COTS Journal, May 2021

May 2021, Volume 23 – Number 5 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

The Future Framework for the Integrated Battlefield from GET Engineering COM-HPC Answers concerns for Performance at the Edge

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf.

Terminology popularized in 1994 within U.S. DoD by SECDEF Wm. Perry’s “Perry Memo” that changed military industry purchasing and design guidelines, making Mil-Specs acceptable only by waiver. COTS is generally defined for technology, goods and services as: a) using commercial business practices and specifications, b) not developed under government funding, c) offered for sale to the general market, d) still must meet the program ORD. 2. Commercial business practices include the accepted practice of customer-paid minor modification to standard COTS products to meet the customer’s unique requirements.

JOURNAL

—Ant. When applied to the procurement of electronics for he U.S. Military, COTS is a procurement philosophy and does not imply commercial, office environment or any other durability grade. E.g., rad-hard components designed and offered for sale to the general market are COTS if they were developed by the company and not under government funding.

SPECIAL FEATURES 18

By John Reardon, Editor

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 22

DEPARTMENTS

The Future Framework for the Integrated Battlefield from GET Engineering

COM-HPC Answers concerns for Performance at the Edge

6

Publisher’s Note Shifting Demand for Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors Creates a Critical Supply Shortfall for Industrial and Military Needs

10

The Inside Track

By John Reardon, Editor

COT’S PICKS 24

Editor’s Choice for May

Cover Image Lockheed Martin’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launch at sunset.

COTS Journal | May 2021

3

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL SUBMISSION AND RELEASES johnr@rtc-media.com

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Scott Blair Scott@blair-media.com

PUBLISHER/CEO John Reardon Johnr@rtc-media.com

AD TRAFFIC Vaughn Orchard Vaughno@rtc-media.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING Paige Reardon paiger@rtc-media.com

Tom Williams

Glenn ImObersteg Robert Hoffman

ADMINISTRATION/CIRCULATION Dawn Dunaway dawnr@rtc-media.com

ART AND PRODUCTION

ACCOUNT MANAGER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Ramos drdesignservices@ymail.com

4

COTS Journal | May 2021

SALES MANAGER Vaughn Orchard Vaughno@rtc-media.com

CUSTOM AND CONTRACT SERVICES John Reardon Johnr@rtc-media.com

COTS Journal CORPORATE OFFICE RTC Media 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009 Phone: (949) 226-2023 Fax: (949) 226-2050 www.rtc-media.com

PUBLISHED BY RTC MEDIA Copyright 2020, RTC Media. Printed in the United States. All rights reserved. All related graphics are trademarks of The RTC Group. All other brand and product names are the property of their holders.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Stephen Armstrong , Freelance Writer

Shifting Demand for Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors

Creates a Critical Supply Shortfall for Industrial and Military Needs Domestic MLCC manufacturers are ramping up manufacturing capacity to fulfill orders for large format, High Q ceramic capacitors for industrial, medical and military applications Industrial, medical, and military demand for high quality, high-voltage multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) has been hit hard by a shift in production by the world’s largest MLCC manufacturers who are focusing on a seemingly insatiable demand for smaller, lower voltage – and in some way – lower performance MLCCs.

This demand has been fueled by the global growth of 5G networks and continued advancements in smart phones and mobile devices who are consuming significantly more MLCCs per device.

As the principal manufacturers pivot away from the larger high voltage, high Q (High Quality) MLCCs used by industry and the military, OEMs are experiencing significant delays in MLCCs of up to six months. The extent of the supply shortage jeopardizes product release schedules, industrial market share, and potentially even military readiness.

“It is a pretty massive carrot that is hanging in front of the major MLCC manufacturers,” said Scott Horton, vice president at Johanson Technology, a 40-year provider of high voltage ceramic multi-layer capacitors based in Camarillo, California. “When you consider that a highend smart phone today can require substantially more MLCCs in a single device as compared to a similar phone only a few years ago, the current demand for smaller, lower power MLCCs is like nothing the market has seen before.”

As a result of a slowdown in consumer demand for capacitors in 2019, many OEMs and distributors were left holding surplus inventory. As a result, these same OEMs and distributors were hesitant to order additional inventory in 2020. Now, as the market ramps up, so does the demand for MLCCs despite very low capacitor inventory. This further exacerbates the shortage of larger high voltage, high Q MLCCs, since some manufacturers

6

COTS Journal | May 2021

“There is a ripple effect to the industrial and military market sector that is not really fully understood,” said Horton. have focused production on smaller/lower voltage MLCCs during this time.

Now both ends of the market are scrambling to re-stock including the large electronics distributors. It is also largely Asian MLCC manufacturing supporting telecom and mobile device operations which are also based in Asia making fulfillment of industrial MLCC supply needs in Western markets even more acute.

“There is a ripple effect to the industrial and military market sector that is not really fully understood,” said Horton. “Although a shortage of electronic products used to manufacture consumer products like smartphones and automobiles would be national news, the lack of supply of larger, higher voltage MLCCs for industrial and military applications are typically under-reported.

However, it will continue to squeeze business customers and eventually end users until it is resolved.”

Multi-layer ceramic components MLCCs consist of laminated layers of specially formulated, ceramic dielectric materials interspersed with a metal electrode system. The layered formation is then fired at high temperature to produce a sintered and volumetrically efficient capacitance device. A conductive termination barrier system is integrated on the exposed ends of the chip to complete the connection.

Capacitance is primarily determined by three factors: the k of the ceramic materials, the thickness of the dielectric layers, the overlap area and the number of the electrodes.

A capacitor with a given dielectric constant can have more layers and wider spacing between electrodes or fewer layers and closer spacing to achieve the same capacitance.

Industrial, medical and military consumers of MLCCs depend on high voltage and high-Q capacitors for power supplies, amplifiers, MRI coils, plasma generators, lasers and many other specialized applications. In circuits with higher currents, higher-Q MLCCs are preferred to reduce self-heating.

The Q factor represents the efficiency of a capacitor’s rate

of energy loss. High Q capacitors lose less energy reducing the need to dissipate or cool the heat which protects the board from damage and performance loss in sensitive and high liability applications.

Not all MLCCs are created equal, even among the high performance MLCCs, yet ensuring a consistent level of performance is critical for the high reliability applications required by industrial and military end users.

“If a MLCC manufacturer is not tightly controlling the layer count, they might be providing 10-layer batches in one batch and then later deliver 17-layer parts in a subsequent batch,” explains Horton. “These two parts will not perform the same at high frequencies.”

Domestic supply ramping up Domestic sources of MLCCs needed in industrial and military applications have been ramping up their capacity.

Increased domestic MLCC supply means an industrial or military customer will not need to delay the build and shipments of their products because of a capacitor delay.

Drawing upon its focus on high-Q and high voltage MLCCs, Johanson, for example, has expanded its capacity COTS Journal | May 2021

7

to fill some of the supply void caused by the shift in market focus to smaller capacitors.

“We’ve been investing in expanding our capacity for several years now through a modernization of our production facility and the opening of a second production line that will essentially double our MLCC output,” says Horton. “We can take that even higher with more production shifts.”

At the time of the preparation of this article, Johanson is quoting large size high voltage MLCC order fulfillment times at 10 weeks.

Ceramic is the material of choice Increasing domestic high voltage MLCC supply also means that customers do not need to look beyond ceramic capacitors to satisfy their demand. As a result of the long lead times, replacing a MLCC with a polymer or tantalum capacitor may be considered; however, tradeoffs in performance and optimal operating conditions need to be carefully considered.

Polymers in capacitors can be degraded by the effects of heat which is a consideration for some applications.

The thinness of the dielectric layer in polymer capacitors means the maximum voltage is lower than in ceramic capacitors making it inappropriate for high voltage products. Polymers are also not available in the low

values of capacitance that ceramics provide.

A tantalum electrolytic capacitor consists of a pellet of porous tantalum metal as an anode covered by an insulating oxide layer that forms the dielectric surrounded by a liquid or solid electrolyte as a cathode.

While regarded as a reliable and a suitable alternative to MLCCs, tantalum capacitors are generally polarized which means they may only be connected to a DC supply. An unfavorable failure mode may lead to thermal runaway and fires. Tantalum capacitors are also currently experiencing extended sourcing lead times.

“There’s just no reason to move away from ceramic for your high-voltage, high quality applications,” said Johanson’s Horton. “There is now a growing domestic MLCC supply available to meet our domestic needs.”

Shifts in supply and demand within the overall MLCC market, which is estimated to grow to a $12 billion market by 2025, have caused critical supply shortages for industrial, medical and military customers who require a higher quality, larger format multi-layer ceramic capacitor. As the largest MLCC manufacturers continue to compete for the demand of the MLCCs used by sectors like telecom, smart phones and mobile devices, new domestic supply sources are stepping in to meet the need for a reliable and timely supply of high performance MLCCs. COTS Journal | May 2021

9

The

INSIDE TRACK

F-35 Best And Final Offer Submitted To Finnish Government The 5th Generation F-35 provides unmatched capabilities, security of supply, and industrial opportunities for Finland

The U.S. government and Lockheed Martin submitted an F-35 best and final offer (BAFO) on April 29, 2021, to the Finnish government in support of its competition to replace its current fighter fleet.

The F-35 offering is a total package that includes F-35A aircraft and a sustainment solution tailored to meet Finnish security of supply requirements to support all operational needs if in a closed border scenario. The BAFO also includes many first-of-a-kind opportunities for the Finnish industry to work

10

COTS Journal | May 2021

directly on F-35 production and sustainment.

“The F-35 will provide Finnish industries high technology job opportunities that no other competitor can offer,” said Bridget Lauderdale, F-35 Program vice president, and general manager.

“The production work will continue for more than 20 years, and the F-35 sustainment work will continue into the 2050s. Not only will Finland support its F-35s, but it will directly support the global fleet of F-35s through the production of major components.”

Through indirect industrial participation projects outside of F-35 production, Lockheed Martin will also build partnerships with Finnish companies and academic institutions that offer

opportunities focused on developing and advancing security collaborations.

With stealth technology, supersonic speed, advanced sensors, weapons capacity, and increased range, the F-35 is the most advanced, survivable, and connected aircraft in the world. It is also the most affordable solution for the Finnish Air Force’s future fighter fleet as the only 5th Generation fighter at the cost of 4th Generation aircraft.

To date, the F-35 has been selected by 13 nations and operates from 27 bases worldwide, with nine nations operating F-35s on their home soil. More than 630 F-35s are in service today, with more than 1,300 pilots and 10,380 maintainers trained on the aircraft.

The

INSIDE TRACK

An F-35B fires the last Flight Sciences separation test of an AIM-132 ASRAAM.

Boeing’s 1st Core Stage for NASA’s Space Launch System is Ready for Journey to Launch Site Stennis refurbishment complete following flawless test fire

Boeing begins the delivery of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket cryogenic core stage to NASA today in preparation for the launch of the Artemis I mission, the first moon mission in nearly 50 years.

Boeing refurbished the stage after it successfully completed hot-fire testing last month at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, closing out the Green Run campaign on the B-2 test stand.

The flight hardware will now go to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with the Orion crew spacecraft, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage upper stage, and solid rocket

boosters in preparation for launch.

SLS will launch NASA’s Artemis I mission that will send an uncrewed Orion crew vehicle around the moon and back. That test flight will be followed by Artemis II, the first crewed lunar fly-by for the Artemis program.

“We thank NASA for their partnership as we deliver the first of the Artemis core stages that will launch a new era of human deep space exploration,” said John Shannon, SLS vice president, and program manager for Boeing. “Boeing shares this achievement with the hundreds of companies and thousands of highly skilled workers who contribute to this program and form the backbone of this industry.”

Boeing is the prime contractor to NASA for the SLS core and upper stages and avionics. The company is joining major elements

for the Artemis II core stage now at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

“Data from Green Run testing validated the core stage’s successful operation and will be used to help certify the stage for flight, as well as to inform our production system for future stages,” said Shannon.

Boeing also is working on evolvable capabilities for the rocket system such as the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), which is entering production at Michoud. The more powerful SLS with EUS will be able to lift three times as much mass to deep space as any other rocket, enabling sustainable, crewed, and uncrewed exploration, science, and security missions. SLS’ evolved capability to transport massive payloads in a single launch reduces mission complexity and risk while increasing safety, reliability, and probability of success.

Lockheed Martin photo by Andy Wolfe.

COTS Journal | May 2021

11

The

INSIDE TRACK

Flex and the Air Force Research Laboratory Sign Broad License to Use Flex Embedded FPGA IP in Globalfounders’ 12 LP+ Processes

Enables any US Government-funded program and activity to use embedded FPGA (eFPGA) reconfigurability for no license fees

Flex Logix® Technologies, Inc., announced that it has signed a broad license with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate (AFRL/RY) to use Flex Logix’s EFLX® eFPGA IP in GLOBALFOUNDRIES 12 nm process in any US Government program and activity. This new agreement greatly reduces the cost barriers for leveraging the reconfigurability, cost and time-to-market benefits of eFPGA in government-sponsored programs.

GigaIO Collaborates with Microchip to Power Industry’s Only Native PCI Express Network Fabric for Composable Disaggregated Infrastructure GigaIO announced their collaboration with Microchip Technology Inc. to power GigaIO’s FabreXTM, the industry’s first native PCI Express (PCIe) Gen4 network fabric, which supports GDR, MPI, TCP/IP, and NVMe-oF. FabreX technology revolutionizes rack-scale architectures, enabling for the first time, complete software-defined, dynamically reconfigurable rack-scale systems, eliminating system waste, reducing maintenance burdens, and improving performance.

GigaIO’s Microchip silicon-based Gen4 switch appliance, first introduced in 2019, targets HPC and AI data center managers looking to free expensive resources (such as GPUs and FPGAs)

“Flex Logix has licensed EFLX IP to several companies in the defense industrial base and has seen some projects pass on licensing the latest technology because the total IP cost in advanced nodes exceeds program budgets,” said Geoff Tate, CEO, and Co-founder of Flex Logix.

“By partnering with AFRL, we’re able to reduce those barriers making it financially viable to use EFLX across all US Government programs, even ones with small budgets and for research.”

AFRL Sensors Directorate is leading research and development of future capabilities for Trust and Assured Microelectronics, promoting the adoption of innovative, next-generation solutions to build a resilient supply chain for advanced, secure, and reliable microelectronics.

“The US Government is the third larg-

trapped inside servers. In the past, to share these resources between their users, IT managers had to install not one but two or three networks in a rack. Even when servers were communicating to storage and accelerators over PCIe, to communicate server to server, IT managers had to incur the additional expense, overhead and latency hit of another network, like Ethernet or InfiniBand.

With FabreX a single unified PCIe fabric can connect servers without resorting to InfiniBand or Ethernet. As a result, the Microchip and GigaIO collaboration deliver a solution with the industry’s lowest latency.

“With revolutionary technology ushered in by Microchip and GigaIO, a true rack-scale system can be created with only PCIe as the network. The implication for HPC and AI workloads, which consume large amounts of accelerators and high-speed storage like Intel Optane SSDs to minimize time to results, is much faster com-

est user of FPGAs. The license with Flex Logix opens up a wealth of opportunities for increased semiconductor trust and assurance through the manufacturing chain and provides upgradability to ASICs for lifelong programs,” said Jacqueline S. Janning-Lask, former Director of the Sensors Directorate.

Using Flex Logix’s EFLX, chip developers can implement eFPGA from a few thousand LUTs to hundreds of thousands of LUTs with performance and density per square millimeter similar to leading FPGA companies in the same process generation. EFLX eFPGA is modular so arrays can be spread throughout the chip; can have all-logic or be heavy-DSP, and can integrate RAM in an array of many types. putation, and the ability to run workloads which simply would not have been possible in the past,” said Alan Benjamin, CEO of GigaIO. GigaIO further breaks one of the barriers to large-scale adoption of disaggregated infrastructure (vendor lock-in) by demonstrating a commitment to open standards: several off-the-shelf software options are available from several vendors to compose resources in FabreX, instead of yet another proprietary pane-of-glass and licensing fees. Microchip’s industry-leading Switchtec PCIe switches form the foundation of FabreX’s hardware layer, while the management architecture is based on Redfish APIs, an open standard instead of proprietary hardware and software.

“Composable PCIe infrastructure provides data center operators with much-needed flexibility to pool and partition resources on-demand, enabling an optimized total system solution based on application needs,” said Andrew Dieckmann, associate vice president of marketing and applications engineering for Microchip’s data center solutions business unit. “Microchip appreciates GigaIO’s ongoing collaboration with our Switchtec PCIe Gen4 switches for use in this growing market segment.”

PCIe is emerging as the fabric of choice to realize Composable Disaggregated Infrastructure with industry-leading low latency and easeof-use advantages over alternative methods. GigaIO and Microchip are leading the way to drive PCIe as a true rack-level interconnect.

12

COTS Journal | May 2021

The

INSIDE TRACK

Innovative 5G mmWave Test Systems See Broad Industry Adoption

Marvin Test Solutions, Inc., announced that its TS900e-5G production test system for 5G mmWave semiconductor devices is now in use by multiple leading semiconductor manufacturers.

Rapid industry adoption signals the significance of these test solutions, enabling manufacturers to meet high-throughput production demands for mmWave semiconductor devices. Part of Marvin Test Solutions’ GENASYS Semi suite of flexible, configurable, semiconductor test solutions, the TS-900e-5G is ideal for both wafer probing and package test with support for the most popular production automation and handling tools.

GENASYS Semi 5G mmWave solutions deliver the most accurate and repeatable production VNA / Sparameter measurements in the industry. The system can support up to 20 independent VNA ports of 44 GHz signal delivery to the device under test (DUT), meeting the throughput requirements demanded by OSAT production. Additionally, the modular

architecture of the test system is well suited to address the evolving needs of the mmWave test, with expanded performance to 53 GHz scheduled for late Q2.

“We are excited to be enabling the continued development and implementation of next-generation 5G mmWave devices with the comprehensive test capabilities of the TS-900e-5G,” said Major General Stephen T. Sargeant, USAF (Ret.), CEO of Marvin Test Solutions. “Our customers value the system’s exceptional measurement performance and repeatability, coupled with the fastest test times in the industry, as they transition their devices to the production environment.”

The TS-900e-5G core system includes Keysight’s high-throughput VNAs and ATEasy®, MTS’s comprehensive suite of software tools that allow users to quickly develop and easily maintain test applications as well as ICEasy, which facilitates device test development and characterization. The TS900e-5G core system also includes high-performance dynamic digital I/O with per-pin PMU to support SPI/I2C device communications and DC parametric testing.

Xilinx Announces Full Production Shipments of 7nm Versal AI Core and Versal Prime Series Devices Xilinx, Inc. announced that its Versal™ AI Core and Versal Prime series devices are now shipping to customers in full production volumes. Additionally, the third series in the Versal portfolio, Versal Premium, has now shipped to multiple tier-one customers through the company’s early access program. Versal is the industry’s first adaptive compute acceleration platform (ACAP). Versal ACAPs combine scalar processing engines, adaptable hardware engines, intelligent engines with leading-edge memory, and interfacing technologies to deliver powerful heterogeneous acceleration for any application beyond the capabilities of an FPGA. Versal AI Core and Prime Series in Full Production The Versal AI Core series delivers the highest compute and lowest latency in the Versal portfolio, enabling breakthrough AI inference throughput and performance through its AI engines. Versal AI Core is optimized for compute-intensive applications primarily for the data center, 5G wireless, and A&D markets, including machine learning and advanced signal processing. Customers have deployed Versal AI Core to accelerate workloads such as 5G gNodeB base stations, satellite-based broadband services, and audio-video bridging in 3D immersive stadium sports videos.

Versal AI Core series customer Gilat enables satellite-based mobile broadband for in-flight and consumer broadband, and cellular backhaul.

“Gilat provides leading satellite-based broadband communication solutions in multiple market segments. We are excited to be among the first customers to adopt the Versal AI Core series. The embedded AI engine technology is a key enabler, leading to a massive increase in throughput at lower power for Gilat’s next-generation wide-band gateway receivers. Incorporating the AI engine technology featured in the Versal AI Core will provide the flexibility and performance required by the growing demand for increased bandwidth and throughput in Gilat’s networks,” says Noam Rosenfeld, senior vice president of research & development at Gilat Satellite Networks.”

The Versal Prime series is designed for broad applicability across multiple markets and optimizes connectivity and in-line acceleration of a diverse set of workloads. Customers see success deploying Versal Prime series for data center workloads such as storage acceleration, firewalls and other wired communications applications, and satellite-based broadband services in aerospace & defense markets.

1

COTS Journal May 2021

COTS Journal | May 2021

13

The

INSIDE TRACK

ThinKom Satellite Antennas to Be Tested During U.S. Army Armored Brigade Pilot Program

Solutions, Inc., has been selected to supply phased-array satellite terminals for a pilot program evaluating communications on-themove (COTM) options for U.S. Army Armored

Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT).

The ABCT COTM solution will integrate enhanced mobile network solutions directly onto select vehicles to make command posts more expeditionary while enabling soldiers to retain network connectivity as they drive across the battlefield.

The Army is currently setting the stage for an

ABCT On-The-Move (OTM) pilot this year, to evaluate new commercial network system prototypes integrated onto select ABCT vehicles. The goal is to enhance mobile battlefield ABCT network communications, mission command, situational awareness, and ultimately unit lethality.

Three ThinKom ThinSat® 300 vehicular satellite antennas were acquired by General Dynamics Mission Systems for testing as a design option for mounting on command-post vehicles in armor formations. As a subcontractor, ThinKom provided these three antennas as part of the Army’s contract award to General Dynamics on Sept. 30, 2020, to support integration, engineering, and fielding services for the ABCT COTM experimentation effort.

The Ku-band ThinSat 300 antennas are based on ThinKom’s patented and proven Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased-array technology. VICTS antennas are currently deployed on 1,600+ aircraft with over 20 million accrued operational hours, representing an impressive 100,000 hours mean-time-betweenfailure record. Vehicle-mounted VICTS antennas are also widely deployed in a range of commercial and government COTM programs.

ThinKom’s low-profile, lightweight antennas provide industry-leading spectral efficiency and are capable of sustaining network connectivity at high vehicle speeds, on-road or off-road. They support robust network operations at very high and extremely low elevation-angle requirements with near-instant connectivity recovery after partial or sustained blockages.

Designed to work with a full range of modems and networks, the ThinKom system provides flexible “future-proof ” interoperability options with current and next-gen satellite systems, including geostationary and low earth orbit constellations.

The COTM experimentation program is expected to lead to prototype deployment and testing under the Army’s two-year Capability Set cycle in 2023, according to the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical.

“The ABCT pilot program will demonstrate that our field-proven commercial off-the-shelf technology can provide a reliable and low-cost solution to meet this demanding requirement in support of U.S. armed forces,” said Bill Milroy, ThinKom’s CTO and Chairman.

14

COTS Journal | May 2021

The

INSIDE TRACK

UEI Supports Rolls-Royce’s New Testbed 80 with Rugged, Reliable, and Flexible iDDS Data Acquisition & Control System Solution

United Electronic Industries (UEI) is a proud supplier to Rolls-Royce’s new Testbed 80, a massive testbed structure designed to support a new generation of efficient and sustainable engines and propulsion systems. The data systems inside Testbed 80 are more capable and complex than any of Rolls-Royce’s existing testbeds and can collect and store more than 10,000 parameters of data from an intricate network of sensors. UEI’s COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) solutions helped RollsRoyce develop a reliable and accurate testbed measurement system.

UEI worked in partnership with RollsRoyce to standardize a common iDDS (Instrumentation Data Distribution Service) architecture across Testbed 80’s complex data

measurement infrastructure. The completed system includes UEI’s flexible and rugged Cube and Brick chassis with I/O and code written in a common interface definition language, which is compatible with the standard framework shared by publishers and subscribers and greatly simplifies system management and support. Rolls-Royce is now using the common standard across testbed measurement infrastructures all over the world, making part requisition and maintenance much easier.

UEI’s iDDS solution ensures Rolls-Royce can mitigate the risks of adopting new engine testing technologies while improving quality in a cost-effective, scalable manner. The test system sensors will gather critical testing information needed to help get their engines deployed quicker and use more efficiently.

All the UEI hardware and I/O used includes a 10-Yr Availability Guarantee and 3-Yr Standard Hardware Warranty, ensuring that RollsRoyce’s testbeds will be sustainable for years to come.

COTS Journal | May 2021

15

The

INSIDE TRACK

Alion Awarded $292 Million Task Order for the Advancement of Integrated Persistent Expeditionary Surveillance (AIPES) and Force Protection Systems (FPS) for Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Force Protection Division (HBU) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane)

Alion Science and Technology announces that it has been awarded a $292 million task order with a 60-month period of performance for the Advancement of Integrated Persistent Expeditionary Surveillance (AIPES) and Force Protection Systems (FPS) for Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Force Protection Division (HBU) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane). This task order includes RDT&E of emerging technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes to significantly enhance the functionality and capability of existing and future Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and FP systems for AFLCMC Force Protection Division, NSWC Crane, and their strategic partners. Alion was awarded this contract under the Department of Defense Information

16

COTS Journal | May 2021

Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle. These DoD IAC MAC task orders (TOs) are awarded by the U.S. Air Force’s 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository and the Research and Development (R&D) and Science & Technology (S&T) community.

“Alion’s extensive expertise in the integration of sensors, sensor data, and command and control (C2) systems spans across multiple force protection platforms and technologies that provide full situational awareness for forward base operations,” said Alan Dietrich, Alion’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group.

“Delivering advanced technologies enables DOD customers to achieve and maintain modernized force protection capability. Alion will continue providing innovative technologies and advanced tools warfighters need to gain and maintain complete battlefield readiness.”

Work under this task order will incorporate advanced technologies into existing and future ISR and FP systems, subsystems, and components to enhance the performance of legacy systems

through technology insertion and rapid prototyping of the resulting modified systems.

Alion will provide advanced R&D studies enabling changes in the way legacy and new systems are supported. In addition, work will include total life cycle management encompassing all logistic elements necessary to meet operational demands. To operate successfully in changing environments, systems must function reliably in the field for longer durations, with minimal levels of logistical support, and without frequent access to the supply chain. At the same time, systems must remain affordable, mobile, and easily upgradable.

To increase system reliability while reducing system cost, Alion will conduct technology assessments to identify critical enabling technologies in the key areas of material, manufacturing, and testing to establish their suitability for specific applications. This includes researching and developing new technical approaches and opportunities for technology transfer and technology insertion.

Compact Embedded System (CES) • Rugged, Fanless, Small Form Factor

Mission Computer

• Mix and Match - Protocols - I/Os and Videos - Switches and Routers

• Intel® Atom, i3, i5, i7, Xeon, Server Class up to 16 Cores • NXP LX2160A with 16 Cortex® -A72 cores

• AC or DC input • Customized to your specific requirements

High Density I/O and Video

• Designed, Assembled and Tested in the USA

• A/Ds, D/As, GPIOs, Temperatures, DIs, DOs, FPGA, Relays, Custom

• Small Business • Founded in 1983

• Latest Technology allows for higher density I/O channels • Multi-channel Video

Multi-Protocol • NTDS, ATDS, STANAG, OD-19 • CAN, Serial Sync or Async (RS232, RS422, RS485) • MIL STD 1553, ARINC (429/575/717/573) • Protocol Conversion to Ethernet • Cisco’s Ethernet Switch and Router

www.getntds.com

|

sales@getntds.com

|

619-443-8295

SPECIAL FEATURE

The Future Framework for the Integrated Battlefield from GET Engineering

By John Reardon, Editor The The Arm Forces continues to find answers to complex networking solutions from GET Engineering. GET known for its intent to do the right thing for its clients for the past 3 decades, has introduced a solution that draws upon their experience to address the needs of here and now. Initiatives such as the Air Force’s Joint all Domain C2 (or JADC2) or the Army’s Sensor-to-Shooter are based on the premise that a connected battlefield will be able to take advantage of the next generation of machine learning and GET plans to be on the front line.

The goal of having a highly integrated battlefield is not just a bunch of communications people, it is a warfighting business, explained Marine Corp Lt. General Dennis Crall. Crall is

18

COTS Journal | May 2021

the Joint Staff ’s director of command, control, communications, and computers – referred to as the J-6. He goes on to explain how combining sensors through communications across all domains is a priority that demands a sense of urgency. That the communication framework will support the Five-Eye allies early in the process to assure their support and integration. This includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Having thoroughly discussed the concept, they all were forthcoming in sharing their data for the benefit of all. It was acknowledged that working with the industry by adopting best practices will assure that everyone doesn’t run off and do something incompatible. Making systems interoperable is difficult in the data center, but to

affirm that interoperable truly means they work together when deployed, Crall has set off to define a framework that will draw upon known commercial standards that meets the need of the warfighter.

It was clear to the leadership of GET that by combining the best of the commercial world and their knowledge of the defense market, that they could provide a solution that would address the complexities of what the next generation warfighters face. From field-deployed GPUs and other high-power compute engines, the need for a rugged, performance-oriented router that can deliver high speed, secure data was a must. The need to put these routers into the field at the edge and affirm they meet the

The need for a no-compromise Router that incorporated the most advanced cybersecurity and speed at the edge was clear.

demands of our warfighters was something befitting of GET’s engineering skills.

What news As informational data being collected from thousands of sensors is collected and machine learning algorithms are being applied the need for intelligent routers at the edge was recognized as an absolute must. The AI, Machine Learning advancements that both China and Russia have employed in previous encounters made the US acutely aware of the need to take action and take action fast. The data-hungry FPGA’s and GPUs needed to be fed with uncompromised data to make unfettered decisions. It is clear that our advisories have come to understand and be able to predict our response to almost all incursions, but the goal is to build an asymmetrical response for an element of surprise through the use of all this data. By connecting Space, Air, Sea, and Land through a cyber secure GET’s CEN 6300 will enable a compendium of knowledge to contribute to the correct response to any threat.

The need for a no-compromise Router that incorporated the most advanced cybersecurity and speed at the edge was clear. The ability to take data from sensors in the field that spanned generations of the design was something that GET has been challenged with before and felt that they could do it again. Recognizing, that this new world would have to build upon the technology of the most advanced routers/ switches in the commercial sector and com-

bine them into a packaging system that met the rigors of front-line service was key. The focus on providing intent-based networking for the WAN, LAN, and Cloud was the cornerstone of being able to modernize the battlefield to address future threats.

GET sought out CISCO, as the most advance commercial provider of Routers and Switches, they combined their knowledge and expertise to build the CEN-6300. The joining of the bestof-the-best enables a perfect combination of skills to put a no-comprise Router together. Designed for front line “at the edge” deployment, the CEN-6300 is SWAP (Space, weight, and power) optimized.

In normal circumstances, managing everything gets complex with more user devices and applications. That is where combining CISCO and GET was a perfect choice. Having a secure architecture for seamlessly connecting any user to any application on any cloud all with a full security stack built-in. Employing the onboard Trust Anchor module (Tam) along with image signing, Secure Boot, and Runtime Defenses ensures that the code running is authentic, unmodified, and operating as intended. Having the right security in the right place delivering an optimized user experience across any cloud and everything is deployed and managed from a single dashboard are all features that are a must.

Joining the combined strengths of these two

companies, the CEN-6300 provides six highspeed Gigabit Ethernet Interfaces and a rich CISCO IOS XE Software suite (Two Routed, 4 Switched). The familiar CISCO software suite is easily configured. And includes: Network Essentials • Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA), Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), ACLs, Cisco Configuration Professional, Cisco Discovery Protocol, Connectionless Network Service (CLNS), Cisco Networking Services, EIGRP, SNMP, MIB, raw sockets, Call Home, First-Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP), Hierarchical Queuing Framework (HQF), iEDGE, basic routing and multicast, NAT, Network Time Protocol (NTP), DHCP, Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), basic OSPF and OSPFv3, QoS, RIP, HTTP, Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP), STP, VLAN, VRF, 802.1X • IPsec, crypto tunnels, FlexVPN, Internet Key Exchange (IKE) v2 • Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Network Advantage • AAA, ARP, ACL, Cisco Configuration Professional, Cisco Discovery Protocol, CLNS, Cisco Networking Services, EIGRP, SNMP, MIB, raw sockets, Call Home, FHRP, HQF, iEDGE, basic routing and multicast, NAT, NTP, DHCP, ICMP, IGMP, basic OSPF and OSPFv3, QoS, RIP, HTTP, HSRP, STP, VLAN, VRF, 802.1X • IPsec, crypto tunnels, FlexVPN, IKE v2 COTS Journal | May 2021

19

• MPLS, BFD, RSVP, IP SLA, TCP optimization, App-aware QoS policies, and troubleshooting • Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express • Cisco DNA Center add-on license* Environmental GET applied its domain expertise in C4ISR/

20

COTS Journal | May 2021

EW systems and interfaces, as well as system-of-systems design principles, to realize the next generation for ground combat vehicle architectures working closely with the DoD and industry. The CEN-6300 employs a Cryptographic module that is FIP-140 compliant covering a wide range of potential applications and environments.

The conduction-cooled unit employs a lightweight rugged chassis that meets MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, and RTCA DO-160. The power supply is compliant with MIL-STD-740D and MIL-STD-1275D and offers voltage input from 18 to 36 Volts DC. The connectors are EMI Shielded MIL-DTL-38999. Incorporating PoE and PoE+ the CEN 6300 offers you the convenience of driving a camera, an intercom, wall

clocks, industrial control systems, or an array of other devices.

Why CISCO Switches and Routers more than other kinds of devices in a data center have been “black boxes” with the internal workings being highly guarded secrets. This is an acknowledged concern when considering the open standards that are being employed throughout the defense industry. CISCO also acknowledged this deficit and has rolled out a series of ASICS to be launched in December 2019. The secret to the Silicon One architecture, and which is reflected in its name, is having a single, unified architecture that spans both switching and routing and that includes all features for all devices.

Advancing speed and performance with each release, the Silicon One Architecture allows GET to mirror this agility and the latest technology within their CEN 6300 and thus not have to compromise on performance and can stay in lockstep with the commercial market. As the payloads and demands of the integrated battlefield evolve, as the power of vehicles increases to 36 volts DC or the weight concerns of airborne applications increase, GET is committed to providing solutions without compromise.

Why GET GET has nearly 4 decades of generational experience in building specialized communications equipment for an array of Navy requirements. Although the CEN 6300 will address a myriad of Navy applications, GET is confident that it will find a home in many areas where a no-compromise Router at the edge is needed.

GET has been founded on the premise of employing technology to save lives, and that fail-

ure is not an option. This has led the company to be a leading supplier of communications gear to the Navy for decades. In the area of NTDS, GET took a leading role as the supplier of choice in 1986 and through several contributions and advancement retains it to this day. Recognizing the multifaceted make-up of defense technology, GET has taken assertive action to affirm that from the initial procurement to a system refresh decades later they won’t leave you adrift.

COTS Journal | May 2021

21

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

COM-HPC Answers concerns for Performance at the Edge

By John Reardon, Editor The hurdles to achieving what has been dreamed up in the board room continue to challenge design engineers wanting to host the most advance, high-performance solutions possible at the edge. The need for an open standard that meets these computing requirements may have just been introduced by our friends at PICMG with COM-HPC. The enthusiasm surrounding COM-HPC may just propel it to be the solution of choice for those wishing to address the most

22

COTS Journal | May 2021

compute-intensive applications that also involve the need for greater memory and I/O. Although too new to understand its broad appeal, the enthusiasm has brought forth a variety of products bound to capture a design engineer’s heart.

The new standard modular design continues for easy and quick deployment from system to system. The standardization in architectures

allows for the next generation solutions to be employed without changing the carrier board and the surrounding system enclosure. COMHPC extends beyond COM Express to offer greater performance, higher density memory, and next-generation performance I/O. So, although the impact on COM Express is unclear, COM-HPC holds a unique place higher on the performance curve.

The demands at the edge are plain to see as performance demands continue to grow. Three COM-HPC Module types are defined: The Server Module with a fixed input voltage, the Client Module with a fixed input voltage, and the Client Wide Range Input Voltage. The Client Module targets use in high-end embedded applications that need multiple displays, a variety of I/O bandwidth, and powerful CPUs at the edge. The standard power input is 12 volts with the Wide Range covering between 8 volts to 20 Volts.

The Server Type COM-HPC is focused on the high end of the compute spectrum for embedded solutions. Supporting intensive CPU capability with multiple cores, extended memory, and lots of high bandwidth I/O. This includes multiple 10Gbps or 25Gbps Ethernet, up to 65 PICe lanes performing at up to PCIe Gen 5 speeds. Although not restricted, the Server Type COM-HPC will typically favor the larger form factors to accommodate the higher density memory required.

COM-HPC has improved power input within each of the 5 form factors (A-E). The different board sizes facilitate the use of a variety of processors and are not restricted to X86 solutions.

The system’s Thermal Design Power (TDP) supports 110-watt processors and the overall power inputs are over 300 Watts. The larger size “E” can support 1 TB memory utilizing 8x pcs long DIMM.

COM-HPC employs a pair of 400 pin connectors that provide flexibility by supporting existing and future interfaces such as PCIe Gen 5 with 32 GT/s and up to 100 Gb Ethernet. Depending on the use, the connector pinouts are optimized for Client or Server modules as defined in the specification.

The universal appeal of COM-HPC has led to many companies releasing products. So far, this initiative includes twenty companies: ADLINK, Advantech, Amphenol, congatec, Elma, Emerson, ept, FASTWEL, HEITEC, Intel, Kontron, MEN Mikro, MSC Technologies, N.A.T., Samtec, SECO, TE Connectivity, Trenz Electronic, and VersaLogic. This broad support will be great news to the consumer wanting to pick the specific flavor that meets their needs with-

out being locked into a single-source solution.

Driven by SWAP-C, the defense industry will surely be looking at COM-HPC as a possible solution as it checks many of the boxes. COM-HPC is a transformational capability that will be critical in maintaining our defenses in an era of advance sensors, informational fusion, and connectivity.

COM-HPC is a powerful multiplier able to handle numerous video streams, communications links, and advance electronic warfare for the situational awareness that contributes to an integrated picture of the battlefield. The possible applications are wide and varied from communication links to sensor arrays. By increasing the computing strength at the edge, a real-time response in identifying the threat is greatly enhanced.

COTS Journal | May 2021

23

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Crystal Group, Inc. announced the newest addition to its lineup of highperformance edge computing solutions for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications

The new RS1104 ISR encoder integrates the Haivision Makito X1 into a Crystal Group FORCE™ server to deliver real-time streaming of MISB-compliant, full-motion video capabilities.

The ultra-compact RS1104 1U server consolidates the workload of three separate 1U units into one by integrating the Haivision’s

Makito X1 video encoder, an 8-port switch, and six 2.5” SSD drives. This includes compressing a high-quality raw video source with two separate encode engines, which enables both a high-quality video stream for machine learning applications running on the RS1104 and a low-bitrate video stream to reach remote users over constrained network links.

“Consolidating our rugged server and Haivision’s rugged video encoder into a single unit enables the needed video quality and capabilities for accurate, live situational awareness at the tactical edge in a smaller footprint,” said Alan High, technical director at Crystal Group.

“Eliminating the extra box, multiple mounts,

and additional power supplies saves integration time and reduces installation challenges in compact spaces, like aircraft, drones, and tanks.”

In addition to the RS1104 video encoder, Crystal Group can integrate the high-quality video performance of the Makito X1 into any Crystal Group FORCE server or rugged embedded computer with 2.5” drive bays.

Crystal Group rugged servers are engineered to meet strict military and industrial standards to ensure seamless reliability in the harshest environments when speed, accuracy, and security are mission-critical. Haivision’s rugged video streaming appliances are deployed in similar applications when situational awareness requires real-time video surveillance.

Crystal Group, Inc. www.crystalrugged.com

Kaman Introduces New AMS Family of High-Precision Non-Contact Displacement Sensors Products are rugged, reliable, and designed for environments from 500 psi to over 22,500 psi The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products, Inc., announces the release of its new AMS family of high-precision non-contact displacement sensors ideal for condition monitoring of rotating machinery in extreme-pressure environments from 500 psi to over 22,500 psi.

AMS sensors deliver high reliability and superior performance in high-pressure environments enhancing any condition monitoring systems’ ability to measure and monitor runout, speed, and changes in machine vibration profiles. This helps to reduce risk, minimize damage and unplanned downtime due to unanticipated failures in the field.

Designed for a wide range of pressure environments, Kaman’s proprietary AMS, AMS-HP, and AMS-XHP precision sensing systems do not require a magnet and work with any ferromagnetic target. This innovative design detects target position through non-magnetic, conductive, 24

COTS Journal | May 2021

and non-conductive barriers making leakproof, penetrator-free equipment instrumentation installations possible and economical without special magnets. With an RMS resolution down to 1 micron, and a standard measuring range up to 7mm, Kaman’s AMS sensors are compact and versatile.

Kaman Precision Products’ line of rugged AMS non-contact displacement sensors are IP67 rated with hermetic options available. For

installation versatility, Kaman’s AMS sensors come in standard IP-67 rated threaded, flanged, AS4320 pressure port compatible, and bolt head style configurations with hermetic options available. In addition to Kaman’s standard sensor configuration options, Kaman’s AMS sensors are easily tailored to meet semi-custom and custom OEM integration requirements.

Kaman Precision Products, Inc. www.kamansensors.com

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Supermicro Expands NVIDIA Ampere Architecture-based GPU Product Line for Enterprise AI Including an Industry-First 5 petaFLOPS in a 4U Tier 1 AI Platform

Super Micro Computer, Inc. extends its market in the growing areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), High-Performance Computing (HPC), 3D-Graphics Visualization, and Desktop Virtualization. Supermicro has the broadest Tier 1 portfolio of systems that integrate state-ofthe-art capabilities achieving 5 petaFLOPS

of AI performance in a 4U form factor with the latest NVIDIA A100, NVIDIA A40, NVIDIA RTX A6000, and the new NVIDIA A30, NVIDIA A10, and NVIDIA A16 GPUs. “Our collaboration with NVIDIA enables us to design a complete portfolio of GPU systems and platforms empowering maximum customer choice. Customers can exactly match their workload requirements to system architecture to achieve superior scale, performance, efficiency, and cost,” said Charles Liang, president, and CEO, Supermicro.

“Supermicro offers multi-GPU optimized systems that deliver advanced solutions to AI, Deep Learning, HPC, and video streaming applications. Leveraging our building block solutions and our time-to-

market advantage, we continue developing and releasing application-optimized solutions. Our flexible 2U 2-node GPU system with PCIe 4.0 is tuned for cloud gaming and social media and leads the industry with support for up to three double-width or six single-width GPUs per node.”

The breadth of Supermicro’s systems includes the flagship Intel-based SYS420GP-TNAR or the AMD-based AS -4124GONART(+), featuring the 4U Server powered by the NVIDIA HGX A100 8-GPU board, with the option of either 40GB (HBM2) or 80GB (HBM2e) of memory on each GPU. These systems are currently shipping worldwide.

“From AI-powered drug discovery to designing advanced, efficient factories, accelerated computing is essential to powering the most innovative work in the world today,” said Justin Boitano, vice president and general manager, Enterprise and Edge Computing at NVIDIA. “Supermicro’s NVIDIA-Certified Systems provide customers with a broad range of servers built to deliver top performance for AI, graphics and simulation workloads across the data center, to the cloud, to the edge.”Crystal Group Introduces ISR Video Encoder for Secure, Real-Time Video Streaming.

Super Micro Computer www.supermicro.com

COTS Journal | May 2021

25

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Pentek 8-Channel Phase Coherent RF Signal Recorder Extends Recording Capability for Beamforming and Radar Applications • Rugged RF signal recorder with eight phases coherent RF tuners • Ideal for signal intelligence, phased-array radars, beamforming, and direction-finding • Records RF frequencies to 6 GHz with bandwidths to 80 MHz • 3.2 GB/s real-time aggregate recording rate • 122 TB of storage allows for hours of data recording • SystemFlow software GUI with Signal Viewer analysis tool Pentek, Inc. introduced a new addition to the Talon® series of recorders, the Talon Model RTR 2628 8-channel, phase-coherent, 4U 19-inch rackmount recorder with integrated RF tuners and A/D converters. The rugged rackmount system is designed to operate under conditions of vibration and extended operating temperatures. The Talon RTR 2628 accepts signals from eight antennas to provide eight channels of phase-coherent RF signal recording. Each channel is tunable up to 6 GHz and captures up to 80 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth.

“With an excellent dynamic range to pick up

26

COTS Journal | May 2021

low-level signals, the Talon RTR 2628 is an ideal choice for spectrum monitoring applications that need to accurately interpret synchronized signals.

Targeted applications including beamforming, direction finding, phased-array radars, and multi-antenna diversity receivers can all leverage the phase-coherent capabilities of the Talon RTR 2628,” noted Rodger Hosking, co-founder, and vice-president, Pentek.

Each input channel includes a 250 MHz 16bit A/D and an FPGA-based digital downconverter with programmable decimations from 2 to 65536 for instantaneous bandwidths from 80 MHz down to 3 kHz. RF signals up to 6 GHz in frequency can be tuned, sampled, digitally downconverted, and streamed to disk in real-time at sustained aggregate recording rates up to 3.2 GB/sec. RF tuning frequencies, A/D sampling rates, DDC decimations, and trigger settings are among the selectable system parameters, providing a system that is flexible, yet simple to configure and operate.

The RTR 2628 is configured in a 4U 19-inch rack-mountable chassis, with hot-swap data drives, front panel USB ports, and I/O connectors on the rear panel. It is optimized for cooling and ruggedized to operate in challenging environments.

Systems are scalable to accommodate multiple chassis’ to increase phase-coherent channel counts and aggregate data rates. All recorder chassis are connected via Ethernet and can be controlled from a single GUI either locally or from a remote PC.

The RTR 2628 includes as many as 32 hot-swappable SSDs to provide flexible storage capacities up to 122 TB. The 2.5-inch SSDs can be easily removed or exchanged during a mission to retrieve recorded data. Multiple RAID levels, including 0, 5, and 6, provide a choice for the required level of redundancy.

Ease of Operation All Talon recorders are built on a Microsoft Windows platform and include Pentek’s SystemFlow software, featuring a GUI (graphical user interface), Signal Viewer, and API (Application Programming Interface). The GUI provides intuitive controls for out-of-the-box turn-key operation using point-andclick configuration management.

Configurations are easily stored and recalled for single-click setup. The Signal Viewer provides a virtual oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer to monitor signals before, during, and after data collection.

The C-callable API allows users to integrate the recorder control as a front end to larger application systems. Enhancements to the GUI support efficient configuration of the recording channels.

The data format used for storage follows the NTFS standard, allowing users to remove drives from the instrument and read the data using standard Windows-based systems, eliminating the need for file format conversion.

Pentek, Inc. www.pentek.com

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Green Hills Software and MathWorks Create Integrated Code Development Toolbox for Wide Range of Embedded Processors

- The MULTI Toolbox for Embedded Coder enables users to easily run, verify and test Simulink and MATLAB models on thousands of embedded processors - Qualified for developing code at the highest levels of functional safety for automotive, industrial, railway - Provides seamless Processor-In-the-Loop (PIL) test and validation Green Hills Software announced the immediate availability of the MULTI® Toolbox for Embedded Coder, enabling engineers to easily and efficiently develop and deploy their Simulink® and MATLAB® models on a wide range of embedded processors. The integration bridges advanced software development products from industry leaders in their respective domains – MathWorks®, the leading developer of mathematical computing software, and Green Hills Software, the leader in safe and secure embedded software solutions.

Engineers and scientists who develop algorithms in MATLAB and Simulink now have a simple and safety-qualified way to develop, debug, optimize and deploy their programs on thousands of embedded processors supported today by Green Hills.

The MULTI Toolbox for Embedded Coder connects Simulink and MATLAB on the desktop with the MULTI integrated development environment (IDE) that comprehends and controls embedded target processors. On the desktop, users develop Simulink and MATLAB models and generate C/C++ source code. MULTI then compiles, con-

Pixus Technologies, a provider of embedded computing and enclosure solutions, now offers a conductioncooled model for their 3U OpenVPX Chassis Manager Compliant with the VITA 46.11 specification for system management and to VITA 48.2 for mechanical design, the Tier 2 Pixus OpenVPX Chassis Manager monitors at least 6 temperature sensors and 10 fans with custom options available. There is fan PWM/Tach control, along with 16 digital inputs and outputs. A Level-2 unman-

nects, and runs the optimized binaries on either the target processor or on the MULTI IDE’s built-in embedded core simulator. MULTI feeds back results to Simulink via Processor-In-the-Loop (PIL), enabling the user to visualize the results or to confirm programmatically that results from Simulink algorithms on the workstation match the actual results run on the embedded processor.

“Connecting Simulink to embedded simulators and debuggers is the next milestone in our customers’ desire to move testing and verification from the field to the lab to the desktop,” said Tom Erkkinen, Product Manager, Embedded Code Generation at MathWorks. “Green Hills shares this vision and has worked closely with MathWorks to develop its MULTI Toolbox for Embedded Coder.

As remote work and online collaboration continue to grow, the need for virtual testing and development environments will accelerate.”

“Many of our customers use MathWorks products to create algorithms destined for embedded systems,” said Rob Redfield, Director, Business Development at Green Hills Software. “Now, they not only have an easy-to-use way to run and verify these algorithms on embedded processors but they can also debug, analyze and optimize their code with safety-qualified MULTI and its optimizing C/C++ compilers.

Once the program completes, users can run, debug and analyze the program at any point in its execution using MULTI and the TimeMachine® debugger. They can: • Run the program backward and forward, set breakpoints, debug and view variables • Debug INTEGRITY®, µ-velOSity™, and AUTOSAR real-time operating systems, or Linux and other operating systems • Verify adherence to MISRA C/C++ rules

Tom Erkkinen VProduct Manager, Embedded Code Generation at MathWorks • Perform Run-time Error Detection & Memory Leak Detection • Optimize the program with Performance Profiling • Analyze code coverage with DoubleCheck™ source code analyzer • functional safety is important, MULTI and its C/C++ toolchain are certified at the highest safety levels and standards, including Automotive (ISO 26262 ASIL D), Industrial (IEC 61508 SIL 3), and Railway (EN 50128 SIL 4).

The MULTI Toolbox for Embedded Coder supports thousands of 32- and 64-bit embedded processors from leading processor manufacturers, including NXP, Renesas, Qualcomm, TI, and Microchip, built on the popular embedded core architectures: • Arm® Cortex®-A (both Armv8-A and Armv7-A) • Arm Cortex-R (Armv7-R). Armv8-R support is in progress and will support Cortex-R52/82 • Arm Cortex-M (Armv7-M) • RISC-V • Renesas RH850 • Power Architecture Green Hills Software www.ghs.com

aged 3- port Ethernet hub is also optional. The standard panel interface has RS-232, RJ-45, USB, and LEDs. The Pixus SHM200 features a Web interface to remotely query the system and the user can import images of their boards. By clicking on the image for each slot, the user can drill down to the monitored status of the module.

Pixus Technologies https://pixustechnologies.com/w

Compa

COTS Journal | May 2021

27

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Galleon Embedded Computing Releases the New Product; XSR Tactical Secure Server

Galleon Embedded Computing has announced their new ground vehicle computer, the XSR Tactical Secure Server. A server specifically engineered for tactical military vehicles, the XSR TSS meets the rug-

28

COTS Journal | May 2021

ged requirements for the most severe environmental conditions without compromising performance, functionality, or reliability. Equipped with removable storage supported by dual-layer Data-at-rest encryption, the XSR Tactical Secure Server ensures consistent and secure data management.

16 CPU cores and 128Gb SDRAM with ECC. Its flexible architecture can provide the modern warfighter with advanced I/O, cutting-edge processing power, and ultra-high storage density. Housed in a SWaP-optimized design, the XSR TSS is protected by one of the most rugged and deployable mobile platforms available.

With the latest 9th generation Intel® Xeon® E and Xeon® D processor options, the XSR-TSS offers up to

Galleon Embedded Computing https://galleonec.com

May 2021

COT’S PICKS New dSPACE MicroAutoBox III variant with a comprehensive range of bus and network interfacesr

In the development of self-driving and electrically-powered cars, the connectivity requirements for in-vehicle prototyping systems are constantly growing. This is why dSPACE offers its MicroAutoBox III in-vehicle prototyping system with a high number of channels and an extended range of bus and network interfaces.

With the addition of the new DS1521 I/O board variant, the system is particularly suitable for communication-intensive developments that take into account the centralization of the E/E architecture, among other things.

Typical applications for the MicroAutoBox III with the new DS1521 Bus and Network Board include intelligent gateways, running supervisory controllers to control other ECUs in real-time via buses and networks, and designing central control units with service-based Ethernet communication. To ideally address these

applications, the DS1521 Bus and Network Board provides eight CAN FD channels, three automotive Ethernet ports (100/1000BASE-T1), two FlexRay connectors (A/B), three LIN channels, and additional UART, digital, and analog interfaces. For particularly communication-intensive applications, the MicroAutoBox III can also be equipped with two DS1521 boards, which results in doubling the number of the above-mentioned interfaces.

A combination with other MicroAutoBox I/O boards is also possible.

The system is configured using the ConfigurationDesk implementation software, including the integrated Bus Manager. This allows for configuring the bus communication based on the latest standards and protocols, such as

AUTOSAR (ARXML), FIBEX, DBC, or LDF. For integration into an existing vehicle electrical system, current AUTOSAR features such as secure onboard communication (SecOC), end-to-end protection, and global time synchronization (GTS) are also supported on all relevant bus systems, including service-based Ethernet communication (SOME-IP). dSPACE www.dspace.com

COTS Journal | May 2021

29

May 2021

COT’S PICKS Cincoze GM-1000’s New Quadro MXM GPU Modules Satisfy Stringent Machine Vision Performance Requirements

Cincoze expands the Cincoze GM-1000’s machine vision application performance with two new Quadro MXM GPU modules. Building on the GM1000’s powerful processing base, the MXM-RTX3000 and MXM-T1000 provide the additional GPU capacity for rapid adoption of machine vision in smart factories, from simple environmental perception applications such as positioning, measurement, identification, and sorting, to more complex vision-guided automation functions. GPU requirements for each scenario are different, so specifications must match the environment and application. The two new Quadro® MXM GPU modules broaden the GM-1000’s available selection to cover a wider range of uses.

The GM-1000—part of the Cincoze GOLD series—is positioned as a high-performance machine vision system featuring high computing performance, high-speed I/O, and industrial-grade reliability. It is

30

COTS Journal | May 2021

the preferred choice for machine vision system integrators and AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) manufacturers. The GM-1000’s unique carrier board can be matched with a selection of Cincoze MXM GPU modules, including the MXM-RTX3000, MXM-T1000, MXM-P2000, and MXM-E9174, providing a precise match for different computing requirements.

Upgrade flexibility has always been a proud advantage of Cincoze. The GM-1000 only needs a carrier board and MXM GPU module replacement to facilitate future performance upgrades without replacing the computer host.

Computational Prowess While Saving Power The new Quadro® MXM GPU modules, the MXMRTX3000 and MXM-T1000, use the latest NVIDIA® Quadro® Turing™ GPU architecture based on the latest 12nm process.

In terms of core computing power and performance, the MXM-RTX3000 has 1920 CUDA cores, 5.3 TFLOPS peak FP32 high-end computing power, parallel integer execution, AI computing Tensor core, and

specialized RT core for ray tracing. Together these provide fully integrated GPU features to face complex visual image calculations. The MXM-T1000 has 896 CUDA cores, 2.6 TFLOPS peak FP32 computing power, and only 50W power consumption for power-conscious high-speed computing. Both models support GDDR6 memory. The MXM-RTX3000 has a single card capacity of up to 6 GB and 336 GB/s memory bandwidth. The MXM-T1000 has 4 GB capacity and 192 GB/s memory bandwidth. The faster memory smooths data reading and multiplies computing performance.

In addition, both modules have different form factors, the MXM-RTX3000 sporting an MXM 3.1 Type B form factor, while the MXM-T1000 has a Type A form factor, allowing for free choice according to the situation.

Cincoze www.cincoze.com

COTS COTS

Index

ADVERTISERS Company Page # Annapolis Micro Systems ........................................ 30 Alphi Technology Corporation .................................. 4 Broadcom .............................................................. . BC Diamond Systems .................................................... 25 GET Engineering .................................................... . 17 Great River Technology ........................................... 4 Kingston Technology ............................................. .

IBC MPL ...................................................................... 30 Neonode .................................................................

5 OSS ........................................................................ IFC Pentek ..................................................................

8 PICO Electronics, Inc .............................................

15 Pixus Technologies ................................................. 14 Sealevel ................................................................. 16 SECO ...................................................................... 21/29 U-Reach ................................................................. 20 Versalogic .............................................................. IBC

Website ........................................ www.annapmicro.com ............................................ www.AlphiTech.com ............................................ www.broadcom.com ...................................www.diamondsystems.com ............................................... www.getntds.com ....................................... www.greatrivertech.com ............................................. www.kingston.com ..................................................... www.mpl.com ............................................... www.neonode.com .................................. www.onestopsystems.com ................................................. www.pentek.com .................................... www.picoelectronics.com .............................. www.pixustechnologies.com .............................................. www.sealevel.com ................................................... www.seco.com ........................................ www.ureach-usa.com ............................................. www.versalogic.com

COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at; 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009.

Periodicals Class postage paid at San Clemente and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COTS Journal, 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009.