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This section shows some of the many customers and contracts that we have successfully completed in recent years. Click on the links for detailed case studies.
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Project: |
PLUMBLINE Harrier Data Transfer Device |
| Requirement: |
Harrier GR7/GR9 Data Loader and Diagnostics
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1590
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| Power: |
Airccraft 28V dc
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| Interfaces: |
RS232, RS422, SDLC, Parallel, Composite Video, Ethernet, OFPLS (bespoke)
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| Environment: |
Explosive Atmosphere Zone 2 Cat 3, -20 to +55 Deg C
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| EMC: |
Def Stan 59-41 Air Class and Carrier Above Decks Limits
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Summary Description
In early 2002 the Royal Air Force began a project to replace a number of existing Harrier GR7 flight line diagnostic and data loading tools which had become old, slow and increasingly difficult support. The aim was to replace multiple pieces of equipment with a single Laptop PC. This requirement soon grew to include functionality to support new systems being fitted to the GR7 and forthcoming GR9. Most of the interface required were standard, such as RS232/422 and Ethernet. However one interface used to load the Mission Computer on the GR7 used a bespoke interface.
Because of the way in which the Harrier is deployed the new system had to comply with stringent requirements of Def Stan 59-41 Air Class and Carrier Above Decks Limits, and also Zone 2 Cat 3 Explosive Atmosphere environments.
GRiD worked with the RAF, QinetiQ Malvern, BAE Systems and General Dynamics to develop the GRiDCASE 1590 to support all of the required interfaces. In the case of the Mission Computer interface this meant having to reverse engineer from the existing data loaders as no information on the interface was available. The GRiDCASE 1590 Harrier Data Transfer Device (HDTD) is used to carry out OFPLS, OSMC, OSVMG, VRS, GPWS and EW data loading and diagnostics.
Def Stan 00-35 Zone 2 Cat 3 Explosive Atmosphere
Def Stan 59-41 Air Class and Carrier Above Decks Limits
Bespoke OFPLS Interface
Long Product Life > 5yrs
Long Product Support > 10yrs Back to Top
Project: |
Harrier GR7 Accident Data Recorder (ADR) Ground Support Equipment |
| Requirement: |
To provide a Ground Replay Station for Harrier GR7 ADR recordings
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1590
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| Power: |
Powered by 28V dc
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| Interfaces: |
18-36V dc Input, Centronics Parallel via D38999 Connectors
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| Environment: |
Def Stan 00-35 Zone 2 Cat 3 Explosive Atmosphere -20 to +55 Deg C
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| EMC: |
Def Stan 59-41 Air Class and Carrier Above Decks Limits
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Summary Description
The GRiDCASE 1590 will be used as a Ground Replay Station for review and analysis of data downloaded from the Harrier GR7 Accident Data Recorder. To facilitate this the system was required to work off 28V dc and provide a single centronics parallel interface, used to connect to the ADR download equipment. The system will be used in all conditions, from flight line to carrier decks. This means that the system must be compliant with Def Stan 00-35 and Def Stan 59-41 for use in the environments.
GRiD offer upgrades for the GRiDCASE 1590 that cover all of these requirements.
The GRiDCASE 1590 ADR Ground Replay Station will also be used on the Tucano trainer.
Def Stan 00-35 Explosive Atmosphere Zone 2 Cat 3
Def Stan 59-41 Air Class and Carrier Above Decks
Able to operator from Aircraft 28V dc
Centronics Parallel Interface Back to Top
Project: |
Thales Yellow Gate AWACS |
| Requirement: |
Record streamed data to hard disk during reconnaissance operations
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1590
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| Power: |
Aircraft 28V dc
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| Interfaces: |
Video, Serial, Parallel, LVDS SCSI and Ethernet
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| Environment: |
For airborne operational use
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| EMC: |
MIL-STD-461D
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Summary Description
The requirement was for a rugged laptop PC that could be used to store up to 60Gb of data streamed via Ethernet during reconnaissance operations. Because the system was to be used during flight it had to conform to Mil-MIL-Std-461D for EMC and also be flight certified by Boeing for use on the E3C.
GRiD modified the GRiDCASE 1590 by adding a second hard disk drive. This allowed two devices of up to 30Gb each to be fitted giving the required 60Gb capacity (this can now be achieved using a single device). In order to fit the second HDD the CD-ROM drive was removed, and so an LVDS SCSI interface was also added so that a CD-ROM could be attached externally for O/S and application loading.
Mil-STD-461D
60Gb HDD Storage
Boeing Flight Certification
Ethernet Back to Top
Project: |
MoD Ground Surveillance Radar |
| Requirement: |
Man Machine Interface for Man Portable Radar System
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1590
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| Power: |
28V dc battery
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| Interfaces: |
RS232, RS422, Ethernet, Audio
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| Environment: |
Def Stan 00-35 -20 to +55 Deg C, Sealed to IP54
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| EMC: |
Def Stan 59-41 Land Class Limits
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Summary Description
The requirement was to provide a replacement for the existing Man Machine Interface (MMI) of a portable ground surveillance radar. The existing MMI was some 15 years old and did not support a hard disk drive. This limited the use of a modern operating system and radar application.
GRiD modified the GRiDCASE 1590 to provide 2 x RS232 interface, 2 x RS422 interface, one of which is required to run a 250k BAUD, Ethernet and Audio interfaces. The standard QWERTY keyboard was replaced with a 27 key keypanel that provided function keys for control of the radar.
Because the radar system is man portable and will be used in covert operations the system was required to meet Def Stan 59-41 Land Class Limits, while being able to survive in extremely hostile environments.
Def Stan 59-41 Land Class Limits
Def Stan 00-35 Environmental
Custom Keypanel
High Speed RS422 Back to Top
Project: |
HALO Artilary Location System, Command Post Computer (CPC) |
| Requirement: |
Fully ruggedised UltraSPARC workstation running Solaris 9/4
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1590S
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| Power: |
18-32V dc
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| Interfaces: |
Ethernet, USB 2.0, RS232
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| Environment: |
MIL-STD-810 Battlefield
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| EMC: |
MIL-STD-461 Land
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Summary Description
This project required a fully military hardened UltraSPARC workstation capable of operating and surviving in a battlefield environment.
The HALO system is an Acoustic Artillery Location system in use with various armed forces around the world. An upgrade of the performance of the system required a more powerful Command Post Computer (CPC) to replace existing aging equipment. The CPC has to be capable of processing very large amounts of data quickly which is then displayed on the internal display. The CPC must also be capable of interfacing with and controlling other equipment via RS232 and Ethernet links.
To fulfil the requirement GRiD developed the GRiDCASE 1590S UltraSPARC IIIi workstation. Back to Top
Project: |
MoD Bederal Secure HF Comms |
| Requirement: |
Small Form Factor Notebook
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| Product: |
GRiDCASE 1580 XL/T
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| Power: |
110-240V ac or 19V dc
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| Interfaces: |
2 x RS232, PS2 Keyboard, PS2 Mouse, Ext Display, Parallel
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| Environment: |
Def Stan 00-35 Ship Below Decks, Vehicle and Office
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| EMC: |
TEMPEST BTR 01/210
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Summary Description
The requirement was for a small form factor notebook that could be easily stowed when out of use which also met the requirements of TEMPEST BTR 01/210. The system was required to have two RS232 ports, a centronics parallel port and external keyboard and mouse ports.
GRiD modified the GRiDCASE 1580 XL to comply with BTR 02/210 and branded it as the GRiDCASE 1587B for the project. The system is also available as the GRiDCASE 1580 XL/T.
A key factor in choosing the GRiDCASE was UK design and manufacture of the system which enabled GRiD to offer long product life of greater than 5 years, and long in service support for up to 20 years after deployment.
TEMPEST BTR 01/210
UK Design and Build
Long Product Life > 5yrs
Long Support >20yrs Back to Top
Project: |
Royal Navy SR(S)7397 HF COMS |
| Requirement: |
Rack Mount Secure Email and Communications Servers with Keyboard Display Switch
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| Product: |
GRiD 9151U
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| Power: |
110-240V ac
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| Interfaces: |
8x RS232, Fibre, STANAG 5066, Ethernet, Parallel and I2C
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| Environment: |
Ship Below Decks and Land Based Office
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| EMC: |
TEMPEST AMSG788
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Summary Description
The requirement was for a 1U rack mount secure email processor, a 1U rack mount ARQ server and a 1U Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) switch. The ARQ server required 9 RS232 ports for connection of workstations via fibre links, a STANAG 5066 card to interface with HF radio, an interface to drive a remote lamp box and one spare PCI slot for future expansion. Security required that the system BIOS locked down with a fixed boot sequence.
The GRiD 9151U is a 1U server unit that uses a PICMG processor card with RS232, Ethernet USB and I2C on-board and provides three additional PCI bus slots for expansion. An 8 port RS232 PCI expansion card was added, along with a STANAG 5066 compatible RS422 PCI card, leaving the required spare slot. The I2C interface on the CPU card is used to drive the remote lamp box. A single shielded cable links the RS232 card with an a 8 port 25DB distribution box to which fibre optic line drivers are attached.
GRiD modified the systems BIOS so that it is only possible to boot the the hard disk drive and removed the capability to access the CMOS setup to change any system settings. This makes the 9151U completely secure. The KVM switch which can control up to 8 processor units is designed in such a way that it can be used to control both "red" and "black" boxes without compromising security. GRiD also custom manufactured all cabling to Thales specification to aid installation in the cramped racks used on-board ship.
TEMPEST AMSG788
1U Form Factor with 3 PCI Slots
Control of BIOS to provide System Security
Long Product Life > 5yrs
Long Product Support > 10yrs Back to Top
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