If you are developing embedded hardware such as aerospace, military, unmanned equipment and individual command terminals, you will definitely encounter the same thorny problem: traditional modular computing standards such as OpenVPX and reinforced micro-TCA have stable performance, but their volume, weight and power consumption (SWaP) are too large to meet the needs of current miniaturized mission equipment. The VNX (ANSI/VITA 90) standard, which was officially certified by ANSI in July 2026, perfectly solves this pain point. It is an ultra-small, fully modular and open computing architecture specifically for various mission-critical devices limited by SWaP. Samtec's full series of high-speed interconnection devices are the designated reference connection hardware for all VNX systems, while BonChip Electronics are the regular full-line distributors of Samtec's full series of VNX connectors, power supply modules and RF/optical fiber contacts. We support one-stop inquiry and ordering of components, have stable short-term delivery capability, and provide exclusive technical supporting services for all embedded projects based on VITA 90 standard.

1. what is VNX (ANSI/VITA 90)?

VNX was upgraded and iterated by the VITA 90 Technical Working Group on the basis of the original VITA 74 VNX standard, and at the same time standardized four standardized layered architectures: device control layer, high-speed data transmission layer, hardware expansion layer, and peripheral interface layer. The complete set of VITA 90 specifications are all designed for mission-critical equipment-every point increase in equipment volume and weight will directly shorten the endurance of the aircraft, reduce the operating time of unmanned equipment, and increase the load of individual soldiers.

Intuitive volume comparison data can clearly reflect the size advantage of VNX: the following figure compares the relative volume of mainstream reinforced embedded standards: the relative volume of the basic 13mm single-height VNX module is only 0.75, while the 19mm single-height version is 1.0; However, the compact reinforced uTCA of the same specification has a minimum model volume of 1.6 and a minimum thermal conductivity cooling 3U OpenVPX module volume of 2.7. Even VNX dual-height large-size modules take up much less space than similar competing computing boards.

All VNX systems consist of two core components: a plug-in module (PIM, which is responsible for computing and signal acquisition) and a backplane (BP, the whole machine bus carrier, connecting all plug-in modules in series). The whole set of system interconnection and positioning hardware are all designed and certified by Samtec's original factory. The BonChip Electronics all-category Samtec VNX certified components, including SEARAY high-speed array connector, radio frequency coaxial contact module and reinforced optical fiber ferrule assembly, support global customers to place orders and deliver goods quickly.

VITA 90 VNX six subdivision standards, covering all the design aspects of the whole machine

The complete VNX specification is divided into 6 sets of independent standards, each performing its own duties, significantly reducing the threshold of hardware design and ensuring cross-device compatibility:

VITA 90.0 Foundation General StandardUniform specification of the external dimensions of the plug-in module: the substrate is fixed at 89mm × 78mm, divided into 4 height specifications (13mm, 19mm single height; 27mm, 39mm double height). At the same time define the core interconnection scheme Samtec SEARAY™Connector, support 56Gbps PAM4 high-speed signal; with SureWare™Precision positioning mechanism, equipped with first ground, after break signal (FMLB) protection structure. The FMLB structure will complete the grounding of the whole machine before the signal contacts are in contact. When the unmanned aerial vehicle and ground combat equipment are blindly plugged and replaced on-site, electrostatic breakdown of components will be completely avoided and the stability of the equipment will be greatly improved. VITA 90.4 supplements the mechanical structure specifications for module locking, installation and heat dissipation.

1. VITA 90.1 Configuration Specification TableFormulate unified slot and signal naming rules to ensure that any VNX plug-in module is fully adapted to the backplane. Compatible with all types of signals such as Ethernet, PCIe, USB, HDMI, CoaXPress, SDI, military STANAG 3350 video, RF coaxial, CAN bus, etc. Engineers can freely match peripheral interfaces without re-customizing the underlying circuits.

2. VITA 90.2 Fiber & RF Connector Module (CM)Under the premise of not changing the size of VNX standard board, the integrated hybrid I/O module eliminates the external adapter board and greatly reduces the size of the whole machine. The module supports two types of coaxial contacts: 50Ω specification carries up to 110GHz radio frequency signal, which is suitable for radar and wireless communication; 75Ω specification is suitable for high-definition monitoring video; At the same time, it is compatible with MT ferrule fiber to realize large bandwidth lossless data transmission. The industry mainstream uses Samtec GPCC-16/GPCC-20 coaxial contacts, FireFly/FireHawk optoelectronic transceivers to build the module.

3. VITA 90.3 Power Subsystem StandardBased on the same SEARAY connector, four types of standardized power supply hardware are designed: power conversion unit PSU, high voltage regulation unit PCU, EMI filter unit PFU conforming to MIL-STD-461 standards, and short-time power-off standby energy storage unit ESU. The SEARAY contact has undergone rigorous derating tests: the ordinary differential signal single pin carries 1A, and the multi-pin parallel high-power power supply scenario drops to 0.6A, which can work continuously in a high and low temperature environment of -40 ℃ ~ 85 ℃, and is suitable for extreme working conditions such as desert ground vehicles and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles.

4. VITA 90.4 heat dissipation, installation and locking structureStandardize the full thermal conductivity heat dissipation scheme, the wedge lock quick plug structure, and the single-module bulkhead installation scheme. Many small satellites and individual C5ISR command equipment only need 1~2 VNX boards, and the bulkhead installation structure can save the complete rack backplane, further reducing weight and capacity. The wedge lock structure takes into account both rapid disassembly and heat conduction efficiency, and is suitable for field equipment that requires frequent maintenance.

5. VITA 90.5 SpaceVNX (preparation of draft for initiation in January 2026)VNX aerospace-specific derivative standards are still in the research and development phase. On the basis of the existing ground version architecture to adapt to low-orbit satellites, anti-radiation space loads, new single-sided heat dissipation, multi-sided connector layout, redundant interconnection design, can resist space radiation environment damage, adapt to all kinds of low-cost short-life cubic star projects.

2. why military aerospace manufacturers prefer VNX over traditional reinforcement calculation standards

OpenVPX, micro-TCA equipment calculation force is sufficient, but the volume, weight redundancy is serious, can not adapt to small task equipment. The VITA 90 working group locked in five core design goals when developing VNX, perfectly matching the hard requirements of military projects:

1. Significantly reduce the overall SWaP indicators, while not reducing high-speed data transmission performance;

2. Support full heat conduction heat dissipation, no cooling fan, to meet the dust and waterproof requirements of sealed reinforcement equipment;

3. Integrated high-density RF coaxial and optical peripheral interfaces in a very small board space;

4. Fully in line with the U.S. Department of Defense MOSA modular open system requirements, compatible with SOSA sensor architecture;

5. All commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components are used to reduce research and development costs and shorten the platform upgrade cycle.

6. All VNX machines follow the MOSA open architecture, which is the mandatory entry standard for most U.S. military and aerospace projects. When the equipment needs to replace sensors, upgrade computing chips, and add new communication radios, engineers only need to replace a single VNX plug-in module separately, without redesigning the whole machine, and the equipment upgrade cycle of military manufacturers can be reduced from months to weeks.

7. VNX real landing application scenario, supporting the actual use of income.

8. At present, VNX hardware has landed in large quantities on various harsh working conditions task platforms, and each scene can visually reflect the actual value brought by miniaturization:

9. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)The load space of small tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle is extremely limited. The original OpenVPX avionics board card is replaced with VNX + scheme, and the weight of avionics can be reduced by 60%. After the weight margin is increased, the battery-powered drone will extend its endurance by 25% to 40%, which is crucial for long-term reconnaissance missions on the border. Trident Infosol has launched a commercial VNX + small computer, which is specially adapted to UAV radar and aerial photography loads.

10. Underwater Unmanned Vehicle (UUV)The internal space of the sealed pressure-resistant compartment is small in land and gold, and the VNX compact board can be fitted into a narrow pressure-resistant shell. With VITA 90.2 optical fiber module to transmit sonar high-speed data, thick copper cables are omitted and underwater navigation resistance is reduced.

11. Wearable C5ISR Command TerminalSoldiers' wearable vest and wrist-mounted command equipment integrate communication, reconnaissance and positioning operation units. The 13mm single-height VNX module can greatly reduce the volume of the whole wearable equipment, and reduce the load of soldiers without deleting any signals and operation functions.

12. Missile, launcher reconnaissance podThere is no extra space for the temporary monitoring equipment of missile guidance cabin and launch barrel to accommodate large computer racks. VNX modular design can stack multiple computing, radio frequency and video processing boards in narrow cylindrical cabin.

13. Cubic satellite, low orbit small satellite (SpaceVNX supporting)Traditional small satellites rely on customized large-scale computing boards, and the VITA 90.5 space version of VNX, which is still under development, will introduce standardized radiation-resistant compact modules.

14. On-board electronic equipment for ships and land armorArmored vehicles and patrol ships all adopt sealed heat-conducting chassis. The VNX wedge lock fixing structure meets the MIL-STD-810 vibration and impact standards and operates stably under bumpy roads and continuous vibration of waves.
    
    

3. Samtec Interconnect Devices: The Hardware Foundation of a Complete VNX System

Samtec connectors are the only underlying interconnect hardware specified in the ANSI/VITA 90 standard, and the three core product lines support the full VNX functionality:

1. SEARAY™High Speed Digital Connector

All VNX plug-in modules, backplane universal host connector, supporting 56Gbps PAM4 high-speed serial data. Provide 30/40/50 columns of various specifications, adapt to 16.67cm inch/full-size RF optical fiber module layout, contacts through military-grade vibration, high and low temperature cycle rigorous testing. BonChip Electronics full-model standing VITA 90.0, VITA 90.3 power supply special SEARAY connector, support sample small batch, mass production large order fast quotation, global flexible delivery.

2. VITA 90.2 Connector Module (CM) RF Fiber Hybrid Assembly

Prefabricated integrated hybrid I/O module with integrated Samtec GPCC series coaxial RF contacts and MT fiber ferrule. The standard is divided into seven module models of A ~ G, covering the requirements of radar radio frequency, high-definition video and multi-channel optical fiber combination. The plug-in module module is paired with the backplane module one by one, and no secondary modification is required for direct assembly. The whole set of modules can complete 500 blind insertion operations without attenuation of signal performance. A single module can accommodate up to 24 channels of 110GHz GPCC-20 coaxial contacts or two groups of 24-core optical fiber interfaces.

3. AcceleRate®HD QMC Mezzanine Connector (VITA 93 Standard)

If you need additional board-to-board expansion and do not want to increase the size of VNX board, you can choose 1/4 size QMC mezzanine card with ultra-thin AcceleRate HD connector, which supports up to 64Gbps PAM4 transmission rate. The mezzanine card can be directly assembled on the standard VNX carrier board, expanding the sensor signal acquisition and signal conversion hardware without breaking the original height limit.

4. the relationship between VNX and SOSA, MOSA and OpenVPX ecology

The SOSA Sensor Open Architecture Alliance, jointly established by U.S. defense agencies and aerospace manufacturers, formalized VNX as the preferred small modular computing standard for SWaP-limited sensor loads in version 2.x of the technical specification.

OpenVPX are mostly used in large rack vehicles and radar machines. VNX and it adopt consistent data, control and extended layered logic, and Samtec interconnect devices realize cross-platform compatibility of the two standards. Hardware manufacturers can reuse OpenVPX wiring, thermal design experience to develop VNX equipment, significantly shorten the new product development cycle. If your project is equipped with SOSA, OpenVPX and VNX multi-specification hardware at the same time, BonChip Electronics can be equipped with all matching Samtec interconnection components in one stop, without docking with multiple suppliers, thus simplifying the procurement process.

5. Select BonChip Electronics One-Stop Sourcing to Simplify VNX Component Supply Chain

Research and development, mass production of VITA 90 VNX embedded system, need to purchase a large number of dedicatedHigh Speed ConnectorRF coaxial contacts, fiber core, power module accessories. There is no need to connect with multiple manufacturers and wait for a long delivery period. As a regular authorized distributor of Samtec VNX full range of products, BonChip Electronics can meet the supply needs of all categories.

We always have full-specification SEARAY digital connectors, 7 types of VITA 90.2 hybrid CM modules, FireFly/FireHawk optoelectronic transceivers, AcceleRate HD QMC mezzanine hardware, and VITA 90 matching power contacts. The dedicated technical team can accurately match Samtec items according to your VITA 90 specification requirements and provide batch discounts for military and aerospace original factory purchases. Flexible global logistics scheme shortens the project waiting period. Whether you are purchasing research and development samples in small batches, or preparing unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites and vehicle-mounted military equipment for mass production, BonChip Electronics can provide stable supply of components and supporting after-sales technical support for the whole process.

6. industry development summary

As drones, underwater unmanned equipment, individual military terminals, and small satellites continue to iterate towards miniaturization, the market demand for miniaturized high-performance modular embedded computing devices will continue to rise. VNX (ANSI/VITA 90) fills the gap in the industry. A set of standards also takes into account MOSA/SOSA open compliance, ultra-small size, high-density RF fiber interface, and military-grade ruggedized reliability. Samtec's mature interconnection solution, as a standard underlying hardware support, overlays the supply chain advantages of BonChip Electronics a full range of spot ordering and efficient delivery, allowing hardware designers to land VNX mission equipment faster and shorten the time to market.