Hybrid RF/Optical Connectors Align with VITA and SOSA Standards

You can't just “march to the beat of your own drum” when designing electronic subassemblies for the military and aerospace industries. These days, you must be in sync with the open standards that increasingly are driving procurement requirements for avionics, radar systems, communications, and more. That often means products must align with standards promulgated by the closely related VITA and SOSA groups.

VITA, founded in 1982 as the VMEbus International Trade Association, promotes the concept of open technology for critical embedded computing. The Open Group initiated the Sensor Open Standards Architecture Consortium in 2017 to form a common framework for transitioning sensor systems to an open systems architecture. Along with industry and academia, the consortium includes U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) entities required to adopt DoD Open Systems Architecture principles and practices.

Let's focus on how these groups impact hardware assembly for applications such as RADAR, signal intelligence, countermeasure systems, electronic warfare suites, communications, and air transport racks. In particular, the draft VITA 66.5 standard defines blind mate fiber optic interconnects for VITA 46 virtual path cross-connect (VPX) backplanes and plug-in modules that overcome VMEbus performance limitations.

Aligning with OpenVPX

The OpenVPX standard developed by VITA defines system-level VPX interoperability for multi-vendor, multi-module, integrated system environments. It provides the basis for the technical standard from SOSA, which relies on VITA to create new related standards such as the VITA 66.5 hybrid radio frequency/optical fiber connector module specifications. One area where the two organizations diverge is on primary VPX power: SOSA requires only VS1 (12 V), while VITA encompasses VS1, VS2 (3.3 V), and VS3 (5 V).

VITA/SOSA standards efforts ensure VPX connectors will mate with plug-in modules from other manufacturers, providing product designers with a broader array of compatible components and faster design cycles.

VITA 66.5 also supports mounting transceivers on the edge of plug-in boards on a VITA 66 module frame, saving valuable board space.

Amphenol SV Microwave (SV Microwave), a participant in the SOSA electromechanical hardware group, began supplying VITA 66.5 RF/Fiber Hybrid Connectors in early 2024 for use in high-reliability, high-density aerospace and defense applications. SV Microwave provides a wide range of board mount connectors, from edge-launched to right-angle to vertical.

The SV Microwave VITA 66.5 connectors product line relies on elements from the VITA 66 and the VITA 67 specifications to combine fiber and RF signals within one module. They comply with the latest SOSA technical standard and are designed for side-by-side implementation with other VITA-standard connectors.

The connectors are available in the sub-miniature push-on micro (SMPM) form factor and the smaller sub-miniature push-on micro, sub micro (SMPS), both rated for 500 mating cycles. A unique connector retention mechanism provides for significant ease of assembly and disassembly.

The 9311-60215 (Figure 1) from SV Microwave provides 14 RF and 3 MT fiber ports in an SMPM connector that snaps into the backplane with an insertion force of 1.2 pounds per contact and a withdrawal force of 1 pound.

Figure 1: Amphenol SV Microwave's SMPM 9311-60215 VITA 66.5 plug-in hybrid module. (Source: Amphenol SV Microwave)

The 9311-60214 (Figure 2) is an SMPS connector with 19 RF and 3 MT fiber ports, with the same insertion and withdrawal force specifications as the 9311-60215.

Figure 2: The SMPS 9321-6010 VITA 66.5 plug-in hybrid module. (Source: Amphenol SV Microwave)

With blind-mate and simplified cable routing, the SV Microwave connectors allow assemblers and technicians to create reliable optical connections seamlessly. These features also reduce Mean-Time-To-Repair (MTTR), easing field maintenance as they allow for more readily and speedily swapping out new boards and components.

Conclusion

The VITA and SOSA standardization represent collaboratively designed standard architecture opportunities to expand military and aerospace application revenues.