Platform accelerates development of boards for DoD Tri-service initiative

Built on Elma’s sturdy, easy-access E-frame test chassis, the new development platform enables system engineers to test a range of boards that meet profiles designed for use in various DoD program requirements, significantly streamlining engineering efforts and reducing time and cost to deployment.

Ken Grob, director, embedded computing business development, for Elma, noted, “The military’s shift towards modular, open standards-based hardware and software is fueling the need for reliable methods to quickly test hardware components across different platforms. This new development kit enables system developers to cost-effectively test and validate a wide number of hardware configurations.”

Initially, separate program efforts were undertaken by the US Army under CERDEC (CMOSS), the U.S. Navy under NAVAIR (HOST) and the Air Force under AFLCMC (SOSA) to move away from costly proprietary systems to COTS-based open standards.

Each initiative was created to facilitate the development of interoperable systems across several defense branches to improve subsystem SWaP, enable rapid technology insertion and promote reuse.

Now managed entirely under SOSA, this collection of open architecture hardware and software standards is aimed at providing reconfigurable, upgradeable and cost-effective C4ISR capabilities in deployed platforms across sensor applications throughout all major military branches.

One of the tasks of the SOSA and HOST working groups is to define 3U and 6U slot profiles required to build OpenVPX-based subsystems for the tri-service convergence initiative. The first series of profiles was developed and submitted for inclusion in the VITA 65.0-2017 specification.

Additional 3U and 6U profiles are being developed to take advantage of the new VITA 67.3 connectors to meet the needs of SIGINT, EW and SDR system requirements.

With this set of profiles, Elma’s Convergence Development Platform is ideal for developing C4ISR systems used in ground vehicles, unmanned systems, command centers and other mission critical environments.

The heart of the platform is a 3U 12-slot OpenVPX backplane that meets VITA 65.0-2017 backplane profile BKP3-TIM12-15.3.6-n. It supports all the SOSA-developed VPX slot profiles, with aperture installation options for high speed RF (VITA 67.3) and optical I/O.

The boards included for development also meet the new profiles: two SBCs, one with an Intel Core i7 processor and one using an Intel Xeon processor, as well as a 10/40 GigE Ethernet switch. A network timing slot provides IEEE 1588 radial support for precision network timing and synchronisation, with timing card options available.

Elma’s Type 39 E-Frame chassis provides open access for easy board testing and troubleshooting. It supports both air and conduction cooled board configurations. Dual, high wattage 3U VPX pluggable power supply units are also included.

The modular, building block design of the backplane streamlines a path to the required configuration. End users can identify a subset of the slot profiles they will need for a cost-effective backplane suited to the end application.