A value used to measure the structural integrity of hardware and software under the extreme rigors of a Military application.
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COTS Products
Qseven-Based Carrier/SBC Duo Rolls The Qseven connector scheme leads the way on the notion of combining a variety of I/O technologies onto one connection. Supporting that standard,Read More...
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Simultaneous Multiaxis Vibration Test: Vital for Rugged Box Systems
The words “simultaneous” and “multiaxis” are important when specifying a dynamic (vibration and shock) test for rugged box-level systems. The new Test Method 527 (multi-exciterRead More...

ATCA Finds Niche Where Military and Telco Needs Align
Similar to most commercial industries, the military is under constant pressure to keep costs contained, while preserving the highest levels of availability in its mission-criticalRead More...

COTS Products
3U cPCI Board and Rack Family Satisfies Extreme Thermal Needs CompactPCI, particularly in its 3U flavor, is no longer the new kid on the block in the military market. It’s paidRead More...

Stand-Alone Rugged Boxes Fine-Tune their Feature Sets
A trend has been building in the past couple of years where traditional embedded board vendors are adding stand-alone rugged box-level systems to their military market offerings. TheseRead More...

MicroTCA Gaining Ground in Military Applications
Deeply rooted in VME and CompactPCI platforms, military embedded design is undergoing a noticeable shift. Modern warfare initiatives are driving designers to find more bandwidth, whileRead More...

Stand-Alone Rugged Boxes Come into their Own
Technology developments that reduce complexity and enhance usability are always a welcome addition to military applications. That need is being fueled by the increasing availability ofRead More...

Multicore Boards Roundup
6U CompactPCI Boards Sport Quad Core Xeons The multicore trend has hit all levels of processor families, and the Xeon is no exception. Concurrent Technologies has released theRead More...

System, Board and Panel Innovations Fuel Rugged Display Demands
Leveraging cutting-edge graphics chips developed for the demanding gaming market, military graphics subsystems are now able to offer complex video and graphics functionality in highlyRead More...

Serial ATA Stakes out Territory as Next-Gen Storage Interface
Over the past several years, serial interconnect schemes have been steadily pushing aside parallel buses, and that trend has impacted the memory and storage realm just as it has everyRead More...

Multicore Solutions Target a Variety of Emerging Military Needs
Embedded developers in many arenas are constantly facing competitive pressure to provide more application features and improve performance capabilities. As a result, it’s becomeRead More...

Case Study: Box-Level System Undergoes MIL-STD-901D Shipboard Test
Over the last few decades, embedded computers based on desktop PC electronics have penetrated the defense market. Interest is now building for shipboard PCs that can withstandRead More...

COTS Products
Managed Ethernet Switch Rides 3U CompactPCI Attracted by its ubiquity and longevity, the military is growing ever more fond of Ethernet. And switched Ethernet is becoming asRead More...

Shock and Vibe Testing Remains Critical for Military Systems
Designing for shock and vibration is as critical as any other design parameter to ensure performance. It is even more important for military applications because of high shock andRead More...

Fabric-Based Strategy Doubles Up on UAV Payload Functions
In recent years, the aerospace industry, particularly in the military market, has seen the proliferation of UAV in a variety of end-use applications. The applications now includeRead More...

Direct Spray Cooling Widens Choices in Harsh Airborne Environments
There’s no doubt that demand is on the rise for ever more computing density. Military platforms such as radar and image processing, electronic warfare, signal processing, command andRead More...

COTS Products
Tiny SMD Fuse Approved for Space Applications Reliability and ruggedness take on a whole new meaning for electronics used in space applications. There’s no repair truckRead More...

Computing, Power and Networks Take Priority in Mil Vehicle Modernization
For several years now, any discussion about the future of military vehicles revolved around the Army’s massive Future Combat Systems program. All that officially changed late lastRead More...

Many Factors Drive Uninterruptible Power Supply Choice
The process of finding, selecting and qualifying commercial off-the-shelf Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) for military applications can be an exercise in frustration.Read More...

MicroTCA Connectors Tested Extreme Conditions
MicroTCA connectors are extremely robust and therefore suitable for use in applications beyond telecommunications. In every situation, the connectors have to guarantee secureRead More...

Meeting MIL-STD-810 for Batteries Presents Challenges
The military standard MIL-STD-810, "Department of Defense Test Method Standard for Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests" specifies the equipment'sRead More...

Rugged Box Systems Tighten Their Military Focus
Over the past couple of years, traditional embedded board vendors have been adding stand-alone rugged box-level systems to their military market offerings. These complete systemRead More...

Rugged Stand-Alone Box System Roundup
Rugged System Features Military Connectors The stand-alone rugged box trend has touched nearly every corner of the military embedded computer market. ADLINK Technology, for its part,Read More...

Common Computing Architecture Wins for UAV Programs
The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the military has skyrocketed as UAVs have proventheir military worth in Afghanistan and Iraq. UAVs are credited with saving soldiers'Read More...

HALT/HASS Testing Goes Beyond the Norm
The increased focus on network-centric warfare in today's military operations has expanded the use of embedded systems in the deployment of mobile, mission-computing andRead More...

Revamping Methods for Rugged Equipment Testing
Consider any electronic or mechanical piece of equipment intended for military use. Stating that the equipment is “rugged” is not sufficient. There’s no neat category that defines whatRead More...

Inside Track
Parvus Supplies Payload Interface Computers for MQ-5B Hunter UAV Parvus' DuraCOR 810 mission computers have been integrated into Northrop Grumman's MQ-5B Hunter Unmanned AircraftRead More...

Onward and Up the Complexity Curve
Here we are at 2010. Here's wishing you a happy and prosperous year ahead. While we may not have flying cars and manned spaceships exploring Saturn's moons quite yet, 2010 certainlyRead More...

COM Express Enables Powerful Small Form Factor Designs
In today’s mil/aero industry, there has been a shift from customized, proprietary solutions to leveraging COTS building blocks in the deployment of mobile, mission-critical andRead More...

OpenVPX Flourishes as it Readies for Prime Time
The goal of bringing together advanced switch fabric interconnects and all the features of a modern, rugged embedded computer architecture, is finally happening in the form of OpenVPX.Read More...

Deployed Applications Embrace System-Level Rugged Solutions
Despite their technical sophistication, defense electronics systems must deliver uncompromised performance under difficult environmental conditions, including excessive heat, humidity,Read More...

Slot-Card Systems Vie with Rugged Box Solutions
There’s no doubt that there has been a change occurring in the military embedded computing industry over the past five years or so. At the heart of that change is the risingRead More...

Vibration Suppression Approach Boosts Server Reliability
Probably more than in any other industry, networking applications for the military market mandate superior uptime, performance and reliability. That’s pushed manufacturers of serverRead More...

The Inside Track
Northrop Grumman to Upgrade Integrated Bridge Systems for Nimitz-Class Carriers Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide Scalable Integrated Bridge SystemsRead More...

Transitions and New Realities Shake Up U.S. Manned Space Program
Here we are again at a crossroads of National manned space policy—the most significant since the transition from the Apollo/Saturn to the Space Shuttle. The Space Shuttle program isRead More...

6.5-Inch and 15-Inch Touch Screen Panel PCs for HMI Apps
Two new fanless touch screen panel PCs feature durability with IP65-compliant LED backlit panels that can withstand temperatures of -200° to 600°C. Device interactivity is assured withRead More...

Pre-integrated Subsystems Curb Costs, Speed Deployment
To meet burgeoning demand, developers of off-the-shelf rugged computing platforms are including a variety of features and services to enhance usability, reduce complexity and increaseRead More...

New DoD Goals Boost Preconfigured Subsystem Opportunities
Recent changes in the U.S. military’s mission strategy—following the change of administrations, and reflected in the DoD’s new budget—are shifting the military procurement landscape.Read More...

OpenVPX: Cards Dealt, Ready to Play
Hailed as the next-generation fabric-based slot card standard, VPX has had a few rocky years getting started. But over the last year and a half, the goal of bringing together advancedRead More...

Multiple Vendor Fairy Tale
Even the military is following the trend of consumer electronics—more functionality, smaller, less power and cheaper. The only problem is that the military can’t accept a “use it forRead More...

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