TE Connectivity (TE) announces high-speed, flexible and extremely rugged end-to-end solutions for armored vehicle network backbones that are designed to help meet the U.S. Army's VICTORY program requirements and other modern architectures. Solutions include 1 Gigabit Ethernet bus required under current VICTORY standards, as well as 10+ GbE that will meet next-generation needs.
"Today's ground combat vehicles typically have multiple stand-alone systems that do not share data or functionality," says Greg Powers, Market Development Manager, TE Connectivity, Global Aerospace, Defense and Marine. "The growing challenge for engineers is not only designing a data bus-centric system that will allow those various systems to share data and communicate to a central command, but also to ensure that all components that comprise the network withstand the harsh environmental challenges, including shock and vibration, signal integrity, reliability, NBC exposure (nuclear, biological and chemical) and temperature extremes."
The Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) initiative was started as a way to correct the problems created by the "bolt on" approach to fielding equipment on U.S. Army vehicles. Implementation of a "data bus-centric" design allows tactical wheeled vehicles and ground combat systems to reduce space and weight, save power, and enables all the various systems within the vehicle to share information and communicate an integrated picture to the crews and command center.
TE brands, such as Raychem and AMP, have led defense industry innovations with Raychem helping the industry to pioneer heat shrink technology, adhesives and molded parts and AMP helping to drive high-speed technologies and protocols. "These are the experts that helped create some of the technologies everyone is using today and they're busy working on new technologies that will be propelling ground defense applications in five to 10 years," says John Larkin, Manager Product Management, TE Connectivity, Global Aerospace, Defense and Marine.
"With TE's full suite of end-to-end solutions for rugged vehicle networks and the multitude of options for current generation and next generation products, engineers can confidently design a fully integrated system that can help withstand virtually any environment."
TE end-to-end solutions for rugged vehicle networks include:
GbE Connectors
- MIL-DTL-38999 Connectors (full range of Mil-Spec connectors)
- DTS-RJ45 D38999 Connectors (sealed against harsh environments)
- Quadrax Connectors (Gigabit speeds in circular and rectangle formats)
- Commercial RJ-45 Connectors
10 GbE Connector
A wide range of connector styles and sizes to support standard fiber-optic termini:
- M83526/20 and 21 Expanded Beam
- MIL-PRF-29504 Size 16
- ARINC 801
Embedded Computing Solutions for VPX and Beyond
- MULTIGIG RT 2 Connectors (for VITA 46)
- MULTIGIG RT 2-R Connectors (ultra-rugged and VITA 46 compatible)
- Mezalok Mezzanine Connectors (VITA 61)
- MULTI-BEAM XLE Power Connectors (VITA 62)
- Optical Modules (VITA 66)
- RF Modules (VITA 67)
- Fortis Zd Connectors (for next-generation applications with modularity, high densities, and 12+ Gb/s speeds)
Rugged Rear Input/Output
- MIL 600 Style Connectors (per MIL-DTL-83527)
High-Speed Cable
- Cat 5e
- Cat 6
- Cat 6A
- USB 2.0
- IEEE 1394
- Hookup Wire
- RF
Harnessing Components
- Molded Parts and Transitions
- Adhesives
- Heat Shrink Tubing and Shapes
- Devices
- Adapters
- Heat Shrink Products (per TACOM Specs SC-X-15111and SC-X-15112)