— Capabilities —
Systems Integration
Decades of C5ISR program experience, applied to accelerating deployment and reducing risk through proven OpenVPX and SOSA-aligned system design.
Accelerating deployment,
reducing risk
Spectra Defense Technologies brings decades of program experience in designing and developing embedded applications for software and FPGA domains. Spectra engineers work directly with customers to define robust system solutions that meet specific program requirements — and have supported hundreds of defense programs deploying rugged C5ISR systems worldwide with OpenVPX and SOSA designs.
More than boards in a chassis
Spectra works in close partnership with both suppliers and customers to bring mission-ready products to market.
System integration demands more than assembling computer boards into an enclosure. Software drivers, interfaces, power management, thermal management and ruggedization each introduce significant complexity. Spectra engineers have deep experience designing and integrating system-level solutions that address these challenges from the outset.
The Spectra integration approach
At the start of each project, systems architects build a close working relationship with the customer to understand the application and its requirements. Together, they define the optimal system architecture — evaluating performance, I/O, power, thermal and ruggedization needs.
Verification can be as complex as development. Spectra has years of expertise conceiving effective functional test systems for fully automated simulation and bit-true verification — both in qualification and in production testing.
— Integrated Systems —
Advanced defense system capabilities
Spectra’s flagship video processing system delivers high performance with:
- DisplayPort 1.3 (32.4 Gbps)
- 3G-SDI multiple interfaces
- 10G Ethernet (optical and copper)
- 48 interfaces on 13 connectors
- Compact form factor with 500W power supply
Currently deployed in mission-critical defense applications across land-based platforms including infantry fighting vehicles.
System design
- Comprehensive requirements analysis
- Optimized system architecture design
- Complete interface definition
- Full standards alignment (VPX, SOSA)
Hardware engineering
- Advanced signal integrity
- Efficient power management
- Custom interface solutions
Environmental qualification
- Thorough qualification testing
- Performance under extreme conditions
- Full compliance verification
Test development
- Specialized test software creation
- Application-specific validation
- Interface verification and stress testing
Software and FPGA development
- Custom FPGA implementation
- Specialized software solutions
- High-performance signal processing
Embedded application development
Beyond system integration for customer-run applications, Spectra has extensive experience developing embedded applications for deployment in both the software and FPGA domains. Depending on program requirements, this may cover a specific portion of the application — such as a hardware-critical middleware layer where deep experience accelerates development — or the complete application.
Example applications include digital signal processing (software and FPGA), video and Ethernet processing and real-time video compression.
Strategic technology partnerships
Spectra maintains close working relationships with technology providers including Concurrent Technologies, Eizo Rugged Solutions, Interface Concept and specialized hardware manufacturers — ensuring access to proven components that meet program demands.
Why Spectra
- Faster time to deployment — experience navigating common integration obstacles leads to quicker fielding
- Reduced program risk — proven methodologies with thorough validation at every stage
- Standards depth — extensive knowledge of VPX, SOSA and related frameworks
- Full program support — from initial concept through long-term sustainment
- Global capabilities — services available from U.S. and European facilities, supporting ITAR and USEO requirements
- Deployment-ready solutions
VPX-based single board computers
The OpenVPX framework defines clear interoperability points for module-to-module and module-to-backplane integration. Updated in 2019 with input from the SOSA Open group, the specification supports compute-intensive boards compliant with the latest profiles.