Military Embedded Systems
Op-Eds
Radar/EW
C4ISR systems and the kill web - Blog
December 20, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG. In previous articles, we looked at the market research reports and forecasts for fighter planes, bombers, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and ground combat vehicles. All those platforms contain C4ISR systems (command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance). The openly available data about this market is much foggier than the information on the military platform markets. Making things more complicated, C4ISR is further divided into radar, sonar, signals intelligence (SIGINT), sensors, electronic warfare (EW), cyber warfare (CW), COMM (networked military communications), and administrative systems. Moments of clarity do surface in the reports, but you have to dig for them.
Radar/EW
Takeaways from the AOC International Symposium and Conference - Blog
December 12, 2018
From the proliferation of smart phones to the introduction of self-driving cars, the last decade has brought sweeping technological advances across all industries. This new and continually changing reality was on everyone?s mind at the recent Association of Old Crows (AOC) Symposium and Conference held in Washington. The symposium theme, "Winning the Electromagnetic Spectrum Domain: A Culture and Mind Shift," captured the sentiment clearly.
Unmanned
UAVs and the kill web - Blog
October 31, 2018
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are already part of the kill web for the U.S. military, forming teams with manned aircraft, dropping bombs, and providing persistent surveillance across the globe and soon will be equipped with lasers to provide even more lethality. UAVs have reshaped warfare in modern times, but you may be surprised to learn that they have actually been around since 1849.
Avionics
Smart contactors provide intelligent avionics overcurrent protection - Blog
October 31, 2018
Think carefully when you answer this question: What's one of the fastest, most precise ways to prevent overcurrents from damaging the power circuits used aboard today's more-electrical and all-electrical aircraft? A thoughtful answer would be "smart power contactor," a circuit-switching device that not only handles high voltages, but also incorporates the intelligence to sense a variety of abnormal electrical events and respond faster and more accurately than conventional circuit breakers.
Avionics
Faster power switches for aircraft safety: Going from milliseconds to microseconds - Blog
September 28, 2018
In a few milliseconds, electrical arcing in aircraft wiring can release thousands of joules of energy. This is enough to ignite wire insulation, pierce hydraulic lines, and compromise critical flight-control subsystems.
Radar/EW
Helicopters and the kill web - Blog
September 28, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG: Helicopters will have a role in the kill web as they have in the kill chain dating back to their first uses in warfare. Starting with the Korean War, and later in Vietnam, the helicopter became the cavalry. Anyone serving in the Army during the 1960s and 1970s knows about the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam. You could hear their UH-1 Iroquois helicopters (nickname: Huey) coming from miles away. These aircraft carried troops into battle and provided fire support for ground forces in a fight.
Cyber
Comms
Ground combat vehicles, tanks, and the kill web - Blog
August 31, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG. When I started researching ground combat vehicles (GCV) and tanks, I suspected it was going to be messy from the start. I was not disappointed. There's a plethora of research reports and articles containing hundreds of pages on this topic.
Avionics
Long-range bombers and the kill web - Blog
July 30, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG: In our last article, we examined how U.S. fighter planes fit into the kill web, along with a review of European Union (EU), Russian, and Chinese fighters. And, we looked at some of their flight characteristics and design parameters. Now, it?s time to explore long range heavy bomber aircraft.
Avionics
Fighter jets and the kill web - Blog
June 28, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG: In the previous article, we explored the transition from the static kill chain to the dynamic kill web in future warfare scenarios. Now, let?s look at how fighter jets fit into this new model. That requires a review of the fighters being flown by the U.S. and our allies today. We also need to consider what the Russians and the Chinese are doing with their fighter jets.
Comms
Expand your imagination with the surprising versatility of MIL-DTL-38999 circular connectors - Blog
May 30, 2018
Introduced in the 1970s and still widely used today, MIL-DTL-38999 circular crimp connectors are sometimes taken for granted. Their long history and general popularity make it easy to overlook the ability of the broad 38999-connector family to help engineers solve contemporary size, weight, and power (SWaP) challenges. In fact, the 38999-connector family continues to adapt new composite materials and form factors to meet demanding weight and size requirements, while design derivatives have evolved to support higher speeds and higher frequencies in this surprisingly versatile I/O connector family.
Comms
Comms
Transitioning from the kill chain to the kill web - Blog
May 30, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG: My last post outlined the strategic reviews and national defense priorities that sit on top of the kill chain. Defense planners at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are now looking at transitioning to a concept they've dubbed the kill web.
Radar/EW
Integrating warfare models with the kill chain - Blog
April 27, 2018
WARFARE EVOLUTION BLOG: My previous article covered what sits on top of the kill chain from a strategic perspective. Now, it?s time to integrate the other models: RMAs (revolutions in military affairs), warfare domains (land, sea, air, space, cyberspace, electromagnetic (EM) spectrum), strategic offsets, generations of warfare (1GW through 8GW), and the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act).
Radar/EW
Higher-density RF is on your radar with VITA 67.3 standard - Blog
March 29, 2018
These days, multifunction radars handle functions from surveillance to jamming to fire control, and can track multiple targets in both short- and long-range threats. That means one thing for your active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar design--you need a lot more signal processing power.
Unmanned
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COM Express enables application-specific data acquisition systems
October 12, 2011
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Enhanced Full-Motion Video advances military UAS surveillance - Multistream image processing and routing in real time
October 06, 2010
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COTS vendors, while concerned about extensive DoD budget cuts, see opportunities for retrofits, unmanned systems
October 12, 2011
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Deploying ruggedized platforms for unmanned vehicles
June 20, 2011
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VPX standards keep pace with faster fabrics
October 12, 2011
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Expanding options in VPX connectivity
October 12, 2011
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Designing rugged, multifunctional HPA controllers to prevent system damage
September 02, 2011
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''I'm excited about the processor road maps.'' - Q&A with Matt Tracewell, Executive Vice President of Tracewell Systems
April 11, 2011
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JDL Level 2-4 information fusion engine released by Larus Technologies
May 23, 2013
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DARPA Adaptive Radar Countermeasure program contract awarded to Leidos and Exelis
June 01, 2015
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The Internet of Things for the intelligence community
July 23, 2015
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Predictive analytics and the industrial IoT: Thinking about military adoption
September 10, 2015
Comms
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DNA protects electrical components against counterfeiting
June 16, 2011
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OtterBox arms the military with rugged technology
February 18, 2009
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Navy's NMCI network speeds warfighter's chance to get inside the adversary's OODA loop: An exclusive interview with HP's Bill Toti,
April 29, 2011
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Obsolescence management: Another perspective
February 10, 2009