AdaCore Partners with SCHEME for Aerospace Microprocessor Project

Microprocessor design and manufacture in the aerospace industry is a highly intricate process. Traditionally, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) microprocessors designed for automotive and general-purpose applications have been repurposed for aerospace use. However, this approach presents challenges such as obsolescence, complexity, and design trade-offs that have long-term cost implications. With the need for more advanced, autonomous, and connected aerospace systems to meet net-zero targets, there is a growing demand for cyber-secure solutions. Repurposing COTS processors to meet these evolving requirements is both complex and non-cost-effective due to the additional burden of certifying products.

Enter SCHEME, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at developing a new generation of safety-critical and cyber-secure microprocessors specifically tailored for aerospace applications. The project will involve engineering the microprocessor and its support infrastructure from the ground up to offer a long-term, cost-effective, and high-integrity solution. By creating a bespoke microprocessor, SCHEME aims to reduce design and through-life costs, ensure a secure supply chain, and shield against the global challenges faced by the semiconductor industry.

SCHEME is poised to provide the UK with a cutting-edge microprocessor platform that can be deployed not only in aerospace but also in adjacent sectors where safety criticality and cyber security are paramount. This includes emerging industries crucial to the UK economy, such as autonomous vehicles and small modular nuclear reactors. Moreover, the consortium behind SCHEME has the potential to offer a comprehensive packaged solution for high-integrity systems development to a wide range of customers, both domestically and internationally.

Jan Góralczyk, Programme Manager at Rolls-Royce, emphasized the importance of AdaCore's involvement in the SCHEME project. He praised AdaCore's expertise in delivering high-integrity software solutions, highlighting their professionalism in compilation tooling, processor simulation, and dynamic analysis. Góralczyk expressed confidence that AdaCore's industry knowledge and technical proficiency will play a crucial role in achieving the project's objectives and ensuring its relevance to the evolving needs of the aerospace sector.

Another key aspect of the SCHEME project is the development of a robust software tool infrastructure to support the microprocessor platform. Kyriakos Georgiou, SCHEME's Project Manager at AdaCore, underscored the alignment between the project and AdaCore's commitment to providing trustworthy software tools for high-integrity applications. The AdaCore UK R&D Centre of Excellence is well-positioned to deliver software development and verification tools that streamline the development process and reduce costs for safety-critical and cyber-secure applications.