RedHawk™ on X86 Architecture

Modern warfare demands speed, precision, and reliability—especially in artillery radar and Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) operations, where decisions must be made in fractions of a second. Traditional operating systems often fall short in these mission-critical environments due to latency and unpredictable performance. RedHawk™ Linux, however, is purpose-built for deterministic real-time computing, delivering ultra-low latency and jitter-free responsiveness that ensure critical data is processed exactly when it’s needed.

X86 System Configurations

• 1U/2U: for constrained spaces; support fewer PCIe cards; well-suited for controller/HIL (hardware-in-the-loop) host nodes. Recommended 7StarLake Products: THOR11-D27 (1U), HORUS440-H6 (2U), 7SL-R760 (2U).
• 3U/4U: accommodate multiple GPUs/FPGA/DAQ and RCIM timing cards; ample space for high-slot configurations (real-time I/O, multi-NIC); support a wide range of PCIe cards. Recommended 7StarLake Product: HORUS660 (4U).
• Tower/desktop: ideal for benchtop prototypes or classroom lab or development setups. They provide full RedHawk™ Linux real-time capabilities and support RCIM timing/interrupt cards. 

System Topology

The architecture consists of 4× THOR11-D27 nodes connected to an SN2010-AA-HSC 100 GbE switch, which in turn interfaces with external RF receivers. The switch provides 4× 40/100 GbE and 18× 10/25 GbE ports, delivering an aggregate fabric capacity of ~1.7 Tb/s. Each THOR node connects via 4× 100 GbE (QSFP28) links into the switch.

How it Works

Why RedHawk™ Matters Here

• Bounded jitter under load: RT kernel + CPU/IRQ shielding keep RX pollers and ISR paths on isolated cores; great for 100 GbE bursts. 
• NightStar helps find priority inversions/affinity mistakes fast.
• Deterministic scheduling & tracing: You can tune policies, pin interrupts, and verify latency budgets with NightTrace/NightTune. (Optional)

Minimal Timing Plan

Run linuxptp on all THOR nodes. Configure the SN2010 switch as a boundary or transparent clock, and synchronize receivers if they support PTP. If a GPS/IRIG gateway is added later, the switch will cleanly distribute time across all four hosts. 4 hosts

• RT VMs: If you must segregate functions, KVM-RT keeps guest deadlines tight (sub-10 µs worst-case on certified HW). Most DSP stays native, though.

Modern battlefields are no longer defined solely by range and payload, but by the ability to survive and act effectively in a contested electromagnetic environment. For the Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS), this means evolving from a mass-fire artillery system into a precision, networked, and spectrum-resilient strike platform. The demands are clear: launchers must communicate securely even under jamming, integrate real-time targeting data from UAVs and satellites, and adjust trajectories mid-flight when GPS signals are denied. These requirements point directly to advanced radio-frequency applications.

 

Phased-array and Massive MIMO antennas allow MLRS units to maintain directional, high-capacity links while also functioning as distributed sensors. Adaptive RF processing enables resilient command and control, rapid fire-control loops, and cooperative targeting across dispersed launchers. By embedding these RF-driven capabilities, MLRS transitions from a reactive fire support asset into an intelligent battlefield node—capable of delivering precision effects while contributing to electromagnetic dominance and joint operations.

How It Works

Node A (front-end & fan-out):
RF chains hit the 3× RFSoC boards → on-FPGA DDC/filters/channelization/PDW pre-extract → PCIe DMA into Node-A RAM. RedHawk™ user-space pollers format & push subsets (streams or PDWs) over the Dolphin PCIe NTB to Nodes B/C using eXpressWare (RDMA/DMA).

Node B (mid-band DSP):
Range-Doppler/CFAR/association; sends tracks/feature tensors to Node C via NTB.

Node C (GPU exploitation):
RTX 5000 Ada runs deep nets for emitter ID/behavior; results loop back to B/A for fusion/record.

Timing & Coherency

The PCIe fabric itself doesn’t distribute a house time; use PTP (1588) on a management NIC or a hardware timing source (IRIG-B/PPS via a timing card) so PDWs from A/B/C share a common epoch. Concurrent’s RCIM IV adds a synchronized 64-bit clock and distributed interrupts if you want hard start/trigger across hosts.

Why RedHawk™ Matters Here

• DMA determinism: Shielded cores for DMA pollers and ISR handling keep PCIe latencies bounded when three RFSoCs are pushing at once. 
• NightTrace shows end-to-end gaps (ISR→poller→GPU).
• Multi-node orchestration: With SCHED_FIFO loops on each box and (optionally) distributed interrupts from RCIM IV, you can coordinate deterministic “arm/capture” or replay across all nodes.

Multiple Launch Rocket System over PCIe Fabric

The integration of RedHawk™ Linux with ruggedized servers on X86 and PCIe fabric architectures is reshaping the operational capabilities of artillery radar and Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). Traditional fire-control and targeting systems often rely on centralized computing resources, which can introduce latency and limit scalability. By contrast, real-time Linux combined with distributed PCIe fabrics enables deterministic, ultra-low-latency performance across multiple compute nodes. This architecture allows radar data, sensor inputs, and targeting algorithms to be processed in parallel, ensuring that tracking, guidance, and fire-control decisions are executed with speed and precision, even in complex and dynamic battlefield environments. The result is a system that can adapt in real time, improving both responsiveness and accuracy during high-stakes operations. 

Looking ahead, 7StarLake is committed to advancing this vision—delivering compact, mission-ready edge systems that combine GPU acceleration, modular PCIe fabrics, and military-grade ruggedization. This foundation not only strengthens today’s artillery and rocket systems, but also paves the way for future applications in intelligent warfare, electronic defense, and autonomous battlefield operations.