It’s been nearly three years since ratification of the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard 1.0 and its impact is being felt across the services as requests for SOSA aligned products are finding their way into program requirements. SOSA, an example of the modular open systems approach (MOSA) mandated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), is also changing the way government leverages commercial technology and existing open standards like VPX. To learn more, I gathered a roundtable of SOSA Consortium members to discuss SOSA’s impact on the community, business practices, common misconceptions, and the future of what SOSA may look like five or 10 years down the road.

60th AOC INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM & CONVENTION, NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. Slashing the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) of embedded systems remains a key focus for the defense industry -- a focus that was evident during talks and conversations during the first day of the annual convention of the Association of Old Crows (AOC).

While semiconductor device selection is at the heart of developing radiation-tolerant power systems for space applications, it is just one of many design strategies that can be deployed at the component and circuit levels. There are basic strategies to explore, plus the multiple benefits of soft switching in radiation-tolerant power systems.

As 2023 marches on, we are seeing a growing trend within the aerospace and defense electronics industry toward technology standardization, in particular regarding power-delivery networks. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and prime defense contractors are incentivized to push standardized, modular power systems thanks to their inherent reusability, ability to scale across multiple platforms, and the clear benefits of shorter development time and faster time to revenue.

Power is a key consideration for modern open architecture initiatives such as the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard, says John Sturm, Vice President of Business Development for the Aerospace & Defense business unit of Vicor, when I interviewed him just before Thanksgiving. We also discussed where custom power supplies fit into the defense world and talked about how commercial AI and big data applications are driving innovation and cost reductions in defense power component manufacturing, recruiting engineering talent into the defense market, and what will be a disruptor in military power supplies in the future. Edited excerpts follow.

Recent trends in the defense industry show a convergence towards standardizing electronic systems using open standards to increase interoperability, scalability, and reliability; reduce system costs; and minimize the number of custom electronics designs that increase overhead and maintenance.

ANDOVER, Mass. High-performance power module maker Vicor held an official opening and ribbon-cutting on May 18 for its new 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Andover, Massachusetts.