Astronics is launching a new family of flexible, compact, 64-bit avionics I/O computing platforms for problem-solving and tech insertion in areas such as mission computing, distributed control and avionics data conversion.
The company says the NG Family consists of three distinct series of
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products with
varying capability for use on fixed wing, UAV,
rotocraft and ground vehicles. These highly-
flexible, low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power)
systems include multi-protocol avionics I/O coupled with a high-throughput Ethernet backbone for inter- device communication and compatibility with a variety of avionics systems. The NG Family meets the demands of DoD open system business and technical strategies such as MOSA (Modular Open Systems Approach) and OMS (Open Mission Systems).
- NG3 Series Avionics I/O Computers, available for order now, feature the highest level of capability and I/O, along with 64-bit processing and audio/video, for the most demanding applications.
- NG2 Series Avionics I/O Controllers, available in 2020, feature the same processing power as the NG3, but in a smaller size with a corresponding reduction of I/O, when lower SWaP is critical.
- NG1 Series Avionics I/O Converters, available in 2020, are extremely compact and optimized for converting avionics protocol data to Ethernet for interfacing to the NG3/NG2 or other avionics systems.
“The NG Family builds on the success of our highly-popular and ground-breaking AB2000 and AB3000 avionics I/O computer products,” said Jon Neal, president of Astronics Ballard Technology. “The NG Family provides our large installed base of users with a direct upgrade path to 64-bit processing, robust security features and higher performance, extending the useful life of their programs for many years to come. The NG Family will also appeal to new users as flexible, problem-solving platforms for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) programs.” The NG Family shares similar design features and each variant is optimized for different levels of deployment:
