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To meet the higher performance and density requirements for many of the newer defense applications, embedded system designers are turning to VMEbus-based VPX (VITA 46) technology with built-in support for high-speed serial fabrics. One of the latest examples is the XPedite5170 from Extreme Engineering Solutions, a 3U single board computer featuring Freescale Semiconductor’s dual-core MPC8640D processor. The module delivers PowerPC performance with AltiVec technology and dual e600 cores running up to 1.25 GHz. Memory options include two channels of 1 to 4 GB of DDR2-533 SDRAM, up to 4 GB of NAND flash and 256 MB of NOR flash. Serial interfaces include dual gigabit Ethernet ports plus PCI Express or Serial RapidIO Fat Pipe interconnects. The XPedite5170 P2 connector also includes two RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 serial ports, I²C, and PMC I/O. Software support includes board and language support packages for Green Hills INTEGRITY, Wind River VxWorks, QNX Neutrino, and Linux. The XPedite5170 module is shipping today along with the XPand1000 development chassis. Pricing varies from $6,000 to $8,000 depending on ruggedization level, memory configuration, and quantity purchased.