COTS Journal

January 2018, Volume 20 – Number 1 • cotsjournalonline.com

JOURNAL

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

THE SECURITY CHALLENGES OF THE US AIR FORCE

DEBORAH LEE JAMES, Former Secretary of the Air Force, discusses how to shore up critical infrastructure MICHAEL RANDAZZO, of AIM discusses critical concerns of avionic busses

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing JOURNAL

F-22s at Edwards Air Force Base

COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf.

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

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

DEPARTMENTS

SPECIAL FEATURE 12

Cybersecurity Meets Physical Safety.

By Deborah Lee James, Former Secretary of the Air Force

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Solving Cyber Security on Avionics Databusses

06 Publisher’s Note

NRL Celebrates 60 Years in Space with Vanguard

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The Inside Track

Michael J. Randazzo, Director of Applications Engineering

SYSTEM DEVLOPMENT 18

Advanced MMICs Aid in Reducing Size and Power in Phased Array Radar Systems John Aldon, PhD | President, MILCOTS

COT’S PICKS 25

Top High Capacity Storage

COTS Journal | January 2018

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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

JOURNAL COTS Journal Editorial

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

John Reardon, Publisher

NRL Celebrates 60 Years in Space with Vanguard Sixty years ago the U.S Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) launched what has become the longest remaining man-made object in space.

Launched March 17, 1958, Vanguard I, a component of the Vanguard Project, is a small aluminum sphere (16.5 cm in diameter) that was designed to partake in the International Geophysical Year (IGY) — a series of coordinated observations of various geophysical phenomena during solar maximum, spanning July 1957 through December 1958.

The basic objectives of the Vanguard Project were to build a satellite launching vehicle, get one satellite in orbit, track and verify orbital path, and accomplish one scientific experiment all before the end of the IGY. Homer E. Newell Jr., then acting superintendent of NRL’s Atmosphere and Astrophysics Division wrote, “To be useful, an artificial satellite must be observed, to launch an unobservable object into an orbit would be simply stunt, hardly to be classed as a worthwhile scientific endeavor.”

Following the unexpected launches of two Earth-orbiting satellites, Sputnik I and II, by the Soviet Union, and following a series of NRL’s own suborbital tests with the prior launches of test vehicles (TV) zero, one and two, NRL, set out to launch the first Vanguard satellite (TV3) into orbit, December 6, 1957.

The launch however suffered a launch system failure and crashed on the launch pad in a fiery explosion.

Despite this unfortunate setback, the Vanguard Project had still come a long way toward solving the problems of putting a satellite into orbit. This proved a valuable asset to U.S. engineers and researchers and was an enabling factor that contributed to the successful launch of the U.S. Army’s Explorer I, January 31, 1958, the first U.S. satellite placed in Earth orbit.

Three months later, on March 17, NRL successfully launched

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COTS Journal | January 2018

Launched by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, March 17, 1958, Test Vehicle 4 (TV4), better known as Vanguard I, was the second satellite launched by the U.S., the first successful satellite of the Vanguard series, and the first satellite to use solar cell power. It is the oldest satellite still orbiting the Earth. (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory)

Vanguard I, becoming the second U.S. satellite in Earth orbit and attaining the highest apogee of any satellite, an altitude of nearly 2,500 miles.

“We are all still in awe of what the Vanguard team accomplished 60 years ago,” said John Schaub, director, Naval Center of Space Technology (NCST) at NRL. “In just 30 months, with the successful launch of Vanguard I, their work brought to culmination the efforts of America’s first official space satellite program.”

With the launch of Vanguard I, the NRL Vanguard Project

had finally begun to see many of the mission goals come to fruition, to include testing of three-stage launch vehicles, establishing a network of terrestrial tracking stations known as ‘Minitrack,’ and measuring the effects of the space environment on an Earth-orbiting satellite.

Vanguard’s orbital data proved invaluable toward the understanding of upper atmospheric physics, geodesy, geodynamics, solar terrestrial relationships, dynamical astronomy, and exospheric structure. Additionally, Vanguard I returned a wealth of information on air density, temperature ranges and micrometeorite impacts as well as revealing that the earth is slightly pear-shaped rather than round.

Instrumentation onboard Vanguard I included a set of mercury batteries, a 108-MHz transmitter, two temperature sensors, and a Minitrack beacon powered by six square solar cells – the first satellite on-orbit to be powered by photovoltaic cells. On-board transmitters were used primarily for engineering and tracking data, but were also used to determine the total electron content between the satellite and ground stations.

Although the satellite’s batteries lasted only 20 days, the crystal silicon photovoltaic, or solar cells, developed by the Army Corps of Engineers, continued to provide power for another seven years.

“As the first major U.S. space technology demonstration, the Vanguard Project instilled the rudiments of successful spacecraft engineering and space systems developments in the Navy, NASA and even the first Explorer payloads,” said Dr. Angelina Callahan, NRL Historian. “By the time Vanguard I transmitted its last signal in 1964, NRL had launched a prototype weather satellite, the world’s first intelligence satellite and performed an important series of transionospheric propagation experiments for submarine communications.”

With the signing of the National Aeronautics and Space Act, by president Dwight D. Eisenhower, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was formed. By way of presidential order 10783, NRL’s Vanguard Project civil service personnel were transferred into the newly created administration on October 1, 1958, and became the “nucleus” of the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Although data transmissions fell silent in 1964, ground-based tracking of Vanguard I has continued to provide scientists with data concerning the effects of the sun, moon and the atmosphere on satellite orbits.

“Vanguard I paved the way for NRL to leave our mark in the space technology field,” said Schaub. “We continue to draw inspiration from the innovation and uniqueness of the Vanguard Project, perpetuating our legacy of changing the way we see space down here on the surface.”

Vanguard I launch on March 17, 1958, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. With the launch of Vanguard I, NRL scientists had finally begun to see many of the mission goals come to fruition, to include testing of three-stage launch vehicles, establishing a network of terrestrial tracking stations known as ‘Minitrack,’ and measuring the effects of the space environment on an Earth-orbiting satellite. (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory)

With a present apogee and perigee virtually unchanged from initial launch, Vanguard I, and subsequent satellites Vanguard II (Feb. 1959) and III (Sept. 1959), are all destined to continue to orbit the Earth and provide atmospheric and environmental data sets for well over another 60 years.

COTS Journal | January 2018

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The

INSIDE TRACK Mercury Systems, Inc. Announced it Received: • a $7.7 million follow-on order from a leading defense prime contractor for BuiltSecure™ high-density secure memory devices integrated into a state-of-the-art airborne command, control and intelligence system.

• a $2.5M order from a leading defense prime contractor for custom storage appliances built with the Company’s TRRUST-Stor® secure solid-state drive (SSD) devices for an undisclosed military application.

• a $3.9 million follow-on order from a leading defense prime contractor for custom-engineered secure solid-state drives (SSD) deployed in an airborne mission management application.

• a $3.4 million in follow-on orders from a leading defense prime contractor for custom high-performance microelectronics integrated into the guidance, navigation and control system of a precision guided munitions application.

• a $12.5 million order from a leading dfense prime contractor for a ground-based electronic surveillance subsystem.

Congatec AG acquires Real-Time Systems GmbH:

Congatec has acquired Real-Time Systems GmbH (RTS), headquartered in Ravensburg, Germany. Founded in 2006, RTS is a leading provider of hypervisor software for real-time applications in the embedded market.

“The congatec strategy is to simplify the use of embedded computing technologies”, explains Jason Carlson, CEO of Congatec. “As the connected IIoT and Industry 4.0 world is getting more and more complex, one of the most important strategic levers to meet this objective is to invest in software.” Getting the chance to acquire a market-proven and estab-

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lished hypervisor technology that perfectly matches the IIoT and Industry 4.0 needs is a significant milestone for Congatec.

RTS will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Congatec. The company will continue to operate independently, doing business as it always has, providing it’s software to run on any x86 hardware, but now with worldwide sales and technical support teams ready to support the product.

Flex Logic Co-Founder Cheng Wang awarded Interconnect Patent for Tiling of eFPGA cores to create wide range of larger eFPGA Arrays.

Novel Interconnect Design Enables Scalable eFPGA Arrays Using Silicon Proven Cores Flex Logic announced that an additional switch interconnect patent, U.S. Patent 9,906,225, was issued to Flex Logix, naming its co-founder Cheng Wang as the inventor. This patent, which builds on another interconnect patent issued to Flex Logix in late 2017, highlights a breakthrough technology feature of the company’s EFLXâ platform, enabling the tiling of its EFLX 4K eFPGA core to create more than 50 different sized eFPGA arrays from 4K to 200K.

COTS Journal | January 2018

Flex Logix founders Geoff Tate, Fang-Li Yuan, and Cheng Wang.

“Traditional interconnect technology used by our competition is not capable of achieving the silicon-proven scalability that this patent describes,” said Geoff Tate, CEO and co-founder of Flex Logix. “This is a major competitive advantage for our customers because not only do they want proven eFPGA IP in silicon, but they also want it in very different sizes. Only the EFLX platform has the scalability to deliver either a few thousand LUTs, a couple hundred thousand LUTs, or any size in between.”

The

INSIDE TRACK Thinkon Delivers New KA-Band Aero Satcom Systerms for US E-4B Aircraft

MBH Series DC/ DC Converter

Calaex introduces MBH Series DC/ DC Converter: Calex Mfg. Co., Inc. introduces the MBH Series DC/ DC Converters. The MBH offers up to 2100 Watts in a low pro le 9.0” x 6.5” x 1.25”H ruggedized chassis mount package. The module weighs only 3.3 lbs. making the MBH ideal for harsh shock and vibration environments in both COTS military and industrial applications. The MBH Series’ high ef ciency, up to 97%, is accomplished through the use of high ef ciency synchronous recti cation, advanced electronic circuitry and thermal design resulting in a compact, highly robust solution backed by Calex’s Five Year Warranty. The operating temperature range for the MBH is -40 to 95oC with storage of -55 to 100oC.

Marvin Test Solutions Announces Contract Award for A-10/C Flightline Test Sets Portable Automated Test Set Model 70A (PATS-70A) Program Supports New Test Requirements for A-10/C Thunderbolt II

Marvin Test Solutions, Inc. (MTS announced that it has been awarded an $8.6M Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide chassis and instrumentation for the production of PATS-70A test sets used for O-Level and I-Level maintenance of A-10/C aircraft, as well as upgrade kits for existing PATS-70 test sets to the PATS-70A configuration. Work will be performed at the company’s Irvine, CA facility with expected completion by mid-2019.

Next-Generation Low-Profile Antenna Systems Provide Industry-Leading Throughput, Cost-Efficiency and Zero Drag in Flight

ThinKom Solutions, Inc. announced it has delivered its next-generation Ka-band aeronautical satellite antenna systems for the U.S. government’s E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft.

The E-4B aircraft (SLC3S-A) serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Command Systems for the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing secure and highly-survivable 24/7/365 global communications.

ThinKom was competitively selected to supply its ThinAir® Falcon-Ka2517 fuselage-mounted phased-array antenna systems for installation on the E-4B platforms under a modernization program to replace the aging less-efficient Ku-band ESA systems. The new satcom system will enable more reliable and more cost-efficient higher-bandwidth voice, data and video connectivity in a highly-survivable low-profile subsystem that can exploit both military and commercial satellite assets.

Installations are now underway and the upgrades are expected to become operational by the third quarter of this year.

US E-4B Aircraft

COTS Journal | January 2018

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The

INSIDE TRACK Thinkom Delivers New KA-Band Aero Satcom Systems for US E-4B Aircraft Next-Generation Low-Profile Antenna Systems Provide Industry-Leading Throughput, Cost-Efficiency and Zero Drag in Flight

ThinKom Solutions, Inc. announced it has delivered its next-generation Ka-band

KA- Band Aero Satcom Systems from Thinkom

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aeronautical satellite antenna systems for the U.S. government’s E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft.

The E-4B aircraft (SLC3S-A) serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Command Systems for the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing secure and highly-survivable 24/7/365 global communications.

ThinKom was competitively selected to supply its ThinAir® Falcon-Ka2517 fuselage-mounted phased-array antenna systems for installation on the E-4B platforms under a modernization program to replace the aging less-efficient Ku-band ESA systems. The new satcom system will enable more reliable and more cost-efficient higher-bandwidth voice, data and video connectivity in a highly-survivable low-profile subsystem that can exploit both military and commercial satellite assets.

COTS Journal | January 2018

Installations are now underway and the upgrades are expected to become operational by the third quarter of this year.

The ThinAir Ka-band fully integrated satcom suite provides industry-leading high throughput and transponder bandwidth efficiency. It supports data rates up to 400 Mbps forward link and 100 Mbps return link. The phased-array antenna apertures are packaged in the industry’s lowest-profile radome, eliminating aerodynamic drag in flight. The unit’s superior high skew angle performance ensures highly efficient connectivity in equatorial regions, while also being able to reliably close links along high-latitude/polar routes at elevation angles below 10 degrees. Importantly, it is the only commercially available Ka-band airborne antenna system with the bandwidth and beam agility to support hybrid operation with both geostationary (GEO) and low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks.

The

INSIDE TRACK

Green Hills Software’s INTEGRITY-178 tuMP Multicore Operating System is the First Operating System Certified Proven Industry Leader in Safe and Secure Operating Systems completes all FACE Conformance Activities for both ARMv8 and PowerPC architectures making it the first FACE Technical Standard 2.1.1 conformant Operating System and the first ever FACE Conformant Multicore Operating System Green Hills Software announced it has successfully completed the FACE™ verification process with CERTON, a Cyient Company and a FACE Consortium approved Verification Authority, in order to verify conformance of its INTEGRITY®-178 Time-Variant Unified Multi Processing (tuMP™) operating system with the Technical Standard for Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) edition 2.1.1. Green Hills Software has completed these conformance requirements for its INTEGRITY-178 tuMP operating system for two different multicore architectures, or Units of Conformance (UoC): ARMv8 and PowerPC/QorIQ. In addition, each INTEGRITY-178 tuMP UoC has been verified against both the Safety Base and Security Profiles with each profile including verification for C, C++ and Ada support. As a result, Green Hills Software is the only multicore operating system that is conformant to the FACE Technical Standard. The FACE Registry’s inclusion of UoCs for INTEGRITY-178 tuMP demonstrates full completion of the FACE conformance activities for this Green Hills Software product.

DRAGOR off-road vehicle from Polaris

Next-Generation Polaris® DAGOR® Evolves with Mission Requirements Polaris Government and Defense is evolving its squad-ready DAGOR® offroad vehicle with the introduction of the DAGOR® A1. The DAGOR® A1 provides improved performance and capabilities with better mobility and operator functionality for customers which already include U.S. Special Forces, the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), multiple European militaries and additional global forces.

“DAGOR® is deployed around the world. Its flexible and modular design allows it to fulfill a number of missions and evolve with threats,” said Mark McCormick, senior director, Polaris Government and Defense. “DAGOR® A1 is our answer to operators that are asking for more payload and mobility, with an increase of more than 20 percent in total carrying capacity.

The DAGOR® A1 is ideally suited to provide enhanced tactical mobility as well as command and control for infantry forces at the squad, company level and higher.”

The DAGOR’s modularity continues to allow for missionization, including the Squad Carrier configuration, the Personnel Recovery Kit, or Canada’s Ultra-Light

Combat Vehicle (ULCV) configuration. New missionization components include newly designed fuel or water can holders that can be placed in several locations quickly and easily with newly offered cargo box aircraft rails, RF antenna mounts and a tailgate that is aircraft rail compatible for a convenient and familiar storage options for the tailgate’s 500-pound (227 kilogram) capacity.

DAGOR® provides exceptional off-road mobility, payload and transportability – carrying up to nine warfighters and their gear, for a total payload of up to 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms) on the DAGOR® A1. An increased ride height – even at full payload – provides better obstacle clearance and improves off-road mobility.

DAGOR® A1 maintains air-drop, sling-load and internal tactical air transportability on CH47 and CH53 helicopters from the original ultralight vehicle platform. And DAGOR® has successfully completed hot weather trials in the Gulf Region.

The DAGOR® A1 also incorporates durability and improved operator functionality. An in-dash power management screen provides in-cab access to vehicle component condition – like battery state of charge – to aid in communications and silent watch. Expanded lighting options and integrated wiring expands on the utility of the open-concept DAGOR®.

COTS Journal | January 2018

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SPECIAL FEATURE Cybersecurity Meets Physical Safety.

Cybersecurity Meets Physical Safety: Shoring-Up Weak Links in Critical Operations Cyber-attacks are a daily occurrence for the US Air Force. In an unfortunate parallel to private industry, Air Force networks are attacked, and defended, thousands of times each week. I know this too well as former Secretary of the Air Force. In my current role, I also am well aware that operators of public as well as private critical networks are forced to pour more time, attention and resources than ever before into computer network security because it is so critical to our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

By Deborah Lee James Former Secretary of the Air Force

COTS Journal | January 2018

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SPECIAL FEATURE

In light of these costs, and associated high stakes, a clear return on investment is imperative. Such a return is not certain if we train our sights solely on network security. Cyber intruders have shown us repeatedly that many avenues are open to them for launching attacks and compromising critical data. That’s why the Air Force is investing more heavily in operational security, and the private sector cannot afford to fail following suit.

Operational security encompasses the entire portfolio of assets that execute processes, or missions, as directed by software code. These processes might be setting a flight path for an advanced fighter aircraft, or they may direct automated maintenance routines for an HVAC system on a facility where classified operations are conducted.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), characterized by the vast and complex interconnections of different systems, has opened innumerable gateways to our economy’s many enemies. Today’s cybersecurity for our critical infrastructure -dams, powerplants, industrial complexes -- extends barely beyond the network core.

Yet surprisingly, and alarmingly, edge devices linked to critical systems that prevent life-threatening malfunctions are almost entirely unguarded by PC-style firewalls.

The remedy to resolving so exploitable a shortcoming is to comprehensively integrate endpoint security into national cybersecurity practice for critical systems.

We must, in effect, lock down each individual endpoint that can, if compromised, abet the spread of malware through the greater network.

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COTS Journal | January 2018

To keep networks secure, a more comprehensive layered approach is necessary.

Doing so addresses three essential realities:

1. Our national security and war-fighting efforts have become highly dependent on the expanding Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

2. Unclassified network segments that support supply, logistics and other physical operations require greater cyber-protection.

3. Action planning is increasingly mission-critical for protecting sensitive databases and endpoint terminals from advanced persistent threats.

Network operators are becoming more aware of foundational vulnerabilities that lie beyond the boundaries kept by standard firewalls. They are recognizing, for example, that the automation controls managing America’s largest corporate and residential campuses have become a target for state-sponsored enemies. These enemies don’t need to breach firewalls if they can turn off the lights and heat. Such network segments, if crippled, can potentially shut down hospitals, military outposts, nuclear plants and more.

nicate with remote servers, and users interact via human-machine-interfaces (HMIs) such as PCs, tablets and smart phones. But all these communications are presumed by firewalls to be taking place among authorized people and machines.

The problem is that once intruders breach the system, as they inevitably will, there is little security in place to prevent them from doing almost anything they please.

Attackers prefer a path of least resistance, so penetrating a system from a public network using well-known hacker tactics is an easy way to infiltrate. A logical counter would be to install strong perimeter deCybersecurity and the Industrial Internet fenses, such as data-diodes or gateway-firewalls, to eradicate the external attack vecof Things tor. While this approach is as logical as it is Informed industry leaders now recognize typical, it is severely incomplete.

that cyber-threats to critical endpoints are a dangerous by-product of the IIoT. Mitigating Such a defense may thwart a direct these risks, many acknowledge, requires fresh attempt to breach a network, but it is far methodologies in cybersecurity planning and less likely to deflect a persistent and depurchases. termined offender. This attacker may try a

Standard operating procedure for securing a fixed, versus IIoT, network has resulted in a multitude of superficially secured systems that limit some levels of access to public networks such as the internet. As long as an attacker remains outside the network, this type of security may be sufficient.

Unfortunately, the threats most dangerous to IIoT are essentially indifferent to standard perimeter safeguards. Devices commu-

Threat takeaway: IIoT embedded devices

will do whatever they’re told once a command, even a malevolent one, reaches them.

watering-hole or USB-based tactic to insert malicious code into a system. A cyber-enemy may infect the firmware on a website or compromise maintenance laptops via USB. Configuration files and flash drives may be corrupted through any number of software-based and social engineering methods that have all succeeded in the recent, and well-publicized, past.

The takeaway is this: The most concerning vulnerability isn’t one that allows an unauthorized party to access an IIoT device from outside the network. The real threat is that IIoT embedded devices will do what

ever they’re told once a command, even a malevolent one, reaches them.

Every security control and architecture design should be built to prevent any possible vulnerability from being exploited. In many ICSs, an attacker targets an embedded device’s lack of robustness. Yet interconnected devices are rarely tested for behaviors should they receive an unauthorized command. If challenged by a non-standard operation or command, basic embedded devices often fail or malfunction.

The Industrial Security Landscape: Breaching a Network Perimeter

daily use worldwide have little or no embedded security, even while the smart phones and computers that connect with them are hyper-secured. Modern cybersecurity has almost entirely overlooked the vast majority of devices that make up the Internet of Things, leaving them almost entirely defenseless.

Implementing End-to-End Cybersecurity When implementing comprehensive cybersecurity, the approach must be holistic if it is to be consistently effective. All possible weaknesses must be addressed. This means considering endpoints when devising systems and cybersecurity programs, and when planning purchases.

he threat landscape has never been more precarious. Machine systems are everywhere, connecting everything. Computers are welcomed into homes and offices in ways that often are invisible to their users. Critical systems that drive industry -- heating, ventilation, air conditioning, generators, pumps, motors, light bulbs, temperature sensors – are all increasingly operated across connected networks.

To illustrate: There is no point to locking the front door when the window beside it is visibly open. Intruders simply move from the strongest point of defense to the weakest. For interconnected critical networks, a comprehensive approach to sound cybersecurity means evaluating and correcting a host of vulnerabilities that impact people, devices, networks and data.

With every new innovation in technology comes unforeseen consequences. In the industrial space where cyber meets physical, computers interconnect to perform functions that require no human involvement. The result is an irresistible sandbox for cyber criminals. The valves, meters and other gadgets in

The best way to implement end-to-end risk controls is to understand how an attacker might succeed, then determine how best to implement security for optimum risk mitigation. Doing so calls for proven risk strategies that leverage industry standards.

These strategies are then complemented with

independently validated technologies proven to prevent the introduction of fresh vulnerabilities.

Cybersecurity Best Practices Best practices, in many cases, apply almost interchangeably to both the military and civilian industrial sectors.

Consider strategic security guidance to industry issued in 2015 by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency’s Seven Strategies outlined steps recommended for assuring optimized security. In issuing the best practices, DHS noted that these actions, had they been taken, could have prevented a large percentage of successful attacks to US critical infrastructure.

In accordance with this expert guidance, comprehensive security must tightly mesh physical facilities with cyber systems. Central command-and-control centers must be equipped, for example, with intelligent analytics to proactively monitor, detect, alert and provide solutions in a crisis. Virtual perimeter monitoring should assure edge or boundary security. In the case of a military base, a comprehensive cyber-physical safety net connects remote sensors to security operation centers to facilitate alerts, responses and analyses of security events using, ideally, a wireless and intelligent video networking system.

Such an approach models the defense-indepth methodology US defense experts advocate. To shore up the weak links in critical networks, private industry must heed DHS guidance. Here are methods for applying DHS recommendations to ICS: 1. Application Whitelisting - The only way to truly detect and prevent attempted execution of malware uploaded by adversaries is through application whitelisting applied to the networked connections between ICS devices. In the event an application is compromised, any attempted action is limited to preapproved operations. This helps prevent an attack from spreading which, in turn, improves system reliability and integrity.

2. Ensuring Proper Configuration/ Patch Management - Systems that are fully certified to highest security-implementation standards allow users to safely monitor and control operations across facilities. Unauthorized

COTS Journal | January 2018

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Cybersecurity Best Practices Best practices, in many cases, apply almost interchangeably to both the military and civilian industrial sectors.

Consider strategic security guidance to industry issued in 2015 by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency’s Seven Strategies outlined steps recommended for assuring optimized security. In issuing the best practices, DHS noted that these actions, had they been taken, could have prevented a large percentage of successful attacks to US critical infrastructure.

In accordance with this expert guidance, comprehensive security must tightly mesh physical facilities with cyber systems. Central command-and-control centers must be equipped, for example, with intelligent analytics to proactively monitor, detect, alert and provide solutions in a crisis. Virtual perimeter monitoring should assure edge or boundary security. In the case of a military base, a comprehensive cyber-physical safety net connects remote sensors to security operation centers to facilitate alerts, responses and analyses of security events using, ideally, a wireless and intelligent video networking system.

Such an approach models the defense-indepth methodology US defense experts advocate. To shore up the weak links in critical networks, private industry must heed DHS guidance. Here are methods for applying DHS recommendations to ICS: 1. Application Whitelisting - The only way to truly detect and prevent attempted execution of malware uploaded by adversaries is through application whitelisting applied to the networked connections between ICS devices. In the event an application is compromised, any attempted action is limited to preapproved operations. This helps prevent an attack from spreading which, in turn, improves system reliability and integrity.

2. Ensuring Proper Configuration/ Patch Management - Systems that are fully certified to highest security-implementation standards allow users to safely monitor and control operations across facilities. Unauthorized access beyond an initial entry point is blocked, as are man-in-the-middle and other attacks. Such controlled access facilitates configuration and patch implementations by limiting access to key management systems.

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3. Reducing Attack Surfaces - Technology with end-to-end encryption can create a segmented network for ICS devices whereby they are rendered invisible to unauthorized devices such as infected flash drives. Advanced certificate-based authentication can block port reuse and unauthorized access by, for example, a contractor’s unauthorized laptop. It can assure that only necessary and approved communications occur between known devices.

4. Building a Defendable Environment - Validated cryptographic protections can isolate critical-control traffic from other traffic even when transported over the same physical network.

Through device-level firewall functionality and command-level whitelisting, all host-to-host communications 5. Managing Authentication - Network and ICS data can be segmented using centralized PKI (public key infrastructure) security. To breach such a segmented system, an attacker would have to simultaneously compromise security frameworks on two separate network segments.

6. Securing Remote Access - Access should be secured through encrypted connections using PKI-based authentication. Monitor-only modes are useful for permitting exclusively valid and authorized data to be exported without opening a link that an attacker can use to send traffic in, or tunnel data out.

7. Monitoring and Response - Military-grade technology is available to industry for advanced monitoring. When unauthorized activity is detected, such systems block access and send an alert to approved personnel.

Despite perceptions to the contrary across some industry quarters, it is possible to affordably, efficiently and comprehensively cybersecure ICS infrastructure by locking down endpoints. The threat is real, and with the demonstrated feasibility of adopting best practices, doing so should be mandatory.

Following the military’s deeply layered approach, industry should embrace best-inclass endpoint security tools. Network owners and operators should seek technologies that defend endpoints against persistent threats by accurately identifying malware upon arrival, and responding appropriately before an attack can be launched.

US defense agencies’ go-to gear for end-to-end cybersecurity is lightweight and virtually plug-and-play. It doesn’t impact IT operations because it doesn’t interfere with networks’ existing architectures. Fortunately, such solutions are not exclusive to US military, defense and intelligence operations. The private sector would have avoided many its most severe, and costly, breaches had it followed the government’s lead in cyber-hardening critical network assets.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Solving Cyber Security on Avionics Databusses The need for Cyber Security is well-known today, more than ever, and affects everyone’s daily life. With that being said, it is surprising that some of the most sensitive data out there is barely protected at all. I am referring to Avionics Databusses, found on every major [Military and Commercial] aircraft flying today.

PBA.pro: Turnkey solution for Cyber Security Testing on Avionics Databusses.

Michael J. Randazzo, Director of Applications Engineering

In addition, as more avionics types of buses are being deployed and interconnected [in both new and updated aircraft] there is an increasing concern that these vulnerabilities in security might allow unauthorized access to devices communicating on these busses.

The most concerning bus is MILSTD-1553, which was designed before the term “Cyber Security” was even invented. The concern is that this bus, which was designed with no infiltration protection, could be easily corrupted or manipulated if any unintended data made it on to the databus.

There are already multiple government and private industry organizations studying the problem with the goal of establishing suitable methods to assure complete aircraft databus cyber security.

PBA.pro contains a concurrent real-time 1553 Bus Monitor (BM), so all 100% of the data that is on the bus can be recorded and post-analyzed at any time. Depot, lab or rugged units are available to support all aspects of flight test.

In addition, recorded data can be always be replayed to reproduce any scenario.

The issue with just looking at “Raw” 1553 data is that most 1553 data requires further decoding (such as a scale factor) to determine its true meaning to perform a “credibility analysis”.

PBA.pro handles this with ease by including a Database Manager (ICD) component, which can decode and interpret the raw 1553 data in its true Engineering Unit

As a result of these efforts, AIM has developed a suite of tools that can be utilized to interface with MIL-STD-1553 [and other protocols, i.e. ARINC429, ARINC664/AFDX®, Ethernet, CANBus] equipment to analyze, attack, detect and remove potential security vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability Detection Since there are thousands of fielded avionics computers using MIL-STD-1553 today, the most logical initial approach would be to see if any vulnerabilities exist. More simply put, “can the computer be made to do something it’s not supposed to.”

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Figure 1: Verifying EU in-range data.

COTS Journal | January 2018

(EU). Once the Engineering Unit is decoded, PBA.pro can then scan the recorded data and verify that every bit of data is valid, comprehendible and documented (See Figure 1).

PBA.pro has the ability to perform real-time or post-time credibility analysis in the following areas: • EU is within ICD Range and valid.

• Undocumented ICD Data detected on bus.

• EU Rate is valid and within tolerance • 1553 Errors detected on bus Table 1: Data credibility analysis.

Intrusion Simulation

PLATFORM-LEVEL ANALYSIS.

Once the “expected and accepted” data is known, it’s time to see how a 1553 UnitUnder-Test (UUT) reacts to unexpected anomalies.

Some of the capabilities already mentioned involve PBA.pro and a single UUT. But, in reality an Avionics databus is an interaction of many subsystems. Those interactions create another cyber security concern, requiring testing at the full system level and the vulnerabilities that come with it.

PBA.pro has the ability to inject many electrical errors (See Table 2) that violate the MIL-STD-1553 specification, with the intention to determine how a UUT reacts.

In addition to the above, PBA.pro can simulate a multiple BC or duplicate RT scenario or even inject 1553 messages during detected Bus Idle (dead) time.

PBA.pro is a modular multi-protocol solution, supporting numerous bus types and multiple bus instances. Below is a list of some of the more popular protocols supported by PBA.pro (See Table 3).

CMD/DATA SYNC INVERSE

MIL-STD-1553/1760

WORD/BIT COUNT CHANGES

AFDX®/ARINC-664/EDE

PARITY ERROR INSERTION

FIBRE CHANNEL (FC-AE)

MANCHESTER BIT FAULTS

ARINC-429

ZERO CROSSING ERRORS

10/100/1000 ETHERNET

PARITY ERROR INSERTION

CANBus® / ARINC-825

Table 2: Data credibility analysis.

Table 3: PBA.pro protocol sampling.

MIL-STD-1553 COMPLIANCE TESTING Although is it expected that a deployed ( flying) 1553 UUT is already compliant to the MIL-STD-1553 specification, there have been exceptions and equipment has been found to fail.

PBA.pro has a completely automated off-the-shelf SAE 4111/4112 Test Plan Suite. These tests [published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)] are designed to validate that a 1553 Remote Terminal UUT meets all electrical and protocol requirements of the MIL-STD-1553 specification.

Figure 2: 1553 RT Validation Testing.

Beyond MIL-STD-1553, AIM has a suite of tools that are just as focused for other Avionics Protocols. Comprehensive Monitoring and inline data modification capabilities are currently available for ARINC-429, ARINC-664/AFDX®, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, ARINC825/CANBUS and Fibre Channel protocols.

Figure 2: 1553 RT Validation Testing.

PBA.pro is an invaluable tool to assist engineers analyze and develop methods to assure the cyber security of any Avionics databus. From laboratory to real-time flight analysis, PBA.pro offers a time-saving and powerful solution.

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Advanced MMICs Aid in Reducing Size and Power in Phased Array Radar Systems Chelmsford, MA – March 19, 2018 – Custom MMIC, a leading developer of performance driven monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), discusses the importance of phased-array radar systems as well as the associated benefits and drawbacks and the new path forward.

John Aldon, PhD President, MILCOTS

Phased-array radar systems are important instruments in national electronic defense strategies. From the large, ship-based systems that scan for distantly launched missiles to the more compact arrays installed on fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), electronic phased-array radars come in many sizes and forms, providing reliable signal detection and identification. These modern systems offer many advantages over earlier radar systems that relied on the physical movement of an antenna to steer a radar beam in search of a target. This earlier method is certainly proven and reliable, having been used in military platforms and commercial aviation for over 70 years, but it is limited in scan rate by the mechanical motion of the antenna. In contrast, a phased-array radar system uses many equally spaced antenna elements with phase shifters, with each element contributing a small amount of electromagnetic (EM) radiation to form a much larger beam.

As the phase of each antenna element is shifted and aligned, the direction of the radar beam changes and, as the amplitude of each element is varied, the pattern of the far-field response is shaped into the desired response. Thus, the overall radar antenna beam can be steered without need of a me20

chanically rotated antenna. Beam forming, which can be now performed by means of analog or digital control, can take place at extremely high speeds, limited only by the switching speed of electronic components.

growing demands placed on phased-array radar systems can be met with the help of modern RF/microwave integrated-circuit (IC) and monolithic-microwave-integrated-circuit (MMIC) technologies.

Phased-Array Benefits and Drawbacks

Historically, phased-array radar systems have been large in both cost and weight. With the explosive growth of UAVs and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) as key elements of the defense arsenal, the need for lighter phased-array radar systems in these weight-sensitive systems will continue to grow. In addition, the increased use of such radars for non-military applications, such as tornado detection by the US National Weather Service (Springfield, MO), is helping drive the demand for lower-cost systems. Fortunately, these

COTS Journal | January 2018

The benefits of phased-array radar systems far outweigh their limitations, thus accounting for their growing use in many military electronic systems and platforms.

Since beam steering in phased arrays can be performed at millisecond and faster speeds, the signal can jump from one target to the next very quickly, while frequency agility can be used to search quickly across a sector for targets. The coverage of a phased-array antenna beam is typically limited to a 120-deg. sector in azimuth and elevation. While this response is a known limitation of phased arrays, mechanically scanned radar systems also have limitations in the physical area available for the motion of the antenna.

Important factors hindering the adoption of phased-array radar systems in many applications continue to be size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C). Efforts aimed at minimizing these four attributes represent

a significant technological challenge that until recently has seemed a rather formidable hurdle. Phased array radars are, after all, quite complex and even growing in this regard as target identification becomes more difficult. How can SWAP- C reduction be accomplished?

A New Path Forward A phased-array radar system (Fig. 1) is constructed from large numbers (often thousands) of transmit/receive (T/R) modules which enable the array to function as both a transmitter and a receiver. Initially designed with discrete hybrid components such as amplifiers, filter, mixers, phase shifters, and switches, these modules are now more commonly fabricated with high-frequency IC or MMIC technology.

This switchover to IC technology has provided tremendous benefits in terms of SWAP-C reduction, but simply replacing components can only get a designer so far.

Gaining additional SWaP-C benefits in any phased-array radar system also requires knowledge of how to best apply available IC and MMIC technologies to the system (Fig. 2). In fact, the key characteristics of size, weight, and power consumption in a phased-array radar system can usually be minimized by analyzing the design at the circuit, system, and technology levels.

Analysis at the technology level first involves a choice of semiconductor material. Modern commercial semiconductor foundries typically offer a number of different material technologies, but a choice among these is not always straightforward. Components in high-frequency T/R modules typically include high-power amplifiers (HPAs) for transmit purposes, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) for receiving purposes, mixers and oscillators for signal translation ( frequency upconversion and downconversion), and attenuators, filters, and switches for signal conditioning. Fabricating MMICs for all of these functions will likely require more than one semiconductor technology. For example, processes based on silicon-carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) substrates will excel in higher-power portions of the system such as transmit functions, while processes using silicon-germanium (SiGe) or gallium- arsenide (GaAs) materials will exhibit lower noise for better performance in receiver functions.

Analysis at the system and circuit levels should be closely intertwined, as a system is only as good as the sum of its components. Unfortunately, the vast majority of IC and MMIC circuit suppliers do not give enough consideration to any specific system, opting instead to create generic components that can be used across wide reaching applications. Such an approach,

Figure 1: The PAVE PAWS system at Eldorado Air Force Station is typical of a large phased- array radar system with many separate antenna elements.

while cost-effective in terms of IC and MMIC development, is not always optimal in reducing SWaP-C since these components cannot be easily customized for use in phased array systems.

Figure 1: Monolithic-microwave-integrated- circuit (MMIC) amplifiers are often used in phased-array radars as the active (signal-gain) elements.

Forward-thinking MMIC suppliers, such as Custom MMIC, have worked on approaches that combine technology, system, and circuit analysis to create components that resolve SWaP-C challenges in phased array systems. At the technology level,they have worked with nearly all of the world’s commercial III-V semiconductor foundries, and have intimate knowledge of some of the newest processes including optical pHEMT and high frequency GaN. At the system level, they have been engaged with numerous phased array designers and have heard first-hand how yesterday’s components are holding back development of next-generation low cost, low weight, high performance systems. At the circuit level, they have created an extensive intellectual property (IP) design library of components in both die and packaged form that are used as a starting point for advanced signal chain design and optimization.

As an example, one place where they have focused significant development is the transmit HPA, a common component required in almost every application. At microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies, the transmit amplifier is often fabricated from a depletion mode pHEMT process, a highly efficient and mature technology. However, depletion mode pHEMT is not without its drawbacks, most notably the need for negative gate voltage and a sequencing procedure to ensure the gate voltage is applied before the drain voltage, lest the FET device suffer irreparable harm.

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By their very nature, negative voltages and sequencing circuits for HPAs are expensive in terms of complexity, board space, and cost of the extra components. In phased arrays, especially ones with thousands of elements, such HPAs place enormous strain on the system as a whole and offer significant barriers to SWaP-C reduction. Therefore, as part of a Small Business Innovative Research grant (SBIR) from the U. S. Army, they attacked this problem for the transmit portion of an X-band phased array system. Rather than utilize depletion mode pHEMT, they turned to enhancement mode pHEMT for the HPA, a technology often relegated to other applications such as high-speed logic circuitry or switches.

In enhancement mode, the pHEMT is normally off until a positive voltage is applied to the gate. Negative voltages are no longer required, nor are voltage sequencers, since either the control or the drain voltage can be applied first; the amplifier will not turn on until both are present. In the end, they were able to replace the existing depletion mode PA with an enhancement mode design that delivered 5 dB more gain, 1 dB more power, and 2 dB improved linearity, all while dissipating 25% less DC power. In terms of SWaP-C, the benefits of enhancement mode PAs are enormous, and offer a significant breakthrough for microwave system designers in general.

A second problem they considered was the receiver LNA in an X-band phased array system as part of a separate SBIR contract.

Here, they also switched from a depletion mode to an enhancement mode process, thereby eliminating the negative voltages and sequencers of the existing solution.

Their resulting design had 1 dB lower noise figure, 8 dB more gain, an eight-fold reduction in DC power, and half the unit cost of the existing depletion mode solution.

However, they soon encountered an application that called for a pair of relatively well-matched LNAs, one for each of the two polarizations in the return signal. Starting with their enhancement mode LNA, they created a dual version on one MMIC die, thereby guaranteeing a matched pair. They also worked with their packaging vendor to develop a low cost rectangular QFN plastic package to best match the resulting die size. The end result was a “standard” product that was anything but ordinary, as it

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COTS Journal | January 2018

combined innovation at the circuit, system, and technological levels to deliver a component with significant impact on SWaP-C. Moving forward, they are continuing to develop components for phased array radar systems and similarly challenged 5G wireless systems. Using other technologies such as high frequency GaN, and a combination of different semiconductor devices in multi-chip modules, they’re looking to help designers when digital control functions must be integrated with higher frequency functions.

“We’re learning more everyday about phased array radar and antenna system design challenges,“ says Custom MMIC CSO, Charles Trantanella. “Our product design approach has always been to listen and react, and we’re very pleased to have been able to not only deliver the high frequency performance specifications phased array system designers were looking for, but also the added-value of things like positive bias and positive gain slope characteristics that are proving invaluable in their quest to meet SWaP-C objectives.”

About Custom MMIC Custom MMIC is a leading manufacturer of performance driven monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs).

Embracing their customers’ challenges, the company offers both a growing portfolio of high-performance MMIC standard products and innovative custom-design services. Their engineering team is highly experienced in a broad range of III-V processes (e.g. GaAs, GaN, InP, InGaP) and has longstanding relationships with the leading foundries. Custom MMIC specializes in RF through millimeter-wave products serving diverse markets including wireless and wired communications, satellite, radar systems, cellular infrastructure and instrumentation. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Chelmsford, MA. For more information, visit www.custommmic. com.

January 2018

COT’S PICKS

Congatec introduces MIPI-CSI 2 Smart Camera Kit for rugged vision systems

Chassis Plans Announces M2UDA-20 Rugged Military Grade 2U Rack mount Storage Server with Revision Control

MEN releases the CB71C COM Express module for transportation and industrial applications.

Congatec introduces its first MIPI CSI 2 Smart Camera Kit for vision systems at the edge of the IIoT. It is an application-ready kit for the evaluation and deployment of MIPI-CSI 2 based rugged smart camera analytics in harsh industrial, outdoor, and in-vehicle environments.

Developers benefit from an instantly deployable industrial-grade smart MIPI-CSI platform. Built with commercial, off-the-shelf available components, it simplifies development and accelerates the time to market of smart camera analytics solutions for the edge of the IIoT.

Designed and built in the USA, Chassis Plans’ new M2UDA-20 revision controlled, military-grade storage server system can be used for many rugged, computationally intense military and/or industrial applications, while using limited rack space. It meets and/or exceeds MIL-STD-810K and 901D for a range of environmental specifications – extreme high and low temperatures, high altitude, 5% to 05% non-condensing humidity, vibration, bench handling shocks and EMI compliance. Designed for use worldwide, it is compliant with RoHS, REACH, CE and TAA specifications.

The CB71C is an ultra-rugged COM Express module for rail, public transportation and industry applications, e.g. data acquisition, infotainment, transcoding, live 3D. It is 100% compatible to COM Express Type 6 Pin-Out and conforms to the VITA 59 standard that specifies robust mechanics to ensure reliable operation even under the harshest environmental conditions.

Congatec www.congatec.com

Chassis Plans www.chassis-plans.com

• AMD V1000 APU • Up to 32 GB DDR4 RAM with ECC • Up to 4 Digital Display Interfaces (DP, eDP, HDMI, DVI) • Hardware memory encryption • Safety-relevant supervision functions • Virtualization-ready • Up to -40°C to +85°C Tcase, conduction cooling • VITA 59 in process, compliant with COM Express Basic, type 6 • PICMG COM.0 COM Express version also available MEN Micro, Inc. www.men.de

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January 2018

COT’S PICKS

VadaTech Announces MicroTCA Chassis optimized for FPGAs VadaTech announces the VT882. The VT882 is a 2U MTCA chassis that provides eight extended-size/full-size and/or mid-size AMC slots that can accept any AMC.1, AMC.2, AMC.3 and/or AMC.4 modules. It provides TCLKA, TCLKB, TCLKC and TCLKD as well as FLCLKA to each slot in addition to the JTAG signals. It also contains capability for full redundancy by having a redundant MCH, Power Modules, as well as redundant Cooling Units for high availability. Option for redundant/non-redundant clock is per MTCA specification.

The VT882 has High-speed routing on 26 layers (40G capable) and High-speed MTCA connectors (12.5 GHz). Pairs of modules have ports 2-15 and 17-20 routed locally (not via a switch), making the chassis ideal for housing FPGA modules communicating over low-latency protocol such as Aurora. Ports 0 and 1 are routed to GbE switches as normal, supporting control plane resource management.

VadaTech, Inc. www.vadatech.com

Matrox Imaging announces Major MIL 10 Software Update with Deep Learning Offer MIL 10 vision library update introduces CNN-based classification, support for photometric stereo imaging, and an additional shape finding tool Matrox® Imaging released the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) 10 Processing Pack 3 software update featuring a CPU-based, image classification module which makes use of deep learning technology for machine vision applications.

Processing Pack 3 also includes the addition of a photometric stereo tool to bring out hard to spot surface anomalies and a new dedicated tool to locate rectangular features.

Deep learning for image classification Leveraging convolutional neural network (CNN) technology, the Classification tool categorizes images of highly textured, naturally varying, and acceptably deformed goods. The inference is performed exclusively by Matrox Imaging-written code on a mainstream CPU, eliminating the dependence on third-party neural network libraries and the need for specialized GPU hardware.

Matrox www.matrox.com

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This new module features 12 full-duplex lanes (12+12) offering an aggregated bandwidth of up to 300G in a unique, rugged, small-SWaP, low-cost module, meeting VITA 66 standards.

The LightCONEX solution frees up board space by integrating the optical transceiver into the board edge of the plug-in module connector. The backplane connector, also part of the LightCONEX solution, has a spring-loaded mechanism ensuring optimal optical mating as required in VITA 66.0 standard. The rugged construction of these connectors ensures error free data transmission under severe shock, vibration, and temperature extremes.

The new LightCONEX 12-lane full-duplex transceiver operates at up to 12.5 Gbps per lane over a temperature from –40°C to 100°C and occupies a very small volume and a footprint of (L×W×H) 32 × 14 × 5 mm. The LightCONEX is also offered as a 12-lane transmitter or receiver, as well as a 4-lane full-duplex transceiver.

Reflex Photonics www.reflexphotonics.com

Abaco Announces High Performance 3U VPX FMC+ FPGA Carrier Featuring Xilinx Ultrascale+, Zynq Ultrascale+ Technology Abaco Systems announced the VP889 high performance FPGA processing board, which features Xilinx®’s latest Ultrascale+™ device, together with Zynq® Ultrascale+ technology for advanced security. In line with Abaco’s commitment to provide customers with simple, cost-effective upgradability/technology insertion that enables them to reach new levels of performance, the VP889 delivers a form, fit and function upgrade for the VP881.

The VP889 is designed for the most demanding, mission critical military/defense applications. These include electronic warfare/ DRFM, radar/sonar processing, satellite communications systems, multi-channel digital transmission/reception and advanced digital beamforming.

Abaco www.abaco.com

Chassis Plans Launches New 7 Inch Rugged Tablet for Industrial and Military Applications

Bosch launches high-performance IMU BMI085 for virtual and augmented reality applications

Perfect tablet for tough challenges – powerful mobile data device for use in wet, harsh and dirty environments

Built in the USA, Chassis Plans’ new ultra-rugged MTB-7 tablet is designed for use by mobile workers in harsh environments. In a sleek package with the highest-rated protection against water, dirt, smoke and dust (IP68 and Mil-STD 810G), this new Rugged Tablet provides optimum ruggedness to support a wide range of challenging military and industrial applications like oil & gas, agriculture, construction, public safety, factory automation, etc.

With the option of either running Windows 10 or Android, the new MTB-7 provides powerful functionality for mobile data collection, with a large, 7-inch, extra-bright PCAP touchscreen display for easily viewing maps or images, and all-day battery power for up to 15 hours of onthe-go use.

With a full Windows operating system, the entire data collection process can be carried out from start to finish. Capture a photo or record a video, input field notes using a stylus or a keyboard, or capture a GNSS location, and then analyze the data you just collected using the Rugged Tablet. Or, quickly transfer your data to another computer or network using the optional docking station. The system includes options for 4G LTE Modem, bar code reader, RFID, cameras and GPS.

Bosch Sensortec launches the BMI085, a high-performance 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The BMI085 integrates a 3-axis, 16-bit MEMS acceleration sensor and a 3-axis, 16-bit MEMS gyroscope in a single compact package.

This powerful IMU is ideally suited for demanding virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications as well as other applications, such as navigation, body/human motion tracking and high-end gaming. The compact MEMS sensor package is filled with features, combining an extremely low-drift gyroscope with a low-noise accelerometer to significantly reduce the unpleasant motion sickness effect.

Its ultra-precise instantaneous detection of head movements reduces time lag to an almost imperceptible minimum. Thus, electronic device manufacturers are able to create a more authentic and immersive VR and AR experience that enables headset users to engage their virtual environments for longer periods without requiring frequent breaks.

“High performance AR/VR applications demand extremely sensitive, precise, robust and responsive motion sensors.” says Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO at Bosch Sensortec. “With the Bosch BMI085, the user can enjoy a much more realistic and pleasant experience in the exciting worlds of virtual and augmented reality, without the negative physical effects.”

Chassis Plans www.chassis-plans.com

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January 2018

COT’S PICKS

3U VPX Secure Information Gateway from Kontron and RECAB

VadaTech Announces New Compact MTCA.4 Chassis

RECAB partners with Kontron for the design and qualification of a Secure Information Gateway using the new Kontron VX3052 Intel® Dual-Core(TM) Intel® D-1500 Single Board Computer (SBC).

Kontron and RECAB announced the qualification of a Secure Information Gateway using VPX technology and the Kontron VX3052 SBC.

Modern digital security requirements require new approaches. The Kontron VX3052, designed on a multilayer computer architecture made of three slot card Single Board Computers (SBC) interfaced one to each other by an independent data link, offers a good solution.

The use of the 3U VPX architecture supporting 10Gb Ethernet brings to the gateway outstanding performance, and supports the maintenance capability required by RECAB for the integrated Secure Information Gateway.

“The performance of the 3U VPX Secure Information Gateway highlights the VPX standard. Adopted early for harsh and long-duration defense applications, it is now the architecture of choice for secure embedded computers,” said Alain Spors, Director of Sales at Kontron. “The selection of RECAB for the system integration and qualification confirms the experience acquired by RECAB in high technology embedded systems.”

VadaTech announces the VT817 and VT819 chassis. The VT817 is a convenient low-cost MicroTCA.4 PCIe Gen3 Expansion solution, providing a flexible and effective method of incorporating MTCA.4 acquisition and control hardware into a PC processing environment.

The shelf offers two AMC slots and an integrated MCH. The front panel ports accept PCIe Gen3 inputs from VadaTech’s PCI123 PCIe Gen3 board.

In use with the PCI123, the VT817 can link x16 PCIe Gen3 to an Industrial PC. There are options for single PCIe input x16, dual PCIe inputs using x8 links or quad PCIe inputs using x4 links, supporting single-, dual- or quad-chassis expansion configuration.

Kontron www.kontron.com

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The VT819 is the ideal MTCA.4 Development Platform. This competitively priced unit offers two AMC slots and an integrated MCH. The double module AMCs meet the MTCA.4 specification for applications that require rear I/O and signal conditioning. The AC power is located in the rear of the chassis and is removable.

The AMCs connect directly over fabric (ports 4-11) and extended options region (ports 12-15 and 17-20) so supporting PCIe, XAUI, SRIO or very low latency protocols such as Aurora.

Vadatech www.vadatech.com

COTS

ADVERTISERS INDEX Company Page# Website

Elma Electronics.................................22 ................................ www.elma.com GAIA Converter Inc...............................5 ...................www.gaia.converter.com OSS ......................................................12 .................. www.onestopsystems.com Pentek..........................................Back Cover........................ www.pentek.com Phoenix International..........................10 .......................... www.phenxint.com PICO Electronics, Inc...........................19................. www.picoelectronics.com

Index

PICMG.................................................27.................................www.picmg.org Vicor Corporation................................13...www.vicorpower.com/defense-aero VPT......................................................26.......................... www.vptpower.com COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at 905 Calle Amanecer, Suite 150, San Clemente, CA 92673. Periodicals Class postage paid at San Clemente and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COTS Journal, 905 Calle Amanecer, Ste. 150, San Clemente, CA 92673.

COTS Journal | January 2018

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