Industry News

Unmanned

NASA, Rockwell Collins complete integration testing for UAS in national airspace - News

June 19, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Rockwell Collins

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. NASA and Rockwell Collins recently completed the first of a series of tests that will enable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) to safely operate in the national airspace. The data link waveform tests simulated communication between one aircraft and one ground-based pilot station, with the objective of verifying the waveform’s operation in the radio spectrum.

Radar/EW

Enhanced sensor dissemination demonstrated by GA-ASI - News

June 18, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

PARIS AIR SHOW. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI), has announced that a Predator B Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) surrogate used Lynx Radar to detect moving ground-based targets, which were then automatically cross-cued to the Star SAFIRE for target visual identification using the Claw payload control software. The operation took place at the annual U.S. Navy Trident Spectre experiment at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, VA from May 8-18.

Comms

USSOCOM orders Harris Falcon III SDRs - News

June 17, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Harris Corporation

MELBOURNE, FL/ROCHESTER, NY. The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has placed a $36 million order with Harris Corporations for Falcon III wideband AN/PRC-117G manpack and Falcon III AN/ORC152A handheld radios. The order will accelerate the deployment of advanced wideband tactical communications systems, and provide Special Operations Forces with wireless broadband capabilities in battlefield conditions.

Comms

U.S. Navy extends RTCASS contract with Boeing - News

June 14, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

ST. LOUIS, MO. The U.S. Navy has awarded a $5.5 million follow-on contract to Boeing to maintain the Reconfigurable Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System (RTCASS). RTCASS is an automated test platform that will be used to help extend the availability of the F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, EA-6B Prowler, and V-22 Osprey.

Unmanned

RDECOM investigates carbon nanotubes for rotor blade improvement - News

June 13, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design U.S. Army

ADELPHI, MD. The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) research laboratory is conducting a study on the insertion of carbon nanotubes into helicopter rotor blades. Researchers are hopeful that the nanotubes will provide improved performance for design and fabrication of next-generation rotor blades and fixed wings.

Comms

Turret Drive Control Unit for Bradley Fighting Vehicle gets upgrade from Curtiss-Wright Controls - News

June 12, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Curtiss-Wright

CHARLOTTE, NC. Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc. won a contract from BAE Systems for lifecycle management services under an obsolescence mitigation upgrade program for the Turret Drive Control Unit (TDCU) of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Engineers at the Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions business group will provide an obsolescence-free upgraded version of the Tech Data Pack (TDP) used in the TDCU.

Avionics

Army orders more than 170 CH-47F Chinooks from Boeing - News

June 11, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Boeing

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, PA. U.S. Army officials ordered 177 CH-47F Chinook helicopters from Boeing under a $4 billion contract. The Army also is holding options that could raise its total purchase to 215 aircraft. Deliveries are schedule dot start in 2015.

Cyber

Trusted Mail System from Raytheon now available - News

June 10, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

HERNDON, VA. Officials at Raytheon Trusted Computer Solutions (RTCS) released their Trusted Mail System cross domain solution for securing policy-enforced email exchanges and attachments between users on different networks. The software eliminates the need for switching between systems at multiple levels.

Radar/EW

Intel 4th gen Core i7-based 3U VPX board released by Concurrent Technologies - News

June 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Concurrent Technologies

WOBURN, MA. Engineers at Concurrent Technologies announced that their first processor board based on the new quad-core 4th generation Intel Core processor family -- aka Haswell. The TR B12/msd is a 3U VPX single-board computer that features the new i7-4700EQ device -- based on 22nm process technology -- and its associated mobile Intel QM87 Express chipset.

Radar/EW

3U VPX board first product from GE based on new Intel Core i7 - News

June 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems GE Intelligent Platforms, Inc.

HUNTSVILLE, AL. The first product based on Intel's 4th generation Core i7 processor will be in a rugged 3U VPX form factor and dubbed the SBC326. The single-board computer (SBC) is targeted at constrained-space applications such as manned- and unmanned air and ground vehicles. The product provides enhanced graphics performance, improved processor performance, and better security – all in the same power envelope as previous generations.

Radar/EW

CompactPCI, Com Express, & Mini-ITX from Kontron use new Intel processor - News

June 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Kontron

ECHING, Germany. Kontron's initial offering of products based on the 4th generation Intel® Core i7 processors includes Mini-ITX, COM Express, 6U CompactPCI, and the Kontron SYMKLOUD Media cloud platforms. Four intelligent platforms with improved processing and graphics performance as well as energy efficiency are available for evaluation with immediate effect. n developments on their preferred new target platform.

Comms

Bridge system from Sabtech connects legacy ATDS equipment via Ethernet - News

June 07, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Sabtech

YORBA LINDA, CA. Sabtech engineers have extended Airborne Tactical Data Systems (ATDS) serial (MILSTD-188-203-1A, Appendix D2) data communications over a network using the PowerNet ATDS Bridge System. The PowerNet Bridge uses transparent hardware and protocol conversion that allows legacy cryptographic, Data Terminal Set (DTS), Tactical Data System (TDS) equipment to communicate via Ethernet without modification. ATDS is used in equipment supporting Tactical Digital Information Link-A (TADIL-A), designated as Link-11 by NATO.

Cyber

LynxOS 7.0 adds military-grade security for connected embedded devices - News

June 07, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design LynuxWorks

SAN JOSE, CA. LynuxWorks has released version 7.0 of the LynxOS Real Time Operating System (RTOS), which allows developers to add military-grade security functions to connected devices. LynxOS 7.0 is a deterministic RTOS that provides POSIX-conformant, open APIs in an embedded kernel. These include medium-assurance security via the General-Purpose Operating System Protection Profile (GPOSPP).

Radar/EW

Small and large form factor designs featuring new Intel Core i7 processor developed by X-ES - News

June 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES)

MIDDLETON, WI. Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc.'s (X-ES's) embedded product offering based on Intel's 4th generation Core i7-4700EQ processor -- a.k.a Haswell --includes 3U VPX, 6U VPX, XMC, 3U CompactPCI, 6U CompactPCI, 6U VME, and COM Express single-board computers (SBCs) versions.

Radar/EW

6U OpenVPX server based on new Intel Core i7 processor released by Mercury Systems - News

June 07, 2013

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Mercury Systems

CHELMSFORD, MA. Engineers at Mercury Systems, Inc. have added a new server based on Intel's 4th generation Core i7 processor (formerly Haswell) -- the rugged Ensemble Series 6U OpenVPX HDS6502 High Density Server (HDS) that provides as much as 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM. It has built-in Serial RapidIO and 10 Gigabit Ethernet fabric compatibility.