For both next-generation and Current Force military vehicles, the pressure is on to find ways to meet the trickier cooling, shock and vibration problems that emerge when more computing gear is packed into those vehicles. As a result, the challenges facing developers of today’s military vetronics (vehicle electronics) are dramatically more complex than vetronics of a decade ago. The sophistication of onboard communications and control electronics is expected to multiply. Even the term “vetronics” is now starting to become obsolete because it connotes a focus on electronics and not the embedded computing and networking that are the staples of today’s systems.

An added challenge for vetronics designers was introduced with the Army’s directive to armor all tactical vehicles to protect our soldiers from weapons such as Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The added weight of that armor dramatically reduces the weight budget left over for the onboard electronics. As a result, many system designs had to go back to the drawing board and integrate into a much smaller volume.

Rugged Box-Level Systems

One general trend that’s aided the drive for reducing the size and weight of vehicle-based embedded computing systems is a move toward stand-alone rugged boxes. Embedded board vendors are adding stand-alone rugged box-level systems to their military market offerings. These complete system boxes–which often support standard form factor boards inside them–provide a complete, tested and enclosed computing solution that eliminates complex integration chores for customers.

Currently there’s about a dozen or more vendors that have some sort of stand-alone rugged box-level system in their offerings–many even have whole product lines in that category. Among these are Advantech, Aitech Computers, Ampro Computers, AP Labs, Curtiss-Wright, DRS Technologies, General Micro Systems, GE Fanuc Embedded Systems, Macrolink, MEN Micro, Octagon Systems, Parvus, Quantum 3D, Rave Computer, RTD Embedded Technologies, Tracewell Systems, VersaLogic, VMETRO, WIN Enterprises and WinSystems.

Exemplifying this trend toward stand-alone rugged boxes, RTD Embedded Technologies makes box-level PC/104-based systems qualified for demanding applications like military vehicles. RTD’s rugged HighRel line of systems is built using frames milled from solid aluminum blocks to exacting specifications ensuring that the solution is rugged and reliable. Frames for thermally sensitive components have internally milled heat sinks and embedded heat pipes to move heat to the outside walls of the enclosure, allowing operation from -40° to +85°C without the use of active cooling. Optional shock-mount bases withstand specific shock and vibration specifications.

RTD’s IDAN box-level product consists of any RTD PC/104, PC/104-Plus, or PCI-104 boards mounted in its own frame and wired to the standard PC connectors on that frame, thus eliminating the need for module-to-module wiring inside the case. This solution maintains PC/104’s modularity and lets system designers configure a system as rapidly as one would configure a stack of boards. The product line is also available in a watertight version, HiDANplus, (Figure 1) with environmental sealing and EMI suppression O-rings coupled with MIL I/O connectors. HiDANplus does inter-module communications via a custom wiring harness that is enhanced by an internal 100 pin stackable signal raceway.

Gladiator Tactical UGV

Last fall Quantum3D’s Thermite was tapped for the U.S. Marine’s Tactical UGV called Gladiator (Figure 2). Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) National Robotics Engineering Center selected the Quantum3D’s Thermite Tactical Visual Computer (TVC) and IData Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Software Tool Suite as key components for the U.S. Marine Corps Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle (TUGV) Operator Control Unit.

The Thermite TVC was chosen for its light weight, small form factor, ease of mounting, long battery life and advanced computational, storage, video and 2D/3D graphics capabilities. Those factors–coupled with its support for a variety of display devices–enable the Gladiator OCU to meet its mission objectives, including interactive mission planning. With its IData-based HMI, the Gladiator OCU will provide tele-operators with an intuitive user interface that supports 2D/3D graphics, live video display and digital maps with MIL-STD-2525B Symbology for both the Gladiator platform and its mission payloads.

The Gladiator TUGV will provide the USMC Air-Ground Task Force with a tele-operated, semi-autonomous vehicle specifically designed to increase human survival by neutralizing threats and reducing risks to Marines on the ground. The unit will be equipped with remote unmanned scout, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities. In support of the Gladiator TUGV program, Quantum3D is providing Thermite TVC systems and the IData HMI Software tool suite to CMU, which is using them to develop and deploy the Gladiator OCU, as well as to provide data display, storage and distribution capabilities.

Land/Water Environmental Solution

An example of a box-level solution providing complete environment control is SprayCool’s line of enclosures. SprayCool recently introduced its Multi-Platform Enclosure (MPE). The MPE chassis employs the company’s patented two-phase cooling technology. The MPE’s controlled operating environment enables all electronics to operate effectively in the military’s most demanding environments.

In May SprayCool was awarded a contract by General Dynamics to supply additional enclosures for the Command Variant of the USMC Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV). The units will be used to support ongoing hardware/software integration efforts throughout the current System Design and Demonstration (SDD) phase. Once deployed, the EFV will help the Marines sustain inland combat operations by maximizing tactical surprise; minimizing vulnerability on land; providing improved firepower, lethality and survivability; and providing on-the-move command and control capabilities. The heart of the C2 architecture is the Multi-Processor Unit (MPU) that SprayCool is under contract to provide.

The Command Variant of the USMC EFV uses high-end commercial-grade electronics in a SprayCool enclosure to deliver mission-processing demands. The commercial boards in the SprayCool MPU, which were originally designed to be air-cooled, include five servers, a switch, an I/O board and two expansion cards. The SprayCool MPUs are fully rugged, sealed enclosures that enable commercial boards to meet the temperature, vibration and EMI requirements of MIL-STD 810F and MIL-STD 461, and have been extensively tested in the EFV vehicle environment.

The SprayCool 9-slot enclosure uses the company’s patented 2-phase liquid-cooling technology for maximum environmental control and flexibility, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -40° to +60°C. The product is also easily upgradeable, capable of accepting a wide range of card types within the same chassis, simplifying the technology refresh cycle.

VPX in Mil Vehicles

Not all the new design activity in military vehicle electronics revolves around box-level systems. Earlier this year, Curtiss-Wright was awarded the first publicly announced contract win involving VPX–and it was a vehicle design win. Northrop Grumman awarded Curtiss-Wright a contract to provide radar processing subsystems for use in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) Program. The initial contract, valued at $4.3 million, is for development, which is expected to be completed in 2010. The production phase of the program will be executed as an option under the current contract, and is planned to start in 2010.

Curtiss-Wright will supply Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems with a rugged airflow-through radar processing subsystem. Curtiss-Wright’s solution uses open architecture-based standards and software to provide a high-performance, modular, scalable solution for the G/ATOR Processor. Curtiss-Wright’s new VPX boards and subsystems deliver the high-performance and advanced ruggedization that the G/ATOR program requires, with the additional cost and design advantages of an open architecture structure.

This subsystem will be designed and manufactured at Curtiss-Wright’s motion control facility in San Diego, CA, and will include the latest DSP, FPGA and single board computer products from its Leesburg, VA and Ottawa, Canada locations. The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)-mounted Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) uses active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology to provide aircraft detection and tracking, cruise-missile detection and tracking, ground-weapon location and air-traffic control.

Current Force Vehicle Electronics

Not to be ignored are the many upgrade and test programs underway for Current Force military vehicles. An example along those lines is the Army’s Direct Support Electrical System Test Sets (DSESTS) and Test Program Sets (TPS). DRS Technologies was awarded a $13.6 million contract from the U.S. Army to continue manufacturing DSESTS and TPS for the U.S. Army’s M2A2 and M3A3 (Figure 3) Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems. The contract was awarded to DRS by the Army’s Tank Automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command’s (TACOM LCMC) Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center at U.S. Army Garrison, Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.

As part of this contract DRS will produce Bradley A3 Test Program Sets; Bradley tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missile Test Program Sets; and components for Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems and DSESTS kits. Product deliveries are expected to be completed next month. DRS produces a variety of automatic test equipment designed to diagnose the condition of electronic components and systems installed on the Army’s Abrams Main Battle Tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems and on U.S. Marine Corps Abrams Tanks and Light Armored Vehicles. The company’s DSESTS are used at 89 military bases in the U.S. and are deployed internationally. The DSESTS are designed to support the Army’s vehicles as part of their modular transformation from existing division-sized units into brigade-sized combat teams.

In other Bradley technology activity, BAE Systems was awarded a contract modification at the end of last year from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, totaling $709.4 million, for the reset of Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Figure 4) and associated components. This modification represents the largest national level reset award for Bradley Combat Systems to date. When combined with an earlier award of $234 million for long-lead materials and the option worth $57 million, this effort represents over $1 billion for the reset of Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

Under the base contract, BAE Systems will reset 1,042 Bradley A3 and ODS Combat Systems returning from Iraq and reset additional A3 components. The contract also carries an option for an additional 58 vehicles. Vehicles that undergo the reset process not only have their useful life restored that was consumed during combat operations, they also receive the latest survivability enhancements and other improvements to greater protect our soldiers in future conflicts. Vehicle deliveries under this contract are scheduled to begin this summer and continue through June 2009, while resetting the components will begin this month and continue through December 2008.

Advantech
Irvine, CA.
(949) 789-7178.
[www.advantech.com].

Ampro Computers
San Jose, CA.
(408) 360-0200.
[www.ampro.com].

BAE Systems
Rockville, MD.
(301) 838-6000.
[www.baesystems.com].

Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Leesburg, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
[www.cwcembedded.com].

DRS Technologies
Parsippany, NJ.
(973) 898-1500.
[www.drs.com].

Expand Networks
Roseland, NJ.
(973) 618-9000.
[www.expand.com].

GE Fanuc Embedded Systems
Charlottesville, VA.
(800) 368-2738.
[www.gefanucembedded.com].

General Dynamics C4 Systems
Scottsdale, AZ.
(480) 441-3033.
[www.gdc4s.com].

Octagon Systems
Westminster, CO.
(303) 430-1500.
[www.octagonsystems.com].

Parvus
Salt Lake City, UT.
(801) 483-1533.
[www.parvus.com].

Quantum3D
San Jose, CA.
(408) 361-9999.
[www.quantum3d.com].

SprayCool
Liberty Lake, WA.
(509) 232-2600.
[www.spraycool.com].

WIN Entreprises
N. Andover, MA.
(978) 688-2000.
[www.win-ent.com].

WinSystems
Arlington, TX.
(817) 274-7553.
[www.winsystems.com].