GRiD Defence Systems recently introduced the GRiDCASE 1517 to the market, our next generation of ruggedised laptop solutions. GRiD is pleased to announce that the 1517 rugged laptop has now passed rigorous qualification testing. This blog explores the success story of the GRiDCASE 1517 since its initial launch in spring 2025.
The new GRiDCASE 1517 17” Full HD, 1,000 nits rugged laptop has now completed formal qualification from industry test leaders TÜV SÜD. This ensures the product meets a range of defence standards. In preparation for this, the GRiDCASE 1517 has undergone extensive pre-qualification testing within GRiD’s in-house UK testing facility.
Technical Testing
The GRiDCASE 1517 is built to survive in some of the most austere environments on earth, and GRiD’s specialist engineers have proven its resilience by testing it to its limits.
It is fully qualified to meet the most stringent UK and international defence standards, including, and not limited to, EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) Def Stan 59-411, Environmental Def Stan 00-35, and Security TEMPEST SDIP-27 Level B.
For more on how GRiD meets UK Defence Standards, see here. At GRiD’s in-house test chamber – which enables us to troubleshoot problems, enhance designs, conduct root cause analysis, quickly turn around specific environmental requirements, and carry out confidence testing – the GRiDCASE 1517 endured the elements and hardiest environments.
Put through its paces, the 1517 underwent solar and heat testing, which simulated the harshest and hottest environments to ensure high performance under direct solar radiation. Additionally, the rugged laptop was tested for ingress protection, including driving rain, validating that it remains operational in the most torrential conditions.
Furthermore, the testing, which took place in January of this year, involved deep-soak temperature checks within the specialised environmental chamber at GRiD’s facility.
The results from diagnostic tests were benchmarked against UK and international standards to ensure that they meet acceptable thresholds. This guarantees that customers receive units that are safe, secure, and reliable even under the most extreme conditions, and enables GRiD to carry out more agile product development, and faster troubleshooting.
Tried and Tested
At GRiD we understand how important Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) are to our military customers, so we are continually improving and enhancing the GRiD products to meet the demands of the evolving battlespace. One aspect of this is its new streamlined design, which aids with size profile and reduces its space premium if used within platforms.
As part of this, we have refined our manufacturing and machining processes to drastically reduce the weight of our chassis and internal components without sacrificing overall ruggedisation.
This has been proven with the GRiDCASE 1517, which, including the same 17” Full HD Display, is now 23% lighter than the GRiDCASE 1595 17” model.
Similarly, through advanced machining, we have brought our standard 1590 weight down with a 20% reduction over the past five years, which makes a significant difference in the field for the operator where weight reduction is critical.
The 1517 features the only Full HD (1920 x 1080) display in its class. At 1,000 nits, the screen remains perfectly readable in direct, high-altitude sunlight.
We have also acted on user feedback regarding data entry in the field. The wider screen allows for a dedicated optional numeric keypad, a crucial addition for operators who need to input data quickly and accurately, often under pressure in the middle of a mission.
Light in the DARC
The GRiDCASE 1517 also has the option to integrate GRiD’s newly released ruggedised and removable configuration of Viasat’s new Data At Rest Cryptography (DARC) drive as standard.
The new-generation DARC drive secures sensitive data at rest at various security levels. Thanks to an innovative solution developed by GRiD, GRiDCASE users can operate with a quick and easy way to remove the DARC drive when required, without the need to open the computer.
GRiD has developed a ruggedised removable version of the DARC drive, a first in the rugged computer market. This unique solution sees the DARC drive housed in a robust metal caddy that can be easily installed and removed from a GRiDCASE computer, just like an external storage unit, depending on the user’s security needs.
GRiD’s UK-based engineers have developed this solution so that customers can plug and unplug the drive multiple times, which would not be possible using the standard M.2 interface alone – as these are designed to be plugged in once internally and left alone.
The enclosure features a specialised design that leverages rugged interfaces that are designed for multiple plug/unplug cycles, while at the same time not degrading the performance of the DARC drive and protecting the original interfaces.
This additional capability provides further security to the GRiDCASE 1517, making it one of the most functional and advanced rugged laptops on the market today.
The GRiD Approach
The GRiDCASE 1517 is not a paper design, as well as full qualification; it has now been sold into four major UK Ministry of Defence programmes, spanning various domains and use cases. This UK-designed and tested hardware is proving to be a critical military rugged laptop in the battlefield.
If you want to learn more about GRiD’s 1517 and wider product range, please see here, or if you would like to discuss how GRiD can support your missions or upcoming requirements in more detail, please get in touch at sales@griduk.com.
