Electronic Military & Defense Annual Resource

6th Edition

Electronic Military & Defense magazine was developed for engineers, program managers, project managers, and those involved in the design and development of electronic and electro-optic systems for military, defense, and aerospace applications.

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From The Editor Optimizing Defense Technology To Handle The Most Severe Conditions By Ed Biller, Editor M any of the delicate electronics used in military and defense applications are created, assembled, and packaged in cleanrooms, having seen nary a speck of dust before leaving the production environment. However, products slated for military and defense use must also be built to a tougher standard, resistant to heat and cold extremes, vibration, impact, or immersion in water. But, modern conflict also requires that electronic technology continuously reduce size, weight, and power usage (SWaP), and be capable of more operations in a single package. All of this convenience and capability must be achieved while performing in increasingly harsh environments, ranging from the depths of the sea to arid desert, and even into the unforgiving vacuum of space. Design engineers must carefully balance tradeoffs — a system that helps to cool electronics may draw too much power, or a tough shell to protect from vibration and impact may add too much weight. Thus, the articles in this year's Electronic Military & Defense examine technologies and techniques that can help overcome these engineering challenges. Some of the discussed technologies attempt to tackle SWaP dilemmas head-on, in the toughest environments. In the article beginning on page 16, Intersil's Kiran Bernard and Joshua Broline face the you-only-get-one- shot-at-this dilemma of choosing components for satellite telemetry systems that must endure long-duration space flight — ensuring that mission-critical communications and battlefield logistics can be reliably coordinated. And, starting on page 20, researchers from Adaptix weigh (literally, in a sense) the possibilities for 3D X-ray imaging in the field. Such on-the-spot diagnostic capability would be a vital tool for triage, providing medics with valuable information on internal injuries before a casualty is transported from the battlefield. Other technologies discussed herein preemptively solve battlefield challenges before they're encountered. For example, the article starting on page 8 looks at how simulation can unravel the environmental electromagnetic challenges presented by rotorcraft — whose rotor blades and numerous electronic systems can make an already difficult operation environment even tougher. Where to couple antennas, how to combat interference, and how to reduce the aircraft's radar visibility all are discussed by Altair Engineering's Martin Vogel and C. J. Reddy. In the article beginning on page 30, René Braun of Bruker Optik GmbH shows how hyperspectral imaging can be used from a stationary or a mobile platform to identify chemical warfare agents from afar. By approximating a measured spectrum with a combination of reference spectra, such a technology allows personnel to avoid close encounters with toxic substances, identifying both liquids and gases from distances of several kilometers. Additionally, starting on page 24, Arthur R. McGurn of Western Michigan University investigates optical component replacement of defense technologies' electronic components. Possible benefits include more rapid travel of signals through optical components versus electronics components, lesser optical losses, and lower energy consumption. Finally, the first international standard for fiber optic tactical cables is explained by its initiator and editor within the International Electrotechnical Commission, Tuvia Liberman (page 14). As modern warfare shifts ever more toward maximizing technology's ability to protect lives — from bomb- disposal robots and surveillance drones to wearable vital-sign monitors and portable, connected medical equipment — we hope the resources contained in this issue of Electronic Military and Defense help you in developing the most durable and advanced generation of field technology yet. n Electronic Military & Defense Annual Resource, 6th Edition 6 Design engineers must carefully balance tradeoffs — a system that helps to cool electronics may draw too much power, or a tough shell to protect from vibration and impact may add too much weight.

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