Elma Releases Industry’s First VNX+ Lab Platform Aligned to SOSA to Accelerate Plug-In Card Development

­Elma Electronic now offers the industry’s first development chassis for VNX+ (VITA 90) modules. The new 3-slot FlexVNX+ enables rapid board bring-up, validation, and testing of VNX+ plug-in cards (PICs), allowing system engineers to quickly and effectively evaluate and integrate VNX+ payload modules. The SOSA aligned platform also ensures ecosystem interoperability and future system upgrade paths. 

Ram Rajan, senior vice president of Elma Electronic Inc., noted, “We’re seeing an increase in mission-critical applications that require extremely high-performance computing in severely SWaP-constrained applications. Our new 3-slot FlexVNX+ is geared towards early-stage developers and system integrators to help accelerate time-to-market for compact, VNX+ based systems, which use modules that are 30% of the size of 3U OpenVPX.”

With a 3-slot backplane (2+1), the FlexVNX+ supports two payload slots (400-pin and 320-pin) and features a dedicated PSU slot as well as an internal power supply, enabling full system development. The unit operates using 110/220VAC or an optional 28VDC to support lab and deployed test environments.  

All I/O is accessed via the platform’s chassis sidewalls, simplifying connectivity and eliminating the need for mezzanine cards. A maintenance port aggregator provides easy access for diagnostics and debugging.

The airflow-optimized design of the FlexVNX+ incorporates internal fans to cool payload modules, eliminating the cost and complexity of conduction cooling. Optional 46.11 chassis management support is available.

One of the newest modular, small form factor standards from VITA, VNX+ (VITA 90) systems are designed to handle mission control, secure communications and surveillance, target tracking & display as well as weapons control and navigational and threat detection in compact and autonomous defense applications, such as UAVs, wearable communications, and ISR/EW platforms.

VNX+ supports data rates up to 25 Gbps between modules per lane and incorporates a naturally rugged design suitable for harsh environments without additional hardening.

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