COT Journal, August 2024

speed to July 2024, Volume 26 – Number 87 • cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL

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Demand is Booming Again for Defense Manufacturers!

They Need to Hit the Digital Production Pedal at Full Speed to Meet the Renewed Demand.

Automated Test Equipment: Declaring Hardware Independence

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 FEATURE 14

Demand is booming again for defense manufacturers!

They need to hit the digital production pedal at full speed to meet the renewed demand

DEPARTMENTS 6

The Inside Track

By Samuel Walker, IBA International

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 18

Automated Test Equipment: Declaring Hardware Independence

By Joe Engler, President - Intepro Systems

COT’S PICKS 22

Editor’s Choice for August

Cover Image: Shooting Stars An Abrams tank fires at a target during night live-fire training near Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 12, 2024. The training was part of Operation Pacific Fortitude, which supports the U.S. alliance with South Korea by deploying forces and transporting equipment to validate unit readiness.

COTS Journal | August 2024

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL EDITORIAL

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COTS Journal | August 2024

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Boeing, U.S. Air Force Definitize Contract for Two Rapid Prototype E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Boeing has been awarded a $2.56 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force for two rapid prototype E-7A AEW&C Wedgetail aircraft.

The contract includes lifecycle development, training, and support for the Air Force’s E-7A fleet.

The combat-proven E-7A Wedgetail provides targeted tracking and battle management command-and-control capabilities to joint forces for a “first to detect, first to engage” advantage. The E-7 AEW&C platform is in service with the Royal Australian Air Force, the Republic of Korea Air Force (E-737 Peace Eye), and the Turkish Air Force (E-7T Peace Eagle).

“Global operators are proving that the E-7 AEW&C is a critical node for air superiority in the modern battlespace,” said Boeing Vice President and E-7 Program Manager Stu

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Voboril. “Our partnership with the U.S. Air Force focuses on stable, predictable execution to deliver crucial mission-ready capabilities today. This will put us on the path for the long-term growth of the aircraft and mission.”

Built on the Boeing 737-700 NG airframe, the E-7 AEW&C aircraft offers lower operating and sustainment costs, higher mission readiness rates, and unmatched interoperability among a growing global user community.

“Our customers urgently need integrated battlespace awareness and battle management,” said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers division. “The E-7A is the airspace lynchpin to continuously scan the skies, command and control the battlespace, and integrate all-do-

main data, providing a decisive advantage against threats. With our open systems architecture approach, capabilities can be rapidly inserted over time as threats evolve.”

In addition to the rapid prototype E-7A AEW&C aircraft being built for the U.S. Air Force, Boeing is currently producing three E-7As for the Royal Air Force, with military modifications underway in the United Kingdom. Additionally, NATO has selected the E-7A as its preferred AEW&C solution.

The Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and U.S. Air Force have a Wedgetail trilateral cooperation agreement relating to E-7 aircraft capability development, evaluation and testing, interoperability, sustainment, operations, training, and safety.

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NAVWAR’s New Commander: Rear Adm. Okano Takes Charge as Rear Adm. Small Retires After Distinguished Service

Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) conducted a change of command and retirement ceremony at its headquarters in San Diego on Aug. 9. Rear Adm. Seiko Okano relieved Rear Adm. Doug Small as commander of NAVWAR, and family, friends, colleagues, and industry partners were in attendance.

Vice Adm. John Wade, commander of the Third Fleet, was presiding officer of the ceremony. “I’ve known Rear Adm. Okano for many years now. This is the fourth change of command where she’s followed in Rear Adm. Small’s footsteps,” he said. “There is no better person to sustain and increase the momentum he’s made with NAVWAR. I look forward to serving with you and the NAVWAR team as we continue to bring capability forward.”

A native of Evanston, Illinois, Okano graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, where she earned a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering. From there, she earned a master’s in space systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, where she was also selected for transfer to the engineering duty officer community in 2001.

Her operational tours include gunnery, fire control officer, and electrical division officer on USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), which she deployed to Somalia, and Amphibious Force 7th Fleet flag aide in Okinawa, Japan. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, she served on Joint Crew Composite Squadron One in Tikrit, Iraq, to assist with defeating radio-controlled improvised explosive devices.

Okano has also had several tours in acquisition, starting with Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego; Missile Defense Agency, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System; Military Satellite Communications Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center; and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California.

Her previous assignment was as program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems in Washington, D.C. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime to lead this exceptional organization, one that stands

the watch day and night for our Navy’s Information Warfare capabilities and fights every day to ‘own the domain,’” said Okano. “We live in a time when information dominance is critical to national security.

In this dynamic environment, our mission is clear: to deliver and sustain superior Information Warfare capabilities, enabling our Navy to fight and win in the information age.”

As NAVWAR Commander, Okano will oversee 11,000 civilian and military personnel who design, develop, and deploy advanced communications and information capabilities for the Department of the Navy. She also takes over as head of Project Overmatch, a high-level initiative to deliver rapid integration systems and field a new naval operating architecture.

According to a recent economic impact report by the San Diego Military Advisory Council and the University of San Diego Knauss School of Business, NAVWAR’s total gross regional product in fiscal year 2022 was between $3.14 and $3.38 billion. Through both direct hiring and contracting work, over 18,000 jobs have been created. The Cyber Center of Excellence also named NAVWAR the top cyber employer in the San Diego region, with nearly 3,500 jobs dedicated to the rapidly growing field of cybersecurity.

“Central to our mission is the incredible team of professionals who make up NAVWAR. Your expertise, dedication, and commitment are the backbone of our operations,” said Okano. “We will continue to strengthen our partnerships across the Navy, with other branches of the armed forces, our allies, and the private sector. By working together, we can harness the full power of our collective capabilities and stay ahead of emerging threats.”

After a nearly 40-year career in the Navy, Rear Adm. Small has officially retired from

military service. Throughout his four years at NAVWAR, a continued priority of his has been empowering the workforce. With reverse mentoring groups, Ask Me Anything, and kaffeeklatsches; Small has always been keen on hearing from employees and engaging in open dialogue to enact positive change in the command. Under his leadership, NAVWAR was named the No. 1 place to work in the Navy in the 2023 Best Places to Work in Federal Government rankings, reflecting his emphasis on employee engagement. He also stood up the Project Overmatch team after direct orders from the Chief of Naval Operations, bringing experts together across the Navy to support this top priority.

“The maritime domain is growing in importance, and by extension, so is our Navy.

To ensure peace and prosperity and deter conflict, we need to be a position of strength.

Part of that vital work is to ensure that our systems are integrated. That has been Rear Adm. Small’s body of work throughout his career,” said Wade. “I want to thank him for his leadership, management, and technical expertise over the years, which have all grown in complexity and depth.”

Wade presented Small with the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his exceptionally meritorious service to the United States as NAVWAR commander.

His groundbreaking leadership led to the delivery of more capable leading technology systems. The award was conferred on behalf of the President of the United States and the Secretary of the Navy. Wade also awarded the NAVWAR workforce with a Meritorious Unit.

COTS Journal | August 2024

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The team wins R&D 100 Professional Award for developing history-making technologies that support fusion ignition

team received remarkable news about their work creating technology that helped achieve the first controlled fusion “ignitions” in history.

R&D World, a prestigious technology and

“We are overjoyed with the news of this recognition and are proud that our team has played a significant role in supporting successful ignition experiments at NIF,” said Haibo Huang, project lead for 4Pi and director of the Center of Excellence in Advanced Diagnostics at General Atomics. “Our goal is to create cutting-edge technologies that help overcome the most complex obstacles that ICF scientists face to support national security missions and bring the world closer to achieving clean and limitless fusion energy.”

In ICF, high-powered lasers rapidly compress target capsules filled with hydrogen fuel, causing the atoms to fuse together and release significant amounts of energy. The targets achieve ignition when the amount of energy released in the reaction exceeds what was delivered to them.

Scientists and engineers at General Atomics (G.A.) in San Diego celebrated this week after members of their inertial fusion technologies

innovation magazine, announced that G.A.’s Metrology Research and Development Team has won the 2024 “Team of the Year” R&D 100 Professional Award for creating a groundbreaking system that uses several advanced instruments to examine inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsules.

The device, known as the 4Pi (pronounced four pie) Integrated Metrology System, is an unprecedented technology that has been pivotal in helping to achieve and repeat fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Hailed as one of the most impressive scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century, researchers have achieved fusion ignition at least five times. Scientists said the 4Pi system has been transformative for experiments at NIF.

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The quality of target capsules is extremely important to achieving fusion ignition, and fabricating these capsules is a highly challenging process. Each capsule is approximately 2mm in diameter—the size of a B.B.—and is fabricated at sub-micron tolerances. The fuel capsules need to be as perfect as possible because the tiniest defects could affect the behavior of the fuel when the target is compressed—meaning abnormalities smaller than 1/100th the diameter of a human hair could stifle ignition.

The 4Pi system uses robotics, automation, and machine learning to automate the examination process of each fuel capsule. The system measures and screens each one to map its unique properties, identify imperfections, and continuously improve throughout the fabrication process.

With so many moving parts in one station, the technical expertise of each team member, from physics and software to engineering, was essential in successfully developing the 4Pi system.

“This award is a testament to the team’s hard work and commitment to developing game-changing technologies and capabilities for our field,” said Mike Farrell, vice president of Inertial Fusion Technologies at General Atomics. “I am confident the 4Pi system will continue to play a significant role in helping scientists understand the fundamental principles of routinely and robustly producing fusion-ignition conditions.”

The

INSIDE TRACK Update on the Vigilant Aerospace Detect-and-Avoid Project for the Air Force Research Lab

Last October, Vigilant Aerospace launched a groundbreaking project for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop a detect-and-avoid (DAA) system for the Air Force’s new long-endurance Drone. The company has continued to reach important milestones on the path to bringing FlightHorizon PILOT, our dual-use (i.e., for both civilian and military users) onboard detect-andavoid product, to the military.

This project is being completed under an SBIR Phase II contract, a program designed to fill important capability gaps quickly and utilize technologies with a high-impact, near-term implementation path for the military and a potential civilian market.

This project represents a major investment by the U.S. Air Force in the future of UAS (uncrewed aircraft system) operations and airspace safety and recognition of the major role autonomous systems will play in the future of both defense and civilian aviation.

The Mission According to the public project profile, the objective is to “integrate a mature detect and avoid capability on an existing long-endurance, Group V UAS platform for increased aircraft and pilot-inthe-loop operational awareness that leverages new and evolving C-SWaP sensors and sensor fusion software.”

The project solicitation lists goals, including demonstrating the system’s utility to several Air Force missions at different stages of conceptual maturity, supporting future missions, and strongly recognizing that autonomous flight is here to stay.

“Because NASA designed the FlightHorizon system for its aircraft tracking and UAS safety needs and has now been adapted to the commercial market by Vigilant Aerospace, this AFRL opportunity allows us to leverage our existing products and experience, and our major investment in multi-sensor integration and algorithms, to readily fulfill the AFRL project goals and rapidly bring new capabilities to the U.S. Air Force,” said Kraettli L. Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace.

To accomplish this goal, Vigilant is utilizing its FlightHorizon PILOT product, an onboard detect-and-avoid system for drones designed to

consume sensor data, detect nearby aircraft, and provide collision avoidance commands to remote pilots or to the onboard autopilot.

The system provides commands that are compliant with the FAA’s ACAS X collision avoidance standards and can also provide air traffic alerts and situational awareness to remote pilots.

It’s an extensible, scalable solution that fills an important gap for a viable, onboard, feature-complete, automatic DAA system.

The concept behind the FlightHorizon PILOT system is based on two licensed NASA patents.

Importantly, the product is platform agnostic, so it can be installed on a wide variety of military and civilian aircraft and utilize a wide variety of radars and other sensors. It is also designed to be compliant with the RTCA DO-365C and DO-366 technical standards, allowing for use on any large UAS in the U.S. The ability to correlate tracks from multiple sensors in a smart, compact unit that integrates with multiple autopilots and ground control stations provides the military with flexibility and modularity in deploying the system on a variety of potential UAS platforms.

Progress to Date The company has made significant progress in the development and testing of the FlightHorizon PILOT product: The FlightHorizon PILOT system has been effectively tested with multiple radars operating simultaneously, allowing it to obtain a wide field of regard for air traffic detection that helps the product to meet industry technical standards for both onboard detect-and-avoid and to support distributed sensor nodes when used on the ground.

tiple low-space, weight, and power (low-SWaP) computers for onboard use, including multiple single-board computers, in an effort to ensure it can be installed on a wide variety of military and civilian aircraft. This may include larger military and AAM aircraft and smaller UAS, where space and power are at a premium.

The system is under development to be operated in either a “pilot-in-the-loop” model, where avoidance commands are sent to a remote pilot to be followed, or in a “pilot-on-the-loop” model, where a remote pilot receives alerts about avoidance maneuvers that will be taken automatically by the system and can intervene if needed.

The Military Need for Onboard Detect-andAvoid Detect-and-avoid is a critical area of innovation as the Air Force and other military branches begin deploying thousands of new autonomous vehicles and aircraft. Simultaneously, the need for onboard DAA for commercial UAS and AAM aircraft continues to grow as the industry scales up.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the military operates more than 11,000 UAS to support training events and overseas missions. These aircraft range in size from the small RQ-11B Raven to the large RQ/MQ-4 Global Hawk/Triton, which weighs more than 32,000 pounds.

Radar frequency channelization has been utilized and tested to demonstrate that multiple radars can be used without interference with each other.

In addition, the U.S. military UAS currently does not have direct access to the National Airspace System (NAS). For flights in civilian airspace, the Department of Defense must obtain a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow UAS to fly pre-coordinated routes across the country between Department of Defense special use airspaces.

The system has been integrated into multiple ground control stations (GCS), including the popular Ardupilot open-source software and other widely used government and civilian GCS systems.

Adopting detect-and-avoid systems like FlightHorizon PILOT for military aircraft can improve collision avoidance, increase autonomy, provide better situational awareness, and improve

Vigilant has deployed the software to mul-

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integration with civilian air traffic control, allowing for faster and easier authorizations and safer transits. In addition, integrating considerable military and civilian UAS into the national airspace can improve U.S. competitiveness as other nations continue to develop large military and civilian Drone and AAM platforms.

“This is an important project in fully integrating FlightHorizon into a wider range of aircraft, which is critical to industry adoption and deployment of this technology in the future. It’s also been a highly successful collaboration, with support from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Air Force, and the Air Force Research Lab,” explained Epperson.

Looking Beyond the SBIR Phase II Project – The Implications of this Project In addition to serving immediate military needs, the development and testing of the Fligh-

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tHorizon PILOT product can bring much-needed capability to the civilian Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market, which is also growing quickly and requires onboard collision avoidance and DAA as much as military aircraft do.

Regarding civilian AAM, according to the latest forecast from Aviation Week, there are expected to be 2,000 commercial electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicles in operation by 2030 and steep growth to 33,000 aircraft in operation by 2050, with Archer Aviation alone gearing up to produce 650 aircraft per year at its new California manufacturing facility. Massive technological innovation and rollout of safety systems will be required to support these growth rates and the dramatic changes to the aviation industry land-

scape.

This project is expected to help fill an important safety gap across multiple user types: “This project gives Vigilant the insight and expertise necessary to integrate our dual-use product into multiple aircraft systems and ground control stations, improving the availability of this critical safety system not only to multiple users across the military but also helps to prepare us to meet the anticipated demand from the civilian Advanced Air Mobility industry for this technology,” said Epperson.

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BRINC and Echodyne to Enable Automated BVLOS Operations without Visual Observers for First Responders The partnership will integrate BRINC’s cuttingedge Drone as a First Responder (DFR) solution with Echodyne’s ground-based radars to enable a path Beyond the Visual Line of Site operations without Visual Observers.

Harnessing the power of quantum technologies promises to spur widespread innovation by using the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics to solve impossible problems using current technologies. However, building a strong quantum ecosystem takes time and requires significant investments from both national governments and private industry. These efforts also need the cooperation of the academic and government quantum research communities.

Recognizing this need, Keysight and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on quantum research and to drive the industrialization of quantum technologies.

Keysight’s Dr. Eric Holland (left) and AIST’s Norimitsu Murayama signed the agreement to collaborate on quantum research and drive quantum industrialization Keysight’s Dr. Eric Holland (left) and AIST’s Norimitsu Murayama signed the agreement to collaborate on quantum research and drive quantum industrialization.

“We’re in the early days of quantum, and

while there is steady scientific progress, we need sustained collaboration among all members of the quantum community to make this a viable commercial technology,” said Dr. Eric Holland, General Manager for Keysight’s Quantum Engineering Solutions group. “By formalizing a quantum collaboration with our longtime partner AIST, Keysight will be able to help quantum move forward as an industry with our unique expertise and solutions.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Keysight and AIST will focus extensively on exploring quantum control technologies, low-temperature electronics device technology, and modeling and simulation, as well as the standardization of these items in fields such as quantum computing and quantum sensing.

The Global Research Center for Quantum-AI Fusion Technology Business Development (G-QuAT), a revolutionary research facility featuring a 1,000-qubit quantum computer, will be at the center of the collaboration. AIST will integrate and link G-QuAT’s evaluation testbeds, device manufacturing capabilities, and computing infrastructure with Keysight’s quantum control technologies and 5G / 6G evaluation technologies.

“Japan has an ambitious 10-year plan to become a quantum leader, and Keysight is synergistically aligned to help deliver on these plans,” said Holland. “Linking our quantum control technologies to the G-QuAT facility will truly make it a world-class quantum research facility.”

iDirect Government To Build 5G CoChannel Interference Mitigation Prototype for Defense Innovation Unit Interference Mitigation Solution Provides Communications Resiliency for U.S. DOD. AiDirect Government (iDirectGov) has won a contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to build an operational 5G co-channel interference mitigation solution prototype, leveraging iDirectGov’s leading Communication Signal Interference Removal (CSIR™) technology.

The award builds momentum for the recently established iDirectGov Engineering Center of Excellence, where iDirectGov specialized engineers work on the most advanced, secure, and resilient satellite ground systems and functionality. iDirectGov’s 5G co-channel solution will mitigate interference for DIU mission partners and provide a critical capability to Department of Defense (DOD) users who experience 5G co-channel interference. This solution is an extension of iDirectGov’s CSIR technology, which delivers uninterrupted, secure communications on any radio frequency to government users, allowing them to thwart electronic warfare challenges.

“Any signal interference is harmful to defense communications, and our 5G co-channel capability will ensure our customers have the crucial interference mitigation tool that helps them with communications resiliency,” said Tim Winter, iDirect Government president. “Our high-performance, scalable, and resilient product portfolio and enhancements bring flexibility, agility, transmission security, and efficiency to warfighters.”

Since its beginnings in 2007, iDirectGov has supported the DOD and other agencies, solving their communications challenges with effective and exceptional delivery.

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MatrixSpace Awarded $1.25M AFWERX Open Topic SBIR Contract to Develop Low SWAP-C Multi-function Payload

Small, low-cost, multi-band, high-performance UAS sensor package for sensing, communications, and electronic warfare to enable Replicator initiative.

AFWERX has selected MatrixSpace for a $1.25M Direct-to-Phase II SBIR to develop a prototype low SWaP-C multi-function, multi-band antenna payload based on the MatrixSpace Radar hardware platform.

Created to satisfy requirements for the Replicator initiative and address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF), the project is part of a new initiative to develop and test low SWAP payloads based on existing MatrixSpace technology for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The project initially runs for 21 months, starting immediately.

and overall general airspace awareness and security.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.

The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the

range of innovations it funded.

Quote from Matthew Kling, VP of Intelligent Systems, MatrixSpace* “We’re honored to provide innovative military capabilities using our core MatrixSpace technology to strengthen the national defense of the United States. Through this award, we have been given a significant opportunity to progress large-scale, all-domain attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems envisioned under the Replicator initiative. MatrixSpace will help address critical requirements for future military systems by providing multi-function, multi-band, agnostic capabilities onboard autonomous vehicles, enabling our warfighters to adapt to any mission rapidly.”

Designed and developed in the USA, MatrixSpace Radar offers robust situational awareness of airborne and ground-based objects, regardless of lighting and weather conditions. This facilitates highly accurate drone detection and counter-unmanned aircraft system (CUAS) capabilities, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight for uncrewed, autonomous, and tethered aircraft,

Crane Aerospace & Electronics Develops Beamforming Backplane Products for Space Applications Crane Aerospace & Electronics, a segment of Crane Company (NYSE: C.R.), has developed a family of beamformer backplane products for space applications utilizing its proprietary MultiMix® multi-layer laminate technology.

“We are integrating arrays of radiating elements with associated feed networks and RFICs into a single module for space applications throughout the Microwave and mmWave frequency range,” said Jim Logothetis, Director of Engineering, Microwave Solutions. “Fusion bonding is used to increase circuit density, minimize layer count, and reduce the required footprint, which results in the smallest footprint and highest R.F. performance for these challenging applications.”

The backplane layers contain a series of N-way power dividers and combiners along with 12

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matched impedance feed networks to implement the interconnection of any number of beams to any number of elements. Also contained within the layers are D.C. power planes and radiation shielding. Beamformer backplane/radiator as-

semblies typically comprise 15 to 30 laminate layers, antenna radiating elements on one surface, and RFICs, digital circuitry, and blind mate connectors on the opposing surface.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Demand is Booming Again for Defense Manufacturers!

They Need to Hit the Digital Production Pedal at Full Speed to Meet the Renewed Demand 14

COTS Journal | August 2024

By Samuel Walker, IBA International

After scaling back operations due to reduced demand and shrinking stock levels, which caused the U.S. defense sector to lose over 40% of its value, these same manufacturers struggle to match renewed demand and hit the production accelerator pedal at full speed.

Many of the challenges defense manufacturers face are external, but some are internal. Manufacturers are being held back by disparate internal manufacturing systems that they have never addressed and inconsistent information sources hindering their ability to streamline operations and fast-forward production. Here, Rob Mather, Vice President of Aerospace and Defense Industries, IFS, identifies the four operational trigger points where digital technologies address defense manufacturing issues and boost production without driving up costs and risk.

A recent Deloitte report pulled no punches when it argued that to unlock growth and efficiency in today’s growing defense market environments, A&D organizations had to take digital transformation seriously.

“Modernizing and integrating processes and enabling technologies are some significant steps for the A&D industry to improve production throughput and cost efficiency. Embracing digital transformation can reshape A&D production processes at all stages, significantly reducing industrialization cycle times, improving efficiencies, increasing production yield, and elevating quality standards.”

This means a company-wide approach to software and information that connects the shop floor to the top floor so that they all operate efficiently to increase production, precision, and agility. This must start with moving away from siloed and inconsistent information sources to a single integrated management system that gathers data from the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)

system to inform the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system—providing a single source of the truth!

Here are the four key operational trigger points where technology will enable defense organizations to achieve the highperformance manufacturing operations they need to take advantage of the boom years ahead.

AI-enabled problem detection augments and de-risks lean operations.

To help deal with surges in demand, defense manufacturers have reversed inventory strategies from lean and just-intime principles to over-stocking parts to ensure inventory buffer. Despite reducing production risks, financial risks have been increased due to the cost of purchase, storage, and tracking of materials and parts. Defense manufacturers can integrate operations and take advantage of demanddriven material requirements planning (DDMRP) to better balance risk. This will

Source: LCS 8, U.S. Navy photo by Electronics Technician First Class Asam Ross.

ensure inventory levels match demand levels and supply chain variability. By looking at actual usage data, DDMRP can determine if the stock level for a part is sufficient to cover demand, making defense manufacturers more sensitive to supply chain disruptions, variations in demand, and production downtime.

The use of AI within defense forces and manufacturers is on the rise. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is budgeting $1.8 billion for AI applications and stating that AI applications will help defense forces and organizations recognize patterns, learn from experience, make predictions, and generate recommendations.

A.I. can help further de-risk production and financial issues. Manufacturers should combine anomaly detection and pattern recognition with real-time data correlation.

The combination of A.I. anomaly detection and DDMRP can radically increase the speed and accuracy of problem detection throughout all aspects of the organization COTS Journal | August 2024

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To help deal with surges in demand, defense manufacturers have reversed inventory strategies from lean and just-in-time principles to over-stocking parts to ensure inventory buffer.

and action potential chokepoints before they escalate into complex and costly problems.

Drive efficiency by integrating management platforms to unify planning and production Defense manufacturing projects are complex by nature, with multiple production lines working to intricate assembly requirements. Project management, already a major challenge for defense manufacturers, is further exacerbated by this current ERP management software, which causes a disconnect throughout operations and a lack of a skilled workforce readily available to defense manufacturers. Recent reports from Guidant Global highlight the workforce issues facing the U.K. defense sector, with key decision-makers stating they’re already facing a lack of skilled manufacturers and mechanics.

Implementing integrated project management software will allow defense manufacturers to align their planning through their operations to optimize their production and increase efficiency. IoT technologies, such as integrated project management software, enable data to flow in real-time so people, systems, and capabilities can be leveraged in every aspect of their operations.

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The increased visibility brought by integrated project management software can allow manufacturing teams to react quickly to new priorities. It can also ensure workers and machinery are coordinated to maximize efficiency and capacity and avoid wasting time, money, and resources.

Increased organization-wide visibility with robust business intelligence to automate workflow triggers One of the biggest challenges defense manufacturers are struggling to overcome due to rising demand levels is reducing lead times—in August 2023, the delivery time for production materials reached 87 days.

Despite being reduced by 13 days compared to 2022, the average lead time has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Integrated workflows can help defense manufacturers reduce this with their ability to provide all relevant parties with data so that people, machines, and asset’s time and skills are all optimized.

A key part of digital transformation within the defense manufacturing industry is moving away from siloed data to real-time data that flows from the shop floor to the top floor. Powerful Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) with integrated workflow

engines will allow data to flow from endto-end, so every worker has operational visibility of what’s happening and what needs prioritizing.

Utilizing powerful MES with integrated workflow engines brings far more benefits to defense manufacturers than typical ERP systems with data aggregators or business intelligence reports. Integrated workflow systems are accessible to all relevant parties, providing vital insights into ongoing work everywhere.

A single source of the truth keeps defense manufacturers on the right side of regulations.

Defense manufacturers operate in an industry defined by regulatory requirements.

Whether it’s supply chain, cyber security, sustainability, or employment, they all have their own regulations to comply with. This requires defense manufacturers to have fully traceable operations and processes that generate information readily available for regulatory reporting.

As regulations become stricter, current disjointed systems make it hard for defense manufacturers to meet requirements. Slow data compilation and an increased risk of

information being inaccurate or out-of-date make this difficult. A real-time, single source of the truth is needed.

This means manufacturing management platforms should include integrated and automated templates for mandatory government reports that are ready to use when called upon. Combining MES and ERP in one place will also help them comply with the ISA-95 standard from the International Society of Automation (ISA). This ensures they use these standardized data models and communications to enable consistent and accurate data exchanges throughout all business systems.

Putting the digital building blocks in place to achieve high-performance manufacturing Within the defense manufacturing industry, some organizations may choose to partner with strategic technology partners to help them achieve their financial and production targets. These partners can better understand the challenges that defense manufacturers are facing and the integrated management platform they need to meet them, optimize operations, and increase customer trust and satisfaction.

This means focusing on moving away from siloed and disparate data to an integrated

system and single source of the truth, with data from operational systems such as MES and EAM systems being passed straight to the CRM and ERP systems. An integrated management platform can help defense manufacturers deliver on increasing demands while making the most of their existing workforce and staying compliant.

Getting this digital transformation right is critical for defense manufacturers to grasp control of their internal challenges and unlock the high-performance manufacturing needed to take advantage of this recent rise in demand. the hidden costs associated with inadequate testing.

Within the defense manufacturing industry, some organizations may choose to partner with strategic technology partners to help them achieve their financial and production targets.

COTS Journal | August 2024

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Automated Test Equipment:

Declaring Hardware Independence 18

COTS Journal | August 2024

By Joe Engler, President - Intepro Systems

Advanced ATE software platforms accommodate hardware changes with minimal reprogramming.

These “hardwareindependent” solutions simplify the development of complex test procedures to ensure the longevity and functionality of ATE stations.

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and Automated Test Systems (ATS) ensure that electronic devices operate according to specifications in the field, thereby averting the introduction of flawed products to the market.

For this reason, the aerospace and defense sectors make substantial investments in ATE due to the criticality of lifesaving electronics utilized in military equipment such as aircraft, naval vessels, and ground vehicles, as well as in various systems like weapons, radar, and wireless communication.

ATS is also widely utilized for testing automotive electronics, batteries, and electronic drive systems in the EV market.

ATEs are also used to optimize the performance of telecom infrastructure, analyze and improve the efficiency of renewable energy systems, and validate consumer electronics.

Unfortunately, the one constant in Automated Test Equipment (ATE) is changing.

Over time, the system’s hardware components deteriorate or become outdated. Alterations in the test project and changes in scope parameters ensue. Government contracts may not be renewed or could be entirely terminated. Test specifications undergo modifications, sometimes necessitating a complete reconfiguration of the test.

To implement such changes in most systems, extensive reprogramming of the test software is

Anritsu Unveils a New Microwave Spectrum Monitor Module MS27200A

COTS Journal | August 2024

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required, often at a substantial cost. Frequently, Test Engineers, who are in growing demand, must handle the implementation of the programming code.

To address this issue, many engineers are advocating for “hardware independence,” which, in a nutshell, involves the adoption of flexible test program software that streamlines and adapts to inevitable changes without extensive new programming. These hardware-independent solutions simplify the programming of complex test procedures by using fill-in-the-blank test routines to slash development time dramatically.

This strategy frees engineers from the constraints of a single equipment brand, granting them the flexibility to select costeffective or specialized equipment. ATE stations can be modified or repurposed, significantly reducing equipment maintenance costs over time.

“Hardware independence is important for several reasons. Although the test equipment hardware requires a significant investment of hundreds of thousands to 3-4 million dollars or more, the writing of test programs costs multitudes more,” says Andrew Engler of Intepro Systems. Founded in 1981, Intepro has supplied Automated Test Equipment (ATE) systems that test power electronics in various applications.

“With more flexible software, ATE stations can essentially be ‘future-proofed’ to ensure that as hardware requirements change and evolve, the test programs can adapt accordingly to ensure long-term usability,” adds Engler.

Although ATE systems can be used for different tests, Engler says Intepro specializes in power electronic testing, including power converters, inverters, chargers, batteries, adapters, and other power components.

Anritsu Unveils a New Microwave Spectrum Monitor Module MS27200A

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COTS Journal | August 2024

ATE stations are specifically engineered to produce and disperse substantial energy for this type of testing to validate the functionality of the units being tested.

“A typical automated test solution consists of hardware, software, test instruments, signal sources, test harnesses, probes or handlers,” explains Engler. “However, not all automated test solutions use the same components. The configurations vary widely depending on the device the customer tests and the parameters requiring measurement.”

The hardware components are typically consolidated into all-in-one test stations, which vary in size and portability from compact test stations on wheels to large stationary test towers. Each system also includes test program software, which plays a critical role in test development and the management of data collection, storage, reporting, and analysis.

Engler describes the software as the “heart” of the ATE station. However, the software must be reprogrammed when the test parameters change or the hardware needs to be replaced.

“Many of our customers are project-based,” explains Engler. “So, if they are involved in aerospace testing and have a multi-year project that gets reassigned, now the test station they have has to change. They can either throw it all away, or they can refurbish it and adapt it to the requirements of a new program,” says Engler, adding that if the test requirements change dramatically, entire stations can end up as “500 lb. paperweights collecting dust in a test lab.”

That is why companies like Intepro have developed hardware-independent test software with simplified drag-and-drop test routines designed to dramatically reduce the development of test programs.

Intepro’s offering, PowerStar, provides hundreds of fill-in-the-blank test routines that provide a range of control, from single instrument functional control to full test procedures with easy-to-use parameter entries.

Engineers can customize their programs without writing code or assembling graphical components.

Engler says this contradicts ATE’s core objective, which is to automate and streamline repetitive testing to save time, reduce errors, and provide a repeatable process.

“[PowerStar] can seamlessly integrate various hardware configurations and platforms. Even if there is already an incumbent software, our solution can be implemented and call on the other software when applicable,” says Engler.

“Even if you are an expert C+ or Python programmer, it will take you a lot of time to get through lines and lines of code. We simplify that process and cut the development time in half or more,” adds Engler.

The ability to interchange hardware without significant software reprogramming offers substantial advantages to sectors bound by stringent regulations and federally mandated approvals, including aerospace, defense, and

medical equipment manufacturing. Once test programs and procedures are established and approved, obtaining a re-approval after programming changes can be expensive.

Tools such as PowerStar enable engineers to document their progress, decreasing the time required to certify test programs.

Even without explicit regulations, companies manufacturing products for critical applications may be legally liable if the product malfunctions. This underscores the hidden costs associated with inadequate testing.

Today, more advanced software options can deliver unprecedented flexibility for ATE engineers and operators, simplifying intricate testing procedures and saving time and resources. This only strengthens the potential of automated testing as a valuable data acquisition and diagnostic tool for testing electronics across industries like defense, aerospace, automotive, and industrial automation. www.inteprosystems.com,

COTS Journal | August 2024

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August 2024

COT’S PICKS Microchip Adds Military-Standard Enhanced Low Dose Radiation Sensitivity (ELDERS) Qualification to Its Portfolio of Small-Signal Bipolar Junction Transistors to Ensure High Reliability for Critical Applications

The Joint Army Navy (JAN) transistors tested up to 100 Krad at 10 rad per second.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) manages the global defense supply chain in the United States. It works with suppliers to ensure high reliability of all the components that go into an end application. Integral to the manufacturing process of components designed for military applications are rigorous tests and compliance standards that must be met to make it on the Quality Products List (QPL), guaranteeing a certain level of reliability and streamlining the procurement process. As a leading supplier to the aerospace and defense market, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) announces its portfolio of JAN transistors is now tested and qualified to Military-Standard Enhanced Low Dose Radiation Sensitivity (ELDRS) requirements including MIL-STD-750, Test Method 1019 and specifications such as MIL-PRF-19500/255, /291, /355, /376 and /391.

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COTS Journal | August 2024

These military-grade transistors have been manufactured to withstand varying levels of radiation exposure. They are part of the Joint Army Navy ( JAN) designation system used to specify components procured for military applications. These designations ensure electronic components in critical military and aerospace applications can operate reliably in radiation-rich environments.

JAN Transistor Designations • JANSE Transistors (30 Krad): Withstand up to 30 Krad per unit of absorbed radiation dose • JANSK Transistors (50 Krad): Withstand higher levels of radiation, up to 50 Krad • JANSU Transistors (100 Krad): The most radiation-resistant among these families, capable of enduring up to 100 Krad Microchip’s legacy in aerospace and defense spans 60 years, with fabs dedicated to aerospace and defense semiconductor manufacturing and testing. The Company’s fab in Ennis, Ireland, is a robust MIL-PRF-19500 screening and reliability testing facility. Microchip’s fab in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is DLA Certified and capable of conducting in-house ELDRS to MIL-STD-750, Test Method 1019. Microchip allows customers to test to the desig-

nated Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) level, depending on the program needs for the components and end application.

“Through rigorous in-house testing at our Ennis and Lawrence facilities, our products are certified to operate with high performance and high reliability in harsh environments,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete products group. “We are committed to developing and manufacturing products that ease the design process based on our customers’ specific requirements. Microchip was the first Company to provide Total Ionizing Dose (TID) rated Radiation-Hardened Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs); now, we work closely with the DLA to add testing for ELDRS characterization.”

Microchip has a broad portfolio of high-reliability solutions designed for the aerospace and defense market, including Radiation-Tolerant (RT) and Radiation-Hardened (RH) MCUs, FPGAs and Ethernet PHYs, power devices, RF products, timing solutions, and discrete components from bare die to system modules.

Microchip microchip.com

August 2024

COT’S PICKS Concurrent Technologies Launches a New TR MDx/6sd-RCR to meet growing customer demand

“The strong pipeline of preorders underscores the industry’s confidence in our capabilities and highlights our commitment to excellence.”

Concurrent Technologies Corporation ctc.com

suitable for a wide range of environments, including outdoor use.

machines, point-of-sale screens, and EV charging stations.

The usual features, including high resolution and high brightness, are now available in a larger format. This size will make the touch panel ideal for applications requiring a larger screen, such as industrial equipment monitors, vending

Other potential uses requiring a large, bright touch panel include markets and applications such as automation, transport, smart home control, medical devices, and scientific equipment.

The PIC has enhanced features, including a more comprehensive operating temperature range, reduced weight, advanced networking capability, and secure onboard storage. These improvements position the product as a top choice for size, weight, Cost, and power-constrained ground and airborne applications.

With a significant pipeline of preorders, including the Company’s recently announced largest-ever contract win, achieved through close relationships with strategic partners, the Company anticipates shipping fully qualified products within the year to meet growing customer demand.

Miles Adcock, CEO of Concurrent Technologies, commented: “We’re excited to introduce our latest product. By optimizing for size, weight, power, and Cost, we’re addressing a crucial demand in the industry, allowing us to offer an innovative and highly efficient product.

Large, Bright 15.6” Touch Panel with Extended Temperature Range Inelco Hunter is pleased to announce an extended range of displays, including a large 15.6” HD resolution and a high-brightness touch panel display. The displays feature an operating temperature range of -30°C to +85°C, making them

The 15.6” display features an HD resolution 1920 * 3 (RGB) * 1080 Dot screen with a full viewing angle. When in operation, the IPS Transmissive display has an OCR black panel effect, with a high brightness of 500 cd/m2.

It also features an LVDS interface, a storage temperature of -30°C to +85°C, and an impressive lifetime MTBF of 50,000 hours (25°C, IF= 200mA).

Inelco Hunter’s in-depth engineering support ensures rapid implementation, speeding up the customer’s time to market. Inelco Hunter’s engineers will work with the SME engineers.

This added-value support is at the core of Inelco Hunter’s philosophy and has been for the last 30 years, setting them apart from the various “stock and ship” distributors.

Inelco Hunter inelcohunter.co.uk

COTS Journal | August 2024

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August 2024

COT’S PICKS DDC-I and LDRA Announce Integrated Tooling for DO-178C Testing for Deos RTOS Users

Deos/LDRA tool suite integration leverages unique RTOS instrumentation hooks to deliver enhanced timing analysis and Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) test capability, applicable for high-design assurance systems and especially useful for multi-core system development.

DDC-I and LDRA announced an enhanced integration between the Deos safety-critical DO-178C certifiable RTOS and the LDRA tool suite. The integrated solution, qualified to Design Assurance Level A (DAL A), utilizes unique OS-level instrumentation hooks that enable the LDRA tool suite to deliver enhanced unit test and worst-case timing analysis capabilities.

Unlike conventional RTOS/unit test integrations, which utilize chip-level facilities such as special registers or timers, Deos provides process log events with high-resolution time stamps that link what’s going on at the process level with the kernel’s more uniform/consistent view of time. Using the developer’s interference generation tool, these OS-level hooks provide for WCET measurement at both the system and task level.

“DDC-I has been at the forefront of DO-178C safety-critical multi-core technology development, standardization, and verification, with an emphasis on the guidance of CAST-32A initially, and then more recently the January 2024 release of AC 20-193 Use of Multi-Core Processors,” said Greg Rose, vice president of marketing at DDC-I. “Integrating Deos with the LDRA tool suite gives avionics developers the unit test platform they need to identify and resolve complex multi-core timing issues, especially the worst-case execution scenarios critical to avionics.”

“Proving that an avionics system is properly partitioned to avoid interference from competing cores is critical, yet nearly impossible, without the proper development and testing tools,” said Ian Hennell, Operations Director at LDRA. “Deos provides OS-level hooks that give the LDRA tool suite unique visibility into RTOS operation, enabling it to deliver uniform timing analysis with enhanced worst-case execution capabilities, essential for airworthiness certification.”

About the LDRA tool suite The LDRA tool suite is LDRA’s flagship platform that delivers open and extensible solutions for 24

COTS Journal | August 2024

building quality into software from requirements through to deployment. The tool suite provides a continuum of capabilities, including requirements traceability, test management, coding standards compliance, code quality review, code coverage analysis, data-flow and control-flow analysis, unit/ integration/target testing, and certification and regulatory support. The LDRA tool suite’s unit and integration testing capabilities provide an intuitive user interface that allows the same tests to be executed in the host or target environments. Where code reuse is considered, they allow those same tests to be re-run automatically in different target environments. Test generation (test harness, test vectors, code stubs) and result-capture support are available for various host and target platforms. Optimized instrumentation technology supports even highly constrained 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers and high-performance 32- and 64-bit processors.

TBwcet is an optional module for the LDRA tool suite that automates the measurement of WCET on the target – the only way to provide evidence of adequate resourcing and mitigation for interference where multi-core processors (MCP) are deployed.

Test results and reports generated using TBwcet can be uploaded to LDRAvault. LDRAvault is a web application that automatically aggregates certification artifacts across distributed users and complex projects, can easily adapt to comply with a growing and evolving certification and regulatory landscape, supports traditional as well as CI/CD workflows, automatically generates advanced visualizations to gain insights across large and targeted sets of certification data through a ‘single pane of glass,’ and enables effective collaboration across the enterprise and supply chain, and with regulatory authorities.

About Deos 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 certified conformant FACE OSS Safety Base and Safety Extended Profiles that feature hard real-time response, time and space partitioning, with support for Rate Monotonic, ARINC-653, and POSIX interfaces.

SafeMC technology extends Deos’ advanced capabilities to multiple cores, enabling developers of safety-critical systems to achieve best-in-class multi-core performance without compromising safety-critical task response and guaranteed execution time. SafeMC employs a bound multiprocessing (BMP) extension of the symmetric multiprocessing architecture (SMP), safe scheduling, and cache partitioning to minimize cross-core contention and interference patterns that affect the performance, safety criticality, and certifiability of multi-core systems. These features enable avionics systems developers to address issues that could impact a software airborne system’s safety, performance, and integrity as specified by the FAA’s Advisory Circular (AC) AC 20-193.

Target Platforms Deos and the LDRA tool suite are available for various popular avionics multi-core processors, including the NXP i.MX8. Other popular targets include the Xilinx XC102 and ZCU102 evaluation kit), x86, TI, and soon Qualcomm.

DDC-I ddci.com

August 2024

COT’S PICKS Abaco Systems Introduces SBC3901: High-Performance AI Edge Computing in a Rugged 3U VPX Form Factor

Abaco Systems Introduces SBC3901, a 3U singleboard computer with high-performance AI edge computing.

AMETEK Abaco Systems announces the release of the SBC3901, a 3U VPX single-board computer (SBC) designed to deliver unparalleled performance for autonomous and embedded edge computing systems.

al-time GPU processing, deep learning, and AI inferencing.

“The SBC3901 represents a significant advancement in AI edge computing, offering unprecedented performance and flexibility in a rugged 3U VPX form factor for compute-intensive applications,” said Simon Collins, Director of Product Management at Abaco Systems. “It is de-

signed to meet the demanding requirements of our customers in various sectors, including defense and aerospace.”

Abaco Systems abaco.com

The SBC3901 is powered by the NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™. It features a 12-core ARM Cortex®-A78 CPU paired with an NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPU with 2048 CUDA® cores and 64 Tensor Cores, enabling up to 248 TOPS of AI performance. Fully compatible with NVIDIA’s comprehensive software frameworks, it is an ideal solution for applications requiring re-

Crane Aerospace & Electronics Releases EAR99 Modular Wideband Converters, Synthesizers for 2-18 and 18-40 GHz Applications (mmW-IMA)

Crane Aerospace & Electronics, a segment of Crane Company, has launched mmW-IMA, a family of microwave assembly products. Crane A&E has a strong heritage of delivering proven high-performance microwave solutions for

over 65 years.

Crane A&E’s mmW-IMA product family supports 2-18 and 18-40 GHz converters and synthesizers with frequency outputs from 0.5 to 22GHz and 29/43.56 GHz. These products are SOSA aligned in 3U VPX chassis while exhibiting superior SWaP performance and are designed to support rapidly growing EW, mmWave, space, and other defense applications. The mmW-IMA product line is available as EAR99 to support our international customers’ needs and can be modified to suit specific customer requirements.

“Building on our strong heritage, Crane A&E is introducing a new line of EW/mmWave and space products designed to meet the current market’s needs and anticipated future demand,” said Margaret Szymanowski, Crane A&E Vice President & General Manager, Microwave Solutions. “We’ve designed this new product line with market-leading RF performance and incorporated our proprietary small footprint capability to deliver flexible solutions for various platforms.”

Crane Aerospace & Electronics craneae.com

COTS Journal | August 2024

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August 2024

COT’S PICKS Blu Wireless showcases Ultra-LPD networking

PhantomBlu enables stealthy, real-time C2 and ISR on the move.

Blu Wireless’s PhantomBlu is an ultra-low probability of detection (LPD) gigabit wireless networking platform that provides an almost two-order-of-magnitude improvement in LPD performance compared to traditional sub-6 GHz military radios while simultaneously and substantially increasing networking data rates on the move.

The PhantomBlu product family delivers mmWave wireless mesh networking in various form factors suitable for mobile, mast-mounted, drone, and handheld usage. All versions are over-the-air compatible and can autonomously form an integrated mesh network.

ACV30 vehicle, including ICS Software, Gunners/Commanders Optics, and mapping data. The technology enables stealthy, real-time C2 and ISR on the battlefield.

Aim continues its lead with MILSTD-1553 AIM is proud to introduce our newest small form factor embedded board for MIL-STD-1553 in a small 2260 M.2 form factor. The introduction and acceptance of this new small form fac-

Macy W. Summers, President and CEO of Blu Wireless, Inc., says, “We’re excited to be demonstrating our configurable, flexible, and stealthy mmWave mesh network solution at Modern Day Marine. PhantomBlu delivers unparalleled data handover time with ultra-LPD communications at range.

“The technology can be customized and scaled for any environment or application, from critical infrastructure security, vehicles in convoy, to airborne platforms such as high-altitude autonomous ISR. “We’re entering a new era of the connected gigabit battlefield where network performance on the move can provide a critical tactical advantage. No matter what tactical range, situational or environmental challenges

tor allow the use of COTS and MOTS technology in rugged embedded applications. Rugged computer designers now have all the advantages of this extremely compact form factor, allowing them to produce the smallest, lightweight avionics systems while reducing development and full life cycle costs. With the introduction of the industry’s first rugged 2-channel MIL-STD-1553

to be overcome, we deliver an integrated solution that can be deployed over vast areas and infrastructure, connecting many applications throughout, while meeting operational objectives with minimal risk to personnel.”

Blu Wireless bluwireless.com

M.2 board, AIM continues to lead the MILSTD-1553 databus board market.

Features Includes: • Small 2260 size with B + M Keying for Universal Compatibility • Extended Temperature Range: -40°C to +85°C • Rugged Locking Connectors for each 1553 Channel • 2 Dual Redundant MIL-STD-1553 / 1760 Channels • 2 Avionic Discrete Inputs • 2 Avionics Discrete Inputs/Outputs • 2 Trigger Inputs & 2 Trigger Outputs • RIG-B Input “This is a great addition to AIM’s small form factor boards and shows our flexibility, commitment, and continued investment in the databus market for MIL-STD-1553,” George Los, Director of Sales. As the M.2 package continues to gain acceptance, it is envisioned that small form factor system manufacturers will utilize the slot for any necessary expansion requirements.

AIM aim-online.com

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COTS Journal | August 2024

August 2024

COT’S PICKS Anritsu Unveils a New Microwave Spectrum Monitor Module MS27200A

allowing for simple integration and quickly allowing the users to start collecting data.

Anritsu Company has introduced the latest innovation, which enables users to integrate their renowned spectrum analysis technology into any platform or system. The MS27200A is a self-contained microwave spectrum monitor module that goes all the way from 9 kHz up to 54 GHz with onboard processing. The module has 110 MHz Real-Time.

• Great performance out of the box: The frequency range is from 9 kHz to 54 GHz with up to 110 MHz of analysis bandwidth. In addition, the unit has RTSA capabilities a nd the ability to store and stream IQ data at 32-bit and 110 MHz bandwidth. Furthermore, it has VSA measurements such as WCDMA, LTE, 5G, AM/ FM, and other quality measurements built into the unit.

Spectrum Analysis (RTSA) bandwidth with a DANL of -164 dBm (with preamp) means the module can receive the most faint and intermittent signals. The MS27200A can be used in military, aerospace, satellite, and system integrator systems for various markets. The microwave spectrum monitor module is designed to be integrated into a system from the ground up. Anritsu is proud to enable users to integrate best-in-class spectrum analysis performance into their system.

• Proven reliability: Anritsu has been making spectrum analyzers for decades, and we are

providing this experience to integrators via MS27200A. With the MS27200A, users won’t be chasing a ghost such as input-related spurs or need to spend significant time wondering if the module is working properly.

The MS27200A microwave spectrum monitor module is unique; it is designed to be integrated into other systems and platforms from the ground up. It strikes a fine balance between performance, usability, and reliability.

Anritsu anritsu.com

The MS27200A is a self-contained unit designed to be part of a larger system. The module can perform VSA-type measurements, such as 5G and LTE. It is the perfect tool for adding spectrum awareness to any platform looking for interference or coverage mapping.

With RTSA capabilities, users can monitor the RF environment without missing intermittent signals. In addition, the module has the ability to capture and stream IQ signal components of unknown signals for future analysis. The MS27200A can stream and capture the IQ in full 32-bit and at 110 MHz bandwidth. This means the module can capture in great detail a large bandwidth of signals of interest in a single go without the need to combine or stitch IQ data.

In dynamic environments, a reliable sensor package to monitor the RF spectrum can be critical for operations, and the MS27200A combines Anritsu's decades of experience into a single package. The module is packed with features that can be accessed with SCPI commands.

Highlighted Features and Advantages: • Versatile and easy to integrate: The module is self-contained, so there is no need to integrate an additional PC into the system.

It uses standard SCPI. Commands to control the unit, so there is no need for additional software. The module also has onboard storage, COTS Journal | August 2024

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August 2024

COT’S PICKS With seamless IR assembly in any application, the plug-and-play module makes thermal imaging more accessible to integrators of surveillance and defense, including drone systems

Lynred, a leading global provider of high-quality infrared sensors for the aerospace, defense, and commercial markets, announces the launch of ATI640, its plug-and-play, longwave infrared (LWIR) thermal imaging module with VGA resolution, for new market players seeking easier access to infrared (IR) technologies. With ATI640’s high image quality, reliability, user-friendly interface, and seamless assembly, system developers can now integrate IR optronics without significant investment or needing specialty knowledge in optical design, sensor calibration, or image correction, which previously hindered the broader adop-

tion of IR technologies.

By stripping out the complexity in thermal imaging, Lynred’s ATI640 frees up system integrators’ development time, giving them more scope to focus on innovation and product quality and thus increasing their competitiveness with faster access to the market.

“ATI640’s plug-and-play solution makes infrared technology more accessible to new entrants in thermal imaging. In choosing this easy-to-use module, system integrators can speed up their development of longwave infrared (LWIR) cameras and systems,” said Nadia Souhami, product unit director at Lynred.

“ATI640 is the latest in a long line of thermal imaging innovations Lynred has brought to the market. We are excited about launching this module at Eurosatory and showing the power of its embedded image processing algorithms while limiting the power consumption

Interested in getting your copy of JOURNAL Contact us;

RTC Media

3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009 • Phone: (949) 226-2023

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COTS Journal | August 2024

to just 1W. Our solution can bring smart thermal imaging with competitive advantages to any market application, particularly drones, a fast-growing market.”

Key product features ATI640 is based on Lynred’s best-in-class, 640×480, 12µm pixel pitch sensor. It is designed with a SWaP-C (small size, low weight, low power consumption, low Cost) core to optimize integration into optronic systems. The module is calibrated to work in shutterless mode to provide an uninterrupted video experience. Thanks to its shutterless operation and pairing with advanced image processing algorithms, ATI640 offers excellent image quality with no trade-off on SWaP-C requirements. Its frame rate (60Hz) captures fast-moving targets and produces smooth video footage. It is available with or without a lens.

Lynred lynred.com

August 2024

COT’S PICKS Rugged COTS Network Attached Storage Solution Receives Common Criteria Certification from NIAP

DTS1+ data-at-rest storage solution with two layers of full disk encryption in a single device receives Common Criteria certification and is listed on the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) Product Compliant List.

Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division has successfully achieved Common Criteria (ISO15408) certification from the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) for its DTS1+ single-slot network attached storage (NAS) device’s hardware and software encryption layers. The DTS1+, Curtiss-Wright’s second-generation commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) data-at-rest (DAR) storage solution, supports two layers of full disk encryption (FDE) in a single device. The new certification enables the DTS1+ to be included on the NIAP Product Compliant List. Following this certification, Curtiss-Wright expects the DTS1+ to be approved in

the near future for placement on the National Security Agency (NSA) Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) Components List.

CSfC, an NSA-approved approach for protect-

ing classified National Security Systems (NSS) information in aerospace and defense applications, uses cost-effective commercial encryption technologies in a two-layered solution. The original DTS1 NAS device was the first Common Criteria-certified, and the NSA CSfC Component Listed NAS solution had two certified encryption layers in a single device. This approach delivers a complete, ready-to-use solution that results in less program risk, less implementation time, and lower Cost. The rugged, compact DTS1+ is designed to store and protect large amounts of data on a wide range of deployed aerospace and defense platforms, including manned and unmanned vehicles, helicopters, fighters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft that require the protection of sensitive DAR in accordance with international standards.

“We are very happy to have achieved the milestone of Common Criteria certification from NIAP for our second generation DTS1+ NAS device,” said Brian Perry, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Division.

“The DTS1+ takes NAS performance further, with faster Ethernet data transfer rates and enhanced hardware encryption.”

With nearly double the Ethernet data rates (190MB/s write and 220MB/s read) of its predecessor, the DTS1+ integrates the latest generation hardware encryption device, which supports FIPS 140-2 Level encryption via 128-bit AES-XTS. The single-slot DTS1+ also supports the same external cables and removable memory cartridges (RMC) used with the DTS1 for storage of up to 8 TB per RMC. Curtiss-Wright’s curtisswright.com

COTS Journal | August 2024

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August 2024

COT’S PICKS Teledyne FLIR Expands NextGeneration Hadron 640 Series of Dual Thermal-Visible Cameras for Unmanned Systems Integrators

Latest Hadron 640 Models Bring enhanced Thermal Sensitivity and SWaP-Optimized Design for Out-of-the-Box Integration.

As part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, FLIR released its next generation of high-performance Hadron 640 dual radiometric thermal and visible camera modules. The ITAR-free Hadron 640+ and radiometric Hadron 640R+ provide industry-leading thermal sensitivity. All models are size, weight, and power (SWaP) optimized for integration into unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), robotic platforms, and emerging AI applications utilizing Teledyne FLIR Prism™ software.

“The Hadron 640 series allows integrators to deploy AI-ready, high-performance dual-camera modules into small unmanned systems where SWaP, performance, run time, and battery life are mission critical,” said Michael Walters, Vice President of Product Management, Teledyne FLIR. “With Teledyne FLIR’s new Prism AI detection, tracking, and classification models and Prism ISP libraries offering super-resolution, turbulence mitigation, contrast enhancement, and more, Hadron 640 also enables effective AI-based applications.”

The new Hadron 640 modules include a 640 x 512 resolution Boson+ longwave infrared

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COTS Journal | August 2024

(LWIR) camera module with in du str y - l ea ding thermal sensitivity of 20 millikelvin (mK) or better.

It sees through total darkness, smoke, fog, and glare, allowing operational awareness day and night. The Hadron 640R+ provides temperature measurements for every pixel in the scene. The addition of a 64MP visible camera enables the Hadron 640 series to offer thermal and visible imagery within a single camera module.

“Continued collaboration with Teledyne FLIR enables rapid payload and performance innovation for Teal drones, accelerates time to market, and equips warfighters with the best possible technology for operational success,” said George Matus, CTO of Red Cat. “The Hadron 640 series features enhanced thermal sensitivity and HD visible cameras to provide superior performance within a compact package for the support of our NATO allies and the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Tranche 2

program of record.”

The Hadron 640 series offers a complete system through a single supplier to reduce development costs and time to market for integrators and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) product developers. This includes drivers for market-leading processors from NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and more, plus industry-leading integration support and service from a Teledyne FLIR support team of experts.

Teledyne Technologies teledyne.com

COTS COTS

ADVERTISERS Company

Index

Annapolis Micro Systems ......................................

Page # 4

Website

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

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

IFC/BC ............................................. www.behlman.com

Core Systems ........................................................

13

..................................... www.core-systems.com

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

10

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

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

5

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

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

IBC

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

MPL ......................................................................

8

....................................................... www.mpl.ch

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

21/30

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

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

4/IBC

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

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

29

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

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