Wind River Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:WIND), the global leader in Device Software Optimization (DSO), today announced the release of VxWorks® 653 Platform 2.2, its enhanced ARINC 653 IMA platform for safety-critical systems. The new version of VxWorks 653 underscores Wind Rivers commitment to providing the avionics market with a proven, high-performance, low-risk ARINC 653 operating system, with complete DO-178B Level A certification artifacts and full support for DO-297-based, role-based modular application development to increase development efficiency, accelerate customer deployments, greatly reduce certification time and cost, and reduce cost-of-change. VxWorks 653 is already in use by leading providers in the aerospace and defense industry, including Boeing, GE Aviation and Rockwell Collins.
Wind River also announced the release of its DO-178B Network Stack with complete Level A artifacts to provide advanced networking capabilities to safety-critical systems. In delivering new, enhanced safety and architecture features and technology, Wind River maintains a leadership position in the ARINC 653 avionics space.
“Aerospace and defense is one of the most demanding industries in the world. Shaped by rigorous safety and certification requirements, Wind River has the depth of knowledge and commitment needed to serve this market,” said Rob Hoffman, vice president and general manager for aerospace and defense, Wind River. “Todays launch of VxWorks 653 underscores our commitment to providing the A&D market with the mission-critical device software that they need. By listening closely to our customers like Barco, Boeing, EADS, GE Aviation, Rockwell Collins and many others, we have developed the operating system that will help them drive the future of the avionics industry.”
Enhancements to the VxWorks 653 Platform
VxWorks 653 Platform 2.2 now comes integrated with the Eclipse-based Wind River Workbench development environment. Wind River Workbench enables seamless collaboration between hardware and software designers and developers to increase productivity. Customers deploying VxWorks 653 are now able to reduce complexity and certification costs with JTAG-based Wind River On-Chip Debugging in a partition. DO-178B certification efforts on ARINC 653 systems are simplified by decreasing the demand for more expensive debug ports on airborne hardware platforms.
Optionally available with the new VxWorks 653 is a comprehensive package of DO-178B Certification Evidence. With more than 65,000 hyperlinked files detailing the certification specifications and processes, the Certification Evidence substantially increases certification reliability, enables vendors to share and leverage prior certification work and widens the review process to multiple certification authorities. The prior version of VxWorks 653, version 1.x, was the first commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ARINC 653 operating system to achieve DO-178B certification with multiple levels of criticality and is currently deployed in projects such as the Boeing 767 Tanker.
VxWorks 653 Platform 2.2 supports an extended list of microprocessors, including Freescales 7xx, 74xx, 82xx, 834x, 85xx and 86xx processors and IBMs 750GX, and COTS hardware boards from Aitech, Curtiss-Wright/DY4, Lockheed Martin, Motorola ECC and Wind River.
“The goal of Integrated Modular Avionics systems is to combine hardware to help reduce cost, volume and weight while increasing the functionality available in modern flight decks,” said Rich Schnur, marketing manager for Freescale Semiconductors Networking Systems Division. “The VxWorks 653 Platform 2.2 on the Freescale MPC8641D, is expected to provide a clear path to multi-core mode and give our customers the processing power needed to respond to the increasing demands of an IMA system in a secure, certifiable environment.”
Wind River Unveils New Certifiable Network Stack
In addition, Wind River today announced the release of its DO-178B Network Stack with complete Level A artifacts, which provides IPv4/UDP support for networked safety-critical systems that need to comply with strict DO-178B/ED-12B and other safety standards. This enables developers to include reliable networking technology into devices that have traditionally been stand-alone and unconnected in the advanced avionics, medical, industrial and other high-criticality industries.
Product Availability
VxWorks 653 Platform 2.2 and the Wind River DO-178B Network Stack will be available in November 2007. Wind Rivers DO-178B Network Stack will be available on VxWorks 653 Platform 2.2. Support for VxWorks 5.4 and VxWorks 5.5 is also available through engagements with Wind River Professional Services. DO-178B/ED-12B Certification Evidence will be available in Q1, 2008.
To learn more about VxWorks 653, please visit: www.windriver.com/products/platforms/safety_cri[…]
Wind River Presenting at the Digital Avionics System Conference
Wind Rivers Larry Kinnan, Senior Aerospace and Defense Systems Specialist, will be delivering a seminar entitled “Application Migration From Linux Prototype To Deployable IMA Platform Using ARINC 653 and Open GL” at the Digital Avionics System Conference in Dallas on Wednesday, October 24, at 2pm. For attendance information, visit www.dasconline.org
About Wind River
Wind River is the global leader in Device Software Optimization (DSO). Wind River enables companies to develop, run and manage device software faster, better, at lower cost and more reliably. Wind River platforms are integrated, fully standardized, enterprise-wide development solutions. They reduce effort, cost and risk and optimize quality and reliability at all phases of the device software development process, from concept to deployed product.
Founded in 1981, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations worldwide. To learn more, visit Wind River at www.windriver.com or call 1-800-872-4977.