Small form factor mission computer is safety certifiable
Mercury claims to have developed the first safety certifiable, small form factor, ruggedised mission computer with latest 11th gen Intel Core i7 processors. The According to Mercury, the ROCK 4 mission computer “changes the paradigm by allowing existing air- and ground-based platforms to be rapidly upgraded with new sensors and mission applications that increase safety and effectiveness”.
Historically, small form factor mission computers have not been powerful enough to run AI-powered and other advanced avionics workloads. ROCK 4 mission computers feature Mercury’s proven BuiltSAFE COTS elements and artefacts, which have been tested, certified, and fielded over three decades on airborne platforms to deliver optimal performance and accelerate safety critical systems integration. The modular and reusable BuiltSAFE technologies maximise interoperability and speed technology refresh by minimising the need for re-certification.
The mission computer has already been used by several European police forces that needed to upgrade existing helicopter fleets. Mercury packaged three ROCK 4 mission computers together with a video switch which will enable the helicopters to run AI-powered search and rescue and surveillance applications and process video for multiple cockpit displays.
“As government organisations seek to extend the lifespans and maximise the effectiveness of existing platforms that support critical national security, law enforcement, and emergency response missions, the ability to insert next-generation technologies is essential,” said Wolfgang Tostmann, Mercury’s general manager for mission systems. ROCK 4 is suitable for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to introduce enhanced capabilities that were not part of their original design, such as advanced surveillance, sense-and-avoid, autonomous and semi-autonomous flight applications for improved pilot situational awareness and which increase aircraft survivability, he continued.
The computer includes safety-certifiable 11th gen Intel Core i7 processor with built-in AI and hardware accelerators to run advanced avionics workloads. There is also a 4×4 video/sensor switch with capture and processing to connect video to four displays and video capabilities up to 1080p60 (full HD) and a range of avionics I/O to capture and process camera feeds.
ROCK 4 is stackable, passively cooled, and at 3 kg is lightweight and easy to install and scale, according to Mercury.
Mercury Systems is a technology company that pushes processing power to the tactical edge, making the latest commercial technologies more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defence missions. From silicon to system scale, Mercury enables customers to accelerate innovation and turn data into decision superiority. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, USA and has 24 locations worldwide.
