Kontron starts U.S. production of VX307H rugged VPX platform
Kontron has begun U.S. production of its rugged VX307H 3U VPX computing platform at Nextek, a Kontron company, in Huntsville, Alabama. The move introduces U.S.-built versions of the platform using global components and shifts production from build-to-order to build-to-stock, with the aim of improving availability and reducing delivery times for U.S. defence customers.
Announced on 12 October 2026, the manufacturing expansion addresses demand for more resilient supply chains, faster access to rugged embedded computing hardware and domestic manufacturing support for defence programmes.
“Defence customers are asking for greater supply-chain resilience, faster availability and closer access to support,” said Stephanie Perdue, Director of Products North America at Kontron. “Bringing VX307H production to the U.S. directly addresses those needs while expanding our domestic VPX manufacturing capabilities.”
Production at Nextek covers the manufacturing process from printed circuit board (PCB) assembly through final assembly and testing. The Huntsville facility supports high-reliability aerospace and defence manufacturing, with AS9100 and ISO 9001 certifications, ITAR registration, IPC workmanship standards, product traceability and advanced testing capabilities.
“Building the VX307H in Huntsville gives customers a direct path from manufacturing and testing through long-term support,” said Dan Meeks, President of Nextek, a Kontron company. “Our high-reliability manufacturing and testing capabilities are well suited to the demands of mission-critical defence electronics.”
By establishing U.S. production and moving to a build-to-stock model, Kontron aims to make the VX307H more readily available to customers developing and deploying defence systems.
The VX307H is a rugged 3U VPX embedded computing platform based on Intel Xeon D-2700/2800 processors, offering up to 20 processor cores. Its features include up to 100 Gigabit Ethernet, PCI Express (PCIe) Gen 4 connectivity and a hardware root of trust.
Designed in accordance with Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) requirements, the platform targets demanding applications including sensor fusion, command and control, autonomous systems and 5G tactical-edge computing.
These applications require embedded computing platforms capable of supporting high-performance processing and connectivity in demanding operational environments.
The VX307H is the first product in a broader expansion of Kontron’s U.S. VPX manufacturing strategy. The company plans to bring production of the VX3060 and VX30101 platforms to the United States in subsequent phases.
