Date: 03/11/2010

Xilinx launches two new aerospace and defense qualified FPGA families

Xilinx has released its latest generation of FPGAs qualified for the aerospace and defense market namely the Spartan-6Q family and Virtex-6Q family. The new families include the defense-grade FPGA based on the Spartan series, providing designers with a device that delivers secure SWaP-C (size, weight, power and cost).

"The introduction of the first defense-grade Spartan family into the Xilinx Aerospace and Defense product portfolio builds on the Virtex series' long success supporting systems that drive mission-critical defense and aerospace electronics," said Harvey Steele, Vice President, Segment Marketing at Xilinx. "The secure, low-power Spartan-6Q devices, as well as our recently-announced rad-hard Virtex-5QV device, further demonstrate Xilinx's commitment and capabilities toward meeting the stringent requirements of aerospace and defense applications."

Xilinx defense grade FPGAs are pin compatible to their commercial equivalent for migration between prototyping and low rate initial production. They are fully tested and qualified to operate in extreme temperatures, while the Virtex-6Q device's plastic packaging using standard lead content eliminates tin-whiskering concerns and protects against caustic processes. The introduction of the defense-grade Spartan family extends Xilinx Targeted Design Platforms for Aerospace and defense-grade applications to include secure mobility and similar applications.

Spartan-6Q Family
Xilinx's Spartan-6Q family meets the needs of military communications (MILCOM) customers who require a secure communications platform, while offering missiles and munitions customers a small form factor in a low power secure platform for targeting and data processing in extended temperature ranges. These devices deliver:
1. Third generation IA (Single Chip Crypto Type-1)
2. Third generation AT capabilities (DoD 5000 series)
3. I and Q fully tested temperature range operation
4. Reduced power consumption for extended mission life
5. Reduced form factor for lighter/smaller mobile devices
6. Long term support with mask set control

The sixth generation in the Spartan FPGA Series, the Spartan-6Q FPGAs are fabricated on a proven, low-power 45nm, dual-oxide process technology with full support in the Xilinx ISE Design Suite.

Virtex-6Q Family
Xilinx's Virtex-6Q family offers secure SWaP-C benefits. Virtex-6Q devices deliver:

1. High performance, DO-254 enabled solutions with high reliability and low power for avionics
2. High performance DSP solutions with high reliability and low power for Electronic Warfare (EW) and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) applications
3. 3rd generation AT capabilities (DoD 5000 Series)
4. I and M fully tested temperature range operation
5. Ruggedized packaging
6. Long term support with mask set control

Built using third-generation Xilinx ASMBL architecture, the Virtex-6 FPGA family delivers 50% lower power and 20% lower cost than the previous generation, according to xilinx. The 40-nm devices operate on a 1.0v core voltage with an available 0.9v low-power option and are supported by a new generation of development tools delivered by ISE Design Suite and a library of IP available for the 65-nm Virtex 5 FPGA family to ensure productive development and design migration.

Spartan-6Q and Virtex-6Q FPGAs make up the silicon base of the Xilinx Targeted Design Platforms for the Aerospace and Defense market. In addition to domain-optimized silicon devices, these platforms include IP blocks, design environments and reference designs, along with third-party synthesis, simulation and signal integrity tools, reference designs, and IP.

Operating temperature range:
I-temperature: -40 to + 100°c
Q- temperature devices: -40 to 125C (Spartan-6Q only).
M-temperature devices: -55 TO + 125°C (Virtex-6Q only)

Availability: Q2 2011