CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Monday, September 21, 2009 — GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, today announced that it had secured an order from General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) of Sterling Heights, MI for 3U VPX single board computers, graphics processors, disk subsystems and switches in support of GDLS’s work on the Abrams Evolutionary Design (AED) program for the M1A2 tank. The AED is the design development program for future Abrams tank computer systems and will see the gradual replacement of 6U VME-based systems supplied by GE Fanuc to GDLS for the Abrams Continuous Electronics Enhancement Program (CEEP) and System Enhancement Program (SEP V2). The AED program is expected to be at least equal to the scope and value of the CEEP program.
Importantly, all these GE Fanuc products comply with the REDI (Ruggedized Enhanced Design Implementation) VITA 48 standard. The REDI/VITA 48 standard provides guidelines that enable designers to develop boards that are capable of operation in the harsh environments typical of military operations. They also provide the Army with a Line Replaceable Module (LRM) solution that makes Level Two Maintenance possible, insuring faster, more cost-effective repair and replacement in the field – a key requirement for the armed forces.
“The requirement for the Abrams Evolutionary Design is to provide the tank with significantly greater computing power but with a smaller footprint, allowing even more capabilities to be built in to the Abrams’ confined space,” said Peter Cavill, General Manager, Military & Aerospace at GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. “Our 3U VPX solution allows this to be possible. We have a long history with GDLS and the highly successful CEEP program, and our hope is that our two companies can continue to work together to make the AED program equally successful.”
The order from GDLS includes the following GE Fanuc products:
SBC310 3U VPX Freescale Power Architecture 8641D single board computer
SBC340 3U VPX Intel Core™2 Duo single board computer
PEX430 3U VPX PCI Express switch and PMC/XMC carrier
GBX410 3U VPX 16-port Gigabit Ethernet switch
SDD910 3U VPX solid state SATA disk module
For more information: www.gefanucembedded.com
About GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a joint venture between General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and FANUC LTD of Japan, is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of hardware, software, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing. We offer a unique foundation of agile, advanced and ultra-reliable technology that provides customers a sustainable advantage in the industries they serve, including energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defense, and telecommunications. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms is a worldwide company headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and is part of GE Enterprise Solutions. For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com.
About GE Enterprise Solutions
GE Enterprise Solutions elevates customers’ productivity and profitability with integrated solutions using sensors and non-destructive testing; security and life safety technologies; power system protection and control; and plant automation and embedded computing systems. Enterprise Solutions’ high-tech, high-growth businesses include Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Security, Digital Energy, and GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. The business has 17,000 problem-solving employees in more than 60 countries around the world.
