Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Extending Microprocessor Availability

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Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Extending
Microprocessor Availability

• Proactive Solution to Military Microprocessor
• Availability and Affordability

Manufacturing Science Technology
Division Engineering Directorate, RDECOM
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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Briefing Objectives

• Microprocessor Availability Problem
• Overview of Microprocessor Cloning Initiative
• Demonstrate Aviation Application
• Summary

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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Problem Statement

• Missile Defense, Army Aviation, Tactical Missiles
  and other key weapon systems face critical
  microprocessor availability problems
• Commercial processor lifecycles 3 - 5 years
• Military system lifecycles 20 years and
  greater
• Current solution options are bridge buys or
  system redesign
• Bridge buys are high-risk due to varying system
  lifecycles and quantities. Also requires high up
  front investment cost and storageconsiderations.
  
• System redesign is costly due to
• Software is microprocessor specific software
  regression testing always required and is a major
  cost driver
• Simply band aides the problem until next redesign
  required

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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Solution

• Employ advanced Microprocessor Cloning
  technologies
• Retargeting/Cloning tools based on commercial
  intellectual property (IP) soft core transfer
  and integrated processor design, simulation and
  hardware/software validation capabilities
• Use of advanced Microprocessor Manufacturing
  technologies
• On-demand Application Specific Integrated
  Circuits (ASIC) and Ball Grid Array (BGA)
  fabrication and robust packaging processes
  (including RAD-HARD devices) using commercial
  vendors or TAPO (Trusted Access Program Office)
• Conduct multiple Pilot demonstrations
• Optimize IP soft core transfer business cases
• Optimize design retargeting cloning capabilities
• Optimize ASIC/BGA manufacturing and packaging
  capabilities
• Enable technology insertions in multiple military
  systems

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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Benefits

• Prevention of complete CCA/LRU redesign
  requirements
• Combats market dependencies enforced technology
  upgrades
• Better use of limited resources
• Another tool in obsolescence mitigation arsenal

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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Get to Market Faster and
Stay There Longer!
Use of intellectual property processor cores
offers a new level of design flexibility and
technology independence. The vision is to extend
this best commercial practice to military
application.
Volume
Typical Product Lifecycle
Time
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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems

• Now you can use a state-of-the-art processor and
  get the added benefit of long term availability.

• The independent intellectual property provider
  market represents one of the most significant,
  exciting and rapidly changing segments in the
  entire semiconductor history for future evolution
  and growth of the overall electronics industry."

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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Using This Technology Today
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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Aviation Pilot Demonstration

• Phase 1
• Acquire IP core, conduct design/retargeting/clonin
  g exercises to establish equivalent
  microprocessor
• Conduct design for manufacturing/packaging
  exercises
• Phase 2
• Synthesize design to technology independent
  VHDL/Verilog libraries
• Identify manufacturing and test process
  improvements for high reliability/low volume die
  fabrication and ASIC/BGA packaging
• Phase 3
• Fabricate processors (die) and package to
  demonstrate cloning and improved manufacturing
  and test processes
• Potential to use Trusted Foundry for die
  fabrication
• Validate capabilities at multiple levels
  microprocessor, board level, and full system
  hardware/software compatibility

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TAPO Operational Flow
TAPO Establishes Linkage with IBM
DoD Contractors/IBM Technical Exchange
DoD PM Identifies Rqmts Program/Contractors
DoD Contractor
DoD PM Awards Contract
IBM/DoD Contractor Generate Task Order
COPY
DoD PM Validates Task Order Provides Funds
Contractor provides Mask Files IAW Task Order
Trusted Access Program Office (TAPO) Contract
Activities
IBM Fills Order
Notify TAPO
TAPO Completes Admin Duties
Deliver To Contractor
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Advanced Microprocessor Technologiesfor Military
Systems
Summary

• Use of microprocessor IP cores is becoming
  mainstream in commercial industry to reduce time
  to market and increase availability
• Microprocessor Cloning is an enabling technology
  that can address all military systems
• Program plans and investment strategy built for
  flexibility and success
• Phase 1 Trade Study in Progress