Torpedo designers at BAE Systems needed rugged embedded computing to control the United Kingdom Royal Navy submarine-launched Spearfish heavyweight torpedo. They found their solution at Abaco Systems (formerly GE Intelligent Platforms) in Huntsville, Ala.
Officials of BAE Systems Maritime Services in Portsmouth, England, have placed $11.5 million in orders with Abaco Systems for rugged embedded computing within the electronic system computer unit (ESCU) that controls the Spearfish torpedo in deployment. The Abaco ESCU provides advanced, real-time signal processing of the Spearfish's onboard sonar to enable it to reach its target, and networking to enable the torpedo to communicate with its host submarine.
The Spearfish ESCU has several 3U VPX Power Architecture- and 4th generation Intel Core i7-based single-board computers from Abaco Systems that provide control, tactical, and real-time digital signal processing. An Ethernet switch provides communications and networking.
Abaco Systems and BAE Systems experts worked together for five years to craft a feasibility study and prototype ESCU using a 6U VME architecture, Abaco Systems officials say. The team migrated to 3U VPX technology for torpedo deployment.
"Our ability to provide a solution that met the requirement for rugged, high-performance embedded computing in an environment in which space and power are constrained, and our ability to evolve our offering over the course of the last five years in response to BAE Systems' requirements were important factors in securing this business," Abaco Systems CEO Bernie Anger explains.
BAE Systems won a $550 million order from the U.K. Ministry of Defence to upgrade the Spearfish torpedo. The upgrade, known as Spearfish Mod 1, extends the life of the torpedo, and improves safety with an insensitive munitions warhead and a single-fuel system.
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Abaco Systems online at www.abaco.com.
