Military system designers may use much of the same basic technologies–embedded form-factors, processor architectures, fabric technologies and so on–as their commercial counterparts, but the way they look at them is very different. This section helps readers sort out which technologies offer the critical mass, market longevity and physical attributes necessary for defense designs.
Most Recent
10 Gbit Ethernet and PCIe Fabrics as System Solutions
Matching CPU and I/O Bandwidth Drives Next-Gen Radar and Sonar
Vincent Chuffart, Product Marketing Team Manager, Kontron
May 2013
Military computing requirements continue to evolve upward in a wider range of rugged end-use applications. Thanks to dramatic growth in the type and number of sensors and automatedRead More...
Past Articles
Embedded Computing in Unmanned Ground Systems
Upgrades and Autonomy Improvements Lead UGV Technology Advances
Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief
April 2013
Since operations in Iraq and Afghanistan began, the DoD has acquired and deployed thousands of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and support equipment. The systems support a diverseRead More...
Embedded Computing in Unmanned Ground Systems
UGV Requirements Push Evolution in HPEC Performance
Mike Jones, Rugged Systems Product Manager, ADLINK Technology
April 2013
As modern warfare changes, so must the technical innovations from global defense sector technology partners. The changing face of military engagements, fewer troops on the ground,Read More...
DoD Budget Report: Major Programs
DoD Leaders Weigh in on Effects of Budget Uncertainties
Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief
March 2013
There’s no doubt that this year’s season of DoD budget planning is the strangest in many years. In a normal year, the DoD Budget Request for the next fiscal year (2014) would haveRead More...
Power Supply Trends for Boards and Systems
Power Supplies Evolve to Meet Needs of Boards and Systems
Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief
February 2013
Gone are the days when military system designers could afford to treat choosing power supplies and power conversion electronics as an afterthought. With more and more computingRead More...
Power Supply Trends for Boards and Systems
Application Needs Drive Power Protection Choices
Vince Polino, Applications Engineer, NOVA Power Solutions
February 2013
Because computers and networks are so vital to today’s military operations, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) can no longer be an afterthought. There are large power supplyRead More...
Busless Modules vs. Slot Card Computing
Busless Systems Evolve to Challenge Slot Card Approaches
Clarence Peckham, Senior Editor
January 2013
As military system developers struggle to get the most out of today’s embedded computing technologies, the decision to leverage a slot card bus-based approach versus a buslessRead More...
VPX and VME Tackle ISR Challenges
VME and VPX Solutions Feed Growing Appetite for ISR Data Processing
Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief
December 2012
In recent years demand for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities has driven a huge ramp-up in data collection capacity. While that shows no signs ofRead More...
VPX and VME Tackle ISR Challenges
VPX Stakes Its Territory as High Data Bandwidth Solution
Steve Orsini, System Architect, SIE Computing Solutions
December 2012
Work began on the VPX family of specifications in early 2004 to offer new levels of performance for embedded computing systems, as high-speed processing and growing dataRead More...
Power Conversion for High-Performance Computing
Complex Factors Drive Mil/Aero DC/DC Converter Choice
Steve Butler, Vice President of Engineering, VPT
November 2012
Most power systems for high-reliability applications can be constructed from standard power modules. The typical scenario requires various DC output voltages and power levels and isRead More...
Power Conversion for High-Performance Computing
Distributed Power Evolves to Handle Diverse Needs
Dave Proli, Director of Engineering, Marway Power Solutions
November 2012
When it comes to power requirements, none are as crucial as those supporting the equipment of our armed forces. Whether on board a ship, aircraft, land-based vehicle or in theRead More...
FPGA VPX and VXS Boards in Radar and SIGINT
FPGA OpenVPX Technology Feeds ISR and SIGINT Needs
Tom Roberts, Solutions Marketing Manager, Mercury Computer Systems
October 2012
Continuously evolving ISR and SIGINT systems are delivering comprehensive and detailed volumes of information to our defense forces. New sensors, including advanced antennas andRead More...
FPGA VPX and VXS Boards in Radar and SIGINT
Throughput and FPGA Processing Drive Mezzanine Choices
Rodger Hosking, Vice President, Pentek
October 2012
Open architecture embedded systems for military/aerospace applications have always relied on mezzanine or daughter cards to provide flexibility and modularity, because they are veryRead More...
FPGA VPX and VXS Boards in Radar and SIGINT
Where SWaP Meets Stronger and Faster in OpenVPX Systems
Justin Moll, Vice President, US Market Development, Pixus Technologies, Moses Jensen, Product Integration Manager and David Stone, General Manager, Wakefield-Vette
October 2012
There’s no doubt that today’s military electronics design requirements are headed in a particular direction—and it’s all the more vivid when it comes to the design of ruggedizedRead More...
