Military Embedded Systems

DULLES, Virginia. Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) expertise is a key characteristic of the team Raytheon Technologies is putting together to support development of the U.S. Army’s Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) program. TITAN is a tactical ground station that finds and tracks threats to support long-range precision targeting.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. Spectranetix, Inc., a Pacific Defense company, announced deliveries of their 3U OpenVPX ruggedized chassis to the U.S. Army, Canadian Ministry of Defense, and U.S. prime contractors. 

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland. Annapolis Micro Systems released a 100Gb Ethernet RFSoC board that is alignd to the Sensor Open Systems Architecture Technical Standard. It combines analog and digital capability in a single 3U OpenVPX slot, operations that previously needed two or more boards for the same functions.

ANDOVER, Mass.  Mercury Systems, Inc., continuing its run of acquisitions, purchased Pentek Technologies, LLC and Pentek Systems, Inc. (collectively, “Pentek”) in Upper Saddle River, N.J., for an all-cash purchase price of $65 million. Pentek, a competitor to Mercury's embedded signal-processing business, designs software-defined radio (SDR) solutions, FPGA single-board computers, data-acqusition boards, recording systems, and other products for radar, signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW), and other high-performance defense applications.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics in modern technology, and defense electronics are no exception. In an industry where commercial automation has far outpaced that of the military, the Department of Defense (DoD) has found itself in a position that is neck and neck with the pace of adversaries. Base-patrolling robot dogs and algorithms designed to understand complex combat scenarios are currently in development, but that's just the beginning. In the debut episode of On the Radar, Emma Helfrich and John McHale of Military Embedded Systems discuss the current state of military AI and machine learning (ML), how these advancements are being financed, and the obstacles that stand in innovation's way. Also covered is the concept of defining the ethics of ML-powered systems and DoD research and development funding for AI.

Pixus Technologies, a provider of embedded computing and enclosure solutions, has announced new ATRs for SpaceVPX systems supporting 6U OpenVPX boards of 160mm or 220mm depths.

By Jason DeChiaro

From a design and engineering perspective, there are many moving parts to consider and combine in order to arrive at a position, navigation, and timing (PNT) truth. In addition, solutions must be easy to integrate into the available space on existing platforms, whether they are unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or other aircraft, ground-based operations, or systems at sea. They must provide reliable positioning information in GPS-degraded environments, where tall buildings, heavy foliage, and underground positions can affect signal quality, as well as in GPS-denied environments where adversaries have intervened to jam or compromise GPS signals.

It’s unmanned systems issue time again: That means it’s time for the annual xPonential event, which is being held virtually May 4 -6 this year due to the ongoing pandemic. This issue will appear virtually there as well; AUVSI has also announced that the event will be held in person in Atlanta August 16-19. That’s good news. Even more positive news: The continued growth of the unmanned systems market plus renewed commitment from U.S military leadership to leverage autonomous systems.

ASHBURN, Va. – May 6, 2021 – Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division, a trusted, proven supplier of rugged open-standard solutions, has further strengthened its commitment to lead the industry in delivering solutions that provide Assured-Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) functionality to military ground vehicles.