Rugged Computing

ExEcutivE BriEfing
rugged computing in aerospace and defense applications

Rugged computers are essential for todays network-centric military operations on the digital battlefield. Computers help military leaders with command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, situational awareness, and mission planning. Suffice it to say that todays battlefield computers contain and process some of the most important mission- and life-critical information anywhere. Break one of these computers, and essential information can be irreparably lost. Making sure the forces
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in the field have computers rugged enough to stand up to the rigors of drops, bumps, vibration, water, mud, dust, and other harsh environmental conditions can make the difference between mission success and failure.
3 Aerospace and defense
organizations
18 Rugged tablet 21 Rugged computers computers
41 Military use of consumer

computing
cots technology. mil credibility.

DRS has fielded more rugged military computers than anyone else. At the same time, weve developed the ARMOR line of rugged, highly mobile and connected tablets for a range of industries. This unique combination of military and commercial experience makes ARMOR the Commercial-Off-The-Shelf system of choice for non-combat military applications like aircraft maintenance and documentation. To learn more and schedule a live demo, call 1-888-872-1100.
Rugged And Ready. Thats Go To.

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Photo: United States Air Force/Staff Sgt. Quinton Russ
Aerospace and defense organizations tap novel rugged mobile computers for mission-critical application
By CoURTNEy E. HowARd
A large majority of professionals today require fast, reliable computing platforms be they desktop, laptop, or handheld computers, servers, or similar devices to get the job done. In the military, however, a soldiers rugged computer can mean the difference between mission success and failure, and even life and death. A great deal is at stake, and so military leaders make a point to buy the best computers for each aerospace and defense application. Warfighters have mission-critical requirements and they deserve rugged mobile computers that they can rely on, says Bill Guyan, vice president of programs & strategy for DRS Tactical Systems Inc. in Melbourne, Fla. That means ultrarugged systems that are designed from the start to meet the most demanding operational conditions. On an increasingly networked battlefield, the reliability of a soldier or vehicle computer has a direct impact on combat effectiveness, Guyan continues. It is no help to a warfighter to have an inexpensive solution that meets a COTS specification, but fails on the battlefield. Battlefield computers and displays, like any battlefield system a weapon, a vehicle, and a radio need to be selected for its ability to perform in the worst-case scenarios. Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
Aerospace and defense organizations
A systems ruggedness and reliability may top the list of requirements for mission-critical computers, but they are followed closely by size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C). SWaP-C has always played an important role in soldier systems, Guyan explains. Soldiers already carry heavy loads and they have limited space for carrying large systems or many sets of replacement batteries. Soldier systems also have the potential for fielding in high numbers, so small unit cost differences can matter a great deal. size and security Size is really important, acknowledges Fed de Gastyne, federal business development manager at Panasonic Computer Solutions Co. in Secaucus, N.J. Milaero users increasingly require ultra-mobile personal computers (PCs), he says. As a result, Panasonics Toughbook U1 and Toughbook H1 are designed to combine easy portability and small size with the features, performance, connectivity, and operating system of a laptop. Soldiers can walk around an entire day with a Toughbook U1 or H1, de Gastyne adds. The compact PCs were crafted with wearability in mind: whether held in the hand, placed in a pack, or used with a harness or sling offered by Panasonic. The U.S. Navy and Air Force need hands-free, he says, to climb on and off aircraft. If Im a tech and climbing on an air frame all day long, its nice to have a hand free, de Gastyne notes. Using the Toughbook U1, you might not have to climb down on your entire shift. The U1 uses a rugged, solid-state drive able to withstand the vibration of a helicopter. It is employed by the U.S. Navy in aircraft maintenance and airborne applications, such as acquiring and recording forwardlooking infrared (FLIR) data, supplementing avionics, and other functions of military aircraft. The Navy doesnt want the fastest computer, de Gastyne observes. Speed and storage are always going to be important, but if you have the latest and greatest computer and you drop it one foot ... they would rather have it rugged, and know that the hard drive and the display are OK and the data is secure.
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U.S. Air Force personnel use the larger Toughbook 52 rugged laptop for mission planning. In the future, de Gastyne anticipates military personnel will take it from mission planning to mission accomplishment taking our devices into the field and into the fight, not only the barracks. The U.S. Air Force also employs the Toughbook H1 mobile clinical assistant, designed to be durable and lightweight. We found they like that form factor and can carry them on C-130s and use them for technical orders, de Gastyne explains. Technicians can stay up on the air frame all day long and go from one technical order to the next, saving time and money. More important than size, de Gastyne admits, is reliability. If you were to talk to warfighters, and I have talked to a lot, theyll say Its heavy, but then theyll say It saved my life. In fact, Panasonic personnel such as de Gastyne pride themselves on the Toughbooks low first-year failure rate of four percent, compared to that of competitors at roughly 25 percent. If youre out in the theater and youre maintaining a helicopter, what happens if yours is one of the 25 failures? Aircraft aid U.S. Air Force personnel also take advantage of rugged laptops from General Dynamics Itronix in Sunrise, Fla. As the U.S. Air Force builds new and replaces older infrastructure in and around flight lines, they are looking for technology that will enable faster response time and reduce the cost of their operations, explains Amy Tupler, product manager at General Dynamics Itronix. Imagine an airman on the flight line has an order to replace a part in a C-5, Tupler says. Rather than get into a vehicle and go to the hangar or maintenance depot, locate the right maintenance manual and instructions, and return to the aircraft, the airman fires up the notebook either inside or outside of the airframe or in a secure area, searches for the right digitized maintenance manuals, identifies the needed repair instructions, and finishes the job in far less time. He could even order a new part. The embedded radio technology in the GD8000 saves time and reduces the cost of a maintenance job, in this example.
The General Dynamics Itronix GD8000 is a fully rugged notebook computer designed for the rugged user and tested to military extremes. Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
General Dynamics Itronix product managers, such as Tupler, focus design efforts on communications, in addition to SWaP and rugged characteristics. In mil-aero environments, were talking about having a GD8000 on a belt or on a ladder, and crawling through plane or falling from a cart, Tupler says. Users want to be able to maintain the integrity of the signal and hard drives. For this and other reasons, engineers stay current with standards and design notebook computers with shock-mounted hard drives, ensure that the flip assembly between the display and keyboard survive any shock and vibe, and make sure the radio architecture is mounted throughout a fall and the casing around antennae continues to protect the componentry to maintain communication throughout a job or mission despite a traumatic event. Mil-aero professionals fully appreciate a rugged device not just for ruggeds sake, but a purposefully rugged device, Tupler mentions. About 10 years ago, Itronix saw a need for an intelligent radio that uses software and related technologies to enable emerging wireless communications. Embedded radio technology in the GD8000 enables users to connect to essential communications and information networks, even in the most remote locations such as on an Air Force base or somewhere else where users are far apart. The radio technology we use is considered high-power, up to 300 milliwatts. Itronix has also opted to embed what we call an intelligent radio into the PC. By intelligent I mean that we have integrated radio technology into the PC that enables more than two-way communications. Its also modular, so users can swap radio devices without returning them to the factory. road-worthy ruggedness In the past several years, Guyan continues, SWAP-C has become equally important to the vehicle system. Increased electronic systems and increased vehicle armor have really placed space, weight, and power requirements at a premium. Many technology companies are working to put reliable, high-performance computing power in the hands of soldiers in ground combat vehicles. Guyan explains that DRS is addressing vetronics design constraints by developing and fielding new multifunction platform rugged computers and displays, expanding Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
the functionality of already fielded systems, and developing new embedded onboard vehicle power solutions. New systems like Joint Battle Command-Platform (JBC-P) and Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) require new thinking from industry, so we are hard at work to ensure that we have the latest solutions available to meet the emerging requirements, Guyan states. The warfighting customers vision for Unified Battle Command (UBC) and Victory Architecture certainly serve to guide our innovation efforts. DRS Tactical won a contract from Comtech Mobile Datacom for more than 25,000 Military Rugged Tablet (MRT) computers for the U.S. Army Movement Tracking System (MTS) program. U.S. Army personnel will use the Joint Platform Tablet MRT as its next-generation computing system for new and deployed MTS systems. According to the $217 million contract, the DRS Tactical Systems business unit is designing and manufacturing rugged computing systems, including Joint Platform Tablet MRT computers, keyboards, docking stations, interface cables, and base plates. This important order provides a proven ultra-rugged computing system to our soldiers, with leading-edge dual core computing capability that can be relied upon for this mission-critical application, says Mike Sarrica, vice president and general manager of DRS Tactical. Additionally, it provides hardware commonality with other Joint programs, and enables planned Army transformation to Joint Battle CommandPlatform. The Joint Platform Tablet MRT is designed with expanded capacity, enabling upgrades as increased capabilities and future requirements emerge. MRT capabilities include increased processing speed, a removable hard disk drive, and an emergency alert button that can signal an urgent situation back to the command-and-control center, and a night vision imaging system-capable, 10.4inch display. Internal MIL-STD 1275 power filtering eliminates the need for external power adapters, whereas the modular docking station ensures fast computer dismounting.
We are delivering approximately 2,000 systems per month right now for the U.S. Army MTS program, Guyan says. This rugged, dismountable tablet computer Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
is in use by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Air Force. It features best-in-class, ultra-rugged performance, a rugged sunlight-readable touchscreen, multicore processing, up to 128-gigabyte, solid-state, removable hard drives, and hot-swappable batteries. Mrts and mortar DRS Technologies also won a $3.4 million contract from Elbit Systems of America in Fort Worth, Texas, to provide MRT systems for the U.S. Army Mortars Firecon program at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. U.S. Army soldiers will use the MRT as the centralized controller device and computer for the Mortars FireCon system, which links mortar fires capability with the digital battlefield. Deliveries from the DRS Tactical Systems business unit will continue through 2014. Guyan describes strong international interest in the system, which he attributes to its compact size, proven performance, and vehicle-mounted or dismounted flexibility. It is ideal for battle management systems, vehicle and asset tracking, remote systems command and control, close air support, and indirect effects targeting, he says. It can also serve as a multipurpose vehicle or command post user terminal operating multiple applications and operating systems. computing in combat The key today is providing the highest embedded computing performance, coupled with the lowest cost and SWaP, says Doug Patterson, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Aitech Rugged Group Inc. in Chatsworth, Calif. It is with these characteristics in mind that engineers developed the Aitech NightHawk RCU (Rugged Computer Unit), he says. The NightHawk RCU is designed to deliver small size and weight combined with natural convection/radiation cooling for a variety of military, aerospace, and rugged commercial environments, including manned and unmanned, ground or airborne vehicles, as well as low SWaP remote interface unit (RIU) and data concentrator unit (DCU) applications. The self-contained PC, housed in a milspec enclosure with power drawn directly from the vehicles power bus, is based on the low-power Intel Atom processor and provides up to 2 gigabytes of DDR SDRAM (double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory), 8 gigabytes of SSD (solid-state disk) memory, an optional 250-gigabyte SSD for Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
application data storage, and the I/O needed for a remote networked subsystem. A HMMWV-mounted, chemical and improvised explosive device (IED) detection systemcurrently under evaluation for immediate use and rapid deployment in Iraq and Afghanistanemploys an Aitech NightHawk RCU embedded computer as the RIU/DCU. This rugged application incorporates extreme temperature swings, in addition to high shock, vibration, and sand/dust contaminant levels, Patterson describes. Because of the super-fine particulates and sand in this area of the world, and the location of the unit in the vehicle, the NightHawk RCU utilizes conduction-cooling for all internal electronics and the stand-alone RIU/ DCU is free-air (radiation and convectioncooled) without the use of fans or blowers for assisted cooling to meet the systems requirements, Patterson explains. The NightHawk RCU easily meets the low heat dissipation and low power requirements, as well as the data throughput needed for the application without burdening the vehicles electrical generator or adding any appreciable heat to the cabs crew compartment. Low heat and low power means higher reliability and a longer lifecycle. required ruggedization SWaP is the main issue the military is dealing with, whether in a soldier-borne or vehicle-borne system, notes Michael McPherson, director of embedded systems at Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing (CWCEC) in San Diego. As more and more digital data is required on the battlefield, an ever-increasing amount of electronics is finding its way into combat vehicles. It is important to move heat away from electronics and keep it out of the cabin air and off the soldiers body. Reducing the thermal load has become paramount in the battlefield. Curtiss-Wright rugged computing systems have been used on a variety of mobile ground programs, both new programs and upgrades to older platforms, at the embedded computing level. McPherson has seen greater demand for complete Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
systems solutions and integrating electronics in battlefield scenarios. Were seeing increased demand for standards-based, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products at the subsystem level, not just the board level, says McPherson. A more deliberate technology-insertion roadmap, to mitigate obsolescence, is evident. McPherson sees increased demand from prime contractors pursuing unmanned opportunities for the companys architecture, perhaps for its SWaP, rapid time to market, and flexibility. He also notes more demand for intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance, including signal intelligence and radar signal processing applications. In general, the industry is working to meet demand for more capability in a system with a smaller footprint that can be put together rapidly. We are all working to upgrade platforms and bring new capabilities to the battlefield within the next year. Not 10 years, but one year. We have the technology to enable customers to meet demands now. Given the way the military is fighting current wars, we need to bring new capabilities into that battlefield daily, agrees Chris Wiltsey, director and site manager at Curtiss-Wright in San Diego. It is no longer about planning 10 years out, and long development periods. We are best at having technology available that is rugged enough to deploy into the battlefield now. Whether for a wheeled vehicle, tracked vehicle, or aircraft whatever ruggedization is required we have off-the-shelf subsystems. According to Wiltsey, Curtiss-Wright has gained contracts as a result of prime contractors realizing the products performance and ruggedization, going right into the vehicle with it, and deploying within weeks of a first test. Our focus is rugged deployed military everything else takes a second seat as we create system products, he says. radar requirements A large prime contractor working on a defense contract to deliver mobile, groundbased radar systems required rugged and robust computers for a major radar program upgrade. Engineers selected a rugged 6U Open VPX solution from Mercury Computer Systems in Chelmsford, Mass.
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The customer was making a ground-based radar system for a combination tracker/interceptor/launcher mobile application with high compute-intensive and rugged requirements, describes Anne Mascarin, product marketing manager at Mercury Computer Systems. The rugged computer system needed to withstand a lot of ground movement in arid, dry environments, Mascarin continues. It also had to be capable of rapid, intense computations on the move, to locate and track hundreds of targets each minute. What suited their needs best was OpenVPX technology, she says. Mercury is one of the chief contributors to the OpenVPX rugged interoperability standard. Mercury Computer Systems officials initiated the formation of the OpenVPX Industry Working Group, the primary goal of which is to develop a comprehensive OpenVPX System Design Guide covering VPX systems for 3U and 6U form factors. A portion of the Design Guide defines VPX Profiles, sets of specifications, and practices, which, when followed, shall result in truly interoperable system components, describes a representative. The prime contractor required fast delivery of the rugged computing system, due to QRC (quick reaction capability) requirements of the contract. Mercury Computer Systems accelerated the schedule, approximately from 24 months to 12 months. The OpenVPX rugged interoperable standard, and our Services and System Integration team, which works with the customer to accelerate system development for QRC programs, were both big parts of our [contract award] win, Mascarin concludes. seafaring servers Electronics upgrades are not limited to ground-based combat vehicles and aircraft alone. Ocean-faring vessels are also the subject of modernization efforts. The U.S. Navy undertook a mission to upgrade its afloat and airborne commandand-control systems, to achieve greater flexibility, better performance, and a reduced cost of ownership, explains William Kehret, president and chief executive officer at Themis Computer in Fremont, Calif.
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The original program, called Common Enterprise Display Consoles, is now Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
abbreviated CDS. The General Dynamics-AIS team won this competition, using a Themis designed and supplied common electronics module, Kehret says. The Module is a 3RU variant of the companys CoolShell technology, with all frontaccessible, front-cabled field replaceable units. The CoolShell COTS motherboard-based, bladed systems have the advantage of bladed system cable management, scalability, RAS, and cost of ownership, Kehret explains. Themis is also delivering new payload systems designed for unmanned aerial vehicle () applications , and bringing lower cost of ownership, improved scalability, and shorter down time during spiral refresh to high-end UAV platforms, he continues. Themis Computers Rugged Enterprise Servers (RES motherboard-based servers) are widely used for the Canadian Navys Halifax Cruiser program, Kehret adds. The Navy, for its afloat computing platforms, is migrating away from distributed bus-and-board architectures, to the use of more aggregated server-based services, Kehret explains. A full range of compute servers from stacks of onerack-unit boxes, to blade servers with 8 to 12 multi-socket processor blades are being deployed on everything from submarines to big-deck ships. These are truly enterprise-level solutions, at sea. At the next level, Kehret adds, battle groups have more in common with todays distributed enterprises, than with earlier stove-piped, application-specific computing systems. Themis is bringing a new level of integration to these enterprise computing environments, with our bladed CoolShell servers. The company also offers Rugged Enterprise Servers for these defense platforms, and is addressing the modernization of bus-and-board applications with board-level products for both VME-64 and VPX ecosystems. Some requirements frequent technology refresh, COTS, acquisition cost and total cost of ownership, SWaP-C, RAS (reliability, availability, and service), and scalability are important to all segments of the Department of Defense marketplace, Kehret mentions.
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sealed from sand and sea With war fronts in desert environments, Crystal Group in Hiawatha, Iowa, has seen more requests for sand/dust-proof systems and sealed systems, admits Jaden Ghylin, technical director at Crystal Group. Company officials also have seen more requirements for the use of non-flammable/non-outgassing materials in designs. These requirements are generally driven by the system residing in a location with a closed air supply, such as a ship or aircraft, Ghylin says. These requirements have allowed our customers to use the SS11 Sealed Server in a broad array of applications that we would not have envisioned a year ago. Crystal Groups SS11 was initially designed as a submersible computer for ground vehicles with fording capability; however, the sealed nature of the SS11 has proven valuable for airborne applications that have no submergibility requirements at all, Ghylin explains. All the electronic materials are sealed inside an airtight enclosure, which really relieves the concern about outgassing materials. Airborne platforms also benefit from the passive cooling that the SS11 employs, thus eliminating a fan as a possible failure mode and preventing sand or dust from causing any problems with the system. For these reasons, we are seeing the SS11 deployed on a variety of platforms ranging from ground vehicles to airborne applications. Crystal Groups devices have also been selected for common afloat network applications for shipboard networking. These applications have required the latest 5500 series Intel Micro architecture, as well as a solution to the shock and vibration problems characterized by Navy environments, Ghylin says. This environment tends to be tougher than you might expect; there is constant vibration, swings in temperature, and shock from normal fleet operations. Space and power are, of course, huge issues, Ghylin adds, which is why we see virtualization making such a big play in the Navy. We are on the leading-edge of the virtualization wave, which is being driven in the Navy for cost and size reduction, but will soon be carried into the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard for size and weight reduction as the benefits become more and more apparent.
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We are working on mobile applications where rugged servers are replacing rugged Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
laptops, Ghylin mentions. Laptops are great when you need to pick up a computer and go, but if the computers are fixed-mounted, a rugged rackmount server is much more appropriate. In a similar amount of rack space as a rugged laptop, a user can install a 1U RS112 server and have access to 8-16 CPU cores at 2.53 GHz, 48 gigabytes of RAM (random access memory), 4 terabytes of storage, and a PCIExpress expansion slot or a high-end graphics card for manipulating digital maps. This is 5 to 10 times the capability that a rugged laptop can provide, but it comes in at a similar price point and similar size profile when rack-mounted. A further benefit of using a rugged server, Ghylin continues, is that it can be virtualized to replace up to 16 clients. This means that one server can replace up to 16 laptops through the use of virtualization software. This approach not only saves cost, but more importantly for mobile applications, saves substantial size, weight, and complexity. rugged cots Size, weight, and power consumption are key drivers for the mil-aero market, describes Nancy Pantone, director of product management, systems & modules at Kontron in Poway, Calif. We will continue to see smaller, lighter and less power hungry products being developed to meet the needs of warfighters in the field. Kontron works with customers to make sure that Kontron COTS systems are highly reliable, easy and quick to repair in the field, if needed, and that usage is intuitive, Pantone continues. Military personnel dont have the time to read thick user manuals and troubleshoot system problems day after day. They depend on their equipment and need high MTBF (mean time between failures), hotswappable components, and logical designs. Many defense programs, in the U.S. and abroad, have adopted Kontron rugged computing systems and components. One of the most current applications is the P-8 Poseidon, a maritime patrol aircraft for the U.S. Navy; another aircraft program includes the Australian Airborne Early Warning & Control or Wedgetail program, Pantone says. Common among these and other military and aerospace programs is the use of a wide variety of form factors from Kontron.
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Kontron officials see a growing need for mil-aero computing platforms that span Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
sizes from rack-mounted to wearable, with performance and power consumption tuned to meet the application. We are seeing needs for smaller rack-mounted industrial PCs and have responded by offering short rack-mount configurable COTS systems suitable for compressed space requirements, Pantone says. We also see increasing demand for COTS Atom-based Box PCs, like our new Microspace MPCX28, an in-vehicle PC which can support increased video and communications needs, intralogistics, video surveillance, vehicle tracking, GPS, and control of automated vehicles at environmental temperatures from -25 to 70 degrees Celsius. unleashing the unmanned SWaP is a concern in virtually all mil-aero platforms, but none more so than unmanned vehicles. Engineers at Getac, a manufacturer of rugged computers that meet the demands of field-based applications in Lake Forest, Calif., understand well the rugged computing needs of warfighters in the field UAVs. Weight and mobility are huge concerns, John Lamb, director of marketing at Getac, explains. The environmental conditions for warfighters roughly nine months out of the year require lightweight, rugged systems with a long battery life and sunlight-readable screens, he says. Where they are today are perhaps the brightest spots on the planet. Rugged computers from Getac are employed in the control of unmanned drones and other unmanned vehicles on the battlefield. It is an increasingly popular use for our systems, Lamb says. In a lot of cases, we are customizing our laptops with satellite antennae on the sides. In fact, Getac provides several options for customizing a rugged computer for a specific mil-aero environment and application. The company can outfit its rugged devices with: an expandable battery for up to 24 hours of battery life, external communication equipment, military connectors, GPS, and even a Web camera for video conferencing and two-way communication in the battlefield. Moreover, Getac has infused its complete line of rugged notebook and tablet PCs with Microsoft Windows 7 compatibility.
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Much progress has been made in the field of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), says Themiss Kehret. Large, high-altitude, long-endurance USAF (U.S. Air Force) tier II+ UAS, such as Global Hawk, have significant on-board compute and DSP capability. Themis is seizing the opportunity to add as much computing power as possible to smaller, more widely deployed medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) USAF tier II UAS platforms. Whole new architectures and levels of SWaP optimization will be required to unleash tier I UAS, Kehret predicts. future functionality Battles today are fought and won not as much with bullets and bombs, as with information. Soldiers lives and missions successes rely on the availability of mission-critical data, delivered via rugged, mobile computers. The rugged computer is becoming an increasingly essential element of every warfighters daily mission, Guyan admits. As computers and displays migrate from platforms and command posts to soldiers, we will see increased form-factor variation to include distributed wearable systems, Guyan adds. The commercial market continues to drive down the cost of ever-improving technologies. We will continue to see smaller, faster and cheaper multi-core processors. The future holds a number of developments for rugged computing, Ghylin predicts. It is no longer acceptable for the military to use decades-old technology or a hodge-podge of COTS equipment. Our warfighters deserve and demand the best technology available.
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Shock-proof. Vibration-proof. and eVen future-proof.

Over 115,000 DRS systems have been fielded for Blue Force Tracking and FBCB2. And thanks to a powerful Dual Core processor and flexible architecture, todays JV-5 is ready for future applications. From the Joint Battle CommandPlatform (JBC-P) and beyond. Which means U.S. joint forces will see returns on this hardware investment for years to come.
Capability For Today. And Tomorrow. Thats Go To.

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Rugged tablet computers ride the commercial wave, and come into their own among aerospace and defense users
applications have been around for decades, yet for much of that time have been considered somewhat of an oddity. Military computer users get it when the topic drifts to rugged laptop and portable computers, but tablets always have been primarily something someone else might be able to use. Not so today. Whats changing attitudes about rugged tablet computers in aerospace and defense circles are the ubiquitous Apple iPad, iPhone, and other smart phones with multi-touch screens that have become wildly popular since their introduction. Now the tablet computer is mainstream and no longer an oddity, and rugged computer manufacturers who serve the defense industry are making up for lost time. We feel good that were in the rugged tablet business, because we see the market moving in our direction, says Bill Guyan, vice president of programs and strategy for rugged computer maker DRS Tactical Systems in Melbourne, Fla. The tablet is an elegant way for people to stay connected and do their jobs. Guyan says DRS has seen brisk aerospace and defense business not only for the companys Military Rugged Tablet (MRT) computer, but also for its newly introduced industrial-rugged ARMOR line of tablet computers. Tablets are a hot topic right now because of what is going on in the consumer space, says Patrick White, vice president of strategic marketing at General Dynamics Itronix in Sunrise, Fla. Tablets bring new software capabilities, finger gestures, and multi-touch capabilities that enable us to reduce the display size on Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
ABlEt coMputErs Built rugged enough for aerospace and defense
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Rugged tablet computers
tablet computers from seven or nine inches, and get the same functionality you get in a 12- or 13-inch display. Interest in tablet computing in the military community mirrors interest in commercially available tablet computers and the rapidly growing universe of tablet and smart phone applications from Apple, as well as from open-source software developers working with the Linux-based Android mobile operating system. Android is an open-source mobile operating system based upon the Linux kernel, and has a large community of developers writing application programs. More than 70,000 Android applications are available, which makes it one of the most popular mobile operating systems. The emergence of the iPad and iPhone are getting customers more familiar with the use of touch screens, says DRSs Guyan. We have made tablets for more than 20 years, but there was always a preference for a keyboard interface. Now our military customers are getting more comfortable with touch screens and the
Company listing
Amrel Computer Division; El Monte, Calif.; www.amrel.com/rugged-computers Argon Corp.; Great Neck, N.Y.; www.argoncorp.com Broadax Systems Inc.; City of Industry, Calif.; www.bsicomputer.com Cyberchron Rugged Systems; Cold Springs, N.Y.; www.cyberchron.com Dell Inc.; Round Rock, Texas; www.dell.com DRS Tactical Systems; Melbourne, Fla.; www.drs-ts.com Elbit Systems of America C4I Solutions; Tallahassee, Fla.; www.talla-tech.com General Dynamics C4 Systems; Scottsdale, Ariz.; www. gdc4s.com General Dynamics Itronix; Sunrise, Fla.; www.gd-itronix.com Getac Inc.; Lake Forest, Calif.; www.getac.com IBI Systems Inc.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; www.ibi-systems.com Industrial Computing; Waltham, Mass.; www.industcomputing.com Intel; Chandler, Ariz.; www.intel.com/go/military Intermec Inc.; Everett, Wash.; www.intermec.com LogIn Crete AB; Helsingborg, Sweden; www.login. se MaxVision; Madison, Ala.; www.maxvision.com NextComputing; Nashua, N.H.; www.nextcomputing.com Panasonic Solutions Co.; Secaucus, N.J.; www.panasonic.com/toughbook Roper Mobile Technology; Tempe, Ariz.; www.ropermobile. com Rugged Notebooks Inc.; Anaheim, Calif.; www.ruggednotebooks.com Rugged Portable Systems; Santa Ana, Calif.; www.rpseagle. com Stealth Computer Corp.; Woodbridge, Ontario; www.stealthcomputer.com TAG; Dulles, Va.; www.tag.com Trimble Outdoor Computers; Sunnyvale, Calif.; www.trimble.com/OutdoorRugged-Computers Two Technologies Inc.; Horsham, Pa.; www.2T.com
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multi-touch technology to expand or contract a picture and the other kinds of things you can do with an iPad. Some rugged computer manufacturers caution military users against using consumer-grade devices in the field, even though these devices are seeing such widespread adoption. You have these guys climbing up into a C-5 [cargo jet], which is like climbing up several stories in a building, says Fed de Gastyne, business development manager for the federal team at Panasonic Solutions Co. in Secaucus, N.J. My concern is please dont take anything up in the aircraft that is not MIL-STD-810G tested. With a consumer product, heat will kill it, and a drop will kill it. What does a mission failure cost? Thats the bottom line.
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Rugged computers in aerospace and defense applications must work reliably in harsh operating conditions
By CoURTNEy HowARd
H
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The advent of a network-centric battlefield on which all platforms are interconnected nodes to deliver missioncritical information to authorized personnel when and where it is needed is driving the need for innovative, rugged computer systems on the battlefield. Rugged electronics, whether handheld and laptop computers or embedded computing solutions, are integral to mission success and, in many cases, survival.
igH-pErforMAncE EMBEddEd coMputing solutions
that serve the current warfighter have never been in higher demand, says Michael Humphrey, manager of military and aerospace strategic accounts at Kontron in Poway, Calif. The multiplicity of platforms being deployed, together with the applications in play, is creating an extremely diverse set of capabilities, stretching the requirements for rugged mobile computers. Rugged computing is more relevant than ever before, says Shan Morgan, senior vice president of Elma Electronic Inc. in Fremont, Calif., and general manager of Optima EPS, an Elma Company in Lawrenceville, Ga. It used to be Elma provided a lot of the
Rugged computers in aerospace
central ring and there were relatively few nodes out there. We would put together computers that sat back in a protected environment and would be used internally to run SatCom [satellite communications]. Now they are pushing that compute power right out to soldiers in the field, Shan continues. There is still that need for the computer to be a step back, where one computer might handle multiple soldiers or missile launchers; yet, computers are going into harsh environments much more often than they used to. Because of that, the problems of protecting the hardware from shock and vibration, altitude and thin air, heat, and other environmental hazards are multiplied, he admits. They need to put a computer in the battlefield or in a shelter and Elma addresses how to make sure those electronics are protected and work in that environment. Elma Electronic engineers certainly are not alone. Various mil-aero technology firms are upgrading rugged computers and components to meet greater environmental demands. In response to a request from a number of our military customers, General Dynamics Itronix adapted the fully rugged GD8000 to withstand contact with fluids like solvents, antifreeze, and grease, as well as making it resistant to extreme acoustic noise like the sound of a jet engine, explains Patrick White, vice president of strategic marketing for General Dynamics Itronix in Sunrise, Fla. It means that users on flight lines and in maintenance operations dont have to worry as much about keeping the computer protected as they do their work. Military maintenance Panasonic rugged computing technology is embedded in flight line maintenance in the U.S. Air force and U.S. Navy, says Fed deGastyne, federal business development manager at Panasonic Solutions Company, headquartered in Secaucus, N.J. The companys Toughbook H1 Field rugged tablet PC has been used on flight lines and in depots. One of the problems you encounter with maintaining and refurbishing aircraft is some of the work is done in the depot and then you have to walk out into the bright sunshine on the flight line, he says. You need a device that can safely go back and forth between those two environments, and that is safe around explosive vapors.
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Engineers designed the Toughbook H1 Field around depot and flight line maintenance requirements, delivering hot-swappable twin batteries, sunlight viewability, a solid-state drive, and an optional insertable common access card (CAC). Military end users dont like proximity CAC cards; they want fully insertable cards in their device, deGastyne says. When we developed the H1 Field 10.4-inch, ergonomic, handheld device for the military, we designed it in such a way that the CAC totally inserts inside the device and seals. You could literally drop it in a mud puddle, spill liquid on it, or wipe it with antibiotic treatment and it will not affect the device. Aircraft systems designers at Alenia Aeronautica in Rome needed a rugged tablet computer to host a portable maintenance unit for the Alenia C-27J twin-engine military cargo turboprop aircraft. They opted to use the ARMOR X10gx milspec tablet PC from DRS Tactical Systems Inc. in Melbourne, Fla., as a portable maintenance unit to test the C-27Js onboard systems, to load aircraft software, and to support ground maintenance and training. DRS customized the handheld ARMOR X10gx rugged tablet computer to capture and display technical documents, provide interactive training, display 3D models, analyze flight data, search for damage, load onboard software, and record electrical and digital measurements in harsh operational conditions. The portable maintenance unit is similar in size to an 8.5-by-11-inch sheet of paper and weighs roughly 4.5 pounds with a sunlight-readable display. Certified to MIL-STD-810G and IP67, the unit is considered extremely rugged, sealed from water and sand, and capable of surviving drops and vibration, extreme hot and cold temperatures, and high humidity. Alenia Aeronautica is offering the ARMOR X10gx-based portable maintenance unit on some C-27J airplanes for logistics support. It serves as a replacement for the previous Portable Maintenance Aid system, which was heavier and provided less capability. DRS Tactical Systems and Alenia Aeronautica are owned by Finmeccanica SpA in Rome.
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getting testy In addition to customizing and upgrading rugged computing product lines, Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
technology firms are enhancing in-house, product testing methodologies. Elma approaches testing from four different directions, Elmas Morgan notes. We start with proven design concepts: shielding to meet MIL-STD-461, gasketing and sealing, thermal dissipation and cooling, shock and vibration to meet MIL-STD-810, and environmental considerations like salt, fog, altitude, and corrosion. The company runs an in-house test and verification lab to ensure components and systems withstand electromagnetic interference (EMI), shock and vibration, and extreme temperature variation. Engineers also perform computer simulations, outputting extensive computer-generated results related to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for thermals and finite element analysis (FEA) for structural analysis. Lastly, products are shuttled to a third-party lab for military standard and environmental testing. Military users should ask how tests, especially for MIL-STD 810G, were conducted, says deGastyne. We take one Toughbook computer through the entire suite of mil-standard tests, and that one will pass all 26 tests. Other manufacturers may use five units to get through that test suite. Results can be misleading. Panasonic staff also tests beyond MIL-STD 810G for temperature and altitude, he says. We drop test all fully rugged computers six feet, beyond the four-foot military standard, deGastyne explains. We pride ourselves on going beyond. Our tolerances and quality are untouchable: less than a four percent first-year failure rate versus 20-plus percent from competitors. What is the cost of mission failure? What happens if your computer dies because of dust? Warfighters understand that their lives depend upon it in many cases. Warfighter wish list The warfighters know what they need, deGastyne notes. One key thing warfighters require is a sunlight-viewable screen. Sunlight viewability is different from daylight viewability. Daylight-viewable means I can walk outside and still read the device on a sunny day; sunlightviewable means you can comfortably use that product with sunlight shining directly on the screen.
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Performance, capability, and functionality are also key. The end-users of rugged, mobile subsystems are demanding higher levels of graphics output, video capture (e.g., high-definition optical sources), and man-machine interface (MMI) performance along with off-the-shelf I/O (input/output) elements that provide real-world interfaces with a minimum of non-recurring engineering (NRE) and with tight control of recurring costs, explains Doug Patterson, vice president of business development at Aitech Defense Systems in Chatsworth, Calif. The technology that can change the game is GPGPU technology generalpurpose computing on graphics processing unitsand especially the CUDA programming language from Nvidia, says Jay Swenson, director of marketing and business development at GE Intelligent Platforms in Albuquerque, N.M. Multi-core processors open up new opportunities and todays GPUs represent the state of the art in that respect, he says. Take the GT240 GPU thats at the heart of a number of our recently announced products, Swenson continues. Its a 96-core device, capable of incredible levels of parallelismand parallelism is something thats commonly found in milaero applications, such as signal processing and signals intelligence, sensor processing, and radar. Obviously, it also has no equal in image processing and video processing applications. One of our customers achieved a 15x improvement in performance in a radar application using GPGPU technology. The companys NPN240 6U OpenVPX dual GPGPU (general-purpose graphics processing unit) commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) board for mil-aero applications features two GT240s and can deliver 750 gigaflops of performance from a single board. GE has supplied General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) with processors and graphics boards for the U.S. Armys M1A2 Abrams tank. So far, we have supplied hundreds of equipment sets, Swenson says. sWap specifics Size and weight are always a concern, Elmas Morgan mentions. The soldier is going to have to carry it or it will be put in a Humvee. More so than ever, rugged computers are going forward to the field and all the issues weve always dealt with are becoming paramount.
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How do we meet the reduced computer hardware size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements, while also meeting the demanding processing and communication needs of military computing systems used in constrained environments?, asks Jim Renehan, director of marketing at Trenton Technology Inc. in Gainesville, Ga. It is a formidable challenge engineers face. On vehicles, in particular, the importance to reduce SWaP requirements continues to gain momentum especially in the environment of tightening defense budgets, says Bill Guyan, vice president of programs and strategy for rugged computer maker DRS Tactical Systems in Melbourne, Fla. For years now, land forces could no longer afford to give up SWaP to accommodate stovepipe, single-application hardware. Today, there is increasing competition for SWaP allocations combined with new budget realities that cannot afford acquisition of a single box for a single application. Technology firms are meeting the SWaP challenge head-on, replacing several different systems with one flexible computer system capable of a multitude of tasks and requiring reduced space, power, and cost. Trenton Technologys TRC5003 system, for example, incorporates four single-board computers in one enclosure. Four systems in a single chassis enable the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and end user to consolidate systems, Renehan describes. The major benefit of this system approach is that it enables significant space savings and weight reductions in space- and weight-sensitive embedded computing applications on ships, submarines, ground vehicles, and aircraft. The systems can be set up such that each single-board computer operates independently or as part of a computer cluster. The flexibility of the system design enables the same basic hardware platform to be deployed in a wide variety of mission control stations on a surveillance aircraft, Renehan adds. Trenton equipment is employed in airborne and ship-based systems for such applications as airborne surveillance; further, many of its board hardware platforms have been adapted for vehicle-mounted mobile applications by system integrator and OEM customers.
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Engineers at Lockheed Martin Corp. in Bethesda, Md., developed the companys TacFleet 8 ruggedized tablet computer for tactical vehicles to enable real-world, tactical situational awareness exchanges for brigade-and-below forces on the move. It meets ultra-ruggedized military standards for harsh environments in combat and civil operations, as well as all Joint Battle Command-Platform and FBCB2 requirements. The tablet is mounted into a lightweight and compact dock, and is compatible with current U.S. Army Force XXI Battle Command Brigadeand-Below (FBCB2) systems. TacFleet 8 enables users to exchange messages with other terrestrial and airborne units, employ sophisticated mapping tools, and wirelessly control and stream imagery from ground vehicles and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft sensors. Lockheed Martin engineers demonstrated this capability in the companys Tactical Situational Awareness Demonstration Center using the Gyrocam 15 TS sensor system, which is fielded on more than 700 mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles. Mobile military The need for high-performance computing in mobile military platforms is a growing trend, says Reg Beer, associate program leader for radio-frequency (RF) applications at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. We see applications for advanced signal processing in IED detection, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and other areas supporting the warfighter. These markets will eventually demand supercomputer performance extended to tactical military vehicles, predicts Jim Shaw, vice president of engineering at Crystal Group in Hiawatha, Iowa. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) selected Crystal Group to supply an advanced, ruggedized signal processing computer system capable of mounting outside the protected cabin with supercomputer performance for battlefield applications. Crystal Group and LLNL engineers collaborated, with the help of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) funding, to develop and ruggedize the computing system for multiple tactical vehicle platforms to support sensor system development programs underway at LLNL.
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Crystal Group provided a supercomputer capable of processing 3D sensor data in real time. The system utilizes power-intensive, dual hex-core Westmere 5600 series processors in a dual socket motherboard and an Nvidia Tesla card functioning as a GPGPU, Beer says. The system needed to use military power and support ground mobile, composite wheeled vehicle vibration in a 55 degree Celsius sand and dust environment. We are bringing processing to the field. It is going to be operating in the combat ground mobile environment and so it needed to be ruggedized for high heat, sand, humidity the typical harsh environment in which the U.S. military is operating, Beer describes. We went with a custom solution; we had some specialized computing needs. The collaboration with Crystal Group has gone very well, and we are looking for other application areas in the DOD space where these servers can be used. Crystal Group provided a sealed system combining two rugged Crystal servers, a Crystal-designed power distribution unit, a Crystal ruggedized switch, and self-contained, water-cooled cards and processors. The system underwent environmental qualification testing in November 2010. Yuma Proving Ground testing is set for spring 2011. To date, the reliability and performance of the system under extreme testing/burn-in conditions has met LLNLs expectations, Beer says. compute power No question, the intense focus is on SWaP, Swenson says. It has many implications, but mostly, it means putting the greatest possible processing capability in the smallest, lightest weight possible space and ensuring that the resulting solution consumes as little power as possible, and dissipates a minimal amount of heat. And, of course, it has to be rugged capable of withstanding the rigors of deployment in constricted spaces that are subject to shock and vibration and to the harsh environment of the battlefield. Thats an area where GE has real leadership. If you look at recent GE announcements, youll see this is a consistent theme: a continuing emphasis on multicore processors to get the most performance from a board, and ever-improving performance per watt, Swenson continues. The new Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
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GE PPC10A single-board computer, for example, features Freescales P4080 8-core QorIQ processor. It delivers a significant increase in performance compared with its dual-core predecessor, but without expanding the heat envelope. Significant development work is going on in unmanned vehicles, especially in increasing their autonomy, Swenson adds. That will usually mean an onboard video capability, transmitting intelligence back to base. The bandwidth of the link back to base will always be inherently limited, which means putting as much processing power as possible into the video capture device such that it captures only areas of interest and discards clutter and extraneous images. Then, that information needs to be transmitted using high-quality codecs that retain the greatest possible image quality while minimizing bandwidth use. thermal considerations SWaP requirements and increased processing demands exacerbate thermal management challenges in mil-aero system designs. Overall, the cooling challenges and need for conduction-cooled solutions in military system applications have multiplied due to increased processing performance, smaller package and system footprints, and the requirement to operate in more rugged environments, says Kontrons Humphrey. The need for versatile and sophisticated thermal management solutions is becoming even more of a priority for designers of embedded computing systems for the military. Kontron is responding with scalable, integrated system solutions based on specific application requirements (i.e., from a very low-power Intel Atom processor-based implementation to a powerful Intel Core2 Duo processor system) and advanced thermal design options. Dual processors and even more power-hungry boards that have additional fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs) are a challenge for any layout designer, even in 6U, Humphrey admits. Redistributing that amount of power dissipation into a 3U card with a mezzanine card or module means the design may have redistributed the volume somewhat; however, the devices on the 3U card will be radiating directly onto the mezzanine card.
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Kontron engineers modeled a conduction-cooled combination, which Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
demonstrated that a 3U/PrXMC design requires a 40 degree Celsius cold wall to support two 2.53-gigahertz processors. In the 6U configuration with no mezzanine, the same amount of processing power could be supported by a 75 degree C cold wall. Compute density matters and optimal thermal design can dictate the more appropriate VPX form factor for the most favorable SWaP metric, Humphrey notes. The choice between 3U or 6U VPX as a target form factor has recently been given a new variable because of the growing number of dual-processor, single-board computers and their accompanying thermal challenges. For nonbackplane solutions, Kontron is expanding the range of extended-temperature modules due to demand from its military customer base. GE Intelligent Platforms scientists at the companys Global Research Center facilities around the world are researching materials that can more effectively cool electronics in confined space. This would allow us to offer even greater thermal efficiencies and take SWaP performance to a new level, Swenson predicts. raw computing SWaP and cooling continue to be of growing importance as designs focus more on the needs of a variety of unmanned vehicle programs, which is contributing to the growing popularity of small form factor modules, such as COMExpress, Humphrey explains. Many new platforms for the military are using 3U as a viable option, and thus designers are turning to VPX to address the SWaP challenge with higher-speed interconnects, multiple signal planes, more power per slot, and the inherent ability to leverage multicore processors. These characteristics are driving the adoption of VPX-based systems for C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), electronic warfare, radar, unmanned systems, ground vehicles, and avionics. Kontrons investment in the COBALT (Computer Brick Alternative) small-formfactor system is paying off with program evaluation and adoption. GEs rugged solutions are also being deployed across a range of mobile applications, including the U.S. Armys Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) program. It Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
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requires fast, reliable data interchange between computing subsystems on a range of vehicles, including unmanned air and ground vehicles, Swenson describes. GE also delivered rugged 3U Ethernet switches to General Dynamics for that subsystem. Military developers will see a further shift away from the concept of standard packaging as the location of systems within deployed platforms becomes more weight and size critical, Humphrey predicts. The increasing number of small and mid-size robotic vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) illustrates the difficulties of employing traditional packaging standards. Further, environmental and I/O (sensor) requirements will become increasingly significant factors in overall system design, equally important as the raw computing requirement. Working with prime contractors on a number of unmanned vehicle programs, survivability must remain a core design objective for any mobile electronics system used in military applications, Humphrey continues. If the system is not able to operate continuously and reliably within the target environment, no amount of sophisticated features will be of any practical benefit for the mission. SWaP is also a consistent concern, and has now expanded to include effective thermal management as part of the equation driving designers today. Curtiss-Wright Controls Electronic Systems engineers are working on a nextgeneration, rugged, flight control computer for a UAV application. The companys G4V Viper next-generation control processor incorporates a PowerQUICC III processor design for increased performance in a lower-cost, lower-power solution that can be incorporated into a spare slot in an existing avionics chassis without the need to increase the power supply capacity or additional thermal analysis. Emerging requirements for aerospace and defense companies need to address the safety and security requirements of mission-critical applications, as well as the portability and reusability requirements of noncritical applications, explains Curtis Reichenfeld, chief technical officer at Curtiss-Wright Controls Electronic Systems in Santa Clarita, Calif. Next-generation UAVs will require a sense and avoid capability to autonomously navigate in the National Air Space (NAS) without threats to commercial and civil aviation, and to avoid collations in crowded battlefield situations. The G4V Viper uses Wind Rivers 653 Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
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safety-critical control processor software to deliver this UAV sense and avoid capability. Man-packable and handheld SWaP is the key concern when it comes to man-portable rugged computers. These devices must be small and light enough for a soldier to carry on his back, and be low enough power to run for up to six hours on batteries, notes Steve Edwards, chief technology officer at Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing (CWCEC) in Ashburn, Va. The design of warfighter solutions requires determined effort to minimize SWaP, because it can directly impact combat effectiveness, and our soldiers and Marines already carry too much weight, says DRS Tacticals Guyan. The cost of any man-worn/carried solution is also important. Its a simple matter of the numbers involved. Fielding anything to tens of thousands of soldiers can be a very expensive proposition. Industry has to design solutions that are affordable given desired fielding densities. Several branches of U.S. military forces are using the Military Rugged Tablet (MRT) from DRS Technologies, primarily for situational awareness and command and control. We have just delivered our 25,000th MRT to the U.S. Armys Movement Tracking System (MTS) program, Guyan observes. These Joint Platform Tablets (JPTs) will support current MTS asset tracking requirements and the MTS programs planned migration to Joint Battle Command Platform-Logistics (JBCP-Log). The U.S. Marine Corps has adopted the MRT as part of the Target Location Designation Handoff Systems (TLDHS) program, designed to simplify the Forward Air Controllers (FACs) task in directing ordnance of all types onto targets in the close fight, Guyan describes. Other applications include serving as the manmachine interface to control remote sensors and minefield munitions, and the display of fire control data. The common theme in all these applications is that the system provides mission-critical computing for the military, meaning that these computers must operate in any environment, in every operational problem set, across the spectrum of conflict. Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
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Engineers at DRS are working to design and develop the next generation of handheld, dismountable devices with the appropriate level of ruggedization and security. The company funds research in the areas of power management; sunlight-readable display solutions; emerging display technologies, such as OLED displays, LED backlights, and optical bonding; advanced battery technology; wireless communication; information assurance; advanced computers and image processing; touch-screen technologies; and advanced packaging solutions. General Micro Systems (GMS) in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has unveiled its Nano series of rugged, ultra-small, ultra-low-power single-board computers featuring Intel Atom processors and the smallest form factor currently produced by the company. Its compact footprint measures 2.5 x 3.3 x 0.5 inches, and it weighs in at less than three-tenths of a pound. The Nano is intended to satisfy the intense demand for an ultra-small computer with full-size processing power, reveals a representative. The full-featured rugged computer accommodates 64 gigabytes of storage via an onboard solid-state disk, delivers high-performance graphics with 3D acceleration, and includes five USB 2.0 ports and support for two Express Mini Cards for Wi-Fi, CanBus, or other I/O. Designed from the ground up for the defense industry to MIL-STD 810F, Nano is the perfect SBC for handheld or body-mounted applications where minimizing weight and heat are primary considerations, says Ben Sharfi, president of GMS. The Nano XPC40x is designed to operate at -40 degrees C to +85 degrees C, with a maximum thermal gain of 5 degrees C above ambient. Its heat tolerance ensures it is well suited for applications in which ambient temperature is high, such as a controller located in an engine compartment or for small robots and UAVs working in extreme temperatures. Its low power consumption and dissipation (3 watts average, 10 watts peak) imposes little to no impact on the user, eliminating many inherent problems with wearable computers, says the representative. An additional benefit of its small size is security: In situations where storage needs to be removed for security reasons, now personnel can actually remove the whole computer.
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GMS is not alone; various companies are endeavoring to reduce the SWaP required by rugged computers for mil-aero environments. Warfighters have to Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
carry more and more these days. Their packs are getting heavier with all the gear they are carrying, so our devices are becoming thinner, lighter, and more ergonomic, deGastyne points out. The U1 five-inch rugged handheld is definitely a warfighters computer because it does everything that a PC does but in a very small, very covert and rugged package. High density The mil-aero end user is looking to gain the most performance in the smallest package with full rugged capabilities and environmental certifications like MILSTD 461F and UL1604, while still being very price conscious, describes John Lamb, director of marketing at Getac Inc. in Irvine, Calif. Rugged, small-formfactor computers are increasingly finding a home throughout the flight line and around hazardous materials, such as jet fuel. There appears to be very clearly defined areas of focus, all with content-rich information as the centerpiece and different form factors to meet location-specific environments from ultraportable platforms which reside on the soldier to ensure every soldier is a node of the network and vehicle-mounted solutions keying on display size and intransit visibility (ITV), to extremely high-performance TRICARE operations center (TOC) or command post systems where digital mapping/rendering and situational awareness are the main applications. Getac is the rugged platform standard for the U.S. Air Force, Lamb explains. The Air National Guard (ANG) purchased 400 units of the companys V100 convertible tablet in 2009 for in-flight use. ANG officials have since decided to refresh all existing units in the organization with Getacs B300 standard rugged notebook, with 6,500 units to be deployed this quarter as part of the Air Forces Quantum Enterprise Buy (QEB) program. The Getac B300 rugged notebook is powered by a 2.0-gigahertz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.8 gigahertz. Quality, performance, and compatibility with the Air Forces strict security requirements, along with overall price performance, are factored into the selection of Getac products for the program.
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Government users seem to be heading in the same direction: content availability, Lamb mentions. Providing hardware platforms that enable access to Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
content anywhere the soldier/user is located is vital to operation success. Google Android devices, handhelds, wearable computers, small tablets, and pocket-sized devices with a screen large enough to view detailed information will become more prevalent, he predicts. The challenge is making these devices rugged, powerful enough, and with enough battery to sustain a full days operations, securely and at a reasonable cost. Extreme avionics Two major classes of applications traditional, high-end C4ISR applications and mobile applications, such as manwearable systems are driving increased demand for rugged computing solutions. Not surprisingly, both classes of applications are SWaP constrained, admits Ben Klam, vice president of engineering at Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) in Middleton, Wis. While both classes of applications have to process large amounts of streaming data, the difference is that the amount of data associated with a single soldier is far less than a traditional C4ISR application in an aircraft or ground vehicle. Because of the capabilities of the embedded computing solutions available today, it is possible to provide direct interaction between a soldier on the ground and ISR systems and provide scaled down versions of traditional C4ISR systems directly to a soldier. X-ES engineers developed the Avionics Development Platform (ADP) in response to an anticipated need for a 3U VPX avionics application development platform. The ADP is unique in several aspects, Klam says. First, the payload modules used in the ADP are the same conduction-cooled modules that will go into the customers deployed ATR chassis, ensuring that software developed on the ADP will run on the deployed system. Second, X-ES has integrated not only its own payload modules, but also third-party PMC I/O modules (e.g., MIL-STD 1553, ARINC 429, and ATDS), including driver integration and rear transition module development for I/O. Our ADP customers have been able to reduce their overall development schedule and risk by getting a quick start on their software development and by being able to develop their deployed system hardware in parallel with software development.
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GE also delivers rugged computing components and systems for avionics applications, especially in the areas of 1553 and ARINC, says Swenson. GE Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
has supplied systems to Northrop Grumman, headquartered in Los Angeles, for deployment on Bell Helicopters UH-1Y and AH-1Z, upon which rugged computers must withstand significant shock and vibration, as well as extreme environmental conditions. An integral, yet often overlooked issue in using rugged computers aboard aircraft involves mounting the devices. Panasonic engineers work closely with partners Havis-Shields in Warminster, Pa., and Gamber-Johnson in Stevens Point, Wis., on Toughbook certified mounting hardware. We work to make sure those mounts in aircraft do what they need to do; they undergo severe testing, to ensure the ability to withstand a crash with a force of 6G, for those commands that require such testing, deGastyne says. Just think about a large rugged computer sitting in a mount, that aircraft crashing, and it not leaving that mount. cots in space Designing and developing rugged computing components and systems suitable to withstand the rigors of space travel and environments are no mean feats. In the case of computers aboard satellites and spacecraft, failure is not an option, and on-site maintenance and repair are expensive propositions. Staff at Aitech Defense Systems an independent manufacturer of open architecture electronic boards and subsystem-level products for harsh, environmentally demanding defense, aerospace, and space applications supply products for space-qualified embedded computers and subsystems for various space programs, such as the Space Shuttle, MIR Space Station, and International Space Station, as well as next-generation U.S. Air Force, NASA, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) micro-satellite programs. Customers are seeking higher capacity, higher performance, smaller size, greater power densities, and lower costs driven by volume from use and commonality of COTS/ OTS boards and subsystems, Patterson describes. Aitech provides VME, CompactPCI, and VPX boards and integrated subsystems to manned and unmanned aircraft, above and below surface vessels, ground vehicles, and manned and unmanned space craft, Patterson explains. These applications were solved with COTS, modified COTS, or custom program hardware and software to meet the program-specific needs of operation in a Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
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space vacuum, high temperature and altitude, etc. Aitech provided a low-power, radiation-tolerant 3U CompactPCI conductioncooled bus avionics card set for ATK Space Systems Responsive Space Modular Bus (RSMB) used on the Tactical Satellite-3 (TacSat-3). Aitechs avionics solution for RSMB included its heritage S950 single-board computer, non-volatile Flash mass memory, customized digital I/O cards providing various serial and spacecraft bus interfaces, and a communications PCI mezzanine card (PMC) for the remaining serial interfaces required to communicate with the onboard sensors and payloads. ATKs RSMB is the core platform of the TacSat-3 space vehicle, and was versatile enough to support AFRLs three mission payloads, says Brendan Regan, vice president of space mission systems at ATK Space Systems, headquartered in Minneapolis. Aitechs low-power, space-proven card set facilitates data collection and transmission to ensure optimal mission operation. Military operations are increasingly relying on real-time data obtained from space and transmitted directly to our men and women in service, while trying to stay within ever-tightening budget constraints and fast delivery schedules, explains Roger Rowe, president and CEO of Aitech. These attributes demand affordable, flexible equipment that will perform for long periods under harsh conditions and enable cost-effective upgrades to systems and components to meet the needs of future responsive space missions. Aitech has provided two key embedded processing components for the Ares I Launch Vehicles Instrument Unit Avionics (IUA) Flight Computer (FC) and Command Telemetry Computer (CTC) systems under a contract with Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Aitechs S950 single-board computer and S750 Gigabit Ethernet PMC are used in a triple-redundant configuration to provide flight control redundancy in the IUA FC function, including the high-speed relay of imaging data to the crew exploration vehicles solid-state recorder and ground support system.
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Using Aitechs components has allowed the program to advance several notches up the technology scale and will save significant amounts of development costs. Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
These are two very important aspects of space-related programs, says Randall Coffey, Ball Aerospace ARES IAU program manager. future functionality With the continued increase in processing power, communication bandwidth, and wireless communication capabilities, we will see the military continue moving processing out to the edge and away from a centralized scheme, Klam predicts. This will continue the trend for smaller, lighter, more power-efficient systems. We will see the need to manage power in systems the way laptop computers do, being able to shut down components that are not being used and dynamically power them up as needed. We dont see our customers current focus on size, weight, and power getting any less, Swenson says. They want even more performance in even smaller, lighter packages that consume less power. Today, that effort is directed largely at manned
Company listing
Aitech Defense Systems Inc. www.rugged.com API Technologies Corp.; www.apitech.com Crystal Group; www.crystalpc.com Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing; www.cwcembedded.com Dell Inc.; www.dell.com DRS Tactical Systems Inc.; www.drs-ts.com Elbit Systems of America LLC; www.elbitsystems.com Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES); www.x-es.com GammaTech Computer Corp.; www.gammatechusa.com GE Intelligent Platforms; www.ge-ip.com General Dynamics C4 Systems; www.gdc4s.com General Micro Systems Inc.; www.gms4sbc.com Getac Inc.; www.getac.com Hewlett-Packard Company; www.hp.com Intel; www.intel.com/go/military Kontron; www.kontron.com Mercury Computer Systems Inc.; www.mc.com MobileDemand; www.ruggedtabletpc.com Motorola Inc.; www.motorola.com NextComputing; www.nextcomputing.com Panasonic Computer Solutions; www.panasonic.com/toughbook Parvus; www.parvus.com Performance Technologies; www.pt.com Quantum3D; www.quantum3d.com Roper Mobile Technology; www.ropermobile.com Rugged Notebooks Inc.; www.ruggednotebooks.com Stealth Computer Corp.; www.stealthcomputer.com Systel USA;; www.systelusa.com Tactronics; www.tactronics.com TAG; www.tag.com Talla-Tech; www.talla-tech.com Themis Computer; www.themis.com Trenton Technology Inc.; www.trentontechnology.com Tripod Data Systems, A Trimble Company; www.tdsway.com; www.outdoorrugged.com Two Technologies Inc.; www.2T.com VIA Technologies Inc.; www.via.com.tw VT Miltope; www.miltope.com
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General Dynamics Itronix; www.gd-itronix.com
and unmanned vehicles, especially unmanned autonomous vehicles, but its possible to foresee it leading to unbelievably high-performance, man-wearable systems. Rugged computing is a vital part of the mil-aero marketplace, both present and future, says Bill Ripley, director of business development, mission and payload systems at Themis Computer, headquartered in Fremont, Calif. Company engineers are focusing on 3U and smaller formats, and shrinking systems while increasing relative performance. For small-form-factor and mobile applications, space, weight, power, and performance are the key characteristics required for the modern warfighter, Ripley says. Customers are trying to get as much performance, in as little space, at the lowest power possible. This is driving us towards more highly integrated CPU solutions, use of GPUs for traditional computing augmentation, innovative packaging, and more efficient heat dissipation designs. Big investment in small form factors Industry firms and organizations are investing time and resources in standardizing and advancing small form factors, which are of direct benefit to mil-aero applications, end users, and missions. The Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFFSIG) in Santa Clara, Calif.; OpenVPX Industry Working Group in Chelmsford, Mass.; and VITA in Fountain Hills, Ariz. are among the organizations to watch. Themis has spearheaded a new proposed standard called VITA-74, Ripley enthuses. This VITA specification takes the best of several VITA and PCMIG specifications, along with some new and innovative packaging, thermal dissipative, and kinetic management technologies and applies it to systems that can be scaled from individual man-wearable modules to small ATRlike systems for unmanned vehicles, ground vehicles, helicopters, and aircraft where extreme ruggedization, small footprint, and high computing performance per volume is required. Systems in work right now range from a soldier-mounted situational awareness computer to an airborne network attached storage unit, to a signal intelligence receiver for a UAV.
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CWCEC is leading the effort to create a rugged small form factor in VITA 75, Edwards says. This will serve in many applications where more commercial standards like ComExpress or PC/104 are not suitable. Armed with the latest rugged computing innovations, todays warfighter is now receiving and using more information at higher resolutions than ever before, and making fast, well-informed decisions, now and for the foreseeable future.
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Military use of consumer computing like iPads and Android software raise concerns for safety and security
By CoURTNEy HowARd
such as Apples iPad tablet computer for military and aerospace applications, which is causing concern for safety, security, and reliability. Some industry players ponder whether commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) adoption has gone too far, at the expense of rugged computers designed specifically to operate in the harsh operating conditions of military applications. Officials at the U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) Fort Knox Contracting Center at Fort Knox, Ky., issued a solicitation (W9124D10IPADS) and contract award worth roughly $500,000 for 587 computers equal to the salient characteristics of the 32-gigabyte Apple iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, protected by iPad Defender cases from Otterbox in Fort Collins, Colo., and two-year AppleCare Protection policies from Apple Inc. in Cupertino, Calif. For more on rugged computers, see Rugged computers in aerospace and defense applications must work reliably in harsh operating conditions. Additional requirements included 32 gigabytes of storage that operates on skip-free flash memory; a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with ISP technology; as much as 10 hours of battery life, with an 80 percent fast charge in 1.5 hours and a full charge within 3 hours; the ability to show Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
ilitAry officiAls ArE adopting commercial computing devices
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Military use of consumer
military occupational specialty (MOS) videos; and on-demand social networking functionality. Everywhere we go, people are bringing up consumer slate tablets like the iPad, acknowledges Fed deGastyne, federal business development manager at rugged computer specialist Panasonic in Secaucus, N.J. I have been in meetings where four-star generals suggest placing consumer-grade devices in large transporter aircraft, for example. There is a flood of high-level support for electronic devices coming into military and aeronautic use that likely have not passed every MILSTD 810G test relevant to aircraft deployments. This brings up some huge concerns about ruggedness and security. Aviators who achieve heights of up to 20,000 or 30,000 feet are concerned with altitude and thin air, rapid descent (rapid D), foreign object damage (FOD), and shock and vibration affecting mobile computers. Its important that computers used by airmen have passed every relevant Mil-Spec test for that type of deployment, as their lives may depend on it, deGastyne says. Consumer-grade computers used in mil-aero environments can cause problems, says deGastyne. If you drop it, it breaks. If it gets hot, it shuts down. Security is also a major concern. FBI agents are investigating an iPad-related security breach involving Apple and service provider AT&T, in which the user accounts of 114,000 users -- including military officials and politicians -- were compromised and personal information exposed. We are seeing the rapid use of commercial technologies for mil-aero applications, says Steve Edwards, chief technology officer at Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing (CWCEC) in Ashburn, Va. We are starting to see more use of smartphones, iPads, and other commercial technologies in some applications. The primary reasons driving this trend are access to numerous applications and the reduced costs of these types of products, which tend to be inexpensive and disposable, meaning that when one breaks you just throw is away and get a new one.
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The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations System (DFARS), which governs contracting behavior, includes executive orders and military regulations which Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
say that, by law, contracting officers must buy based on total life cycle cost, deGastyne explains. Laptops are sometimes seen by procurement officers as commodities. If its a big-ticket item like a tank or aircraft carrier, theyre more likely to consider total lifecycle cost than with laptops. Industry pundits recall a time not long ago when pallets of commercial-grade laptops were dropped in war zones. When they took those commercial laptops into theater, their fans sucked in dust and, more than anything else, the dust in the desert killed them, deGastyne continues. They learned that they need products that can be dropped or used in hot desert conditions and still function. The warfighters understand their lives depend upon it in some cases. A customer using our computer for mission planning told me about being on a C-130 at night in Afghanistan, when someone accidently kicked their Toughbook out the door, deGastyne mentions. It went rolling out and landed in the sand. The major went flying out the door after it because the mission was on that computer and he thought they were going to have to abort; thankfully, he brushed it off, brought it back to the aircraft, and it was fine. Had that been a basic computer, the result could have been much different. The military is very interested in handheld devices and applications that are available in todays commercial markets, says Patrick White, vice president of strategic marketing for General Dynamics Itronix in Sunrise, Fla. The form and function of mobile phones has changed dramatically over the past few years. These devices have evolved from simply making calls, to a highly integrated mobile device that provides many of the capabilities that were once the domain of computers. Todays commercial devices are simple to use, can run for days on a battery charge, have customizable applications, as well as provide real-time information like global positioning, text and messaging, even streaming video images, White continues. The military is looking for similar devices, only rugged enough to withstand the rigors of the tactical environment.
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The military market closely follows developments in the commercial electronics market. Todays generation of soldiers and Marines are computer-savvy, points Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by
out Bill Guyan, vice president of programs and strategy at DRS Tactical Systems Inc. in Melbourne, Fla. They are comfortable with newer technologies, such as touch-screens, advanced user interfaces, smartphones, and tablet computers. The ever-increasing capabilities of COTS hardware drive military system design. Our soldiers and their leaders want the same kind of capabilities on the battlefield that they enjoy back at home station: mobility, connectivity, ease-of-use, and continuously evolving functionality. Our job is to deliver those capabilities in a way that can be relied upon for mission-critical functions.
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Company Description
About drs technologies DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI) which employs more than 76,000 people worldwide.
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DRS Tactical Systems, Inc. DRS Technologies Finmeccanica
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rugged computing in aerospace and defense applications

3 Aerospace and defense

18 Rugged tablet 21 Rugged computers computers

41 Military use of consumer

cots technology. mil credibility.

Rugged And Ready. Thats Go To.

Photo: United States Air Force/Staff Sgt. Quinton Russ

Aerospace and defense organizations

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

Aerospace and defense organizations

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Aerospace and defense organizations

Shock-proof. Vibration-proof. and eVen future-proof.

Capability For Today. And Tomorrow. Thats Go To.

ABlEt coMputErs Built rugged enough for aerospace and defense

Rugged tablet computers

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Rugged computers in aerospace

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Rugged computers in aerospace

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Rugged computers in aerospace

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Rugged computers in aerospace

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Rugged computers in aerospace

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General Dynamics Itronix; www.gd-itronix.com

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Rugged computers in aerospace

Military & Aerospace Electronics :: EXECUTIVE BRIEFING :: sponsored by

Rugged computers in aerospace

ilitAry officiAls ArE adopting commercial computing devices

Military use of consumer

Military use of consumer

Military use of consumer

DRS Tactical Systems, Inc. DRS Technologies Finmeccanica