Figure 4: Vicor’s VITA 62 power supplies are MIL-COTS power supplies that are designed for 3U and 6U OpenVPX systems. They are qualified to MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-704, and MIL-STD-461 and feature modular internal architectures that support non-standard output configurations for Europe and beyond
defence electronics supply chain, a manufacturer that sits at the top of its own supply chain can prioritize its own card programs and respond to disruptions faster than a supplier that sources components externally.
Figure 2: A design based on modular components can be easily adapted to suit late-stage changes or to design a family of products that require just modest powered adjustments.
This consideration is particularly pertinent to European defence programs, as they frequently deviate from the U.S.- developed SOSA baseline. By choosing qualified solutions with modular designs, European designers can easily serve a wide range of allied-nation programs and applications, each with different output requirements, without a full qualification restart.
Consideration 3: Power density headroom While the VPX form factor is fixed, the power a card can deliver in that envelope does not have to be. Today, programs typically specify 28 V input cards delivering around 800 W in a single 3U slot. However, next-generation electronic warfare, directed-energy, and AI-at-the-edge payloads are already pushing requirements toward 1 kW and beyond within the same form factor. A supplier whose card is already at the ceiling of its internal topology has no upgrade path within the slot, and meeting the higher power requirement would mean a new board design, a new qualification campaign, and a new chassis integration effort. Those costs quickly multiply when applied across an entire program family.
Instead, designers should work with suppliers whose internal modules continue to improve in power density. For example, a supplier using modular, evolving DC-DC converter technology can increase card output as modules advance, without changing the board footprint or triggering a new chassis qualification. Power density headroom also frees adjacent slots. A 3U power card that delivers more output per slot leaves room for additional payload cards, expanding system capabilities without requiring a larger chassis. For those reasons, engineers evaluating power card suppliers should ask about the supplier’s internal module roadmap.
Consideration 4: Supplier depth and vertical integration
SOSA’s competitive ecosystem delivers value only if its suppliers can meet program volumes even as they scale.
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Figure 3: The ideal supplier has a unique combination of engineering expertise, modular design approach, and vertical integration.
Consider that a single-platform production contract can require tens of thousands of units per year, and that a multi- platform award could extend that across multiple production lines for decades. Keeping the program running for that long and at that scale requires a supplier that can genuinely demonstrate a stable supply chain, manufacturing capacity, and financial continuity.
Vertically integrated suppliers are significantly better suited to meet such demands, as shown in Figure 3. For example, a supplier that manufactures its DC-DC converter modules at its own facilities controls the most important elements of its bill of materials without relying on external vendors. Such a supplier can plan its own production directly, without an intermediate tier to absorb or amplify supply chain disruptions.
A supplier that sells those modules to other VPX card developers also has real-time upstream visibility into the supply chain. Should allocation pressure build across the
For European buyers evaluating a U.S.-based supplier for the first time, financial stability and manufacturing depth should carry as much weight as the technical specification. A power card that performs well in qualification but comes from a supplier who can’t scale with the program is not a long-term solution.
VPX cards built on power dense, scalable power modules
Freedom Power, a Vicor company, produces 3U and 6U VPX power cards that meet many of these challenges. Built on Vicor’s DCM and BCM converter modules, Freedom Power’s cards: Are qualified to MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-704, and MIL- STD-461, with test results on record
Feature modular internal architectures that support non- standard output configurations for Europe and beyond
Currently deliver 800 W in the 3U form factor, with a clear roadmap to achieve 1.2 kW outputs in the same envelope
Benefit from Vicor’s vertical integration in the ecosystem for greater reliability and unit cost at program scale With this unique combination of features, these power modules are a powerful choice for defence designers domestically or abroad.
When the rack gets upgraded, which card stays in?
As NATO allies and European primes adopt VPX-based open architectures, backplane hardware interoperability has become a baseline expectation. But while every card meets the interface requirement, deeper considerations like qualification depth, architectural flexibility, and supply chain stability will ultimately determine a system’s long-term success.
By working with suppliers like Freedom Power and Vicor, defence engineers can design defence electronics that meet today’s requirements and scale with the program as payloads advance or geographies expand. Want to learn more? Check out Vicor’s lineup of SOSA-aligned power supplies.
https://www.vicorpower.com/mil-cots/power-systems/ sosa
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