COTS Journal, October 2025

October 2025, Volume 27 - Number 9 cotsjournalonline.com

The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing

Readiness 2030: A call for recalibration and a strategic shift for the European Defense Industrial Base Golden Dome Will Run on Data: Cross Domain Sharing Is Essential for Missile Defense

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COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf. Terminology popularized in 1994 within U.S. DoD by SECDEF Wm. Perry’s “Perry Memo” that changed military industry purchasing and design guidelines, making Mil-Specs acceptable only by waiver. COTS is generally defined for technology, goods and services as: a) using commercial business practices and specifications, b) not developed under government funding, c) offered for sale to the general market, d) still must meet the program ORD. 2. Commercial business practices include the accepted practice of customer-paid minor modification to standard COTS products to meet the customer’s unique requirements —Ant. When applied to the procurement of electronics for the U.S. Military, COTS is a procurement philosophy and does not imply commercial. Office environment or any other durability grade. E.g., rad-hard components designed and offered for sale to the general market are COTS if they were developed by the company and not under government funding.

SPECIAL FEATURE 16

Readiness 2030: A call for recalibration and a strategic shift for the European Defense Industrial Base

DEPARTMENTS 6

The Inside Track

By Chris Morton, Global Director of Aerospace and Defense at IFS

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 20

Golden Dome Will Run on Data: Cross Domain Sharing Is Essential for Missile Defense

By Petko Stoyanov, VP of Product Strategy at Everfox

COT’S PICKS 24

Editor’s Choice for October

Cover Image: Chugging Along A Navy air-cushioned landing craft approaches the well deck of the USS Arlington, not pictured, while underway in the Atlantic Ocean Credit: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Preston Cash

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track GuRu Wireless Demonstrates World’s Largest Synchronized mm-Wave Power Beaming Array GuRu Wireless, Inc., a leader in advanced wireless power solutions for national security, defense, and commercial applications, announces the successful integration of more than 70,000 fully synchronized and electronically phase‑controlled transmitters into its latest Generator Unit (GU) array. This marks the highest publicly known number of mm-Wave wireless power transmitters operating in a single phased array to date.

Built entirely on GuRu Wireless’ proprietary hardware and software stack, the modular phased array is powered by the company’s patented system architecture

US Army Selects L3Harris to Support NGC2 Program The U.S. Army has selected L3Harris Technologies’ (NYSE: LHX) software-defined data devices to support the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) transport layer requirements with a $24 million award. The company will deliver the new AN/PRC-158C NGC2 Gateway Manpack to the Army’s 4th Infantry Division in advance of their scheduled participation in Project Convergence 2026.

“The Army’s NGC2 program is too important to

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and custom-designed millimeter-wave RFIC. This integrated circuit enables precise, efficient, and coordinated wireless energy transmission at scale.

“This phased array is a major leap forward for wireless power technology, showcasing our unique ability to deliver high-precision wireless energy at a scale never seen before,” said Behrooz Abiri, Co‑Founder and CTO of GuRu Wireless.

“Our architecture can be adapted to arrays of any size, and tailored to meet the power, distance, and mission requirements of the systems we support.”

From compact mobile deployments to wide-area coverage, GuRu Wireless’ transmitter arrays and receivers can be tailored to meet the evolving demands of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) used for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and other mission-critical operations. Operating at 24GHz with electronically steered and focused beams, GuRu Wireless has already demonstrated

96+ hours of continuous flight for Group 1 drones, eliminating the need for battery swaps or landings. This fills a critical capability gap and is a significant paradigm shift in ISR operations, particularly in environments where persistence, mobility, and stealth are essential.

Abiri continued, “Our current transmitter can deliver over a kilowatt of continuous power at distances exceeding 100 meters, underscoring the ability of our architecture to perform in-flight recharging of sUAS in mission-critical applications.

For persistent ISR operations, the system must be capable of wirelessly delivering at least 500 watts to an aerial vehicle at distances beyond 50 meters, enabling its onboard battery to recharge while the drone remains in flight. And importantly, this must be achieved within the strict size, weight, and power, or SWaP, constraints typical of small UAVs. We’ve already demonstrated this level of wireless power transfer to an aerial vehicle in a controlled setting, and we’ll be publicly showcasing this capability in a relevant outdoor environment in the coming months.”

The company’s broader vision is to deliver a fully integrated, end-to-end persistent ISR system solution, combining wireless power, aerial vehicles, and ISR payloads, engineered as a cohesive system for sustained mission performance.

GuRu Wireless is actively working with U.S. defense and national security stakeholders to transition its technology from advanced prototyping to operational deployment in areas such as border surveillance, base protection, maritime domain awareness, and counter-UAS defense.

accept anything less than success in execution, including system protection against device compromise, external threats to the network, and data spillage,” said Sam Mehta, President, Communication Systems, L3Harris. “We are the only industry partner delivering battle-proven, software-defined radio technology that meets the Department of War’s appetite for high-data throughput with the network security, resilience, and integrity required to ensure battlespace supremacy against any enemy daring to test America’s military might.”

The L3Harris data device meets the demands for high data throughput to enable

the data fabric for NGC2. These devices provide multiple transport options, offering true resilience and interoperability from NATO to Homeland Security.

L3Harris has supported major Army initiatives, including the HMS program, with relentless innovation and steadfast commitment to excellence for 90 years. The power of the company’s software-defined architectures and commercial business model, when applied to tactical communication systems, drives L3Harris’ agile response to urgent and emerging customer requirements at a moment’s notice.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track Viasat Awarded Contract by U.S. Space Force for Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) Program Under the initial PTS-G Delivery Order 1 award, Viasat will mature a design for a dual-band X/Ka-band satellite and anchor station architecture.

Viasat, Inc. announced it has been selected for a prime contract award by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (USSF SSC) for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program. Viasat is one of five awardees to receive an initial Delivery Order 1 (DO1) contract under what is a large Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that aims to develop a proliferated, small satellite geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) constellation that will deliver resilience and anti-jam capabilities. The first launch of this PTS-G constellation is projected for 2028 to serve government end-users.

Under this initial award, Viasat’s Space and Mission Systems team within its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment will mature a design for a dual-band X/Ka-band satellite and anchor station architecture, inclusive of tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C), satellite and network operations, and cybersecurity requirements. This work under the DO1 phase will take place over a 7-month

period, culminating in a technical design review and demonstration of this capability. Viasat’s low size, weight, and power (SWaP) GEO satellite will be capable of enhancing end-user speeds and delivering resilient performance.

This technology is crucial for providing secure, reliable, and cost-effective communication capabilities to support evolving USSF and U.S. Department of War (DoW) missions. The PTS-G program aligns with the USSF initiative to deploy maneuverable GEO satellites, significantly improving the resilience and agility of military communications. The contract positions Viasat as a potential end-to-end satellite manufacturer for the USSF, further solidifying its role in the devel-

opment of advanced space communication systems.

John Reeves, Vice President of Space and Mission Systems, Viasat Government, said: “Viasat is honored to be selected by the U.S. Space Force for the PTS-G program.

This contract underscores our proven track record in designing and delivering secure, resilient, and high-performance satellite communication solutions. We believe our dual-band X/ Ka-band design, combined with Viasat’s extensive understanding of capacity economics, maneuverable GEO architectures, and heritage of delivering secure communication solutions to DoW users, will provide critical capabilities to enable global connectivity and enhance warfighters’ situational awareness and operational effectiveness to meet emerging threats. We are excited to contribute to this transformative program and support the Department of War in achieving its strategic objectives.”

The PTS-G program, which has an IDIQ ceiling value of $4B for all potential program awardees, is a key initiative of the USSF aimed at enhancing the security and performance of military satellite communications.

By integrating advanced commercial technologies, the program seeks to create a more resilient and agile communication network capable of withstanding and mitigating potential threats.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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The

Inside Track Israel’s Ministry of Defense: Development of the Iron Beam ground-based laser system has been completed

Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems:“We congratulate the successful test of the Iron Beam system and are working on the continued development of an advanced, Israeli-made, high-power military laser, which we believe can bring a change to defense capabilities.”

Elbit Systems, serving as “Israel’s Laser House” and the laser supplier for the Iron Beam system, welcomes the successful test of the Iron Beam system. Under a contract signed with the Ministry of Defense in October 2024, Elbit Systems, together with partners, is working to achieve a significant breakthrough that will enable the opera-

tional deployment of an advanced, Israeli-made, high-power military laser in the ground-based Iron Beam system.

Elbit Systems has been developing and manufacturing laser solutions for over 40 years, serving air forces worldwide. The development is carried out through ELOP, part of the ISTAR and EW division, which is advancing the development of high-power lasers for both ground and airborne applications.

Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems: “Elbit Systems, as Israel’s Laser House, congratulates on the successful test and our role as a strategic partner of the Ministry of Defense. The company is working on the development of high-power lasers for military applications, first and foremost an airborne laser that holds the potential for a strategic change in air defense capabilities.”

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COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track Boeing Awarded Approximately $2.7 Billion in Multiyear Contracts for PAC‑3 Seeker Production

Boeing has been awarded a combination of multiyear contracts valued at approximately $2.7 billion to produce additional Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC‑3) seekers. Under the agreements, Boeing will deliver more than 3,000 seekers at rates of up to 750 units per year through 2030.

Boeing is working closely with prime contractor Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army to further increase production rates and meet new targets for the PAC‑3 interceptor. Scaling seeker output is critical to ensuring the Patriot system can continue to defend service members, civilians, and critical infrastructure worldwide as threats proliferate.

“Our team has never been better positioned to answer the nation’s call for greater air and missile defense,” said Jim Bryan, executive director of Boeing Integrated Air & Missile Defense.

“These multiyear awards recognize the progress we’ve made and will allow us to meet growing global demand for the PAC‑3 seeker.”

Boeing‑built PAC‑3 seekers enable Pa-

Curtiss-Wright Selected by Rheinmetall to Provide Power Management Technology for the Skyranger Mobile GroundBased Air Defense System

triot interceptors to identify, track, and defeat advanced threats, including hypersonic threats, hostile aircraft, and ballistic and cruise missiles. Demand for PAC‑3 interceptors has grown in response to recent conflicts and rapidly changing threat environments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Indo‑Pacific.

In 2025, the company set new monthly and 12‑month rolling average production records and is targeting delivery of a record 650 to 700 seekers by year’s end.

Years of internal investment, modernization of production lines, strengthened supplier partnerships, and the completion of a new 35,000‑square‑foot factory expansion have increased Boeing’s production capacity.

Since 2000, Boeing has delivered more than 6,000 increasingly sophisticated PAC‑3 seekers to the U.S. Army as a Lockheed Martin subcontractor from its Huntsville, Alabama, facilities. Seventeen countries, including the United States, rely on PAC‑3

interceptors to protect people and critical infrastructure around the globe.

A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability, and community impact.

Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality, and integrity.

Curtiss-Wright today announced that it has been selected by Rheinmetall Air Defence to provide power management technology in support of the lightweight Oerlikon Skyranger® mobile ground-based air defense system. Under the contract, Curtiss-Wright will provide Rheinmetall with its ruggedized, state-ofthe-art power management technology and gyroscopes to help control the mobile air defense system’s lightweight turret. The Skyranger, which can be deployed against air and ground targets at short range, is equipped with state-of-theart search and tracking sensors that provide seamless 360° air and ground surveillance and accurate fire control data. The system has the capability to be

integrated with numerous ground defense platforms, such as the Boxer, Lynx, and Pandur vehicles. Work under this agreement will be performed by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions.

“We are pleased to build on our very successful partnership with Rheinmetall, supporting such platforms as the German Boxer and Hungarian Lynx, and we value their selection of our rugged power management technology and gyroscopes to help control the lightweight turret on this important Skyranger mobile ground-based air defense system,” said Brian Perry, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. “This contract, our first in support of this critical air defense platform, results from our industry-leading capability to quickly deliver cost-effective power management technology for demanding turret drive applications.”

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track U.S. Army begins fielding BAE Systems’ mission-critical software-defined radios across rotary-wing aviation fleet BAE Systems’ AN/ARC-231A MARS system delivers secure airborne communications to support tactical missions when the speed and relevance of information matter most.

BAE Systems’ AN/ARC-231A Multimode Aviation Radio Set (MARS) has completed initial installation and is operationally ready for use today on select U.S. Army rotary-wing aircraft. This fielding marks a major step forward in equipping warfighters with an advanced, secure, and fast-operating communications solution to inform key decisions in the field. The AN/ ARC-231A MARS system is the newest generation of multi-band, multi-mission, airborne communications systems with Type 1 crypto modernization.

BAE Systems designed the system to enable the U.S. Army to secure waveform upgrades across its rotary-wing fleet or tailor them to specific mission needs. MARS’ programmability supports evolving communication needs, special mission modifications, and performance enhancements.

The software communications architecture and software-defined radio design enable deployment of new capabilities as soft-

RTX’s Collins Aerospace delivers first NavHub™-200M units to Europe Advanced assured positioning, navigation, and timing solution now hardened with M-code and expanded protection against jamming Collins Aerospace has delivered the first six units of its NavHub™-200M to a European customer. The NavHub-200M is a mounted Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT) receiver designed to significantly enhance resistance against jamming and spoofing threats. The latest version features military code, or M-code,

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ware-only upgrades.

“The fielding of the AN/ARC-231A MARS system marks a significant milestone to equip warfighters with advanced communications capabilities and an increase in mission readiness to respond more effectively to emerging threats,” said Brian Shadiack, director of Adaptive Communications and Sensing at BAE Systems.

“This next-generation, software-defined radio has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it meets the highest standards of performance. Its design reflects a deep understanding of warfighters’ evolving needs in a rapidly changing operational environment.”

The AN/ARC-231A MARS system is comprised of the RT-1987 radio with associated ancillaries, including amplifiers and mounting bases. It serves as a drop-in replacement for the original ARC-231 radio currently fielded across U.S. armed forces and allies. MARS focuses on configurabil-

ity and allows for flexible integration and mission deployment options that ensure interoperability for joint force operations.

Available through foreign military sales, it provides international compliant air traffic control communications and a full range of mandatory U.S. and NATO capabilities.

With more than 100,000 radios deployed globally, BAE Systems’ battle-proven communications products offer significantly increased capability over legacy products.

The company’s compact radio sets also offer multi-band, secure anti-jam voice, data imagery transmission, and network-capable communications.

The MARS system is manufactured at BAE Systems’ facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with engineering support in Largo, Florida.

a type of encrypted signal used in military GPS systems for increased integrity and security.

NavHub-200M is the first non-International Traffic in Arms vehicular navigation system compatible with M-code receiver technology available for the international market. The receiver is designed to seamlessly interface with key vehicle sensors, including inertial measurement units and odometers, to mitigate electronic and navigation warfare threats.

“NavHub-200M brings critical M-code receiver technology to ground forces, enhancing their defense against jamming and spoofing threats,” said Sandy Brown, vice president and general manager of Resilient Navigation Solu-

tions at Collins Aerospace. “The protection from electronic attack is crucial for operational success.”

To date, Collins Aerospace has delivered over 10,000 navigation systems worldwide, reinforcing its commitment to providing cutting-edge navigation solutions.

NavHub-200M is manufactured at Collins’ Heidelberg, Germany, facility.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track Blighter Wins Contract from SE Asian Military Customer for Smart and Scalable Mobile Border Surveillance Radars Blighter’s low-power B400 radars will be installed on specialist army vehicles for rapid deployment to border infiltration hotspots across the country’s diverse terrains, which include mountains, dense forests, arid deserts, and coastlines.

Blighter, a pioneering designer and manufacturer of ground-based smart electronic-scanning micro-Doppler radars, has won a follow-on contract from a military customer in Southeast Asia to supply its Blighter B400 series radars for border surveillance.

The radars will be installed by Blighter’s local systems integration partner onto specialist

army vehicles for rapid deployment to border infiltration hotspots. When required, the radars can also be trailer-mounted on a higher mast or dismounted and set up on a tripod for locations that are inaccessible by vehicle.

Blighter’s ultra-reliable low-power solid-state radars contain no moving parts, so are easily transportable and can be quickly reconfigured to match the changing patterns and locations of border infiltration.

James Long, CEO at Blighter, says, “Our radars have served this major economy for many years now, so we are delighted that the customer has chosen our technology to extend the surveillance coverage across the country’s diverse border terrains, which include mountains, dense forests, arid deserts, and coastlines.”

The radars will be supplied with the company’s AI-assisted BlighterNexus software to allow easy integration of the new radars with existing sensors and to provide operators with a common operating picture (COP) across the country’s strategic border regions.

According to Blighter, the additional radars will result in a significant boost to situational awareness, allowing operators to detect, track, and classify small surface targets (people, vehicles, and vessels) and near-ground aerial threats in real time, in the most demanding environments. The radars deliver up to 360 degrees of pure electronic scanning coverage and are field-proven to work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in all weather conditions, including fog.

“Our system architecture will enable multiple radars and peripherals to be managed via a unified interface, providing security forces with a scalable, secure, and smart view of the border environment,” says James Long. “This level of integration will reduce operational blind spots and improve coordination between surveillance system operators and threat response teams.”

The B400 radar’s compact, modular design and low-power electronic scanning frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) technologies provide uninterrupted rapid surveillance over a wide area, detecting moving vehicles and persons (including ‘crawlers’) at ranges of up to 32 km.

Blighter radars are trusted by the UK Ministry of Defence for forward operating base (FOB) protection, the South Korean Army for border surveillance along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), by the United States Air Force for drone detection, and by several Five Eyes/NATO customers for deployment on their mobile surveillance and armoured vehicles.

Blighter introduced the world’s first non-rotating, solid-state, electronic-scanning, micro-Doppler ground radar in 2003.

Today, the product portfolio covers the three domains of land, sea, and air with the B400, C400, A400, and A800 families of groundbased radars. The radars’ modular design enables the technology to be deployed on towers and vehicles, and as dismounted portable systems on tripods.

Elma and TEWS Form Strategic Partnership to Facilitate Open Standards Innovation in Embedded Systems Elma Electronic has formed a strategic partnership with global embedded solutions provider, TEWS Technologies. Through collaboration and shared expertise, the two companies will expand the support available for embedded system integration and customization across multiple open standards-based platforms offered by Elma’s US system integration business.

David Tetley, director, embedded solutions for Elma Electronic, noted, “One of Elma’s differentiators is our extensive industry relationships. Working with innovative partners, like TEWS, enables us to provide best-in-class solutions for a wide variety of embedded applications.”

TEWS, renowned for its expertise in designing and building embedded open standards-based technologies, is among the first to deliv-

er viable QMC (VITA 93) products to market. The company’s extensive portfolio, which spans many industrial standards including XMC, PMC, mPCIe, PCI Express, PCI, CompactPCI Serial, CompactPCI, and FMC, can be integrated through Elma under the new strategic partnership.

Elma’s building block methodology has solidified the company as a leading industry innovator in advanced embedded computing solutions. Its robust offering of leading-edge product solutions and deep industry expertise is unmatched, providing global reach while supporting customers at a local level.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track Spike NLOS Advances to Phase 2 of M-LRPSM Competition The U.S. Army down-selected Lockheed Martin’s Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) system capability for Phase 2 of the Mobile-Long Range Precision Strike Missile (M-LRPSM) Directed Requirement competition. Lockheed Martin was awarded a Phase 2 contract with a total value of $30 million to continue to integrate and test the precision-guided missile system.

“Being down selected so quickly for Phase 2 of the M-LRPSM competition is a significant achievement, and we are confident our mature Spike NLOS system will meet the U.S. Army’s long-range precision strike needs and provide Mobile Bri-

The PCIe 8.0 Specification, Version 0.3, is Now Available to Members

By Al Yanes, PCI-SIG President and Chairperson PCI-SIG® is proud to announce that the PCI Express® (PCIe®) 8.0 specification, version 0.3, has received work group approval and is now available to members. The version 0.3 development milestone marks the completion of the first review draft of the specification and confirms that PCI-SIG is on track for a full PCIe 8.0 specification release by 2028. Members can

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gade Combat Teams with the combat agility they need to succeed in a changing battlefield,” said Casey Walsh, program director, Lockheed Martin Multi-Domain Missile Systems.

In Phase 2, Lockheed Martin will build and deliver hardware for safety confirmation testing, including installation of the Spike NLOS system onto an Infantry Utility Vehicle to demonstrate its safe and effective operation in various environments. Lockheed Martin’s selection for Phase 2 follows a successful Phase 1 demo in August, where the Spike NLOS system showcased its non-line-of-sight capability by precision-engaging long-range obscured targets.

The U.S. Army has successfully tested

the Spike NLOS system in several recent live fire exercises, including with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade within the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility, from a U.S. Army 12th Combat Aviation Brigade AH-64Ev6 Apache Guardian helicopter in a joint exercise in Poland, and by the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade at Yuma Proving Ground.

The recent US Army Combat Aviation Brigade events showcased the capabilities of the Spike NLOS missile that will be used for the M-LRPSM Directed Requirement.

A final decision on the competitor selection is expected after the completion of Phase 2.

access the PCIe 8.0 specification, version 0.3, in the members’ workspace.

Backed by three decades of a proven specification development process, PCI-SIG continues to deliver results that shape the future of the industry, including AI, highspeed networking, Edge computing, Quantum computing, and more. Thanks to the dedication of our work groups, we are leading the way with a high-bandwidth, low-latency interconnect designed to power the next generation of technology.

with previous generations of PCIe technology • Developing protocol enhancements to improve bandwidth • Continuing to emphasize techniques to reduce power Our one-tier membership model means that every member company can contribute to the specification development process. If you are not yet a PCI-SIG member but would like to contribute to our work groups, we invite you to become a member today.joint exercise in Poland, and by the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade at Yuma Proving Ground.

The recent US Army Combat Aviation Brigade events showcased the capabilities of the Spike NLOS missile that will be used for the M-LRPSM Directed Requirement.

A final decision on the competitor selection is expected after the completion of Phase two.

PCIe 8.0 Specification Feature Objectives: • Delivering 256.0 GT/s raw bit rate and up to 1.0 TB/s bi-directionally via x16 configuration • Reviewing new connector technology • Confirming latency and FEC targets will be achieved • Ensuring reliability targets are met • Maintaining backwards compatibility

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Inside Track Molex Unveils New Design Engineering Report, Exploring Technology Innovations, Trends, and Career Opportunities in Aerospace and Defense •

Rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and mandates for open standards are reshaping the industry, creating both risks and rewards for engineering teams • AI-assisted decision making, cost reductions, and extreme environments are expected to have the biggest impact on aerospace and defense design engineering in the next decade • Aerospace and defense offer a demanding yet rewarding career path with strong job satisfaction and opportunities for continuous learning Molex has released the results of a survey exploring top trends, technology innovations, and evolving career skills impacting design engineers at aerospace and defense companies. The survey report, entitled “2025 State of Design Engineering in Aerospace and Defense,” polled 1,021 qualified participants with direct engineering responsibility, either as hands-on design engineers or management leaders, at OEMs, prime contractors, or Tier 1/sub-system suppliers in the aerospace and defense industry in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Respondents ranked their exploration of various technology innovations, encompassing highspeed data transfer, electronic defense, advanced sensing and sensor processing, as well as power distribution and onboard power management.

“Facing the rigors and realities of modern missions requires the use of new technologies and tools to elevate designs of electrical systems and interconnect architectures,” said Mike Cole, SVP and president, Aerospace and Defense Solutions, Molex. “As this latest Molex survey reveals, aerospace and defense companies are rising to the occasion with strategic investments and deliberate skill-development strategies to meet customer needs and widen their competitive advantage.”

Navigating the Promise and Peril of AI A near-universal belief in the promise of AI led 86% of the survey participants to report that AI-assisted design expertise is critical to their company’s future success. Nearly all engineers (98%) cited benefits, including increased creativity (60%), reduced costs (53%), improved testing scenarios (45%), strengthened security (44%), and support for alternative parts and material selection (37%). Widespread optimism is driving the use of AI tools, even before formal corporate

policies are in place. In fact, 79% of design engineers use AI tools that have not been approved yet by their companies. Concerns over AI, however, grow with increased usage, with 43% of regular users reporting “significant concerns,” compared to just 17% who use it occasionally.

Interestingly, the use of approved AI design engineering tools is more common in European countries, with Germany (89%), France (87%), and the United Kingdom (79%) topping the U.S. (72%). This trend also correlates to more frequent usage by engineers, with France leading the list at 66%, followed by Germany (55%), the United Kingdom (53%), and the U.S. (52%).

Investigating and Implementing Open Standards A positive outlook on the value of open standards was shared by 94% of the participants.

While 39% of companies reported full implementation, the majority (57%) are in the earlier stages—either beginning implementation or actively investigating open systems architectures.

Among those polled, OEMs and prime contractors in aerospace and defense are leading the charge in embracing Hardware Opens Systems Technologies (HOST) and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), while efforts involving Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) are more common at Tier 1/sub-system suppliers.

Evolving Pressures and Priorities Over the past five years, ever-increasing power requirements (52%) and security demands (48%) have created the most challenges for engineers, especially in addressing the complexities of electrification and connectivity on product designs.

As respondents looked to the next decade, they agreed design engineering will be most im-

pacted by the adoption of AI-assisted decision making (40%), cost-reduction initiatives (37%), and increasingly extreme environments (35%).

Top pressures that continue to escalate include reliability (43%) and security (45%), along with safety and quality (43%). Three out of four design engineers are concerned about their company’s reputation for reliability, with 30% stating they are “highly concerned.”

Expertise Needed for Modern Missions Forward-looking priorities across the aerospace and defense industry require advanced engineering expertise, leading to the implementation of deliberate skill-development strategies.

According to the survey, AI ranks first (64%) in skills that engineering teams plan to invest in over the next year, followed by high-speed data transfer (44%), cybersecurity (43%), manufacturing engineering (31%), software (31%), and high-power design (28%). A balanced approach to closing the skills gap is evident, with those polled prioritizing training existing staff while also working with consultants and hiring new talent as key strategies.

A Demanding and Rewarding Career Path Survey findings characterize a career in aerospace and defense as having a distinct balance of risks and rewards. Navigating organizational bureaucracy, as well as ever-changing compliance demands, led the list of major professional challenges. In contrast, respondents revealed that a career in aerospace and defense offers many rewards, including job security (54%), the satisfaction of solving hard problems (50%), and opportunities for continuous learning (50%).

COTS Journal | October 2025

13

The

Inside Track RTX and Anduril complete successful test of advanced solid rocket motor Raytheon, an RTX business, and Anduril have successfully conducted a static fire test of an advanced solid rocket motor under a contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate.

In response to the increasing global demand for munitions, Raytheon has been working with domestic and international partners to enhance U.S.-based rocket motor manufacturing capacity.

“This test demonstrates more than just a technical achievement,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “It’s about building a more robust and adaptable supply base for solid rocket motors that can rapidly respond to emerging national

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security needs.”

By partnering with Anduril, Raytheon is expanding the defense technology ecosystem and addressing critical limitations in the rocket motor supply base. This collaboration exemplifies the company’s composable weapons strategy, which aims to create more flexible and adaptable missile systems through strategic partnerships.

“Designing and firing a Highly Loaded Grain rocket motor is one of the most technically demanding tasks in the solid rocket motor industry,” said LTG (ret.) Neil Thurgood, Senior Vice President, Anduril Industries.

“Achieving this result highlights the strength of Anduril’s engineering team and demonstrates our ability to deliver high-performance propulsion solutions in a domain long defined by a small set of providers.”

COTS Journal | October 2025

mPOD JAMMER TRAINING POD

TRAIN PILOTS FOR ELECTRONIC WARFARE mPOD uses DRFM technology to emulate realistic combat scenarios, replicating near-peer jamming for fast, accurate electronic warefare training. mrcy.com/mpod

COTS Journal | October 2025

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SPECIAL FEATURE

READINESS 2030: A CALL FOR RECALIBRATION & A STRATEGIC SHIFT FOR THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE

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COTS Journal | October 2025

By Chris Morton, Global Director of Aerospace and Defense at IFS The reintroduction of large-scale combat operations on the continent of Europe has reinvigorated calls for increased defense investments. Most recently at the 2025 NATO Summit, member nations pushed to raise defense targets to 5% of GDP. For the first time since the Cold War, defense priorities are receiving large-scale investment for acquisition, training, and modernization. So, how does the European Defense Industrial Base (DIB) capitalize on this generational opportunity? Here, Chris Morton, Global Director for Aerospace and Defense at IFS, explains that leveraging available capital, seeking strategic partnerships, and modernizing digital tools are fundamental to achieving NATO’s goals.

In today’s geopolitical climate, current European defense spending levels are simply inadequate. In the UK, the Minister of Defense Procurement, Maria Eagle stated, “The Government is firmly committed to increasing defense spending to reach 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and has set an ambition to reach 3% by 2030” and the German Defense Minister also highlighted the need for increased defense spending by suggesting a defense budget of 3% GDP may not be enough and could raise defense spending to 3.5% of economic output by 2029. These statements, combined with the NATO 2025 commitments, signal both the ability to

leverage increased expenditure and a political environment amenable to long-term investment.

The geopolitical climate is enabling generational change.

The war in Ukraine, combined with a more amenable European polity, has created an environment that has spurred EU member states to redirect domestic wealth to boost defense capabilities. The war has also provided a testing ground for nations to assess their newly developed capabilities.

There have already been significant changes. German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall recently surpassed top carmaker Volkswagen in terms of market value, driven by increased investor capital in the industry. Türkiye is accelerating its manufacturing advancements across product categories; domestic spending is up, and opportunities to develop, test, and employ these capabilities in combat are many.

The EU multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2012-2027 has long included funding for cooperation on defense-related activities. Still, the EU Commission has now unveiled its plans for European Defense, known as ‘Readiness 2030’. This initiative provides a financial lever for EU Member States to drive an investment surge for defense capabilities. Readiness 2030 includes a new financial instrument called SAFE

(Security Action for Europe) to support investment in domestic European defense manufacturing that provides for incentives for securing domestic supply chains.

And change is already happening.

As the immediate demand for enhanced defense capabilities grows to deter future conflict, domestic European defense manufacturers must prepare now for this surge.

There is little time to wait for traditional business cycles.

One way to short-circuit organic growth to support increased demand is through acquisitions and partnerships with well-established adjacent players in the market.

This is already happening with traditional giants such as General Dynamics European Land Systems partnering with Rheinmetall to provide the German Army with 256 Piranha 5 vehicles.

Non-traditional defense manufacturers are also entering the market, shifting their production capacity from strictly commercial to a mix of commercial and defense-related products. ICEYE Ltd., a Finnish microsatellite manufacturer, builds synthetic-aperture radar used to monitor pack ice. But now their technology is used for battlefield real-time imaging. There are many more examples like ICEYE Ltd., but this type of reindustrialisation will only accelerate.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Credit: Boeing

Even so, increasing opportunity and demand may not be sufficient to force an immediate shift. In the United States, despite the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government stepped in.

It invoked the Defense Production Act in conjunction with emergency contracts to spur manufacturers to prioritise mechanical ventilators over the goods they typically produced. While European nations have not yet matched this scalable action, governments could certainly employ such strategies if the industrial base finds itself unable to be as responsive as it should be or if the war in Ukraine grows hotter – or gets closer to home.

Time for manufacturers to take charge of their future At the end of the day, individual or midsized manufacturers cannot force governmental action and may not be able to leverage partnerships or acquisitions. But all is not lost. Companies that lack scale or influence (and frankly, even the ones that do) should focus on three areas: leveraging governmental and investor capital, pursuing talent to exploit the opportunity, and employing technology for agility and scale.

To meet production goals, manufactur-

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ers should first leverage funding incentives before the geopolitical truth changes and public sentiment wanes. While these programmes are generational opportunities, it does not mean the money will last for generations. In addition to the obvious capital benefits for manufacturers leveraging these programmes, they also encourage cross-border partnerships. The European Defense Fund, which fosters cooperation between EU defense companies, allocates £5.3 billion of its total fund for collaborative capability development projects.

NATO-friendly cooperation is simply a necessity for smaller individual domestic manufacturing bases of EU nations because justifying homegrown manufactured assets is frequently impractical. When added to the recent investor frenzy in the market, the defense industry finds itself with a truly unique opportunity.

Next, the defense manufacturing industry across Europe is facing a significant labor and skill shortage due to underinvestment in new defense programmes, a lack of appeal to new workers, and an ageing workforce crisis. To combat this challenge, organizations must utilise increased investment to re- and upskill their talent, so they can

COTS Journal | October 2025

build the capabilities they need to match the expanded work volume. Burgeoning demand for skilled manufacturing talent in the defense space is frequently transferable to the commercial sector – a haven for talent should the growth in the DIB slow.

Lastly, the digital world has a vast toolkit of software applications to help solve logistical and process issues. Modern enterprise business solutions, the proliferation of AI applications, and connected workforce solutions help companies overcome skilled labor shortages. Legacy software applications were simply not architected for today’s speed of innovation, demand for scalability, or disruptive technological change.

As such, defense companies would do well to leverage some of the increased availability of capital to invest in disruptive technologies and bring the rest of their business systems up to date. In fact, the question isn’t if defense companies will need these capabilities to keep up; it’s simply when.

A new digital arsenal for defense manufacturers There are three powerful digital tools defense manufacturers should consider as the EU ramps up spending:

1.

2.

Reducing the skills shortage burden – Dynamic scheduling brings order to the chaos of change Constraint-based AI algorithms can optimize workflow. For example, if there’s a shop-floor issue, dynamic scheduling optimisation will reprioritise workflows over waiting for human input. This enables manufacturers to maximise the deployment of their current talent based on workflow parameters, including shift patterns, SLAs, travel time, and skills, to increase workforce efficiency. With labor shortages what they are, keeping those skilled associates focused on their work – rather than waiting for reprioritisation meetings – can have an outsized impact on volumes over time.

DIB Disruptions are to be expected – having a contingency plan will be key Disruptions to operations when demand is pressing can be disastrous. Organizations must leverage simulations, which allow them to develop contingency plans on the shelf to execute. Volatility in raw material sourcing, surges in demand, and even disaster recovery plans should be simulated so contingency

planning isn’t happening while the event is happening. That is much too late. These actions future-proof defense manufacturers, allowing them to build in operational resilience to best respond to future disruption.

3.

Defense manufacturers need to begin their AI journey.

AI continues to mature as a technology offering and frequently isn’t a perfect match – but defense manufacturers shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Programme management is an area primed for better productivity enabled by AI applications. Understanding, planning, executing, and reporting on government programmes within the four walls of a manufacturing operation is incredibly complex, with loads of manual, low-value work underpinning programme management.

Even if the tech can’t exceptionally provide everything a programme manager needs, the act of leveraging this advanced technology will train and develop the people in this new paradigm of work.

Programme management isn’t the only potential use case. Precon-

figured contextualised AI-copilots with baked-in compliance can identify suppliers based on regulations, cost, time, and availability when sourcing new parts. The use cases are many, and the organizations that can deploy them effectively as they mature will be ready to leverage AI in a disruptive way as the technology evolves.

The time is now for Europe’s DIB to seize the initiative The level of investment in the European DIB we are witnessing today has not occurred since the Cold War. Defense manufacturers need to seize this generational opportunity, whether that be to upskill workforces, capitalize on increased investments, form partnerships with defense and non-defense organizations, or implement and upgrade digital tools in their operations.

There is no guarantee how long this period of increased investment will last. Still, the manufacturers that seize the initiative will be able to cope with the pressures of the rising demand and increase their revenue and growth trajectories. And much more importantly, contribute to the security of Europe.

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COTS Journal | October 2025

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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Golden Dome Will Run on Data: Cross Domain Sharing Is Essential for Missile Defense

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COTS Journal | October 2025

By Petko Stoyanov, VP of Product Strategy at Everfox The United States Department of Defense (DOD) appears to be moving quickly to stand up Golden Dome: a layered homeland air and missile defense system that blends space-based sensing, ground and maritime interceptors, and an integrated command and control fabric. Recent reports indicate an ambitious timeline, with early demonstrations planned before the end of the decade.

None of that will matter if all of Golden Dome’s data cannot move, be trusted, and be acted upon in time.

Golden Dome will succeed or fail based on how well it shares, filters and protects information across domains, agencies and classification levels.

The real bottleneck is the boundary Sensor and shooter technologies are familiar territory to the DOD. These systems encounter friction when networks at different domain and classification boundaries need to be interoperable. Consider a realistic scenario: a Navy ship detects a launch, space sensors refine the track, ground radars contribute discrimination, a joint battle manager fuses the inputs and tasks the right shooter and civilian or allied stakeholders receive a releasable picture.

Every step crosses a boundary with different owners, enclaves, protocols and classifications. Each boundary exists to block data leakage and cyber intrusion, yet they can also delay information sharing, require man-

ual re-entry or cause brittle, one-off connections. In a saturation attack or mixed raid, those inefficiencies multiply and risk jeopardizing the system’s effectiveness.

Data must cross these boundaries at the required speed. Kill chain latency will likely be the most important non-functional requirement of the Golden Dome system. As such, the system’s architecture must budget sub-second latency for sensing, fusion, adjudication and tasking, then back-propagate those budgets to each boundary crossing. Further, it will need to facilitate sub-second guard transit for structured data, such as track messages and engagement status.

Golden Dome will also need to transfer data for larger products, including sensor snapshots and classifier features, using pre-approved templates in seconds, not minutes. And it will require deterministic fail-over to alternate paths if a node degrades, as well as accommodations for burst behavior.

Additionally, Golden Dome’s RAID density will matter more than its steady-state throughput. The network will need to engineer guards and messaging layers for peak message rates with margin and then prioritize them by mission value, not first-in first-out.

It is clear Golden Dome’s most difficult engineering problem is not developing a new interceptor; it’s moving the right data to the right place with mission-critical cybersecurity and low latency to make the system functional.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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Figure 1

Cross domain solutions are a proven, functional bridge Golden Dome is not a single system. It is an evolving system of systems, meaning its data layer must scale across thousands of nodes and accommodate frequent change.

The DOD and the Intelligence Community are already using Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) as a bridge to move information between isolated networks while enforcing security policy. These capabilities are advancing to meet the scale and assurance that programs such as Golden Dome will demand, and for such an application, it should be treated as first-class infrastructure.

In the context of Golden Dome, CDS can be designed to fuse multi-source tracks in near real time through one-way flows from high-side sensors to operational systems. CDS can also automate release and sanitization with machine-enforced rules that remove sensitive fields and publish releasable products to partners.

Critically, CDS can prevent protocol and content cyberattacks through deep inspection, transformation

Figure 2

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COTS Journal | October 2025

and protocol breaks. CDS can be standardized on a small set of patterns and deployed at predictable choke points across the architecture rather than creating bespoke guard pairs. This approach would simplify accreditation and operations at scale.

AI needs CDS, too Golden Dome will also need to leverage AI/ML to correlate tracks, classify threats and recommend fire control options. Those models need diverse data. Without CDS, you either starve the models or clone data into every enclave and accept drift and cost.

However, with CDS, AI/ML models can be trained with rich, high-side data and then publish outputs and artifacts that are safe to run on lower domains. (Figure 1) CDS can selectively pass only approved features or embeddings across domains, not full raw data, and can publish labeled exemplars through a sanitization pipeline to continuously calibrate lower-side AI/ML models.

These safe AI/ML models can be tied back into the

command-and-control fabric with the same guard rigor used for human-generated products. If a model flags a decoy or a hypersonic maneuver pattern, that advisory can traverse domains with the same policy enforcement and audit in operator reports.

tions.

CDS can preserve Zero Trust policies of the various involved domains, even extended into partner environments. This includes enforcing bidirectional release control for both “U.S. to partner” and “partner to U.S.” security policies with separate rule sets and audit trails.

Enforce Zero Trust at every boundary CDS provide label-driven routing that leverages data laGolden Dome will be a prime cyber target. A Zero bels and caveats to automatically steer products to the Trust posture will be required via a set of controls at correct enclaves. It also allows for deterministic redaceach boundary crossing, which CDS can enable by ty- tion to provide predictable sanitization so partners can ing strong identity to the process level and binding flows build to it and reduce human arbitration in the loop. to workloads and signed software, not just to hosts or subnets. CDS also enables content disarm and recon- Closing thoughts struction to deconstruct active content, verify what is Operationalizing a system as vast and comprehensive legitimate and construct files into safe forms by default. as Golden Dome can benefit from commercial off-the(Figure 2) Additionally, CDS allow for continuous in- shelf (COTS) components that can shoulder the load spection and recording so that every transfer decision of a national-scale missile defense shield. Here, certain and payload hash can be logged to support incident re- CDS have the capability for: sponse and after-action analysis.

CDS also accommodate the use of hardware-enforced • Enterprise-class messaging for pub/sub and event security policy to raise assurance via one-way data streaming that already meets throughput and retransfer where applicable. This places portions of the liability targets. guard decision logic within tamper-resistant compo• Fieldable guard appliances that meet NCDSMO nents (Figure 3), shrinking the attack surface for softRaise-the-Bar and have existing ATOs, shortening ware exploits and increasing operator confidence. the path to production.

• Security-hardened browsers and isolation technology, letting operators work across enclaves from one seat while maintaining separation.

• Proven observability stacks for telemetry, tracing and capacity planning.

Pairing COTS with clear acceptance criteria will be essential. If a component cannot meet jitter, determinism or inspection requirements, it should be excluded from the critical path and used for non-time-critical products.

While the system’s hardware will draw significant attention during development, Golden Dome’s outcomes ultimately hinge on secure and rapid data access and transfer.

If the program includes cross domain data sharing, Zero Trust enforcement and hardware-logic enforced cybersecurity policy from day one, it can meet the aggressive deployment timeline and the sensors, AI/ML, Figure 3 and interceptors already on the table can perform as a coherent defense when it counts. On the other hand, if Golden Dome can expect a steady flow of coalition those elements arrive late, the shield risks becoming a and civilian interfaces from organizations including set of impressive but disconnected and ineffective piecNORAD, FAA, DHS and trusted foreign partners. The es. data release problem presented is two-sided: protecting U.S. sources while honoring partner security restricCOTS Journal | October 2025

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October 2025

COT’S PICKS Samtec Launches 800-Position AcceleRate® HP High-Performance Array Connectors Samtec, Inc. announces the expansion of its AcceleRate HP product line with the release of 800-position APM6 and APF6 high-performance array connectors available in a low-profile 5mm stack height.

Engineered for next-generation demands, the new AcceleRate HP connectors deliver exceptional signal integrity and density, supporting data rates up to 112 Gbps PAM4 on a 0.635mm pitch. These connectors are optimized for high-throughput applications such as High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), storage, and networking.

Concurrent announced the release of Bragi, a rugged 3U OpenVPX GPGPU processing card in partnership with EIZO Rugged Solutions.

Bragi combines the latest NVIDIA RTX™ PRO 4000 and 5000 GPUs, based on the new Blackwell architecture, with the proven reliability and integration support that customers expect from Concurrent.

Bragi is designed for demanding C5ISR and HPEC applications requiring high-performance AI processing at the edge. It is fully SOSA® aligned and supports both conduction-cooled and air-flow-through variants, making it suitable for deployment in space-constrained and thermally challenging environments.

Miles Adcock, CEO, said: “We’ve developed our partnership with EIZO Rugged Solutions over many years, and are delighted that we have the rare ability to sell their flagship AI-enabling product as one of our own. In addition to enhancing our portfolio, this is highly reassuring to customers who wish to be confident that the elements of a system will work flawlessly together. We’ve in-

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Key features include: • Protocol compatibility with PCIe 6.0, CXL 3.2, and 100 GbE • 800-position configuration (8 rows × 100 positions) in a dense footprint of 68.62mm × 18.20mm (2.701” × 0.717”) • 5mm mated stack height, with a 10mm version planned for Q2 2026 • 5 Ohm impedance • 2 A max current rating (one pin powered per row), and 150 VAC (212 VDC) max voltage rating • Open pin field array design for maximum grounding and routing flexibility The APM6 and APF6 connectors utilize Samtec’s Solder Column Termination, enhancing structural integrity. This IPC Class vested in the technical ability to deeply integrate and support the GPGPUs from EIZO Rugged Solutions as part of our ongoing mission to provide customers with the very latest technology.”

Bragi’s design addresses the requirements of modern defence and aerospace platforms, particularly those balancing advanced AI workloads with SWaP constraints and legacy system compatibility.

Built around Blackwell architecture, the product delivers up to 1,824 FP4 AI TOPS, enhanced video encoding/decoding, and high- bandwidth memory access via PCIe Gen 5 and GDDR7 ECC memory.

Key Specifications: • Built on NVIDIA RTX PRO™ 4000 or 5000 GPUs (Blackwell • 16 GB or 24 GB GDDR7 graphics memory with ECC • Up to 10,496 CUDA® cores, 320 Tensor cores, 80 RT cores • • PCI Express Gen 5 and 256-bit memory interface • H.265, H.264, and AV1 codec support • 9th Gen NVENC encoders and 6th Gen NVDEC decoders

COTS Journal | October 2025

3 compliant method is ideal for dense, highspeed interconnects and offers superior solder joint reliability and excellent insertion loss and return loss performance.

“These new 800-position connectors represent a significant advancement in high-density, high-speed interconnect technology,” said Eric Mings, Samtec’s High-Speed Board-toBoard Product Manager. “They’re designed to meet the rigorous demands of today’s data-intensive systems while maintaining reliability.”

Samtec’s APM6 and APF6 products are available directly through Samtec or through authorized distribution partners.

For more information, visit samtec.com/ accelerateHP or contact the High-Speed Board-to-Board Group at HSB2B@samtec. com.

• • •

NVIDIA GPUDirect® RDMA support SOSA® aligned Conforms to MIL-STD-810 for shock, vibration, and temperature

October 2025

COT’S PICKS Cincoze Launches New MAGNET Product Line – High-Performance DIN-Rail Embedded Computers for Machine Vision Rugged edge computing brand - Cincoze has announced the new Machine Computing – MAGNET product line, a DIN-Rail embedded computer series. Following rugged embedded computers, industrial panel PCs, and GPU embedded computers, MAGNET is the company’s fourth product line, further strengthening its product portfolio. Designed specifically for the Machine Level in smart manufacturing, MAGNET combines four key advantages—high performance, modular scalability, compact design, and DIN-Rail mounting—to deliver an ideal computing platform for rapidly growing edge AI machine vision applications, such as vision-guided robotics, inspection, and measurement.

The first release, the high-performance & scalable DIN-Rail computer MD-3000, is the flagship model of the new product line. Despite its compact height of only 150 mm, the MD-3000 supports Intel® Core™ desktop-grade processors and up to a sixslot SED (Scalable Expansion Deck), which can be flexibly combined with more than ten SEMs (Scalable Expansion Modules), showcasing full-spectrum expandability.

Built on Cincoze’s rugged DNA and com-

pliant with multiple industry standards and certifications, the MD-3000 guarantees long-term stable operation even in harsh industrial environments, making it a reliable backbone for smart manufacturing.

Exceptional Computing Power – Two Patented Thermal Designs as the Key Meeting the demands of machine vision for high-speed image processing and AI inference requires outstanding computing power. The MD-3000 supports 14/13/12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors (35–65W), up to 96GB DDR5 memory, and dual NVMe SSDs, providing outstanding performance for intensive AI and vision workloads. Sustaining such high computing power in a 150 mm compact chassis requires advanced cooling solutions. Cincoze addresses this challenge with two patented thermal technologies. The Dynamic Thermal Mechanism ensures a precise fit between the CPU heatsink and top cover, eliminating mechanical tolerances and enabling efficient heat transfer to external extruded aluminum fins, where an external fan quickly dissipates it without dust intrusion. Meanwhile, the Smart OTP (Over Temperature Protection) automatically monitors fan status and dynamically adjusts operation, ensuring reliable long-term CPU performance. (Patent no. I893729, I870277) Flexible Expansion, Configured to Application Needs The MD-3000 features Cincoze’s ex-

New 3U OpenVPX Mini 1/4 ATRs Are Compact and Lightweight Pixus Technologies, a provider of embedded computing and enclosure solutions, has announced a new 3U OpenVPX ATR enclosures that accept 3U OpenVPX and SOSA-aligned boards. The modular designs come in various I/O and backplane options.

The first in the series of Pixus Mini ATRs features two 3U OpenVPX slots and one

clusive modular design, composed of the computer, SED (Scalable Expansion Deck), and SEM (Scalable Expansion Module), providing maximum configuration flexibility. Depending on application needs, users can select 2-, 4-, or 6-slot SED and combine them with a variety of SEMs, including I/O interfaces, PoE, M.2 expansion, and 2.5inch storage options. All SEMs support hot-swapping and guiding rail design, significantly improving ease of use and installation efficiency.

Rugged and Reliable – The Perfect Fit for Cabinet Installation To overcome the space constraints of control cabinets and enclosures, the MD3000 adopts a compact 150 mm height design with DIN-Rail mounting support. All operations and I/O interfaces are located at the front of the computer, making installation and maintenance straightforward.

These features make it one of the few compact, high-performance DIN-Rail embedded computers on the market. Inheriting Cincoze’s rugged DNA, the MD-3000 features wide temperature (-40°C–65°C), wide voltage (9–48 VDC), shock and vibration resistance, and compliance with industrial EMC standards (EN 61000-6-2/4). This ensures reliable long-term operation in harsh environments, making the MD-3000 a trusted computing core for smart manufacturing and machine vision applications.

VITA 62 PSU slot. Backplanes are available in speeds up to 100GbE and various configurations. The I/O board is also fully customizable. Compact and lightweight, the chassis comes in versions for baseplate cooling or with an optional rear fan.

Pixus offers SOSA-aligned backplanes, chassis, and chassis managers. The company also develops ruggedized and COTS solutions for various VITA and PICMG specifications.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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October 2025

COT’S PICKS General Micro Systems Introduces XDomain Family of Truly Open Standard Cross-Domain Systems General Micro Systems (GMS) announced the latest offerings in the XDomain family of three open standard cross-domain systems (CDS) at AUSA 2025, booth #8407. Designed to be small, lightest weight, standards-based, and low cost, the cross-domain systems perform dual duty as they secure data at rest and in motion by separating Red domains from Black domains, while simultaneously bringing the highest performance mission, sensor, and payload processing functions into the CDSs themselves. Using MOSA-standard Ethernet and Thunderbolt™ 4, they are complete systems, not merely cross-domain solutions, that can significantly save size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C).

Cross-domain systems are required whenever data moves from a classified environment to an unclassified one.

With smart sensors, legacy platforms, and CJADC2-driven joint operations, data increasingly crosses secure boundaries, even when using military links such as the Link-16. CDSs ensure rules-based transfer and encryption/ decryption across these domains. The challenge is delivering CDSs that are lightweight, affordable, and accessible, unlike the large, proprietary, and costly systems typically offered by major primes.

“We’ve torn that model to shreds,” said Ben Sharfi, CEO and chief architect, GMS. “We’ve created three open standard-based small, lightweight, and low-cost cross domain systems that fit into swarm UAVs, mobile and portable deployments, vehicles, and more. There’s nothing in the market even close—and you’re not going to find it because it’s our X9 architecture that’s made it possible, and no one else has X9. However, each CDS in the XDomain family is MOSA-in-

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spired and based upon the industry’s only open standards: Thunderbolt 4 and Ethernet.

Why has nobody done this before?”

New XDomain products come in three class types. The three latest members of the XDomain family are all based upon the GMS Technology Readiness Level (TRL) X9 architecture: • X9 SPIDER “TacKit” MiniStack small form factor (SFF); • X7 RAPTOR Nano-Stack value-priced SFF. • VIPER NanoATR ½ ATR (short) SOSA-aligned OpenVPX chassis based upon GMS VENOM OpenVPX. Each CDS contains a Red domain (classified or “high side”), a Black domain (insecure or “low side), and a General Dynamics® KG-175N Type 1 HAIPE encryptor. The domains themselves are fully isolated and fully featured high-performance mission processors with high-speed Ethernet networking, Thunderbolt 4, and myriad add-in I/O used to build the cross-domain systems into complex single-box systems. The CDSs can replace other functions or systems in a defense platform, saving SWaP-C. What differentiates GMS cross-domain systems is their class-leading small size, revolutionary light weight in each class type, the use of truly open standards, and the ability to use each system not only as CDSs, but as a fully featured high-performance system.

GMS’s CDSs can replace other boxes and functions on the platform, saving SWaP-C without exuberant costs.

“No vendor or prime DoD contractor has systems that fit into such small spaces, weigh so little and are yet so full-featured, powerful, completely off-the-shelf and ready to deploy,” Sharfi said. “They’re the culmination of 46 years of experience building secure, rugged, networked, sensor processing and storage systems and learning from security partners such as General Dynamics Mission Systems and even the Army, Navy and Air Force. They will truly change secure, interoperable communications for years to come.”

COTS Journal | October 2025

October 2025

COT’S PICKS nVent Launches Liquid Flow Through Module nVent Electric plc announced the release of the nVent SCHROFF Liquid Flow Through Module. This liquid cooling technology is used in rugged environments to dissipate heat from individual printed circuit boards (PCBs), allowing for more reliable cooling at higher processing power than traditional conduction cooling can provide.

The solution, part of the nVent SCHROFF

product line, applies the VITA Standard 48.4 liquid cooling standard to create a safe and reliable form of embedded cooling utilizing liquid. Each Liquid Flow Through Module is designed with a customized flow path that specifically targets processors to carry warm air away from the PCB, back to the chassis, where the liquid will be cooled.

With more than 20 years of expertise in liquid cooling, the nVent engineering team can customize each board layout to the customer’s unique PCB design, utilizing simulations to develop an optimal cooling configuration. The rugged nVent SCHROFF

portfolio includes corresponding board retainers and extractor components that meet liquid cooling standards for military electronics open systems platforms.

Designed and manufactured in an AS9100 certified factory in San Diego, California, the Liquid Flow Through Module meets VITA (48.4) and SOSA standards, along with being DFARS, JOSCAR, and ITAR compliant. Applying VITA 48.4 allows the modules to meet advanced requirements for shock and vibration resistance.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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October 2025

COT’S PICKS Lemo Launches Rugged, Miniature Optima D Series Connectors for Mission-Critical Systems LEMO introduces the OPTIMA D Series, a compact and rugged connector platform engineered for performance in the most demanding environments. Purpose-built for defense, aerospace, and mission-critical systems, the new series combines miniaturized form factors with military-grade reliability.

Key Features: Rugged, Compact, And Configurable Engineered to meet the evolving needs of tactical communications, UAVs, avionics, and soldier-worn equipment, the OPTIMA D Series

DT Research Launches New Line of Next Gen Military Tactical Tablets

DT Research announced four new military tactical tablets – the DT361WF, DT361ND, DT381WF, and DT381ND. These new 6-inch and 8-inch tablets are engineered to meet the rigorous requirements of modern defense forces, while also supporting mission-critical field operations in industries such as utilities, public safety, and land management.

DT Research will showcase the new tablets at DSEI UK 2025, the Defense and Security Equipment International Exhibition, taking place September 9–12 at the ExCeL International Exhibition and Convention Centre, London, in booth S5-332.

“These new military tactical tablets reflect our leadership in developing trusted, mission-ready computing solutions for all branches of the military,” said Robert Droppa, General Manager of Government and

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offers: • IP68 sealing (20m/2h) – even when unmated • MIL-STD-810H compliance – resistant to shock, vibration, and extreme environmental stress • Push-Pull and Break-Away latching – for secure, blind mating in high-pressure scenarios • Modular design with robust 5-way keying – to support rapid deployment and error-free connections • Multiple configuration options – including high-speed (USB, Ethernet), multipole, and coaxial Optimized for integration

Healthcare Solutions at DT Research. “This next generation series of tactical handhelds give defense forces worldwide a secure, rugged, and versatile tablet they can rely on in the most demanding conditions. Importantly, these tablets are fully TAA compliant and built with complete design control, ensuring a trusted and transparent supply chain that provides military customers with confidence in their security and reliability.”

Engineered for Flexibility and Longevity The DT361 and DT381 series of tablets offer customers a choice of operating systems, with the WF models running Microsoft® Windows® 11 IoT Enterprise and the ND models powered

by Android® 13. Customers can specify IP-rated military connectors—including Fischer, Glenair, Bernier, and ODU designs—enabling flexible integration of Ethernet, USB, and power connectivity. These rugged handheld tablets are equipped with either Intel® Core i3-N355 or Qualcomm® 6490 processors to ensure long product lifecycles and consistent performance in the field.

Built for Battlefields These field-ready tablets deliver advanced night vision capabilities with NVIS B-compliant displays in two specialized configurations: 0.7 nit for use with night vision goggles or 20 nits for direct viewing with the human eye. Both options ensure clear readability in complete darkness without interfering with night vision systems.

All the tablets are engineered for continuous operation with hot-swappable batteries, meet IP65,

COTS Journal | October 2025

With a compact, overmolded design that’s 25% shorter than standard LEMO connectors, the OPTIMA D Series enables space-constrained integration without compromising signal integrity or ruggedness. Its uniform PCB height and flush-mounting options streamline system architecture, making it a go-to choice for OEMs developing compact, durable platforms.

To support rapid and secure integration, LEMO offers full cable assembly services: • Custom overmolding • Complex harness design • Private labeling • Certified production: IPC-620, ISO 9001, AS9100, and MIL-STD-810

MIL-STD-810H, and MIL-STD-461G standards for durability, and include security enhancements such as ARM TrustZone® and NIST compliance.

Powering Mission-Critical Operations Designed to support advanced tactical software platforms such as WINTAK (Windows Tactical Assault Kit) and ATAK (Android Tactical Assault Kit), the DT361 and DT381 tablet series provide defense forces with a powerful digital backbone for mission execution. These compact yet powerful tablets enable secure geospatial mapping, real-time data sharing, and collaborative planning across units, enhancing reconnaissance missions, UAV operations, and overall situational awareness. The tablets also strengthen command and control (C2) by integrating battlefield communications and Blue Force Tracking, while extending mission capabilities to field medical support and remote vehicle control—ensuring military forces have the tools needed to make faster, more informed decisions in dynamic environments.

Optimized for Field Operations The DT361 and DT381 tablet series extend beyond defense applications to empower field workers in utilities, agriculture, and land management, delivering robust performance for data collection, drone operations, and disaster-zone communications. Their durability and NVIS-capable displays are also well-suited for use in low-light environments, such as cockpits, as well as for public safety operations, where reliable connectivity and mission-critical performance are essential.

October 2025

COT’S PICKS New PCIe/104 Carrier Cards Host AcroPack Mini-PCIe I/O Modules for High-Performance Embedded Computing Acromag now offers the Model APX4020 carrier cards to integrate their family of AcroPack I/O mezzanine modules into PC/104 computing systems. Available in PCIe/104 and PCI/104-Express formats, both versions provide two mezzanine module sites capable of hosting AcroPack or full-size PCIe mini cards. AcroPack modules offer a broad range of signal processing functions, including analog and discrete I/O, serial communication, avionics, and FPGA computing. Dual 50-pin connectors simplify the I/O interface between the modules and field signals without any loose

internal wires. Designed for rugged applications, AcroPacks are well-suited for use in defense, aerospace, and industrial applications where size, weight, and power (SWaP) optimization is required. Common applications include data acquisition & control, test & measurement, simulation, and communication operations.

“With a more rugged design and advanced computing capabilities like an AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC, isolated communication, or multi-function I/O, AcroPacks bring a higher level of I/O performance to PC/104 computing stacks,” explains Robert Greenfield, Acromag’s Business Development Director.

Designed and manufactured in the USA, AcroPack products improve on the mini PCI Express architecture by adding a down-facing 100-pin connector that se-

curely routes the I/O through a carrier card to its integrated external connectors, thus eliminating internal cables and metalwork modifications. An integrated conduction-cooling ring mates to an optional heat sink, enabling operation at higher temperatures. More than 25 I/O functions are available. Software tools support embedded applications running on Linux®, Windows®, or VxWorks® operating systems.

COTS Journal | October 2025

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October 2025

COT’S PICKS Curtiss-Wright Enhances PacStar 453 and PacStar 454 GPU-Accelerated Edge Servers Curtiss-Wright announced enhancements to PacStar® 453 and PacStar 454 servers, two rugged, small-form-factor modules designed to bring GPU-accelerated performance to the edge. Purpose-built for data-intensive, time-sensitive applications, PacStar 453 and 454 integrate high-core-count Intel® Xeon® D-1700 (Ice Lake) processors with the updated NVIDIA® accelerated computing technology, delivering enhanced AI processing, advanced graphics, and faster, more efficient data handling in a compact, deployable form factor.

“PacStar 453 and 454 provide users with the compute resources needed to process larger data sets, run more applications, and make informed decisions faster, even in disconnected or austere environments,” said Roark McDonald, General Manager, PacStar. “By combining Intel CPU technology with NVIDIA

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accelerated computing in the proven PacStar 400-Series ecosystem, we are enabling our customers to bring modern enterprise-class performance to the edge - accelerating the deployment of advanced applications that demand real-time insight and responsiveness.”

PacStar 453 and 454 deliver a significant performance upgrade over previous models, with faster CPUs, higher-speed memory, and next-generation GPU acceleration featuring thousands of NVIDIA CUDA cores and NVIDIA Tensor cores. Together, with fast NVMe® storage, robust IPMI based remote-management tools, and support for popular virtualization and enterprise software, the servers enable users to run complex workloads with greater responsiveness and reliability.

Key Features of PacStar 453 and 454 include: • Intel Xeon D-1700 “Ice Lake” CPUs paired with next-generation NVIDIA GPUs for accelerated AI and graphics performance • Compact, modular design compati-

COTS Journal | October 2025

ble with the PacStar 400-Series ecosystem • Flexible performance options: PacStar 453 2-slot module; PacStar 454 3-slot module with higher GPU class and additional removable SSDs • Enterprise-class virtualization support for hypervisors and multiple concurrent applications • Ruggedized, deployable solutions with proven PacStar reliability across mobile and edge environments PacStar 453 and 454 expand Curtiss-Wright’s growing portfolio of NVIDIA-enabled edge solutions, complementing other small form factor modules in the PacStar 400-Series. Together, these interoperable building blocks provide a scalable foundation for AI-enabled decision-making, seamless data sharing, and integrated operations at the edge.

COTS

ADVERTISERS

Company

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Annapolis Micro Systems. . . . . .

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ODU-MAC® POWER CONNECTOR

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COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at; 110 S Rancho Santa Fe, Virgin UT 84779. Periodicals Class postage paid at San Clemente and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COTS Journal, 110 S Rancho Santa Fe PO 790039, Virgin UT 84779.

64 GS/s Direct RF Is at Hand!

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BEHLMAN LEADS THE PACK AGAIN! FIRST PROVEN VPX POWER SUPPLIES DEVELOPED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SOSA™ TECHNICAL STANDARD

Behlman introduces the first test-proven VPX power supplies developed in alignment with the SOSA Technical Standard. Like all Behlman VPXtra® power supplies, these 3U and 6U COTS DC-to-DC high-power dual output units feature Xtra-reliable design and Xtra-rugged construction to stand up to the rigors of all mission-critical airborne, shipboard, ground and mobile applications.

VPXtra® 1000CD5-IQI

VPXtra® 800D-IQI

> 6U power module developed in alignment with the SOSA Technical Standard > Delivers 1050W DC power via two outputs > VITA 46.11 IPMC for integration with system management

> 3U power module developed in alignment with the SOSA Technical Standard > Delivers 800W DC power via two outputs > VITA 46.11 IPMC for integration with system management

The Power Solutions Provider SOSA™ and logo design and The Open Group Certification Mark™ are trademarks of The Open Group in the United States and other countries.

: 631-435-0410

: sales@behlman.com

: www.behlman.com