Jay Clemens
BAE Systems has ordered rugged embedded computing systems worth $11.5 million from Abaco Systems for use in the British navy’s Spearfish torpedo.
BAE’s maritime services business in the U.K. will embed the computing parts in the electronic system computer unit of Spearfish for signal processing and networking, Abaco said Tuesday.
Abaco and BAE collaborated for five years to research and develop the prototype ESCU.
“The work we’ve undertaken with Abaco Systems over the last five years to develop the prototype ESCU will mean the Royal Navy will see a step-change in capability when the Mod-1 Spearfish heavyweight torpedo enters service,” said Les Gregory, products and services director at BAE.
Gregory added that real-time signal processing of the torpedo’s on-board sonar and communications between the torpedo and host vessel will help the torpedo reach its destination.
The ESCU comprises the 3U VPX power architecture and Intel Core i7 technology single board computers.
