high-speed communication, image processing,
and implement various types of complex DSP
applications. In addition to 2 Gbytes of onboard
DDR3 SDRAM, the FM780 and VP780 have a
variety of memory options such as NAND Flash,
QDRII SRAM+ and extra DDR3 SDRAM through
BLAST modules. Optionally, the user-configurable
BLAST mounting sites may be populated with
JPEG2000 CODECs or even a customer’s specific
logic devices or circuit designs. Both the FM780
and VP780 are available as conduction-cooled
modules.
communications, signal intelligence and image
processing.
Build options include the choice of a Xilinx
XC6LX240T or XC6LX365T FPGA device
and additional front-panel I/O connectors.
Base models are ready for use in air-cooled or
conduction-cooled systems. The front I/O option
adds two 2.5 Gbit/s SFP connectors and a 36pin VHDCR connector for JTAG, USB and 22
SelectIO. SelectIO signals are Virtex-6 FPGA I/O
pins that support single-ended I/O (LVCMOS,
HSTL, SSTL) and differential I/O standards
(LVDS, HT, LVPECL, BLVDS, HSTL, SSTL). All
models are available with extended temperature
range parts suitable for -40° to 85°C operation.
The rear I/O supports 8-lane high-speed serial
interfaces on both the P15 and P16 XMC ports
for PCI Express, Serial RapidIO, 10 Gigabit
Ethernet, or Xilinx Aurora implementation. P16
also has 34 SelectIO channels and two global
clock pairs direct to the FPGA. The P4 port adds
another 60 SelectIO and two more global clock
pairs. Available in a variety of configurations,
models start at $8,250 with upgradeable logic,
I/O and operating temperature capabilities.
By leveraging the Stratix V GS FPGA’s
floating point DSP blocks, which deliver up
to one TeraFLOP of computing performance,
combined with the FPGA’s low-power, multigigabit transceivers and a high-density, highperformance architecture, BittWare’s S56X board
delivers a rugged and completely flexible signal
processing solution capable of driving innovative
new capabilities in military applications. The
board also sports an 800 MHz ARM Cortex-A8
control processor and two Anemone floating
point coprocessors (optional). I/O includes
48 multi-gigabit transceivers along with GigE,
SerDes, LVDS and RS-232 links. Up to 8 Gbytes
of onboard DDR3 memory are also included.
4DSP
Austin, TX.
(800) 816-1751.
www.4dsp.com
Acromag
Wixom, MI.
(248) 295-0310.
www.acromag.com
FIND the products featured
in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
40
COTS Journal | April 2014
BittWare
Concord, NH.
(603) 226-0404.
www.bittware.com
FPGA PROCESSING BOARDS ROUNDUP
ADC/DAC 6U VPX Module Targets
Electronic Warfare Applications
3U VPX Virtex-6 FPGA Processing
VITA 57 FMC Front-End
Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA-Based XMC
and VPX Modules
Applications like electronic warfare have a
huge appetite for low-latency, high-ADC/DAC
performance combined with the highest available
I/O bandwidth. With that in mind, CurtissWright Controls has introduced the CHAMPWB (“WideBand”), the Industry’s first Xilinx
Virtex\-7 OpenVPX COTS DSP Engine designed
for sense-and-response applications that
require high bandwidth and minimal latency. In
addition, Curtiss-Wright is also introducing its
first module for the CHAMP-WB, the TADF4300, featuring Tektronix Component Solutions’
12.5 Gsample/s ADC and DAC technologies.
VPX and FMC are two of the fastest growing
new embedded computer form factors, and the
military has its eye on both. Hitting both of those
trends, Elma Electronic offers the TIC-FEP-VPX3b,
an FPGA-based 3U VPX front-end processing
board that provides an FMC site coupled to a large
capacity Virtex-6 FPGA for extremely flexible I/O.
Designed for digital signal processing (DSP), the
versatile TIC-FEP-VPX3b is ideal for applications
such as radar, sonar, electronic warfare, imaging
and communications. The new board offers highperformance logic, increased SerDes-based I/O,
and powerful DSP slice resources that help meet
Two high-performance FPGA processing
modules are now available in industry-standard
XMC and 3U VPX form factors. The COTS
XPedite2470 3U VPX and XPedite2400 XMC
modules from Extreme Engineering Solutions
utilize the Xilinx Virtex-7 Family of FPGAs to
merge high throughput, configurable I/O and
DSP-level processing with high thermal efficiency.
These modules can use the VITA 49 VITA Radio
Transport (VRT) protocol, which provides an
industry-standard framework for formatting
the data of a digitized IF stream. This enables
interoperability and simplifies system integration
Combined, these two modules form the
CHAMP-WB-DRFM and provide the highest
bandwidth/highest resolution platform for
wideband Digital Radio Frequency Memory
(DRFM) processing available in the embedded
defense and aerospace market, delivering an
unprecedented 12.5 Gsamples/s 8-bit ADC and
12.5 Gsample/s 10-bit DAC performance from
a single 6U slot. Based on Tektronix’s silicon
germanium (SiGe)-based data converters, the
TADF-4300, when coupled with the CHAMPWB’s onboard Virtex7 FPGA and high-speed
wideband interfaces, enables designers to develop
powerful embedded DRFM solutions with 3x the
performance of existing CMOS-based offerings.
Memory support on the CHAMP-WB includes
two 64-bit, 4 Gbyte DDR3L memory banks that
provide up to 8 Gbytes of on-card data capture or
pattern generation capability.
higher bandwidth and performance demands,
while utilizing up to 25% less power.
Supported by low-power and high-speed GTX
transceivers at rates up to 6.5 Gbits/s, the board
enables the application of interfaces used in today’s
embedded systems. Onboard PCIe Gen 1 and
Gen 2 protocols, via a hard IP block and Ethernet
MAC blocks, allow PCIe x4 and GbE interfaces
to be implemented from the FPGA to form data
and control planes respectively. Built to the VPX
specifications, the TIC-FEP-VPX3b includes four
4-lane fabric ports on the P1, connected by GTX
transceivers to the main FPGA. Featuring an
onboard Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA, the board comes
with two banks of 40-bit 1.25 Gbyte DDR3 memory
with transfer rates of 7.5 Gbits/s and a Spartan-6
control node used to load logic images into the
main FPGA. The Spartan-6 control node enables
“on the fly” bitstream management for dynamic
FPGA configuration. Other resources include zero
bus turnaround (ZBT) SRAM with a throughput of
400 Mbyte/s for expedited read/write processing.
The board comes in three environmental grades:
standard, rugged and conduction-cooled. Pricing
for the TIC-FEP-VPX3b depends on the choice of
Xilinx FPGAs and environmental grade. The board
is currently shipping.
because, prior to the release of VRT, each
receiver manufacturer would implement its own
proprietary digitized formats. Additionally, VRT
data can be carried over commonly used industrystandard protocols, such as Gigabit Ethernet, 10
Gigabit Ethernet, PCI Express, Aurora, Serial
RapidIO (SRIO) and Serial Front Panel Data Port
(S-FPDP).
The XPedite2470 is a configurable, 3U VPXREDI, FPGA-processing module that provides
eleven high-speed GTX lanes to the backplane
and eight high-speed GTX lanes to an on-card
FMC site. It includes a Freescale P1010 QorIQ
processor for additional signal-processing or
general-purpose capabilities. The compact
XPedite2400 is an FPGA-based XMC module that
includes a high-speed DAC, 2 Gbyte of DDR3
SDRAM, a Gen3 PCI Express interface and up
to ten high-throughput GTX lanes. The module’s
integrated DAC supports a 14-bit resolution and a
sample rate of up to 2.5 Gsamples/s.
Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions
Ashburn, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
www.cwcdefense.com
Elma Electronic Systems
Fremont, CA.
(510) 656-3400.
www.elma.com
Extreme Engineering Solutions
Middleton, WI.
(608) 833-1155.
www.xes-inc.com
FIND the products featured
in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
April 2014 | COTS Journal
41
FPGA PROCESSING BOARDS ROUNDUP
FPGA PMC/XMC Module Blends
Digitizing and Processing
XMC Module Does Advanced
Mixed-Signal Processing
Innovative Integration has announced its
X6-250M, a PMC/XMC I/O module that
integrates digitizing with signal processing. The
module has a powerful Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA
signal processing core and high-performance
PCI Express/PCI host interface. Applications
include software-defined radio, radar receivers
and multi-channel data recorders. The card has
eight simultaneously sampling A/D channels
that sample at rates up to 310 Msamples/s
(14-bit). The A/Ds have matched input delays
and response. The A/D are supported by a
programmable sample clock PLL and triggering
The Echotek Series DCM-V6-XMC Module
from Mercury Systems implements a flexible
FPGA-based architecture in a space-efficient
mezzanine form factor. The modules combine
the latest wideband high-performance ADC
with a high-speed, high-resolution DAC, both
working in conjunction with powerful Xilinx
Virtex-6 technology. With this unique set of
features, the Wideband DCM-V6-XMC Module
delivers an ultra-high-speed digitizer and
processing solution that addresses a range of
demanding signal requirements.
Dual Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGAs assist with the
that support multi-card synchronization for large
scale systems.
A Xilinx Virtex-6 SX315T (LX240T and
SX475T options) with four banks of 1 Gbyte
DRAM provides a very high-performance DSP
core with over 2000 MACs (SX315T). The close
integration of the analog I/O, memory and host
interface with the FPGA enables real-time signal
processing at extremely high rates.
The X6-250M has both XMC and PCI
interfaces, supporting PCI Express or older PCI
systems. The PCI Express interface provides up
to 3.2 Gbyte/s sustained transfers rates through
an x8 PCIe Gen2 interface. System expansion
is supported using secondary PCI Express or
Aurora port used as a private data channel
or second system bus. The X6-250M power
consumption is 23W for typical operation.
The module may be conduction-cooled using
VITA20 standard and a heat spreading plate.
Ruggedization levels for wide-temperature
operation are from -40° to +85°C (conformal
coating) and 0.1 g2/Hz vibration.
signal processing and data movement functions,
while the EchoCore FPGA Development
Kit (FDK) streamlines the development of
FPGA-based applications. The card does direct
digitization of L-Band signals. Its advanced
mixed-signal capability is suited for EW, SIGINT,
ELINT, SDR, radar and wireless test and
measurement. The board’s single channel 12-bit
ADC samples at up to 3.6 GSPS. Another option
is a dual channel 12-bit DAC at up to 1.6 GSPS.
The single channel 14-bit DAC offers up to 2.5
GHz. The Virtex-6 LX240T has 241,152 logic
cells, 37,680 slices and 768 DSP blocks in an 1156
pin-package FPGA.
Innovative Integration
Simi Valley, CA.
(805) 578-4260.
www.innovative-dsp.com.
FIND the products featured
in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
42
COTS Journal | April 2014
Mercury Systems
Chelmsford, MA.
(978) 967-1401.
www.mrcy.com.
FPGA Accelerator Card Serves
Up Interfacing with Network and
Storage I/O
FPGA acceleration has moved beyond the
benchmarking phase and is increasingly gaining
acceptance for large-scale computing systems.
Nallatech has announced availability of the
395 FPGA accelerator card for data-intensive
network and coprocessing applications. The
395 FPGA accelerator card provides a powerful
I/O and compute platform suitable for a range
of applications including signals intelligence,
network security and algorithm acceleration.
The four SFP+ network interfaces of the
395 enable applications that require real-time
data processing, filtering and inspection of
network traffic. The 395 also supports the
Altera Software Development Kit (SDK) for
OpenCL, which allows users to combine the
OpenCL programming model with Altera’s
massively parallel FPGA architecture for highperformance, energy-efficient computing. This
combination enables dramatic acceleration
of compute-intensive applications while
reducing power consumption and total cost of
ownership. An 8-lane PCI Express 3.0 interface
provides high-bandwidth communications to
the host platform. Four SFP+ ports support
1GbE, 10GbE, 10G SONET and various OTU
standards. Four banks of DDR3 SDRAM provide
up to 16 Gbytes directly coupled to the Stratix
V FPGA. Two banks of QDR-II SRAM offer
random memory access.
Nallatech
Camarillo, CA.
(805) 383-8997.
www.nallatech.com.
FPGA PROCESSING BOARDS ROUNDUP
Wideband Software Radio
Module for UAV, Radar and
Communications
A single-channel, high-speed data converter
XMC FPGA module can receive and transmit
at the same sampling rate, supporting signal
bandwidths up to 400 MHz. The Model 71730
from Pentek is a 1 GHz 12-bit A/D, 1 GHz 16-bit
D/A module that is based on the high-density
Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA. The Model 71730 appeals
to customers that need the wider symmetrical
bandwidth for both input and output signals. In
combination with the Virtex-7 FPGA, additional
memory and the PCIe Gen 3 interface, this
Onyx board offers the performance that many
wideband communications systems require.
The Model 71730 comes preconfigured with
a suite of built-in functions for data capture,
synchronization, time tagging and formatting,
making the board an ideal turn-key interface
for radar, communications or general data
acquisition applications. The Model 71730
features an A/D acquisition intellectual property
(IP) module for easy capture and data moving
and a sophisticated D/A waveform playback
IP module that allows users to easily play back
waveforms from onboard memory or the
PCI Express interface. These modules greatly
enhance the functionality of the Model 71730
and reduce the development time and effort to
module deployment. Software support packages
are available for Linux and Windows operating
systems. Pricing starts at $19,495.
Pentek
Upper Saddle River, NJ
(201) 818-5900.
www.pentek.com
PCIe/104 Card Sports Spartan-6
User Programmable FPGA
VXS/VME Board Provides HighSpeed 12-Bit ADCs and DACs
The FPGA35S6101 is a PC/104 FPGA module
with a PCIe/104 stackable bus structure. This
module provides a platform for customer
developed FPGA code. It is based on a Xilinx
Spartan-6 with a hardware PCIe x1 endpoint to
provide an interface to the host CPU. On-board
DDR2 memory provides dedicated storage space
for the FPGA application. This board features
four RS-232/422/485 transceivers connected
to FPGA pins which enable custom serial port
implementations.
A total of 96 I/O pins interface the FPGA
to the outside world, and allow for a variety
VXS continues to provide a “here and now”
solution for high-speed VME-based military
embedded computing. Feeding that need, TEK
Microsystems has announced the latest member
of our QuiXilica product family. The new
Gemini-V6 supports either one 12-bit analogto-digital converter (ADC) input channel at 3.6
Gsamples/s (GSPS) or three input channels at
1.8 GSPS, combined with a 12-bit DAC output
channel operating at up to 4.0 GSPS.
Gemini-V6 is based on the National
Semiconductor ADC12D1800RF device, which
supports either a pair of channels in non-
of signal levels including 5V tolerant LVTTL,
LVDS, and RS-232/422/485. The Spartan-6
device offers 101,261 logic cells and 5,800 Kb of
internal RAM. Example FPGA code is included
to demonstrate I/O pins, DDR memory, and
the PCI Express interface. With a -40 to +85°C
operating temperature, this embedded FPGA
board is ready for deployment in a variety of
military and industrial applications.
interleaved mode or a single channel using 2:1
interleaved sampling. Gemini-V6 contains two
ADC devices, supporting a total of either three
channels plus trigger at 1.8 GSPS, or one channel
plus trigger at 3.6 GSPS, plus a separate 12-bit
DAC output channel based on the Euvis M653D
that operates at up to 4.0 GSPS. The Gemini-V6
contains two front-end FPGA devices, one
attached to the ADCs and one to the DAC. The
front-end FPGAs can be configured with LX240,
SX315, or SX475 devices, providing both the
highest FPGA processing density available in any
6U form factor today as well as the only VME /
VXS platform supporting Virtex-6 FPGAs.
The two front-end FPGAs are supplemented
with a “back-end” FPGA that can be used
for additional processing or for backplane or
front panel communications. The Gemini-V6
includes six banks of DDR3 memory with total
capacity of 5 Gbytes and aggregate throughput
of 32 Gbytes/s, supporting a wide range of
signal processing algorithms with deep memory
buffering of the entire signal acquisition stream.
RTD Embedded Technologies
State College, PA.
(814) 234-8087.
www.rtd.com
TEK Microsystems
Chelmsford, MA.
(978) 244-9200.
www.tekmicro.com
FIND the products featured
in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
April 2014 | COTS Journal
43
COTS
FIND the products featured
in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
PRODUCTS
SBC Marries CompactPCI Serial and QorIQ Quad Core Processing
MEN Micro offers the G51, a 3U CompactPCI Serial SBC equipped with a high-performance QorIQ processor
and a multitude of standard I/O interfaces on both the front and rear of the board. The G51 is ideal for a number
of high computing functions including data acquisition and encryption as well as simulation and process control.
Soldered components, high shock and vibration tolerance and a -40° to +85°C operating temperature enable its use
in harsh environments.
Using CompactPCI Serial’s full mesh architecture, all of the board’s eight Gigabit Ethernet channels—three on
the front and five on the back—can be switched to the backplane, if needed, without hardware modification. The
board provides solid connectivity. Additional rear I/O includes four PCIe ports and two SATA II ports, one
of which can control an mSATA disk, as well as six USB 2.0 ports. Two additional USB 2.0 ports on the
front can also be led to the backplane.
Other design options include M12 Ethernet front connectors as well as conformal coating for use in
dusty and humid environments. Based on Freescale’s P3041 QorIQ quad-core processor, the G51 offers up
to 1.5 GHz of processing speed with or without encryption as well as four high-performance Power Architecture
e500mc cores. The SBC offers up to 8 Gbytes of soldered DDR3 SDRAM system memory with ECC as well as several board management functions and a Linux
BSP. The G51 is compliant to EN 50155 (railway) and is prepared for ISO 7637-2 E-mark compliance (automotive). Pricing for the G51 is $1,895.
MEN Micro, Ambler, PA. (215) 542-9575. www.menmicro.com
Rugged Embedded
Computer Suits
Harsh, SpaceConstrained
Applications
Small 25-Watt DC/DC
Converter Provides 2:1 Input
Crystal Group announced the release of
the RE0814 Rugged Embedded Computer. This new computer is the ideal fit
in environments with restrictions on moving parts and physical footprint. The
unit has an exceptional operating temperature of 85°C and it encloses a new
powerful processor—Intel Core i3, i5, or i7. It is packaged into a small rugged
1U short chassis that is 11 x 14 inches. The RE0814’s billet construction is made
from machined strain hardened 6061T651 structural aircraft aluminum. This
compact construction weighs only 7.5 lbs. with the ability to include 4 SATA
2.5-inch solid state drives and 5 USB ports, 4 on the back and 1 on the front.
The unit is also available with up to 4 Ethernet ports and a VGA or DVI-I port.
ConTech has announced the “QMS”
Series of DC/DC converters. The QMS
Series offers up to 25 watts of fully
regulated output power. The series offers
a 2:1 input range with nominal input
voltages of 12, 24 and 48 VDC. Single
outputs offered are 3.3, 5, 12 and 15
VDC. Dual outputs are +/-12 and +/-15
VDC. The footprint used on the 1 x 1-inch
package is same as that of an industry standard 1
x 2-inch. The QMS Series operates with efficiencies as high
as 90 percent. Features include Remote On/Off, Output Trim and Short
Circuit Protection. The operating ambient temperature range of the QMS is
-40° to +50°C with no de-rating.
Crystal Group, Hiawatha, IA. (319) 378-1636. www.crystalrugged.com
ConTech, Concord, CA. (925) 609-1193. www.contech-us.com
Intel Core i7-Based System Is Flight-Qualified
Extreme Engineering Solutions has announced another flight-qualified Intel Core i7-based
multiprocessor system. The XPand4208 includes two Intel Core i7-based 3U VPX modules, an
XPm2120 VITA 62 3U VPX power supply, and two XPort6193 removable SSDs that allow for quick,
tool-less insertion and extraction. The system utilizes an XChange3013 3U VPX Gigabit Ethernet
switch mated with the XPedite5205 Cisco IOS-based router XMC to provide its backplane fabric
and secure networking capabilities. This system also simplifies future upgrades and additional
configurations with two 3U VPX expansion slots for additional I/O or processing capabilities and
an open architecture based on the use of 3U OpenVPX (VITA 65)-compatible modules.
The SWaP-optimized XPand4200 Series systems utilize a compact, lightweight and extremely
rugged forced-air heat exchanger design to maximize high-temperature performance in
the most demanding environmental conditions, while minimizing size and weight. They
also integrate a dynamic fan controller, allowing them to run nearly silent in controlled environments. For this deployment, the XPand4208 LRU was
qualified to comply with MIL-STD-810F and DO-160F environmental specifications for temperature, altitude, vibration, shock, humidity, sand and
dust, waterproofness, magnetic effects, explosive atmosphere, fluid susceptibility, fungus resistance, and salt fog. It was also qualified for EMI compliance
according to MIL-STD-461F for conducted, as well as radiated, emissions and susceptibility.
Extreme Engineering Solutions, Middleton, WI. (608) 833-1155. www.xes-inc.com
44
COTS Journal | April 2014
Military DC-DC Power SuPPlieS
VITA 62 Compliant
High Efficiency
Field Proven
 VITA 62 Compliant
 High efficiency: 90% at full load
 3U: 500W total output power
 6U: 1000W and 800W total output power
 Active current share through backplane
 MIL-STD-461F, MIL-STD-704, and
MIL-STD-810G Compliant
 Qualified to the most stringent
VITA-47 levels
Made in the United States of America.
1-978-849-0600 www.SynQor.com
COTS PRODUCTS
FIND the products featured in this section and more at
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
Rugged PCI/104-Express SBCs Sport Interchangeable QSeven COMs
Diamond Systems, a leading global developer of compact, rugged, I/O-rich embedded computing solutions
for a broad range of real-world applications, unveiled Quantum, a conduction-cooled PCI/104-Express SBC
(single board computer) family with interchangeable, full size QSeven COMs processors and a highly integrated
I/O baseboard. The processors available on the new Quantum SBCs include the 1 GHz AMD Fusion G-T40E
CPU, the 1 GHz AMD G-Series eKabini GX-210HA SOC and ARM A9 i.MX6 single/dual/quad cores up to 1.2
GHz.
The SBCs fully utilize the latest serial high-speed buses available with QSeven for extended product viability
as well as the concept’s modular plug and play function that enhances performance scalability. The new
PCI/104-Express-based family offers a wide range of onboard I/O including data acquisition with A/D, digital
I/O, counter/timers and pulse width modulators. Standard PC I/O includes USB 2.0, RS-232/422/485, Gigabit
Ethernet, SATA and digital I/O.
Designed to excel in harsh environments including industrial, on-vehicle and military applications, Quantum
SBCs feature a bottom-side heat spreader that mounts directly to the baseboard, relieving stress on the Qseven
module and enhancing durability. Most I/O is provided on latching connectors for increased ruggedness. The boards also incorporate a 6V to 34V wide voltage
power input. Quantum SBCs support I/O expansion with PCI-104, PCIe/104 and PCI/104-Express I/O modules. A new miniature, low-cost PCIe connector
supports both PCIe/104 Type 1 and Type 2 modules and provides compatibility with existing PCIe/104 I/O modules. The compact connector also enables
the board to accommodate more I/O features than other PCI/104-Express SBCs. The Quantum SBC was designed with rugged applications in mind from its
extended operating temperature of -40° to +85°C on most models and the onboard DDR3 SDRAM to the latching I/O connectors.
Diamond Systems, Mountain View, CA. (800) 367-2104. www.diamondsystems.com
Module Sports an
ARM Cortex-A9
with Dual and
Quad Core CPUs
Toradex has introduced
its latest product offering
in the Apalis family of
ARM computer modules,
the attractively priced Apalis iMX6. The module houses an ARM
Cortex-A9 with dual and quad core CPU, on a Freescale i.MX 6
System-on-Chip (SOC), running at up to 1.2 GHz per core. The
Apalis COM family is based on NVIDIA Tegra 3 and Freescale
i.MX 6 multicore ARM processors. Designed as a complement to
Toradex’ Colibri module family, Apalis supports a large variety of
industry standard interfaces. Apalis brings to market various new
technologies, among them is Direct Breakout, which considerably
simplifies routing of high-speed signals on the carrier board. The
new Apalis iMX6 comes in -40° to +85°C versions and offers a
compelling price for this form factor.
Toradex, Altsagenstrasse, Switzerland
+41 41 500 48 00 1. www.toradex.com
Turnkey Instrument
Offers Digital Receiver/
Recording Solution
Innovative Integration
has announced the Digital
Receiver Instrumentation Series,
turnkey solutions providing
integrated digital downconversion (DDC), FFT, spectrum monitoring and digital
beam-forming functions. The solutions consist of three parts: an FPGA-based
analog digitizer module, a PC-based host controller, plus an optional firmware
development kit to allow customization. The digitizer module is provided with
software examples and C++ API, plus pre-compiled firmware bit image and a
comprehensive manual. The module may be installed onto an XMC-PCIe adapter to
allow use within a conventional PC. Alternately, it can be used within Innovative’s
Andale Data Recorders to capture extremely long time sequences. Or, the module
may be installed within an Innovative ePC or VPXI-ePC embedded computer to
create a miniature, self-contained instrument.
Regardless, the application software may be used to capture and analyze the data
immediately—a turnkey solution. First in the series is 90401 Digital Receiver with
eight independent DDC channels and one 32K FFT, a great solution for Digital
Receiver/Recording, Spectrum Analysis, Surveillance, or Software Defined Radio. A
development kit is available to support creation of advanced custom firmware.
Innovative Integration, Simi Valley, CA. (805) 578-4260 www.innovative-dsp.com
Fully Managed Network Switch Rides PCI/104-Express
Curtiss-Wright has announced that its Defense Solutions division has introduced the new Parvus SWI-22-10,
the industry’s first 20-port Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) Switch PCI/104-Express card. With 2x the ports previously
provided by earlier designs, this fully managed COTS GbE switch reduces slot-count while adding advanced
Layer 2 network management features. With significantly reduced power and cost-per-port, the SWI-22-10
is ideal for use in rugged deployed manned and unmanned military and civilian sensitive mobile, tactical,
airborne and vehicle platforms for situational awareness and network-centric operations.
Designed to meet MIL-STD-810G environmental requirements, the SWI-22-10 delivers optimal
performance in extended temperature (-40° to +85°C) and high shock and vibration airborne and ground vehicle
applications. The SWI-22-10 is an ideal solution for connecting a large number of IP-enabled embedded devices, including
computers, cameras, sensors, and command-and-control equipment, deployed in manned and unmanned system platforms at the network
edge. The SWI-22-10 is a fully managed Layer 2 switch card and supports IPv4 and IPv6 multicast traffic, Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), port control
(speed / mode / statistics / flow control), Quality of Service (QoS) traffic prioritization, Link Aggregation (802.3ad), SNMPv/1/v2/v3 management, secure
authentication (802.1X, ACLs, Web/CLI), redundancy (RSTP/MSTP), precision timing (IEEE-1588v2), port monitoring, IGMP Snooping, and data zeroization.
Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions, Ashburn, VA. (703) 779-7800. www.cwcdefense.com
46
COTS Journal | April 2014
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GET CONNECTED WITH INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS SOURCE AND PURCHASABLE SOLUTIONS NOW
Intelligent Systems Source is a new resource that gives you the power to compare, review and even purchase embedded computing products
intelligently. To help you research SBCs, SOMs, COMs, Systems, or I/O boards, the Intelligent Systems Source website provides products,
articles, and whitepapers from industry leading manufacturers---and it's even
connected to the top 5 distributors. Go to Intelligent Systems Source now so you
can start to locate, compare, and purchase the correct product for your needs.
Index
www.intelligentsystemssource.com
Company Page#Website
Access I/O Products, Inc................ 14.......................... http://accesio.com/
CompanyPage#Website
North Atlantic Industries.............. 21, 23............................... www.naii.com
Acromag....................................... 12.......................... www.acromag.com
One Stop Systems, Inc................32, 37............ www.onestopsystems.com
Adlink........................................... 11........................ www.adlinktech.com
Pentek, Inc.....................................5.............................. www.pentek.com
AUVSI........................................... 47......................... www.auvsishow.org
Phoenix International Systems, Inc... 4............................www.phenxint.com
Ballard Technology, Inc..................52.......................www.ballardtech.com
Pico Electronics, Inc....................... 13.................www.picoelectronics.com
Cots Product Gallery......................49.......................................................
RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc....2.................................... www.rtd.com
Creative Electronic Systems...........33.....................................www.ces.ch
Sealevel........................................31........................... www.sealevel.com
Critical IO......................................25...........................www.criticalio.com
SynQor, Inc....................................45............................. www.synqor.com
Data Bus Products, Corp................20.............. www.databusproducts.com
TE Connectivity Ltd........................ 17.................................... www.te.com
Data Device Corporation................36.......................... www.ddc-web.com
Trenton Systems, Inc......................39.................www.trentonsystems.com
EDT...............................................4................................... www.edt.com
WinSystems, Inc............................ 15...................... www.winsystems.com
Extreme Engineering Solutions....... 51............................ www.xes-inc.com
TQ Systems GmbH......................... 18.......................................................
GE Intelligent Platforms..................29...................... defense.gp-ip.com/isr
......................www.convergencepromotions.com/TQ-USA
Innovative Integration.....................28..................www.innovative-dsp.com
Vadatech Incorporated...................35.......................... www.vadatech.com
Interface Concept..........................26.............. www.interfaceconcept.com
VPT............................................... 19..........................www.vptpower.com
LCR Embedded Systems, Inc..........49........www.lcrembeddedsystems.com
Z Microsystems.............................34.......................www.zmicro.com/rtev
Mercury Systems, Inc.....................7................................. www.mrcy.com
COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at 905 Calle Amanecer, Suite 250, San Clemente, CA 92673. Periodicals Class postage paid at San Clemente and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COTS Journal, 905 Calle Amanecer, Ste. 250, San Clemente, CA 92673.
Coming Next Month
Special Feature: Target Report: Upgrades and Modernization in Military Vehicles
With the Ground Combat Vehicle program canceled and budgets tightening—especially for the Army—decision makers
continue to rethink and revamp their plans. Onboard communications and control electronics are still expected to multiply in
sophistication for both next-generation and Current Force fighting vehicles. But in the short term tech upgrades of existing vehicles will be the dominant activity in this space. Articles in this section explore the latest requirements and how these changes
may be influenced by technology and the latest products available.
Tech Recon:PCI Express and 10 Gbit Ethernet as System Interconnects
10 Gbit Ethernet is becoming entrenched as a favorite data plane interconnect fabric in compute-intensive applications like sonar, radar or any application that
networks sensor arrays together. But PCI Express has inherent advantages that make it better for control functions than Ethernet. This section updates readers
on the product and technology trends driving board-level Ethernet switch products, and explores how system designers can benefit from the marriage of Ethernet
and PCI Express with embedded computing form factors like VPX, VXS, Compact PCI Express, MicroTCA and AMC.
System Development: Trends in Memory Storage Interface and Media Technologies
As military systems continue to rely more and more on compute- and data-intensive software, the storage subsystem is now a mission-critical piece of the
puzzle. This section examines the emergence of Ethernet and IP-based storage interfaces, while comparing how traditional interface schemes like SATA, Fibre
Channel and SCSI are positioned these days. Rotating drives still offer the best density, but flash-based solid-state disks (F-SSDs) are able to operate under the
harshest conditions.
Tech Focus: Small Non-standard Boards
While standard open-architecture board form factors continue to dominate in military systems, non-standard form factors free designers from the size and cost
overheads associated with including a standard bus. Portable military gear, unmanned ground vehicles and small UAVs are just some of the systems that rely on
such technologies. Articles in this section look at the trade-offs between standard and non-standard form factors. A product album compares the latest representative small non-standard boards.
48
COTS Journal | April 2014
COTS PRODUCT GALLERY
cPCI-6530 Series 6U CompactPCI®
Processor Blade Plus I/O
Rugged PCIe MiniCard Family from
Diamond Systems
75ARM1 – 3U cPCI ARM Cortex-A9
SBC
• Quad-core 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7
processor with ECC
PCIe Minicards with a rich set of benefits
including industry leading functionality at a
competitive price, modular and field-swappable
cards, lightweight and compact design, latching
connectors, and wide temperature operation.
•A
RM Cortex™ - A9 Dual Core 800MHz Processor
• Dual channel DDR3L ECC memory, soldered and
SO-CDIMM, up to 16GB
• Supports three independent displays
• Dual PMC/XMC sites
• Remote management and TPM support
• Conduction-cooled version available, CT-6530
Modules available with:
• 4-port high speed serial • 4-port opto-isolated serial
• Dual CAN 2.0 ports • Data acquisition • Digital I/O
• Gigabit Ethernet
•U
p to three I/O or comms configurations
• 4 0+ modules to choose from
• 1 28 MB DDR3 SDRAM
• 4 GB SATA II NAND Flash
• 2 x 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet ports
•W
ind River® VxWorks® or Linux and Altera Linux
OS Support
ADLINK Technology
Diamond Systems
North Atlantic Industries, Inc.
Phone: (408) 360-0200
Email: info@adlinktech.com
Web: www.adlinktech.com
ENews Link: http://cm.adlinktech.com/login/
EventAnalytics.asp?code=0614032101&no=1
Phone: (650) 810-2500
Email: sales@diamondsystems.com
Web: http://www.diamondsystems.com/
products/minicards.php
Phone: (631) 567-1100
Email: info@naii.com
Fax: (631) 567-1823
Web: twww.naii.com
LCR Embedded System’s complete line of integrated rugged
industrial and military systems, from off-the-shelf to fully
customized, are ideal for all aspects of mission-critical
computing. To learn more about what we can do for you
and your application, contact us today.
Our integrated systems feature VME, VPX,
ATCA and CompactPCI architectures
For chassis, backplanes and integrated systems, LCR Electronics is now LCR Embedded Systems.
(800) 747-5972 e-mail sales@lcrembedded.com www.lcrembeddedsystems.com
April 2014 | COTS Journal
49
10
MARCHING
TO THE NUMBERS
100
HOURS
Number of flight hours a MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter surpassed after a test
flight at Point Mugu, CA on March 10. It will continue to undergo testing at Point Mugu
this year. In July, the Navy will conduct dynamic interface testing with the MQ-8C aboard
USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) to test the vehicle’s take-off and landing procedures. Initial
deployment for MQ-8C is planned for 2015.
$642.5 million
Value of contract the U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works to construct an additional Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The award
brings the total number of ships to be constructed by
Bath Iron Works under a multi-year procurement to
five, and the total value of the contract to approximately $3.4 billion. There are currently two DDG 51
destroyers in production at Bath Iron Works, Rafael
Peralta (DDG 115) and Thomas Hudner (DDG 116).
333
The total number of production orders for Low Band Transmitters (LBT) that Cobham
is now up to, thanks to a $21.8 million contract modification awarded by the U.S. Naval
Air Systems Command. LBTs are a variety of antennas and adapter interface modules for
the AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System to be used by the U.S. Navy and the Australian
military. It is flown on U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G aircraft (shown) and Marine
Corps EA-6B aircraft, and has been used in combat operations.
50
COTS Journal | April 2014
1,000
The number of members that the director
of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device
Defeat Organization, or JIEDDO, says he
plans to shrink the organization to by the
end of the fiscal year. The director, Lt. Gen.
John D. Johnson, said he was asked by
former-Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton
Carter to “scale the current 3,000-member
JIEDDO down and to draw up plans for
what an ‘enduring’ JIEDDO might look like
in the future.” Johnson said that one of the
areas he’s looking to protect is the intelligence integration functions of the JIEDDO.
Above 3,600 mph...
or Mach 5, the speed
requirement for the Army’s Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW)
technology effort. AHW
is part of an effort to
develop a conventional
“Prompt Global Strike”
capability. Conventional means non-nuclear. The AHW can be launched from the
United States and can hit a target anywhere
in the world. In August, the Army expects
to again test its AHW Demonstration. The
results of that test will help determine the
system’s future.
Module and System-Level
Solutions from
Intel® and Freescale™ Single Board Computers
XPedite7570
4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-based 3U VPX
SBC with XMC/PMC
XCalibur1840
Freescale QorIQ T4240-based 6U VPX
SBC with dual XMC/PMC
Secure Ethernet Switches and IP Routers
XPedite5205
Secure Gigabit Ethernet router XMC
utilizing Cisco™ IOS®
XChange3018
3U VPX 10 Gigabit Ethernet managed
switch and router
High-Performance FPGA
and I/O Modules
XPedite2400
Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA-based XMC
with high-throughput DAC
High-Capacity
Power Supplies
XPm2220
3U VPX 300W power supply with EMI
filtering for MIL-STD-704 & 1275
Rugged, SWaP-Optimized, COTS-Based Systems
XPand4200
Sub-½ ATR, 6x 3U VPX slot system
with removable SSDs
XPand6200
SFF 2x 3U VPX system with removable
SSD and integrated power supply
XPand6000
SFF Intel® Core™ i7 or Freescale
QorIQ-based system with XMC/PMC
Extreme Engineering Solutions
608.833.1155 www.xes-inc.com
Designed, manufactured, and supported in the USA
The industry’s
most trusted
and widely used
USB interfaces
Portable Avionics Databus Interfaces
A reliable USB interface from Astronics Ballard Technology
does it all – databus test, analysis and simulation. Use it in
· MIL-STD-1553, EBR 1553
· ARINC 429, 708, 717
· Serial, Discrete
the lab or in the field – it’s fully powered by a single USB port.
Simply connect it to any available laptop, desktop or tablet
PC and it’s ready to go. Add our CoPilot® interactive software
for a complete easy-to-use solution.
NEW models with multiple protocols
mean the best is now even better!
Visit our website or call 425-339-0281 to learn more.
www.ballardtech.com/USB
AS9100 / ISO 9001 Registered
Get the best solution –
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you need in a single device