COTS Journal, March 2023

March 2023, Volume 25 - Number 3 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

Comparing High-Performance Software-Defined Radios 5 Ways to Eliminate Ground Loops

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 14

Comparing High-Performance Software-Defined Radios

By Brandon Malatest, Founder Per Vices

DEPARTMENTS 6 The Inside Track

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 18

5 Ways to Eliminate Ground Loops

By CAS DataLoggers

COT’S PICKS 20

Editor’s Choice for March Cover Image Next stop, Fuji - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s heavy containerized delivery system bundles drop from a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron at JGSDF East Fuji Maneuver Area, Japan, Jan. 31, 2023, during exercise Airborne 23. The large-scale airborne operation integrating air and ground forces from Japan and the United States used nine C-130Js assigned to Yokota Air Base and Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., to carry approximately 300 JGSDF paratroopers and bundles to drop zones at Higashi-Fuji training field during the static-line personnel jump portion of the exercise.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe) COTS Journal | March 2023

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

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INSIDE TRACK

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded BAE Systems a $256.8 million contract for additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) under a third order for full-rate production A U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle with 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, prepares for launch during a shore-to-ship and ship-to-shore training event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

This award covers production, fielding, and support costs for the ACV Personnel (ACV-P) variant and the Command variant (ACV-C). The contract exercises existing contract options, which include $145.3 million for more than 25 ACV-P vehicles and $111.5 million for more than 15 ACV-C vehicles.

The ACV is an 8x8 platform that provides true open-ocean amphibious capability, land mobility, survivability, payload, and growth potential to accommodate the evolving operational needs of the USMC. The Marine Corps approved full-rate production on the ACV-P vehicle in 2021, and the vehicle is currently being fielded to Marine Corps Fleet Marine Force units. The ACV-C variant, which will provide multiple workstations for Marines to maintain and manage situational awareness in the battle space, is also in full-rate production and will begin fielding later this year.

“The ACV is an extremely versatile platform that continues our commitment to equip the Marines with the vehicle to meet their expeditionary needs,” said Garrett Lacaillade, vice president of amphibious programs at BAE Systems. “Today,

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with our strategic partner Iveco Defence Vehicles, we deliver this critical capability to the Marines.

Together, we are working to introduce new and future capabilities into the ACV family of vehicles.”

BAE Systems is also under contract for two other ACV mission role variants: ACV-R; and ACV30. The ACV Recovery (ACV-R) variant will replace the legacy Assault Amphibious Vehicle recovery variant (AAVR7A1) and provide direct field support, maintenance, and recovery to the ACV family of vehicles. The ACV-30 mounts a stabilized, medium caliber Remote Turret System manufactured by KONGSBERG that provides the lethality and protection the Marines need while leaving

ample room for troop capacity and payload.

The Company has also received task instructions from the USMC to complete a study incorporating Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle Command, Control, Communication, and Computers/ Unmanned Aerial Systems mission payload onto an ACV variant. The ACV C4/UAS variant was delivered to the Marine Corps in January of 2023 for testing.

ACV production and support occurs at BAE Systems locations in Stafford, Virginia; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Aiken, South Carolina; and York, Pennsylvania.

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Lockheed Martin, Korea Aerospace Industries & Red 6 Aerospace Announce Emerging Technology Partnership

Lockheed Martin, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Red 6 Aerospace announced a new partnership to deliver advanced 21st Century Security capabilities across a spectrum of training and combat aircraft.

Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries aircraft are ideal platforms for our Augmented Reality system. Advanced aircraft and ATARS technology will deliver a paradigm shift in the quality, quantity, and cost of training future pilots,” said Daniel Robinson, Founder, and CEO of Red 6.

The partnership will initially bring Red 6’s revolutionary augmented reality platform, the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), into the TF-50 and its variants. The system gives pilots and ground operators new capabilities to see and interact with synthetic threats in real-time, high-speed environments.

Lockheed Martin recently submitted the TF50A variant in response to the U.S. Air Force’s February 2023 request for information for a two-seater aircraft to cover three near-term missions including tactical training, adversarial air support, and serving as a tactical fighter surrogate. The TF50A is configured as a light attack fighter/trainer with additional enhancements, including radar, electronic warfare system, tactical data link, and other capabilities to meet Air Combat Command requirements.

“Readiness and lethality are critical if our warfighters are to prevail against peer adversaries.

While the ATARS system is initially targeted for the TF-50 and variants, it could eventually be

applied to operational Lockheed Martin platforms such as the F-16, F-22, and F-35.

“Our vision is to help our customers leverage emerging technologies to seamlessly and securely connect all assets in the joint battlespace and enable fast and decisive action,” said OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin. “Lockheed Martin has made significant advances across the board in digital engineering and open architectures during the past few years, as well as strategic partnerships. These enable us to accelerate development, production, upgrades, responsiveness, and sustainment across our platforms.

“One such example is this new partnership with Red 6, and we look forward to building advanced capabilities that support our customers’ needs,” Sanchez continued.

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U.S. Critical Materials Reports Independent Lab Confirms up to 10% Rare earth Oxides at Depth at Sheep Creek Montana Claims

U.S. Critical Materials Corp. announced that rare earth samples taken from 125 feet underground confirm over 10% (100,000 ppm) of total rare earth oxides (TREO), including high levels of neodymium and praseodymium. These rare earth readings far exceed any other domestic rare earth resource. The results included channel samples from 2 underground adits (tunnels) unsealed in October 2022 and sampled in November 2022.

These adits are dug up to 400 feet horizontally and are 125 feet below the surface. The analytical results were obtained from Activation Labs, Ancaster, Canada.

Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Advanced Scramjet Engine Powers Hypersonic Vehicle Flight in Partnership with DARPA, AFRL, Lockheed Martin In partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and Lockheed Martin team, an advanced Aerojet Rocketdyne scramjet engine powered the recent flight (announced January 30) of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC). This is the second successful flight test for this team.

Launched from a B-52, the test flight exceeded Mach 5 while traveling more than 300 nautical miles at altitudes exceeding 60,000 feet, accomplishing all primary test objectives.

The DARPA HAWC program aims to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile system. This test flight increased the amount of scramjet-powered vehicle performance data to help bring this vision to fruition.

“Aerojet Rocketdyne is proud to be a key part of the team demonstrating maturity in advanced hypersonic flight,” said Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO, and president. “With a second successful flight test now complete, we are, along with our partners, one step closer to making affordable hypersonic flight a reliable capability in support of the national defense.”

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The U.S. Critical Materials claims at Sheep Creek, Montana, contains twelve (12) essential critical minerals needed for the world’s evolution toward electrification and a sustainable economy.” In addition to high grades of rare earth, remarkably, the underground data continues to show a low thorium level below 500 parts per million (ppm). This will negate the need for an NRC permit and make extraction and processing easier, faster, and less damaging to the environment.

Jim Hedrick, US Critical Materials President and former rare earth commodity specialist for the United States Geological Survey (USGS), stated, “The combination of high-grade rare earth,

Aerojet Rocketdyne has continued to improve the aerothermal performance, affordability, scalability, and rapid manufacturability of scramjet engines to meet emerging needs for hypersonic missile and aircraft applications.

low thorium, and carbonatites 125 feet below the surface is a geological phenomenon that does not exist in other reported U.S. deposits. Throughout my career independently evaluating rare earth properties within the U.S., I have never encountered a property with the grades generated by Sheep Creek. I firmly believe that this project will continue to produce exceptional results and further our objective of opening a new district-scale rare earth destination to address U.S. industry and government’s critical rare earth needs.”

Along with innovative scramjets, Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures a wide range of products to support hypersonics, including solid rocket motor boosters, warheads, and missile defense technologies.

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AFSOC Selects MQ-9B SkyGuardian for UAS Family of Systems Concept GA-ASI to Deliver Three Aircraft to First U.S. Customer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is proud to announce a new contract with U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) to provide three MQ-9B SkyGuardian® remotely piloted aircraft systems to its first U.S. customer.

AFSOC’s acquisition of MQ-9B builds on more than 20 years as a GA-ASI partner and more than 14 years flying the MQ-9A Reaper, operating more than 40 aircraft in harsh environments worldwide.

MQ-9B will feature a key role in developing AFSOC’s new Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) concept, which envisions AFSOC projecting air power for special operations forces from beyond the horizon, using a family of large UAS and expendable, small UAS from permissive to denied environments.

“We’re very excited to continue our great partnership with AFSOC well into the future,” said David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI. “MQ-9B is the ideal platform for inserting

air-launched effects into potentially hostile environments. The MQ-9B’s combination of range, endurance, reduced workforce footprint, and overall flexibility will make it a true centerpiece of AFSOC’s future family of advanced UAS systems.”

MQ-9B represents the next generation of UAS, having demonstrated airborne endurance of more than 40 hours in specific configurations, automatic takeoffs, landings under SATCOM-only control, and a GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid system, among other upgrades. Its development results from a company-funded effort to deliver a UAS that can meet the stringent airworthiness certification requirements of various global military and civil authorities.

MQ-9B has garnered significant interest from customers throughout the world. After the U.K. Ministry of Defence selected MQ-9B SkyGuardian for its upcoming Protector program, the Belgian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for SkyGuardian. The Japan Coast Guard is currently operating MQ-9B in the SeaGuardian® configuration, which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF) also recently selected for its Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPAS Trial Operation Project beginning in April.

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Voyager’s space micro software-defined radio supports the success of missle defense agensy’s CubeSat networked communications experiment

Space Micro Inc., powered by Voyager Space, announced the successful performance of its Software Defined Radios (SDRs) on the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) CubeSat Networked Communications Experiment (CNCE) Block 1. Initially launched in June 2021 and completed in March 2022, CNCE Block 1, part of MDA’s Nanosat Testbed Initiative (NTI), used small, low-cost satellites to demonstrate networked radio communications between nanosatellites while in orbit.

MDA deployed two CubeSats developed

by Space Micro with integrated radio frequency (R.F.) payloads based on its μSDR-C™ family of small form factor software-defined radios. MDA tested Space Micro’s SDRs at various distances, formations, and orientations, all of which successfully communicated with each other and ground nodes. This demonstration helps support the development of U.S. missile defense technology and architecture.

SDRs can be re-programmed on orbit, making them desirable in today’s rapidly changing world. Space Micro designed these particular radios, a precursor to the Company’s successful Nanocom family of SDRs, with the

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ability to create and operate within an ad-hoc communication network similar to a terrestrial Wi-Fi network.

“We are proud to support MDA as they bolster our national defense and to demonstrate further the capabilities and reliability of our R.F. radio frequency payloads for inter-satellite communications,” said David R. Czajkowski, Space Micro CEO. “The Space Micro team continues to demonstrate flight-proven solutions that provide tremendous value to our national defense capabilities,” said Matt Kuta, President, and COO of Voyager Space. “This successful demonstration of SDR technology is a critical step forward for the future of space communications.”

MDA retired the Block 1 satellites in March 2022, and they will de-orbit and burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

Space Micro’s SDR product line comprises several models: The µSDR-C™ targets UHF, S-Band, L-Band, and low C-Band applications; the more powerful Nanocom™ targets higher frequency, higher data rate, and more processor-intensive R.F. applications; and the µXBT™ X-Band Transponder is slated for several Artemis programs. Space Micro legacy S-, X- and Ka-Band radios are in orbit today on NASA IRIS, an observation mission of the solar atmosphere, and NASA TESS, an exo-planet survey mission to provide prime targets for the James Webb Space Telescope.

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INSIDE TRACK Microsoft and MITRE Create Tool to Help Security Teams Prepare for Attacks on Machine Learning Systems

Microsoft and MITRE have developed a plug-in that combines several open-source software tools to help cybersecurity professionals better prepare for attacks on machine learning (ML) systems.

The Arsenal tool implements tactics and techniques defined in the MITRE ATLAS framework. It has been collaboratively built off of Microsoft’s Counterfit as an automated adversarial attack library, so security practitioners can accurately emulate attacks on systems containing ML without a deep background in ML or artificial intelligence (A.I.).

“Bringing these tools together is a major win for the cybersecurity community because it provides insights into how adversarial machine learning attacks play out,” said Charles Clancy, Ph.D., senior vice president, general manager, MITRE Labs, and chief futurist. “Working together to address potential security flaws with machine learning systems will help improve user trust and better enable these systems to have a positive impact on society.”

The collaboration with Microsoft on Ar-

senal is just one example of MITRE’s efforts to develop a family of tools addressing issues including trust, transparency, and fairness to better use ML and A.I. systems for mission-critical applications in areas ranging from healthcare to national security.

Microsoft’s Counterfit is a tool that enables ML researchers to implement a variety of adversarial attacks on A.I. algorithms. MITRE CALDERA is a platform that allows the creation and automation of specific adversary profiles.

MITRE ATLAS, which stands for Adversarial Threat Landscape for Artificial-Intelligence Systems, is a knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and case studies for ML systems based on real-world observations, demonstrations from ML red teams and security groups, and the state of the possible from academic research.

ML systems into an enterprise network and deploying these systems for real-world use cases.

This workflow can become complex, making it challenging to identify potential and legitimate vulnerabilities in the system. Integrating the Arsenal plug-in into CALDERA allows security professionals to discover novel vulnerabilities within the building blocks of an end-to-end ML workflow and develop countermeasures and controls to prevent exploitation of ML systems deployed in the real world.

The Arsenal plug-in enables CALDERA to emulate adversarial attacks and behaviors using Microsoft’s Counterfit library.

“As the world looks to A.I. to positively change how organizations operate, it’s critical that steps are taken to help ensure the security of those A.I. and machine learning models that will empower the workforce to do more with less of a strain on time, budget and resources,” said Ram Shankar Siva Kumar, principal program manager for A.I. security at Microsoft.

“We’re proud to have worked with MITRE and HuggingFace to give the security community the tools they need to help leverage A.I. more securely.”

“While other automated tools exist today, they’re typically better suited to research that examines specific vulnerabilities within an ML system, rather than the security threats that system will encounter as part of an enterprise network,” Clancy said. Creating a robust end-toend ML workflow is necessary when integrating

The tool currently includes a limited number of adversary profiles based on information publicly available today as security researchers document new attacks on ML systems, Microsoft and MITRE plan to continually evolve the tools to add new techniques and adversary profiles.

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Collins Aerospace announces nextgeneration flight tracking solution

OpsCore™ Flight Tracking provides users with position and enhanced data in real-timer

Collins Aerospace announced the release of a cloud-based solution to increase airline efficiency and sustainability. OpsCore Flight Tracking, powered by FlightAware, provides precise flight tracking for real-time decision-making, which in turn facilitates the reduction of excess fuel consumption, potentially lowering costs and environmental impact.

“OpsCore Flight Tracking is designed to assist airlines with meeting the ICAO Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) requirements for flight tracking, meeting the operational needs of airlines, and better serving their passengers,” said Perry Wright, associate director for Value Stream Management at Collins Aerospace. “It gives dispatchers and operation managers the data needed to mitigate disrup-

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tions, optimize the operation, and give passengers a more seamless travel experience.”

tracking capabilities of OpsCore in 2023, bringing yet another level of analysis and awareness.

Using FlightAware’s Firehose API feed, OpsCore Flight Tracking delivers up-to-date flight position data and provides enhanced flight status information. FlightAware Foresight™ predictive analytics will be integrated into the flight

Supporting commercial airlines, business aviation, and future military markets, OpsCore Flight Tracking integrates with other Collins applications and services, improving the user experience.

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INSIDE TRACK Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli adopts Siemens Xcelerator as a Service for America’s Cup yacht design

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced today that the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli America’s Cup team is using the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to design, simulate and optimize its racing yacht for future America’s Cup challenges (37th America’s Cup).

and the complex hydrodynamics of the hydrofoil respond to the changes in the project parameters. Simcenter™ Amesim™ software is used to simulate all onboard hydraulic lines and optimize performance, an essential aspect given that onboard hydraulic power for the aerial parts of the boat is generated by four cyclers using pedal power.

“The Siemens Xcelerator as a Service portfolio provides critical tools to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli that allow the team to design, analyze and evaluate all aspects of the boat’s hydraulics and fluid-dynamic performance,” said Matteo Ledri, Head of CFD, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team. “Using Siemens’ software, the hull, foils, rudder, and sails can be analyzed as part of the digital twin to understand how each surface responds to the changes in the project parameters, thus speeding up our work.”

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is also taking advantage of Xcelerator Share, the cloud-based collaboration capability in Siemens Xcelerator as a Service, to effectively manage increased design complexity, improve manufacturing repeatability across the growing number of parts undergoing thousands of engineering changes per year, both in and out of racing season. In the highly competitive America’s Cup environment, these advanced shape description capabilities and high-fidelity CFD simulations of an extreme class of sailing boats allow the team to meet their needs on the timetables demanded by global racing competitions.

The hull, foils, rudder, and sails are designed and analyzed virtually using Simcenter™ STAR CCM+™ software to understand how sails, hull,

Siemens Xcelerator as a Service enables a high degree of automation, so the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team can fully leverage the power

Northrop Grumman Offers Battle Management, Command, and Control Expertise for U.S. Navy’s E-XX TACAMO Program

connectivity between the National Command Authority and ballistic submarines capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The Navy operates an E-6B Mercury aircraft fleet to provide survivable, reliable, and endurable airborne command, control, and communications between the National Command Authority and U.S. strategic and non-strategic forces. The Navy intends to replace the E-6B fleet with the E-XX to modernize this critical strategic deterrent mission.

• Feature Stories • News Releases • Values & Community • Awards & Recognition • Corporate Announcements • C2 (Command and Control) • Counter measures March 15, 2023 • Share Tweet Share Email Print MELBOURNE, Fla. – March 15, 2023 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is leveraging its weapons system integration and battle management leadership to compete for the U.S. Navy’s E-XX TACAMO fleet of aircraft systems.

Northrop Grumman Offers Battle Management, Command, and Control Expertise for U.S. Navy’s E-XX TACAMO Program The Navy’s E-XX TACAMO aircraft will be based on the C-130J platform and provides

“Our extensive experience integrating aircraft and mission systems, combined with our expertise in creating operationally-ready solutions in support of the nuclear enterprise, makes Northrop Grumman the optimal partner to deliver the Navy’s E-XX TACAMO weapon system,” said Janice Zilch, vice president, multi-domain command and control programs, Northrop Grumman. “As demonstrated with the Navy’s E-2 programs, we have been a longtime partner in helping the Navy meet its operational requirements. We will bring this expertise in helping the Navy deliver the E-XX TACAMO on time and optimized for this strategically important mission.”

For more than six decades, Northrop

of modern high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, running thousands of simulations daily to quickly explore the characteristics of new designs in different environmental conditions.

In addition, Siemens provides a dedicated support service to assist the team in extracting the maximum value out of their investment. The agreement also includes Siemens’ NX™ software, which Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli licensed to start evaluating its potential with a view to its future introduction.

“The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team’s selection of Siemens Xcelerator as a Service is another proof point that organizations at the bleeding edge of innovation are using our solutions to bring their ideas to life and find new areas for true innovation,” said Franco Megali, Vice President and CEO Italy, Israel and Greece, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “Whether that’s teams competing in the world’s most extreme sailing races, taking new vehicles to the edge of space, or building a more sustainable future for us all, pioneers are choosing our solutions.”

Grumman has delivered on developing, producing, and modifying the Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye system as the prime contractor, and continues to provide total mission assurance with proven solutions that are secure, survivable, multi-layered systems designed for total weapon system security.

“Our team has vast knowledge and expertise in delivering critical command and control, and nuclear enterprise capabilities,” said Henry Cyr, director of multi-domain command and control capture programs at Northrop Grumman. “We perform challenging work that has a real-world impact. You can see that on our legacy platforms, the platforms currently in operation, and the platforms we will deliver tomorrow.”

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company.

Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities to connect and protect the world and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ most challenging problems, our 95,000 employees define possible daily.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Comparing High-Performance Software-Defined Radios

By Brandon Malatest, Founder Per Vices Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have revolutionized how radio systems are designed and implemented. With their inherent flexibility and versatility, these transceivers have become increasingly prevalent in various RF applications, including telecommunications, device testing, 5G stations, and the internet of things (IoT). In particular, high-performance SDRs have become an essential tool in critical defense applications such as radar, spectrum monitoring, signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW), and satellite communications (SatCom). This article aims to compare three top-performing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) SDRs based on their hardware capabilities, focusing on critical performance parameters such as tuning range, channel count, bandwidth, and digital backhaul.

By evaluating these figures of merit, designers can better select the right SDR for their applications, as no solution can fit every possible use case.

While our focus here is the key performance specifications of the top-performing SDRs, it is worth noting that other factors can impact their effectiveness and cost-benefit in specific applications. Factors such as size, weight, power (SWaP), FPGA resources, accessibility, form factor, cost, lead time, and the ability to be modified can all affect an SDR’s performance differently.

Depending on the exact requirements of an application, one SDR may offer more benefits than others regarding these characteristics.

Nevertheless, we discuss the critical performance specifications essential in the vital applications in EW and defense, including radars, spectrum monitoring, and SIGINT. Performance Factors Four key figures of merit are essential when selecting SDRs for EW and defense systems: tuning range, channel count, sampling

bandwidth, and digital backhaul. These parameters are crucial in determining the SDR’s ability to operate effectively in these applications. The tuning range defines the range of frequencies that an SDR can receive and transmit signals with nominal gain. A wide tuning range is essential for applications such as spectrum monitoring and electronic warfare, where the ability to automatically tune and quickly switch between different frequencies is crucial for accuracy, safety, and operability.

For example, an SDR with a wide tuning range in EW systems can rapidly detect enemy radar systems and automatically tune the Tx chain to generate jamming signals. Likewise, radars can use frequency hopping protocols to avoid jamming. The SDR channel count is another important parameter, which refers to the number of independent radio chains that an SDR can support. In applications such as radar

Figure 1: Cyan (Per Vices), USRP X410 (National Instruments), and HTLw (Herrick Labs) SDR models compared in this article.

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and SIGINT, a high channel count allows for the simultaneous processing of multiple signals, also called multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) operation. For example, in radar applications, MIMO SDR can simultaneously process numerous radar signals simultaneously, allowing for more accurate target tracking, identification, and beamforming/beamsteering techniques through antenna arrays.

The sampling bandwidth defines the maximum frequency range that an SDR can sample, ultimately limiting the range of instantaneous frequency detection per channel. A high sampling bandwidth is essential for applications such as radar and spectrum monitoring, where capturing and processing large amounts of data is crucial. For example, in spectrum monitoring applications, an SDR with a high sampling bandwidth can capture a large portion of the RF spectrum concurrently, increasing the probability of intercepting a signal. The digital backhaul refers to the SDR’s ability to transmit and receive data over a digital interface.

This characteristic is particularly critical in applications such as electronic warfare, where the ability to process and analyze large amounts of data rapidly is essential. An SDR with a highspeed digital backhaul can quickly transmit data to other systems for further analysis, processing, and storage with minimum loss of information.

Per Vices Cyan The Cyan SDR is a high-end COTS SDR with unique features that make it well-suited for a broad range of critical applications. Being the power horse of the Per Vices portfolio, this transceiver boasts a tuning range from near DC to up to 18 GHz, making it ideal for high-frequency applications in EW and radars.

The SDR also has a high channel count of up to 16 independent radio chains, allowing for multiple simultaneous Tx and Rx channels, which enables the device to work as an allin-one solution, or significantly scaling the captured bandwidth in spectrum monitoring by assigning different portions of the spectrum to each channel - with each channel offering either 1 GHz or 3 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth with 32 bit or 24-bit resolution. Regarding dynamic range, the Cyan SDR provides 25-70 dB, with a spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 65 dB. Additionally, the Cyan SDR has a wideband digital backhaul capability of up to 4x40Gbps (or 4x100Gbps in the high bandwidth version) over optical qSFP+ links, providing increased data throughput and low latency for applications such as real-time spectrum analysis and large-scale data acquisition. With these specifications, the Cyan SDR is a powerful tool for high-speed data capture applications, including signal analysis, beamforming, and

target tracking. The digital backend is based on the Intel Stratix 10 FPGA SoC, making it highly versatile in terms of available FPGA resources while also providing onboard DSP capabilities that are unmatched and a ready-to-use host interface capable of working with powerful host software applications as well as a host system solution also offered by the manufacturer.

Xilinx Zynq-Ultrascale+ ZU28DR RFSoC as the digital backend, with 12-bit resolution DAC and 14-bit ADC, providing powerful computation capabilities and fair resolution.

It contains 4 Rx and 4 Tx channels in a halfwide RU form factor, which offers high channel density, although the number of channels per device is significantly smaller than the others

Figure 2: Per Vices Cyan. Source: https://www.pervices.com/cyan/

Because of its powerful capabilities, the Cyan SDR may not be the best choice for applications requiring a strictly small SWaP (size, weight, and power) profile. In these cases, other SDR models, such as the Crimson TNG and the Chestnut (also from Per Vices), are more suitable for the job, as they have lower channel counts and smaller form factors while still maintaining high-performance capabilities.

Overall, the Per Vices Cyan SDR is a versatile and powerful tool well-suited for a wide range of applications in the defense industry, making it a strong contender in the high-performance SDR markets.

National Instruments USRP X410 The next SDR in our list is a powerful representative of the popular Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) family of SDRs, developed by National Instruments: the USRP X410. This device implements a

being compared. Each channel can tune from 1MHz to near 8GHz, with up to 400 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth, which is enough for many applications but is limited in critical scenarios, such as spectrum monitoring. Its relatively low power consumption and form factor make it an attractive option for portable, onboard, and battery-powered applications.

Compared to other SDRs, the USRP X410 is particularly suited for applications that require real-time signal processing and rapid prototyping. Its compatibility with popular software platforms like LabVIEW and MATLAB makes it easy for engineers and researchers to develop and test new applications. Regarding backhaul, the USRP X410 offers two QSFP28 ports with 10/100 GbE, providing a solid host interface for high-throughput data communication.

One of the main advantages of this

Figure 3: National Instruments USRP X410. Source: https://www.ni.com/pt-pt/support/model.ettus-usrp-x410.html COTS Journal | March 2023

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Its tuning range extends from 20 MHz to 18 GHz with instantaneous bandwidth up to 1 GHz per channel.

transceiver is that USRP SDRs, in general, are designed to be open-source, enabling users to modify and customize the firmware and software to meet their specific needs. USRP SDRs offer a powerful and flexible platform for RF experimentation and development.

However, the USRP X410 is limited regarding channel count compared to other highperformance SDRs, like the Cyan. This may make it less suitable for applications that require a high number of independent RF chains. Its bandwidth is also not as high as some other SDRs on the market, although 400 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth is sufficient for many applications. Overall, the USRP X410 is a powerful and flexible SDR well-suited for a wide range of applications in the defense and telecommunications industries.

Herrick Labs HTLw Herrick Labs HTLw is another highperformance SDR with exceptional application capabilities, including radar, electronic warfare, and spectrum monitoring. Its tuning range extends from 20 MHz to 18 GHz with instantaneous bandwidth up to 1 GHz per channel. With four Rx and four Tx channels, it may not match the channel count of Per Vices Cyan, but it offers a more focused and dedicated solution for specific applications.

A significant advantage of the HTLw is its low phase noise, which, combined with the high bandwidth, makes it ideal for applications that require accurate and reliable frequency measurements, such as spectrum monitoring.

The digital backend provides a powerful

FPGA with integrated ARM9 cores with NEON coprocessors, capable of implementing modern waveforms and heavy signal processing.

Regarding digital backhaul, the HTLw provides 2x10 GbE Ethernet ports, meaning that it supports lower throughput of data than the other SDRs in our list and limits the utility of the high bandwidth unless the processing is completed onboard the device. The HTLw also provides a significantly small form factor, which makes it suitable for onboard applications and low SWaP requirements.

A significant advantage of this transceiver is its open architecture, which includes an SDK with a board support package to enable fast development of new features and capabilities, making it highly versatile for user adaptations and upgrades. It also provides up to 80dB SFDR at the front end, which is fairly higher than some other SDRs, providing accurate operation and reliable signal integrity.

Conclusion In this article, we compared three topperforming COTS SDRs in the market for critical EW and defense applications such as radar, spectrum monitoring, and SIGINT. We evaluated each SDR based on four key hardware specifications: tuning range, channel count, sampling bandwidth, and digital backhaul.

Per Vices Cyan, NI USRP X410 and Herrick Labs HTLw have been compared, and each one demonstrated exceptional hardware capabilities in the analyzed parameters and a broad applicability range in the target industry.

Figure 4: Herrick Labs HTLw. Source: https://www.herricktechlabs.com/htl-products-and-solutions/htl-core-radios/ 16

COTS Journal | March 2023

The table shows that the Per Vices Cyan has

the highest instantaneous bandwidth and the highest number of channels of all three, making it very suitable for radar, spectrum monitoring, SIGINT equipment, jammers, anti-jammers, and general EW devices. The high bandwidth also makes it useful for processing large amounts of data in real-time, which is further enabled by the powerful qSFP+-based backhaul.

However, it may not be the most suitable option for applications with size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints. The Herrick Labs HTLw, for instance, provides similar frequency specifications with a much smaller form factor at the cost of lower channel count and digital backhaul throughput, making it better suited for applications that require very low SWaP and high-frequency performance. The HTLw provides higher SFDR, which is excellent for increased accuracy and precision. However, the backhaul speed is lower than our other contestants, which may be a limitation for highspeed applications with vast amounts of data.

Although the NI USRP X410 provides slightly less overall performance in terms of frequency, its small form factor and open-source architecture make it an excellent choice for fast prototyping and non-critical applications, as it offers more onboard development. Comparing the top-performing SDRs for these applications,

Table 1: SDR comparison.

all three transceivers provide impressive capabilities and features. While each SDR has pros and cons, understanding the performance parameters and their application-specific benefits is crucial when selecting the most appropriate solution for a particular use case.

Company Info Per Vices has extensive experience designing, developing, and building SDRs for radars, spectrum

monitoring and recording, data acquisition, signals intelligence, and EW applications. Contact solutions@ pervices.com today to see how we can help you with your testing needs.

Note This article was written based on publicly available information. Any names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

COTS Journal | March 2023

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

5 Ways to Eliminate Ground Loops

By CAS DataLoggers A Brief Introduction Most workers already know that proper grounding is a fundamental safety precaution for all kinds of electrical equipment. However, it’s less well known that while grounding can prevent and resolve many safety and power issues, improper grounding can create problems in data logging, data acquisition, and measurement and control systems.

One of the most common problems is known as ground loop feedback–an electrical phenomenon often resulting when different electrical circuits within a system and its peripherals have different connections or paths back to earth ground. Furthermore, this can also be a seasonal issue where problems come and go based on climatic conditions.

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The Application Specialists at CAS DataLoggers have put together this brief introduction on the subject.

Ground Loop Feedback Explaned Ground loop feedback is a frequently encountered wiring issue arising when two or more connected electrical devices have more than one path to earth ground. Together, the separate paths form a loop. Electrical and magnetic fields which flow through the loop can generate unintended currents and voltages. Or, the ground points of the different devices may not be at the same potential voltage due to current and resistance in the ground path. The net effect is that while it is believed that the devices have the same ground reference point, in fact, they don’t, and this difference can appear as a simple

offset in measured values or as signal noise that corrupts the devices’ normal operation.

Whether using different safety grounds or a safety ground and an earth ground, one of the most common examples is buzzing/humming sounds caused by currents induced in ground loops from mains (60 Hz) AC power. In video applications, users will notice this feedback in the form of onscreen stripes, while computer and networking users can experience shutdowns or gaps in their data communication. Engineers and technicians collecting data often find that their readings and data show offsets that may change over time or noise in the measured values. In a worst-case scenario, this could cause an interruption in operations since many businesses heavily rely on PLCs and measurement

systems for process and machine control, quality control, final test, etc.–yet ground loops often escape troubleshooting investigations and are equally neglected as a factor in many installations, arising later when electrical configuration or environmental conditions change.

Computers, data loggers, and data acquisition/control systems are normally connected to the ground through their AC power supply and the ground pin on the plug that goes into the wall outlet that shares the ground wire in common building wiring. These devices may also be connected to each other by data communications cables. Ethernet cables are pretty good at maintaining ground isolation but serial communications cables, RS232 for example, have their own ground conductor. Now if the computer is plugged into an outlet in one area of the building and an RS232 device it is connected to is in a different area of the building it can create a multi-path connection and a ground loop.

Another example is a computer controlling a piece of manufacturing equipment. The computer is probably plugged into a standard 110VAC out but the manufacturing machine may require 220 or 480VAC so it is fed from a different breaker panel than the PC. Each break-

Figure 1: Changing magnetic field causes current in the shield and low side of signal

er panel can have its own local ground stakes.

Ideally, these ground stakes are supposed to be no resistance on that ground wire and no voltage drop. However, we have seen cases where, for whatever reason, there is resistance in the path to local ground. It could be a bad connec-

tion on one of the ground wires or it could be that at certain times of the year, the area around the ground stake becomes very dry and there is some non-zero resistance to true earth ground.

The result is that the computer and the machine it is controlling don’t share the same true ground which can result in erratic operation or even complete shutdown.

Ground loops can also affect low-level measurements through the effect of cabling. Normally, for sensitive measurements, a shielded cable will be used where the purpose of the shield is to protect the signal from any electromagnetic interference in the environment. For correct operation, the shield should be connected to the ground only at one end, this way electrical interference in the environment will be collected by the shield and carried to the ground keeping the sensitive signal clean. However, if by mistake the shield is connected to the ground at both ends it will immediately create a potential ground loop. Now any electrical interference in the environment will create a current in the shield which will then be coupled directly to the signal being measured in the form of electrical noise.

Increasingly, ground loop feedback poses a threat to industrial processes given the sensitivity of newer electrical equipment. As an example, the more recent variable frequency AC drives can be controlled by an external analog voltage signal. These drives may have a sensitive input front end and when encountering noise on the control signal, the drives can experience errors or even failure.

Feedback as well as five steps to reduce and prevent ground loops from occurring.

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March 2023

COT’S PICKS Microchip Launches Radiation-Tolerant Power Management Device Targeting Low-Earth Orbit Space Applications Space system developers can quickly develop prototypes and final designs for their power management system with a radiation-tolerant device based on a familiar plastic COTS device The commercialization of the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) region is transforming space exploration and satellite communication at roughly 1,200 miles above Earth. For satellites to operate successfully and reach their destination, selecting components that can withstand the harsh space environment is essential. Building on its existing radiation-tolerant portfolio, Microchip Technology Inc. announces the introduction of its first commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) rad-tolerant power device with the MIC69303RT 3A Low-Dropout (LDO) Voltage Regulator. The new high-current, low-voltage MIC69303RT is a power management solution targeting LEO and other space applications.

The device is available for prototype sampling in plastic and hermetic ceramic to support the mission’s requirements.

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The MIC69303RT is a companion power source solution for Microchip’s radiation-tolerant space-qualified microcontrollers, such as the SAM71Q21RT and PolarFire® FPGAs, including the RTPF500TLS. The MIC69303RT is based on proven COTS devices, making conducting a preliminary evaluation and early development easier. Operating from a single low-voltage supply of 1.65 to 5.5 volts, the device can supply output voltages as low as 0.5V at high currents, offering high-precision and ultra-low dropout voltages of 500 mV under extreme conditions.

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

“This COTS rad-tolerant power management solution enables new design possibilities in space applications,” said Keith Pazul, director of marketing for Microchip’s analog power

and interface business unit. “Customers can confidently design their space system by selecting the COTS MIC69303RT space-qualified part to power Microchip space-qualified MCUs and FPGAs.” Designed for harsh aerospace applications, the MIC69303RT is operational in temperature ranges from -55°C to +125°C. It is offered in 8-pin and 10-pin package configurations with radiation tolerance up to 50 Krad. The low noise of the output is critical to sensitive RF circuits, the post-regulation of switching power supplies, and industrial power applications.

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

Microchip microchip.com

March 2023

COT’S PICKS Mercury Unveils the Industry’s First Signal Processing Board To Feature Intel’s Latest Direct RF Technology

Mercury Systems, Inc. introduced a new COTS open-architecture board that delivers the latest commercial signal processing technology for aerospace and defense applications, driving higher performance from a smaller form factor.

The DRF3182 Direct RF Processing Module is the first standard product purpose-built for the aerospace and defense industry that leverages Intel’s new Stratix® 10 AX SoC field programmable gate array (FPGA), which adds a critical capability to the Mercury Processing Platform by enabling the direct digitization and processing of broadband RF signals.

Unlike traditional systems that use costly analog frequency conversion hardware, direct RF technology allows the direct processing of broadband signals. Designed for radar and electronic warfare (EW), this technology can enhance a wide range of applications, including software-defined radio and communications. This streamlined architecture reduces the total system size and cost while increasing flexibility.

Why it Matters Today’s rapidly evolving threat environment requires deploying advanced processing capabilities to the tactical edge. Through deep collaboration with Intel, Mercury has set a new standard for performance that will ensure modern EW and radar systems can provide a decisive advantage to US and allied forces and make the world safer and more secure.

ProtoLogic EDS and DDC-I Announce Ruggedized, Safety-Critical COTS Avionics Display Platform

DO-178C Design Assurance Level A (DAL-A) verified ARINC-653 and FACE™ 3.1 conformant software environment in single or multi-core configurations.

Delivers advanced AMLCD display technology, configurable I/O, and middleware coupled with a FACE-conformant, safety-critical multi-core RTOS, certifiable to DO-178C DAL-A

“We’re pleased to team with DDC-I to offer the industry a fully integrated COTS display system to commercial and military avionics developers,” added Chris Haan, Vice President of Business Development at ProtoLogic EDS. “Our hardware platform has everything avionics developers need to hit the ground running with readily certifiable value-added display applications. The quality, support, and performance of the Deos RTOS have proven that we made a good decision to work with DDC-I, and we already have positive feedback from our customers as well.”

ProtoLogic EDS, an industry leader in ruggedized avionics displays and display processors, and DDC-I, a leading supplier of safety-critical operating systems and tools, announced that they had joined forces to offer a turnkey, open COTS display platform for avionics. The integrated open COTS platform features ProtoLogic EDS’ ruggedized flat panel AMLCD display, processor, and reconfigurable I/O modules running DDC-I’s Deos™

“To maintain technological superiority in today’s complex geopolitical landscape, next-generation radar, and EW systems must leverage the latest commercially developed signal processing semiconductor devices,” said Kevin Beals, Vice President and General Manager of Mercury’s Signal business. “The DRF3182 Direct RF Processing Module utilizes Intel’s latest direct RF technology to significantly increase the processing density of modern radar and EW systems.”

Mercury Systems, Inc. mrcy.com

“This is an integrated, cost-effective, COTS DO-178C DAL-A certifiable display platform for the avionics market,” said Greg Rose, vice president of marketing and product management at DDC-I. “Protologic has taken a progressive and unique step towards offering the glass display, electronics, base software environment, and middleware and integrated and packaged these components as a display platform. Together, this reduces risk and time to market for avionics developers by enabling them to focus on application development.”

ProtoLogic EDS’s ruggedized AMLCD display modules and systems feature high-resolution, sunlight readable displays, with integrated CPU/ GPU, video processor, and analog and digital interfaces and data I/O processors in an expandable open architecture. ProtoLogic’s products are fully certifiable (DO-178/254) and support custom and industry standards (FACE, OpenGL, MOSA, SOSA, HOST) and are designed to withstand the harshest environments (DO-160/MIL-STD-810/461/462).

Deos is a safety-critical embedded RTOS that employs patented cache partitioning, memory pools, and safe scheduling to deliver higher CPU utilization than other certifiable safety-critical COTS RTOS on multi-core processors. First certified to DO-178 DAL A in 1998, Deos provides a FACE Conformant Safety Base and Safety Extended Profiles that feature hard real-time response, time and space partitioning, and Rate Monotonic, ARINC-653, and POSIX interfaces.

ProtoLogic EDS protologiceds.com

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March 2023

COT’S

Spectrum Control Announces Modular EMI Filters That Meet Global Regulations and Provide Cost and Time Efficiencies Spectrum Control announces a family of modular AC power EMI filters that help satisfy global EMC regulations, improve time-to-market, address space constraints, and withstand harsh environmental conditions in commercial and military/ aerospace systems. Leveraging APITech’s seven decades of market leadership, the EMI filters are available in 27 configurations to fit virtually any design, providing time and cost efficiencies compared to custom solutions, especially those where SWaP-C is a critical factor.

The APITech modular EMI filters provide engineers with a solution to help reduce time-to-revenue for their products. They have the industry’s shortest lead times of only 6-8 weeks and are recognized by UL 60939-3 and CSA 22.2 No. 8-13, eliminating the need for customers to endure expensive and time-consuming certification processes.

The complete SEGGER ecosystem fully supports ST’s new MPUs VSEGGER announces that its J-Link debug probes, Flasher in-circuit programmers, Empower OS, and the development tools Embedded Studio, SystemView, and Ozone fully support the new STM32MP13 family of MPUs from STMicroelectronics, serving as a reliable foundation for any embedded software project.

“We are happy to extend our cooperation with ST in supporting their new MPU family from

The modular EMI filters have a rugged, highly reliable design with high common-mode (CM) and differential-mode (DM) attenuation. Ideally suited for 120 and 240 volts AC in 50 Hz and 60 Hz applications, they provide excellent insertion loss characteristics at 1 GHz and above. The operating temperature under full load is +65° C, above the industry standard of +40° C.

modular filters. They are well suited for emerging designs in various applications, including industrial automation and controls, renewable energy and smart grids, medical equipment, and telecommunications and data/cloud storage systems. The modular EMI filters can also eliminate interference in systems used for transportation and military surface systems.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can be significantly reduced or eliminated by integrating

Spectrum Control spectrumcontrol.com

the get-go,” says Dirk Akemann, Marketing Manager at SEGGER. “This starts with our development tools and continues to SEGGER’s high-speed in-circuit production tools. We pave the road from start to finish - development to mass production.”

SEGGER J-Links are the most widely used line of debug probes on the market. Features include record-breaking high-performance flash loaders, up to 4 MB/s download speed, and the ability to set an unlimited number of breakpoints in the flash memory of MCUs.

al in-circuit programmers designed to be used in service environments, prototype programming, and for mass production. They program the flash (non-volatile) memory of microcontrollers and Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) as well as (Q)SPI flashes.

SEGGER Flashers are a family of profession-

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor company creating and delivering microchips for embedded systems - the hidden part of our world today. emPower OS is a complete operating system for embedded systems and IoT devices, including an RTOS, file system, user interface, web server, connectivity libraries, security algorithms, and IP. This makes it the all-in-one solution for any CPU, manufacturer, or cloud. Components are also available individually.

The development tools include SEGGER’s leading multi-platform IDE Embedded Studio, the real-time software analysis tool SystemView, and the J-Link debugger and performance analyzer Ozone.

Their chips are used in products as diverse as electric cars and key fobs, giant factory machines and data centers, washing machines and hard disks, smartphones, and toothbrushes.

Segger segger.com

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March 2023

COT’S PICKS KYOCERA AVX Announces New MILPRF-32535 BME NP0 MLCCs Approved to the DLA QPD

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

EKYOCERA AVX, a leading global manufacturer of advanced electronic components engineered to accelerate technological innovation and build a better future, is proud to announce that its MIL-PRF-32535 BME NP0 MLCCs have been approved to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Qualified Products Database (QPD).

The new MIL-PRF-32535 BME NP0 MLCCs have higher CV capabilities than standard surface-mount PME MLCCs qualified to military and aerospace specifications and are currently available in “M” and “T” reliability levels and 0402, 0603, and 0805 case sizes and rated for 68–1,500pF and 4–100V. These small, high-CV MLCCs enable revolutionary board space, weight, and compo-

nent count reductions. They also feature KYOCERA AVX’s patented FLEXITERM® termination technology, which, compared to standard terminations, significantly enhances resistance to the thermomechanical stresses experienced during assembly and operation.

MIL-PRF-32535 BME NP0 MLCCs are approved for use in high-reliability military and aerospace applications including filtering, tuning, decoupling, timing, and blocking circuits.

“We have been honing and perfecting bestin-class BME MLCC technology since the 1990s.

We are proud to extend further our portfolio of tested and proven high-CV solutions qualified for use in high-reliability military and aerospace applications,” said Michael Conway, Product & Marketing Manager – High-Reliability Components, KYOCERA AVX. “The new MIL-PRF-32535 BME NP0 series is the latest development in our enduring mission to meet our high-rel customers’ needs. It satisfies a growing demand for smaller, high-CV, military-qualified capacitor technology.

We will continue to expand this product range and this portfolio to meet the ever-evolving demands of the global military and aerospace industry.”

Lead time for the series is currently 22 weeks for M-level reliability parts (Group A) and 38 weeks for T-level reliability parts (Groups A and B). However, lead times could be shorter if the parts are in stock at an authorized distributor, such as Avnet, Arrow, and TTI. KYOCERA AVX recommends using its Engineering Module (EM) Range X7R BME MLCCs for prototype and verification designs for non-flight prototypes. This series covers capacitors in the ESCC 3009041, NASA S311-P838, and MIL 32535 ranges and uses the same materials as the fully qualified part numbers without the final DLA and European Space Components Coordination (ESCC) testing and screening processes and QPD/ QPL listings. Hence, it’s available with shorter lead times.

KYOCERA AVX kyocera-avx.com

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March 2023

COT’S PICKS Test and Validate Multisensor Systems Efficiently with the New dSPACE Sensor Simulation PC HPP

The need for testing and the effort required to validate self-driving cars is continuously increasing and increasing demands on simulation solutions’ performance. Accompanying development, realistic simulation of the vehicle environment, and the physical sensor characteristics are essential to validate ADAS/AD driving functions. dSPACE has supplemented its simulation platform for realistic sensor simulation with the particularly performant Sensor Simulation (SensorSim) PC HPP. With the latest Intel® XEON® Gold processors and the possibility to equip the systems with up to two NVIDIA graphics cards, the SensorSim PC

Percepio to support new PX5 RTOS with Tracealyzer tool APercepio AB has partnered with PX5 to support the launching of a new real-time operating system (RTOS). PX5 has been set up by Bill Lamie, the former chief technology officer of Express Logic and architect of the Nucleus and ThreadX (Azure RTOS) real-time operating systems.

The industrial-grade PX5 RTOS, launched today, is an advanced, fifth-generation RTOS designed for the most demanding embedded applications. The PX5 RTOS features a native implementation of the industry standard POSIX pThreads API and best-of-class size, performance, safety, and security. In addition to the native POSIX pThread support with semaphores and message queues, the PX5 RTOS also offers real-time extensions such as event flags, fast queues, tick timers, memory management, and more.

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HPP offers significantly more power, better scalability, and efficiency for the fast and precise calculation of physics-based models of radar, lidar, and camera sensors. In addition, the dual-GPU operation and high computational performance of the SensorSim PC HPP allow significantly more compact multisensor test setups to be implemented than the previously available systems.

The SensorSim PC HPP enabled deterministic real-time sensor simulation with realistic mapping accuracy and high resolution and was developed for professional high-load testing (24/7) according to automotive reliability standards. The PX5 enables a wide range of open-source and commercial software stacks to run on real-time embedded IoT platforms. This results in reduced time-to-market, improved firmware quality, and portability across platforms that help enhance the device maker’s firmware development investment.

PX5 will integrate the Percepio® Tracealyzer® trace recorder, and Percepio will support the new PX5 RTOS with a commercially available version.

“PX5 RTOS is purpose-built to deliver benefits across all IoT sectors, including commercial and safety-critical applications,” said Bill Lamie, President of PX5. “We are excited to partner with Percepio, a leader in embedded run-time system visualization. It’s hard to correct an issue if you can’t see it. With Tracealyzer, developers can see exactly what is taking place before a system crashes. Developers can also leverage this visualization to better understand the firmware, making it easier to

simulation output (3-D point cloud, target lists, or RAW data format) can be used for data feed into both hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-theloop test applications.

The SensorSim PC HPP is fully compatible with other dSPACE ADAS/AD toolchain components and can be combined with dSPACE hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) simulation platforms such as SCALEXIO or VEOS. dSPACE dspace.com

enhance and optimize its operation. Once you use Tracealyzer, you won’t want to develop without it!”

“Being part of the launch of PX5 is exciting for Percepio,” says Johan Kraft, founder, and CTO of Percepio. “pThreads is a valuable tool to embedded real-time engineers and combined with the other features in PX5 will supercharge the ability of Tracealyzer to monitor the performance of software running on all kinds of embedded systems across the IoT.” The trace recorder in Tracealyzer 4.6 is designed to be easy to port to platforms such as PX5 to efficiently monitor deployed IoT systems and trace multi-core systems. It allows developers to capture long software traces, spanning hours or even days, for example, for burn-in testing or profiling or when looking for rare errors.

A trace snapshot feature also works with DevAlert®, Percepio’s cloud service for monitoring deployed IoT devices. DevAlert customers can see their device issues in the field and download traces of the issues into Tracealyzer for easier debugging.

Percepio percepio.com

March 2023

COT’S PICKS Gemstar Protective Hard Cases Expands Stronghold® line with 19 New Size

Case (LLRC) standards. Most importantly, they can be customized internally to protect sensitive assets properly. Stronghold cases are available in over 145 sizes, including non-published sizes.

Gemstar Protective Hard Cases announces the expansion of the Stronghold ® hard case line with 19 new sizes. Adding these new hard cases increases the number of Gemstar’s premier line of hard cases to 134 standard dimensions. These new dimensions come on top of the 91 new standard sizes introduced by Gemstar in its Stronghold line in 2022.

“We added these new dimensions to our Stronghold line based on our long history with military, aeronautics, and medical device customers that need premium hard cases to transport sensitive equipment,” said Kevin Paulson, Director of Products for Gemstar Manufacturing. “Having these dimensions ready to go allows us to increase our speed in meeting the needs of our customers.”

The military, aerospace, aviation, medical device, industrial, and commercial customers rely on Gemstar Stronghold hard cases for their quality, precision, and ability to be customized to meet a specific need. Manufactured with Gemstar’s exclusive robotic rotational molded process, Stronghold double-walled hard cases are airtight, watertight, and built to last years of use.

Gemstar designs, create and tests highly technical solutions to meet any industrial or commercial application. Gemstar is proud to be the first manufacturer in the United States to offer robotic rotational molding. Gemstar’s proprietary Robomold ® manufacturing technology provides precision plastic solutions with fully automated capabilities. Robomold technology provides product consistency, repeatability, material control, and superior quality. This technology allows Gemstar to produce cutting-edge plastic solutions, such as multi-layer products not previously available in conventional rotational molding.

Stronghold cases boast GSR™ high-performance resin, patented latches, rubberized spring-loaded handles, recessed hardware, and interlocking stackability. This military-grade hard case is designed and tested to meet or exceed MIL-STD 810F and military Long Life Reusable.

Gemstar Protective Hard Cases gemstarmfg.com

Announcing the release of “vintage” Windows images ARS Technologies are releasing two older Windows release images: - Windows 98 SE (second edition) https://arstech.com/install/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=img-w98 - Windows ME (millennium edition) - https://arstech.com/install/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=img-wME - both Windows 98 SE & Windows ME - https://arstech.com/install/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=img-wME-w98 These operating systems were a product of Microsoft. They are no longer sold or maintained

by Microsoft.

No longer can modern computer hardware install and boot older Windows operating systems.

However, these images are booted and used under dosbox-x environment as a “guest” operating system, under a modern Windows, Mac OS, or Linux 64bit “host” operating system. Documentation on dosbox-x - https://dosbox-x.com/wiki/ Before installing and using these older operating systems images, the Users confirm that they previously owned a legal copy of an older operating system by Microsoft.

The current use may be considered as a replacement.

Image details: - Windows 98 SE - size 250MB - Windows ME - size 1GB Supports loading and running of: - 16bit DOS applications and drivers - 16bit Windows 3.1, 3.11 applications and drivers - 32bit applications with direct access to i/o ports - 32bit applications with .vxd type of drivers - 32bit applications with .sys type of drivers, with .inf install ARS Technologies arstech.com

COTS Journal | March 2023

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March 2023

COT’S PICKS Anritsu Partners with VDI to Introduce Frequency Extender Modules to Bring Best-in-Class Performance to Sub-THz Applications

Anritsu Company introduces frequency extender modules for its Rubidium™ line of signal generators, in partnership with Virginia Diodes, Inc. (VDI). Covering 50 GHz to 1100 GHz, the modules complement Rubidium’s best-in-class performance by providing the industry’s broadest frequency coverage and best output power to create a sub-THz signal generator solution for emerging scientific, wireless communications systems and body and material scanner applications.

Rubidium outperforms all other signal generators in its class in phase noise and harmonic/ spurious by a substantial margin. The performance advantages are preserved at sub-THz frequencies.

The integrated solution brings significant signal purity and output power benefits to sub-THz design environments. Engineers realize the industry’s highest output power at THz frequencies when the VDI frequency extender modules are used with Rubidium signal generators. The VDI modules offer high test port power, voltage-controlled RF attenuation, and TTL-controlled ON/ OFF modulation rates to a few kHz as standard.

Each frequency extender module has two multipliers, which can be configured to allow input signals in two frequency bands. One multiplier has low-frequency input for < 20 GHz and ten dBm input level, and the other has high-frequency input for < 50 GHz and 0 dBm input level.

The Rubidium-VDI signal generation solution meets the growing demand for emerging sub-THz radio spectrum designs. It can be used to develop satellite services, radio astronomy, earth exploration, and meteorology applications. Wireless communication systems focusing on the W band (90 GHz to 120 GHz) and D band (130 GHz to 170 GHz) and inter-satellite links operating at 220 GHz to 330 GHz are also applications for which the solution is designed.

“VDI strives to produce the highest quality test and measurement solutions for the mmWave, sub-THz, and THz frequency ranges through frequency extension of existing microwave test infrastructure. Achieving this requires continual innovation and development to integrate leading-edge active devices with our in-house Schottky diode technology to meet tomorrow’s measurement challenges,” said Cliff Rowland, V.P. Business Development, VDI. “VDI is excited to work with Anritsu to combine our high-frequency SGX extension modules with its new signal generation capability to bring high-performance solutions to the market.”

Pasternack Releases New, Low-PIM, In-Building DAS Antennas

without creating eyesores or potential interference with indoor personnel.

New Series of Low-PIM DAS Antennas Offers Broad Coverage.

Additional features of these low-PIM DAS antennas include better than -150 dBc PIM ratings, N female and 4.3-10 connector options, and four-port (4x4) MIMO capabilities for increased 5G data speeds up to four times greater than a single antenna.

Pasternack has just introduced an innovative series of low-PIM, in-building DAS antennas that meet the most demanding low-PIM requirements for 5G and LTE/4G bands.

Pasternack’s new, low-PIM DAS antennas provide low internal noise for increased throughput, data speeds, and connection quality, allowing more users to connect to your network. The product release includes both ceiling-mount and wall-mount DAS antennas.

Covering the 600, 700, 800, 850, 900, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2600, 3500, and 5800 bands, this lowPIM, in-building DAS antennas achieve greater LTE and 5G throughout the globe. Low-profile designs allow for seamless indoor installation 26

COTS Journal | March 2023

“Our new low-PIM, in-building DAS antennas efficiently distribute our customers’ wireless coverage and capacity inside buildings or other structures. With superior performance and coverage of the full sub-6 GHz 5G band, these antennas are ideal for addressing the most challenging low-PIM requirements for 5G and LTE/4G band applications,” said Kevin Hietpas, Product Line Manager.

Pasternack pasternack.com

Rubidium Delivers New Level of Performance The Rubidium signal generator family delivers outstanding signal purity and frequency stability, even at high output power levels, across a broad frequency range of 9 kHz to 43.5 GHz. Rubidium has a built-in, easy-to-use, at-location frequency and power calibration capability. It offers exceptional utility and long-term value in various commercial, scientific, and military/aerospace measurement applications.

Rubidium offers an order of magnitude with better frequency stability than other signal generators using an OCXO-based reference. The signal generators offer groundbreaking low single sideband (SSB) phase noise of -136 dBc/Hz (typical) and -140 dBc/Hz (measured) at 10 GHz and 10 kHz offset that is unmatched in the industry. Coupled with best-in-class harmonic and spurious performance, Rubidium signal generators enable customers to make highly accurate measurements.

Cincoze Cincoze.com

COTS COTS

Index

ADVERTISERS Company Page # Annapolis Micro Systems ....................................... 4

Website ........................................ www.annapmicro.com

Behlman Electronics .............................................

BC

............................................. www.behlman.com

CMSE .....................................................................

6

................................. www.tjgreenllc.com/cmse/

Great River Technology .........................................

12

..................................... www.greatrivertech.com

Holo Industries ......................................................

5

................................................ www.holoind.com

Interface Concept .................................................

IBC

................................. www.interfaceconcept.com

OTEK .....................................................................

4/7

.............................................. www.otekcorp.com

Pentek ..................................................................

IFC

................................................. www.pentek.com

PICO Electronics, Inc ............................................. 9/IBC

.................................... www.picoelectronics.com

Pixus Technologies .................................................

19

................................ www.pixustechnologies.com

Sealevel .................................................................

10

............................................... www.sealevel.com

SECO ......................................................................

17

..................................................... www.seco.com

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

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