Lockheed - Kill Vehicle Architecture

 

Lockheed is in the process of developing an electronic system called `Kill Vehicle' for the next generation of defensive missiles [29, 30]. The system is composed of four functional subsystems, each implemented in a separate ASIS MCM as follows:

  
Figure: Lockheed's Kill Vehicle Architecture with ASIS MCMs.

Every subsystem is implemented in an MCM as follows:

• A Preprocessor: This is an MCM which takes analog output from Infra-Red (IR) pixels, converts the analog signal into a digital format that is, in turn, transferred to a time dependent systolic array processor. The preprocessor MCM contains all the analog-to-digital converters, which are mounted onto an active silicon substrate using flip-chip technology.
• Time Dependent Processor: This is a single input multiple data (SIMD) computer architecture, consisting of a systolic array pixel mapping processor which processes light intensity patterns into patterns which can be further analysed for identification. The systolic array time dependent processor consists of an array of flip-chips mounted over an active substrate. The expected operation speed for this module is 164 billion single bit instructions per second at a 40 MHz clock speed.
• Object Dependent Processor: This is responsible for motor stabilisation and time averaging, target acquisition and centroiding, target estimation and tracking, CSO (unknown acronym) resolution, and colour discrimination. This is a 64-bit processor designed to operate at 200 MIPS or more.
• Guidance and Control Processor: This controls and directs actions to the kill vehicle propulsion system. The architecture of this processor is similar to the architecture of the Object Dependent Processor.

The size of every MCM is 2 2 in , except the preprocessor stage which has a 1 2 in size. The modules were implemented so that they can be stacked in a 3D form in order to achieve close placement of functional elements of memory and support logic circuits.

The performance parameters of this system are

• 1,000 frames per second
• 256x256 Infrared (IR) pixel arrays
• Small volume of a few cubic inches
• Weight of less than 3 pounds

The applications of this system include:

• defensive missiles
• space satellites
• real time data acquisition and processing
• space based sensor processors
• workstations and supercomputers.

The `Kill Vehicle' system shows the importance and the need for real time signal processing, which requires very high throughput of data with very small size electronics for portability issues. This system was listed in this chapter because it resembles the envisaged structure for the 3D demonstration device.