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Aerospace & Defense
Precision-Guided Munitions
FPGAs for guidance, navigation, and target identification in SWaP-C-constrained munitions.
Guidance Under SWaP-C Pressure
Precision-guided munitions require accurate navigation, target identification, and real-time decisions in contested environments, from guided artillery to loitering munitions and missile systems, all within tight size, weight, power, and cost limits.
Altera FPGAs integrate high-speed processing, adaptable I/O, and real-time signal processing into a single device, enabling sensor fusion, precision guidance, navigation, autonomy, and secure communications with low latency and high reliability.
The Challenges, and Why FPGA
The Challenge
Tight SWaP-C Limits
Guided munitions leave minimal space, weight, power, or cost budget for electronics.
Why FPGA
Single-Chip Integration
Agilex 3 and 5 consolidate guidance and sensor processing onto one device.
The Challenge
Real-Time Target Tracking
Guidance systems must track and react to targets with minimal latency.
Why FPGA
Deterministic Signal Processing
Parallel hardware delivers the low-latency tracking and guidance loops munitions need.
The Challenge
Contested EW Environments
Munitions must maintain guidance and comms under active jamming and spoofing.
Why FPGA
Resilient, Reconfigurable Logic
Reprogrammable designs adapt guidance and comms algorithms as threats evolve.
Why Altera
Agilex 3 & 5 for Compact Guidance
Power- and cost-optimized SoC FPGAs fit tightly constrained munitions electronics.
Nios V Soft Processors
Flexible embedded processing for guidance and control logic alongside signal processing.
Direct RF for Seeker Payloads
Agilex 9 Direct RF supports radar and RF seeker front ends in a single device.
Proven Reference Designs
Marine pulse-Doppler radar and direction-of-arrival designs jump-start development.
Get Started
More Aerospace & Defense Applications
Radar
High-performance FPGA SoCs for real-time radar signal capture, processing, beamforming, tracking.
Electronic Warfare (EW)
Reconfigurable FPGA solutions for low-latency, deterministic, and wideband electronic support, protection, and attack modalities.
Secure Communication
Software-defined, SWaP-optimized FPGAs for secure, tamper-resistant military communications.
Avionics
Powering Safer, Smarter Avionics with DO-254-Capable FPGAs. Enabling high-performance cockpit displays, sensor fusion, and mission-critical computing.
Drones & UAVs
Scalable FPGAs from Group 1 to Group 5 unmanned systems and decoy platforms
Common Questions
SWaP-C means size, weight, power and cost. These constraints shape compact electronics, where Altera FPGA product options combine embedded processing and programmable interfaces in one device. The integration discussion identifies product capabilities without establishing system-level performance or qualification.
Altera features Agilex 3 and Agilex 5 as power- and cost-conscious SoC FPGA options. Altera Agilex 5 platform combines embedded processors, DSP resources and programmable logic in a compact device. Explore Agilex 5 SoC FPGA products
Embedded Arm processors and Nios V soft processor IP are identified alongside FPGA resources. They bring embedded computing together with programmable hardware, giving technical buyers processor and IP options to review within thecompact electronics product portfolio. Explore Nios V FPGA soft processors
Altera FPGA platform combines processing and adaptable I/O in a single device. This product approach brings multiple electronics functions together, with compact integration addressing the size, weight, power and cost considerations described for the application.
Altera provides FPGA families, development kits and software resources such as DSP Builder, Nios V, video IP and security content. These links give technical buyers a starting point for reviewing the broader Altera product portfolio. Explore Altera Aerospace and defense FPGA portfolio
Programmable I/O provides adaptable interfaces alongside embedded processing within an FPGA device. Altera product resources present this flexibility together with compact integration, allowing technical buyers to review connectivity and computing capabilities within the size, weight, power and cost constraints of their electronics platform.