Ken O’Neill, director of marketing, Space and Aviation, Microsemi, a Microchip Technology Company
EETimes (9/26/2018 01:00 AM EDT)
The field of aerospace and defense design is extremely broad in scope, encompassing hand-held, portable, vehicle-mounted, maritime, airborne and space; manned and unmanned systems, for tactical or strategic applications. Military and aerospace designs have many things in common, such as the need for high reliability in harsh environments during critical missions, yet each type of system presents its own unique challenges.
Designers may need to contend with tough power constraints for portable systems, or severe thermal constraints for systems located in equipment subjected to high temperatures or without forced ventilation. The end equipment may be subjected to extreme shock or vibration, extreme temperatures, extreme levels of moisture or humidity, or extreme quantities of radiation.
Aside from environmental factors, designers of aerospace and defense systems also need to navigate supply-chain issues such as the diminishing base of suppliers who are willing to invest in achieving the high levels of qualification and certification needed for many types of aerospace and defense systems. In recent years, U.S. government defense programs have also begun to pay increased attention to the trustworthiness of components and intellectual property (IP) designed into systems they are purchasing.