SPECIAL FEATURE

Jeff Child, Editor-in-Chief COTS Journal

e are now deep into the era where large amounts of system functionality of military systems are implemented as software running on single board computers or in box-level subsystems. That trend will only ramp up making embedded processors ever more critical in defense systems. The days of hardwired electronic assemblies are long gone. To get an understanding of which processor architectures lead the pack these days Wwe researched a selection of both advanced military programs and tech upgrade ones.

Based on that we did an informal survey of suppliers and users to find out which five processor architectures stand out as the most important enablers for today’s military needs. Multiple Factors NUANCES OF DEFENSE MARKET Looking at military embedded computing overall, it’s important to keep in mind that defense systems use multiple types of technologies for processing. A lot of signal processing for instance is done using GPUs or FPGAs rather than general purpose processors. But for the scope of Push Five Processor this article the focus is on general purpose processors only, not GPUs or FPGAs. Even within the parameters of general purpose processors, simple technical comparisons never tell the complete story in this market. Factors such as legacy, component life cycles and market acceptance all come into Architectures to the Lead play in defense applications. Moreover, in compute-intensive military applications there are many aspects to computing complexity. There are some cases where pure As military system developers balance a thirst for performance versus issues like “number crunching” processing is the main goal, while in others it’s a matter of distributing control nodes throughout a military platform to legacy, life cycles and market acceptance, five processor architectures top their list. meet its requirements. And in still others tight integration or low power is the priority. With all that in mind, the list gen Skylake products were in the mix too. QorIQ in Path of PowerPC’s Legacy of five leading processing architectures 5th Gen Core i7 “Broadwell” Because of the long development was culled down to these five: Based on the Intel microarchitecture, and deployment cycles in the military, • Intel Core i7 codenamed “Broadwell” the 5th PowerPC-based embedded computers • Intel Xeon-D Generation Core i7 offers integrated continue to play a strong role in defense • Intel Atom graphics and memory controller applications. The majority of these are COM Express Type 6 and Type 10 Modules • NXP QorIQ plus quad core processing up to 2.7 mundane tech upgrades on VME, simply TQ have a complete line of COM Express ARM GHz. Combined with the Mobile Intel replacing faster processor boards in modules (SOMs) for the Intel® Atom and Intel® • QM87 Express Chipset, the i7 provides the same slot. NXP Semiconductor’s Core iCore i3/i5/i7 processors. These low-power processors offer high performance with lower INTEL CORE I7 EVERYWHERE number of key features. It provides acquisition of Freescale makes NXP now QorIQ Power Architecture™ Embedded power consumption so that they can be used in If you look back a couple decades, Intel Graphics support for DX11.1, OpenCL the custodian of the latest and greatest Modules rugged applications where fanless enclosures processors had to surmount some tough 1.2, OpenGL 3.2 and a 5 to 15 percent processors in its QorIQ family. The TQ ‘s modules for the QorIQ Power Architecture are an advantage. barriers to penetration in the defense CPU performance boost over 4th QorIQ architecture offers some unique use the P1 and T1 series. You have access to market. Largest of these was the sheer generation Core i7. The processor offers features particularly for throughput and all the processor pins so you can use all the IO legacy of the competing (formally Intel TurboBoost Technology, AVX 2.0 communications-centric applications. that the processor provides. All modules have Motorola) 68000 processor architecture in extensions and AES-NI instructions And importantly the QorIQ maintains a temperature range of -45°C to +85°C and are military systems. Many of those systems as well as hardware-assisted security software compatibility with older available for a minimum of 10 years from date of upgraded to the PowerPC processor features. Hyper-Threading Technology PowerPC products such as the release, sometimes more. We supply a complete simply due to the convenience of not allows two threads per core. PowerQUICC platform. The P2 series Linux kernel, build system, UBoot and a source rewriting the massive amounts of Power within the QorIQ line is designed for a code BSPs for every module. PC embedded software. The as software SEVER-CLASS XEON-D wide variety of applications in the military deployment became more flexible, that In March of 2015 Intel accounted its and industrial markets. It is available in TQMP1020 with Dual e500 v2 cores Module with the NXP 1020: Suitable for became less of a factor. The problem for Xeon processor D product family, the special high-quality parts, with junction a variety of applications in the networking, company’s first Intel Xeon processor- tolerances from -40° to 125°C, especially TQMx50UCxx – Intel 5th Generation Broadwell Modules Intel processors was that for many years telecom, defense and industrial markets including their power dissipation was significantly based system-on-chip (SoC). The suited for harsh environments. NXP’s multiservice gateways, Ethernet switch controllers, Typical applications include medical and higher than competitors like the product brought server class processing latest generation T4 series of QorIQ SoC wireless LAN access points and high-performance industrial imaging, centralized control room PowerPC. That power dissipation required even closer to the demanding HPEC multicore e6500 offers cutting edge general-purpose processor control applications technology, shop floor terminals, HMIs, robotics, managing a lot of unwanted heat. needs of military embedded systems. performance and support for the all- with tight thermal constraints. professional gaming, infotainment, professional That’s has long been a major problem Built on Intel’s industry-leading 14nm important Altivec technology. AV, smart video surveillance, autonomous in defense where many applications process technology, the Intel Xeon TQMP2020 with Dual e500 v2 cores: vehicle control, and high-end digital signage don’t permit fans and instead relying on processor D product family combines the Fast Growing Interest for ARM Module with the NXP 2020: The module is rated applications. The ability to drive multiple conduction cooling. performance and advanced intelligence The ARM processor while hugely for -40°C to +85°C and can be used in power- displays makes the module ideal for applications Intel’s line of processors developed of Intel Xeon processors with the size and successful in the consumer electronics sensitive defense, aerospace and industrial in retail and kiosks where control of multiple for laptop and other portable devices power savings of an SoC. The Intel Xeon realm is the newest kid on the bloc, in applications, and less protected outdoor screens of up to three independent cash or evolved, the power dissipation dropped processor D product family is Intel’s third terms of processors used for military environments and various combinations of data vending machines is necessary. over the past several years. Fast forward generation of 64-bit SoC. Xeon-D delivers systems. Helping to drive that demand plane and control plane workloads in networking and telecom applications. to today and Intel processors like its Core up to 3.4x faster performance per node1 are the challenges for military system The TQMx50UC modules are COM Express i7 family are now leading edge in terms of and up to 1.7x better performance per design with regard to cooling. Demand Compact (type 6) 95mm x 95mm and have CPUs TQMT1042 with Quad e5500 64bit cores with outstanding graphics performance and mixing cutting-edge performance within watt when compared to the Intel Atom for extreme low power is on the rise Module with the NXP T1042: This TQ module is features such as 3D scanning, gesture control, a reasonable realm of power dissipation. processor C2750, part of Intel’s second- as system designers look for higher ideally suited for use in mixed control and data and voice commands. Temperature range is In that last year or so, more board and generation 64-bit SoC product family. performing processors, smaller system plane applications such as fixed routers, switches, -0° C to +60° C with an option to go to -40° C box-level products based on the Core i7 footprints and the evolution of extremely Internet access devices, firewall and other packet to +85° C. have emerged than any other, the latest INTEL ATOM FOR LOW POWER rugged environments. As a result, filtering applications. More at: www.embeddedmodules.net of which sport the 5th and 6th generation Because low Size, Weight and Power for some the SWaP-C acronym has Core i7 processors. Because the military (SWaP) is so important in a range of transitioned into SWaP-C (Size, Weight, TQMT1040 with Quad e5500 64bit cores embedded computing market runs a military applications, Intel’s Atom Power and Cooling) as a priority focus Module with NXP 1040: Particularly suited to generation behind the consumer and architecture holds a key niche. It is for packaging engineers solving thermal applications that require an Ethernet switch, desktop computing market, most of the particularly popular on small form factors challenges of these next-generation removing the need to put it on the application SBCs and systems releases last year were like COM Express and Processor XMC. designs. ARM processors excel in this baseboard, saving time and money. 5th gen Broadwell Core i7, but some 6th area. ◆ More at: www.embeddedmodules.net