Leonardo DRS is platinum winner for data distribution unit for tactical networking and trusted computing
NASHUA, N.H. – Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace have recognized the Leonardo DRS Land Electronics segment in Melbourne, Fla., as a platinum-level winner in the publications' 2020 Innovators Awards for the company's Data Distribution Unit - Expandable (DDUx).
The DDUx can be used stand-alone with rugged display attached, or with rugged tablet computer. It uses the Intel Core i7 processor, removable 2.5-inch solid-state hard drives, and external interfaces to perform general-purpose computing and video processing while interfacing to sensors and tactical networking.
The DDUx can operate several operating systems and virtual machines at the same time. Users can customize the DDUx through the unit's capability upgrade bay that can provide additional Ethernet ports, 802.11 wireless, and similar capabilities.
The 2020 Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace Innovators Awards are to recognize products as solutions to difficult aerospace and defense systems design challenges. The awards are in three tiers: platinum, gold, and silver. The awards were announced on 7 Sept. 2020.
The DDUx has a trusted-computing platform module (TPM) as part of its embedded security architecture based on advanced trusted computing technologies for cyber security. It offers a secure BIOS architecture, per-computer unique BIOS password assignment, digitally signed BIOS updates, factory provisioned TPM, Measured launch environment, and secure storage of customer preplaced keys.
The DDUx is designed to eliminate the need for several different line-replaceable units (LRUs) on a military vehicle or weapon system. The multi-purpose design helps users reduce size, weight, power consumption, and cost (SWAP-C), and facilitate integration of command, control, communications, intelligence, computers, cyber security, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence on vehicle platforms and dismounted access to those systems.
The DDUx provides a high-reliability edge processing and data storage system to protect, defend, identify, isolate, mitigate, restore, and report cyber threats to today's tactical computers. It offers artificial intelligence (AI) on data collected and stored at the edge and is stackable to support multi-domain operations on the ground and in the air.
The design enables the DDUx to operate in high-vibration and extreme temperatures, and to survive initial nuclear weapons effects. Industry standard connections facilitate customizable new capabilities on vehicles.
Embedded security architecture protects the tactical hardware down to the bios level to prevent supply chain risk management breaches. Backward and forward compatibility enable Army officials to do make upgrades with no vehicle C2 architectural changes, while maintaining computing hardware commonality across the fleet. The DDUx cyber hardening defends the network at the vehicle level.
For more information contact Leonardo DRS Land Electronics online at www.leonardodrs.com.
