Keeping COTS-based systems current through the use of programmable electronics

Abstract

The challenge today is determining how much and what is required to ensure our customer, the DoD, is getting the best product possible. We must understand what exists in the commercial marketplace, how well that will fit our requirements, and if they're not a complete answer, how we can adapt them with minimal change. We must also understand how the COTS can be interfaced, ruggedized, packaged, assembled, tested, and logistically supported to meet DoD operational needs. The focus clearly shifts to reuse of existing designs rather than new custom designs. One of the ways that VisiCom Laboratories has tried to meet this challenge is through the use of Reconfigurable Logic Engines and a process called Rapid Retargeting.