Leonardo selects Wind River VxWorks for software-defined RF

Wind River has recently announced a significant partnership with Leonardo, a prominent player in the aerospace, defence, and security industries. Leonardo has chosen the VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) to drive software-defined advancements in its cutting-edge, safety-related RF system on multicore processor architectures. This strategic decision aims to address the challenge of utilizing various multi-core processor architectures in a software-defined environment for different system functions within the Leonardo RF system.

By leveraging VxWorks, Leonardo will establish a common application runtime environment across processor architectures, facilitating the development of applications to run on VxWorks. These applications will undergo DO-178C DAL C certification, ensuring compliance with stringent safety standards. Jay Bellissimo, president of Wind River, emphasized the transformative potential of multi-core processors in driving a software-defined world, opening up new opportunities for advancements in aerospace and defence systems.

VxWorks is renowned for delivering unmatched deterministic high performance, establishing itself as the standard for a scalable, safe, secure, and reliable operating environment for mission-critical computing. The collaboration between Wind River and Leonardo aims to assist companies in navigating the evolving technology landscape, enhancing system performance and longevity while mitigating program and certification risks.

One of the key strengths of VxWorks lies in its flexible support for both single-core and multi-core configurations on different architectures. This versatility enables individual systems to be tailored based on specific application performance and safety certification requirements. With a proven track record in the most demanding safety-critical applications, Wind River technology simplifies and streamlines the process for organizations seeking to meet rigorous safety certification standards such as EN 50128, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, and DO-178C / ED-12C.

Notably, VxWorks stands out as the first and only commercial RTOS that offers support for Open Container Initiative (OCI)–compliant containers. Its OCI container implementation features a lightweight, minimal footprint in conjunction with VxWorks Real-Time Processes (RTP). This innovative approach enables the development of containerized applications on VxWorks, empowering Leonardo to swiftly deploy new software-defined capabilities and stay at the forefront of technological advancements in the industry.

It is evident that the collaboration between Wind River and Leonardo represents a significant step towards driving innovation and enhancing the capabilities of aerospace and defence systems. By harnessing the power of VxWorks, Leonardo is poised to achieve greater efficiency, reliability, and security in its RF system, ultimately benefiting both the company and its customers. The adoption of VxWorks underscores the commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving demands of the aerospace and defence sectors.