Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division today introduced the VPX6-197, its newest Power Architecture-based 6U VPX rugged single board computer (SBC). The VPX6-197 features NXP® Semiconductors’ quad-core dual threaded 64-bit AltiVec-enabled T2080 processor to deliver up to 1.8GHz non-throttling processing performance, yet only requires 42 watts of power dissipation.
The new SBC extends Curtiss-Wright’s ongoing commitment to lead the industry in delivering Power Architecture based embedded processing solutions. The VPX6-197 provides system designers with a backwards compatible solution for upgrading previous generation PowerPC / Power Architecture modules based on the P4080 processor, such as Curtiss-Wright’s VPX6-187 SBC.
The VPX6-197 is ideal for use in size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C)-constrained aerospace and defence applications. Its quad-core T2080 CPU, each core featuring AltiVec support, delivers the high-performance processing needed to handle the acquisition, processing, and distribution of sensor data for demanding video, radar, and sonar applications. It is equally well suited for use as a mission computer, display computer, or in SIGINT and motor control applications deployed on space-constrained tactical aircraft, armoured vehicles and harsh environment naval systems.
For retrofit and technology insertion applications, the new SBC delivers the same complement of I/O, including four Gigabit Ethernet ports (2x 1000BASE-KX and 2x 1000BASE-T), EIA-232/422 serial channels, discrete and differential digital I/O, Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 ports, and SATA interfaces as the earlier design, yet is cost competitive. For mezzanine support, the VPX6-197 provides one XMC site and one PMC / XMC site. For applications requiring additional mezzanine sites or interconnects, the SBC provides PCI Express® (PCIe) expansion plane capability to support a variety of port widths. In addition, the SBC features an updated OpenVPX™ dataplane that supports the 10Ge-KR profile natively from the T2080 processor.
"The exciting next-generation VPX6-197 single board computer represents Curtiss-Wright’s ongoing commitment to support our Power Architecture customers with cutting-edge products, whether they’re upgrading existing VPX applications or updating legacy Power Architecture-based VME architectures to modern 6U VPX designs," said Lynn Bamford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Defense Solutions.
"With its 1.8GHz quad-core T2080 processor, the VPX6-197 takes AltiVec-based computing to the next level."
Software support for the VPX6-197 includes Curtiss-Wright’s U-Boot, VxWorks®, NXP-based SDK Linux®, as well as Green Hills® INTEGRITY® Board Support Packages (BSPs) and driver suite.