Computers and Power Systems

General Dynamics Canada specializes in custom design, manufacture and support of conduction-cooled ruggedized computers for extremely harsh environments. Starting in 1948 with Naval computer systems, GD Canada involvement in land battlefield computing commenced with selection by the US Army in the mid-1970s to provide the world's first fully digital ballistic computer system for the Abrams Main Battle Tank.

Having produced over 10,000 ballistic computers for tank fire control systems, the demand for GD Canada ruggedized computers has significantly expanded to include:

• Fire Control not only for tanks but also for artillery, mortars, multiple launch rocket systems, and infantry fighting vehicles;
• Situational Awareness;
• Command and Control; and
• Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition.

These ruggedized computers are designed for operation on the move, in wheeled and tracked combat and tactical vehicles, and to meet Military Standard 810 for Environmental Qualification, Military Standard 461 for Electro-Magnetic Compatibility and Interference and Military Standard 1275 for Power. GD Canada supplies ruggedized computer systems, and ruggedized power supplies are in service with the US Army, United States Marine Corps, Canadian Army and the armies of Allied nations, with four product types:

• Embedded Computers;
• Single Board Computers;
• Power Supplies; and,
• Smart Displays.

We specialize in the provision of products that are 100% compliant to our customer requirements. Products on this website are representative of the broad spectrum of GD Canada capabilities, and do not necessarily address everything that is available.

Embedded Computers

GD Canada ruggedized computers are fully environmentally sealed units, built around high performance, low power processors from the Intel® Embedded Products group. They incorporate Mil-Std 1275A Power supplies so that the units can be connected directly to "dirty" vehicle DC power. GD Canada Embedded Computer systems are designed specifically to accommodate technology insertion, in order to mitigate against obsolescence, and to meet customer performance requirements over the in-service life cycle of the combat or tactical system that the computer is supporting. GD Canada can quickly tailor and/or develop product to meet customer requirements.

Single Board Computers

GD Canada designs and manufactures conduction-cooled Single Board Computers (SBC) using Intel® processors. Currently available in 6U and 3U form factors for CompactPCI backplanes, GD Canada SBCs have been designed to be fully backward compatible with earlier models, and to be upgradeable via the change-out of processor, memory and I/O modules. These SBCs are used within GD Canada computer systems and sold as individual products. The volume of SBCs shipped will handily exceed the 10,000+ number of ballistic computers.

Power Supplies

Every GD Canada computer and display product has a GD Canada designed and developed power supply. We have developed power supply solutions for our own products, and power supplies that can be inserted into customer computer systems, such as our conduction-cooled, 6U, CompactPCI Single Board Power Supply. We are specialists in military vehicle/platform power systems, and the custom design and manufacture of power distribution systems, as evidenced by our M1A1 Abrams hull and turret network box redesign.

Smart Displays

Smart Displays combine GD Canada ruggedized computing and flat panel display expertise into single LRUs for installation into combat and tactical vehicles/platforms. Smart Displays provide a particularly versatile approach where available space and power are very limited. GD Canada designs allow various display and bezel combinations to be offered with standard Embedded or Single Board Computers.

If the product you seek is not on our website, please contact us. Our products are designed, manufactured and supported in-house. Why not put these resources to work for your requirement?