Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Extending Microprocessor Availability

Commercial IP Soft Core On-Demand Chip Processing Advanced Retargeting/Cloning On-Demand ASIC Packaging Proactive Solution to Military Microprocessor Availability and Affordability

Manufacturing Science & Technology Division Engineering Directorate, RDECOM

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for Military Systems

Briefing Objectives

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

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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 storage considerations.

– 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

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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.

Typical Product Lifecycle

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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."

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for Military Systems

Using This Technology Today

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for Military Systems

Aviation Pilot Demonstration

Phase 1:

• Acquire IP core, conduct design/retargeting/cloning 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

DoD PM Identifies Rqmts Program/Contractors DoD PM Awards Contract

TAPO Operational Flow

TAPO Establishes Linkage with IBM DoD Contractors/IBM Technical Exchange DoD Contractor DoD PM Validates Task Order Provides Funds IBM/DoD Contractor Generate Task Order Contractor provides Mask Files IAW Task Order Trusted Access Program Office (TAPO) Contract Activities IBM Fills Order TAPO Completes Admin Duties Deliver To Contractor

Advanced Microprocessor Technologies for 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