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. Concurrent's Redhawk Linux Selected For THAAD Missile Defense Program

The THAAD weapon system consists of Launchers, Missiles, Battle Management/Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (BMC3I) units and THAAD Radars. These elements work in concert to detect, identify, assign, and destroy incoming theater ballistic missiles. Lockheed Martin photo.
Duluth GA (SPX) Nov 28, 2005
Concurrent has announced that Lockheed Martin Space Systems has selected Concurrent's RedHawk Linux operating system for their United States Army Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program.

Lockheed Martin's selection of Concurrent technology is expected to serve as a launchpad for additional international partnerships in winning and executing global programs for global defense and civil government markets.

Lockheed Martin will use RedHawk real-time Linux in hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation testing of strategic missile defense subsystems. HIL simulation is a critical product development process that provides for thorough testing of components in a virtual environment in which other subsystems are replaced by mathematical models. Components to be tested are inserted into a closed loop that is reproducible, systematic, fast and more reliable than actual bench testing.

Lockheed Martin selected RedHawk for the THAAD program due to the precision and guaranteed response time of Concurrent's RedHawk Linux real-time operating system. Only RedHawk Linux was able to ensure the high frame rates required in their HIL simulation without frame overruns, thereby ensuring the highest quality of system test.

Lockheed Martin also uses Concurrent's NightStar Tool Kit to reduce engineering time and labor costs. NightStar, a graphical user interface-based set of real-time software development tools, enables system builders to maximize productivity in application development. NightStar tools are specifically designed to allow integrators to intelligently identify problems early in the project life cycle - and correct them faster.

"We are honored to be chosen repeatedly by Lockheed Martin Space Systems," said Warren Neuburger, Concurrent COO. "Lockheed Martin is at the forefront of the aerospace and defense industry with a long history of technological excellence. We are pleased to contribute to Lockheed Martin's engineering success through its use of RedHawk Linux and other off-the-shelf components-based products such as the iHawk."

Concurrent iHawk systems are powered by as many as eight Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron processors and up to 64 GB of memory in rack mount and tower enclosures. iHawks are true symmetric multiprocessors that run a single copy of RedHawk Linux. Configurable with a wide range of commercially available components, the iHawk is an increasing popular platform for today's simulation, data acquisition, and process control solutions.

RedHawk Linux provides fast response to external events, optimized inter-process communication, and high I/O throughput needed for time-critical applications. RedHawk Linux, compatible with the popular Red Hat system, has gained acceptance as a leading real-time Linux operating system for high-performance applications by customers throughout the world. RedHawk Linux guarantees that a user application can respond to an external event in less than 30 microseconds on a dedicated processor.

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Peace Institute Report Blasts BMD Program
Washington (UPI) Nov 24, 2005
Is Ballistic Missile Defense making unprecedented strides, or is it fizzling disastrously? The news is daily filled with items that point either way. However, a new report from the New York-based World Peace Institute pulls no punches in arguing that the cup is empty, not full.
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