The current state of the military and aerospace industry is a rapidly growing and expanding field that uses cutting-edge technology to build lighter, faster, and more connected tools. In the age of electronic warfare, reliable communication capabilities are paired up with traditional warfighting vehicles and weapons, resulting in tools that never have just one job. This push for more complicated yet more adaptable systems requires design solutions that are lightweight yet rugged, with no margin for error. For more than 40 years, TTI has outfitted the military with the parts it needs to succeed and will continue to provide the groundwork for the next generation of warfare.
High-reliability Mil-Spec products require extensive testing, qualification, an approved quality system, baseline process control, tight tolerances with minimum variability and long-term product availability and support. These products procured to either military QPLM Specifications or source control drawings with additional testing support any specific customer application. TTI’s experience with ITAR products, DPAS, DOD related contracts (DO/DX ratings), and the associated assortment of complex testing requirements involved with high-reliability product enables TTI to more smoothly and reliably manage product pipelines. TTI has a portfolio of industry-leading suppliers that support a wide variety of configurations for any type of high-reliability application. Whether you require commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or highly customized, ruggedized product TTI can help you find a solution. Established reliability capacitor products:
NOTE: Capacitors conforming to a DLA Drawing are intended for use when military specifications do not exist and qualified military devices that will perform the required function are not available for OEM application.
High-reliability Mil-Spec products require extensive testing, qualification, an approved quality system, baseline process control, tight tolerances with minimum variability and long-term product availability and support. These products procured to either military QPLM Specifications or source control drawings with additional testing support any specific customer application. TTI’s experience with ITAR products, DPAS, DOD related contracts (DO/DX ratings), and the associated assortment of complex testing requirements involved with high-reliability product enables TTI to more smoothly and reliably manage product pipelines. TTI has a portfolio of industry-leading suppliers that support a wide variety of configurations for any type of high-reliability application. Whether you require commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or highly customized, ruggedized product TTI can help you find a solution. Established reliability resistor products:
Military and Defense, Aviation and Space applications have been key drivers of electrical interconnect systems and cabling design evolution for decades, and continue to do so today. Early design requirements focused on high reliability in harsh operating environments with connectors designed for ruggedness, field reparability, and primarily carrying high power. The operating conditions included high vibration and shock, extreme temperatures, moisture and fluid sealing, and durability for long life cycles. A wide range of circular and rectangular interconnect product families have been developed over the years to address these requirements and there is a long list of military, government, and customer specifications that govern the design and manufacture of these products.
While these requirements continue to be critical, modern applications incorporate sophisticated designs requiring interconnect systems carrying a combination of signal, data and power. These applications have been driving connector development focused on increasingly smaller size and lighter weight, higher density packaging, ability to carry higher power more efficiently, high speed/increased bandwidth, and protection from EMI/RFI and electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
TTI offers interconnect products to address this most demanding market from the leading manufacturers in the world. We provide available to sell and off-the-shelf inventory on all leading Mil-Spec products as well as the most current technology offered today. TTI is one of the world’s largest providers of Mil-Spec circular and rectangular connectors. We are authorized and approved by our manufacturers and government agencies such as DLA and NAVAIR to perform value-added assembly on these products.
Electromechanical is a broad term that is applied to a wide range of components. At TTI we apply the term to relays (including contactors), switches, and circuit breakers - primarily. We offer a wide range of these products designed and engineered to perform within the demanding requirements of the mil-aero and commercial aviation markets which include extreme shock and vibration, temperatures, and other harsh conditions while maintaining a high degree of reliability.
In addition to mil-spec and QPL products designed and qualified for these demanding applications, we also stock a wide range of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) products that perform equally as well in these critical applications.
TTI stocks one of the largest QPL offerings of relays and contactors that range from signal level power to hundreds of kilowatts. You can find AC and DC relays and contactors with switching capabilities from dry circuit up through 1,000 amp, and relays capable of switching up to 6 GHz signals, while others can handle voltages up to 70 kV.
We also have one of the widest offerings of harsh environment switches that include mil-spec toggle switches. Our line card offers products designed to meet various circuitry requirements that require multi-pole and multi-throw designs which provide the capability to make/carry/break unique electrical loads. Many of our products can be customized to accommodate differentiation in look and feel for different functions and/or added functionality.
TTI offers a variety of MIL-STD inductors, EMI filters, transformers and antenna solutions for your military, aerospace, manned and unmanned space, high-reliability applications and a broad and deep inventory of QPL products.
Today’s technology allows aircraft to be more safe, capable, and connected than ever. Strides in commercial aviation make it possible for one carrier to transport hundreds of people across the world in comfort, style, and timeliness, focusing on enhancing the passenger experience while maintaining pilot safety and accurate flight control. And military aerospace capabilities have been honed for speed, accuracy, and innovation.
To support these advances in technology, aviation components are becoming smaller and more lightweight, with the ability to support high bandwidth and density while maintaining signal integrity. Products must also be able to sustain extreme temperature and weather ranges while enduring heavy vibrations, pressure, and electromagnetic interference. And when it comes to connectivity, both commercial and military aviation applications are moving away from traditional protocols and towards Ethernet connections to support faster, more reliable operations.
Originally used by the military for dull, dirty, or dangerous missions, unmanned aerial vehicles today conduct a wide variety of military applications. From warfighting and combat missions to surveillance and data-gathering functions, UAVs are rapidly becoming an indispensable part of warfare operations.
Connector needs vary widely in the UAV industry—image capture-and-send units have different needs than capture-and-store units, and camera-bearing UAVs require specialized equipment and capabilities. As UAVs fly further and for longer periods of time, radio frequency capabilities must be able to operate in harsh environments, and higher data rates require high-speed digital protocols.
Size matters, too, whether it’s a GPS-guided UAV with a 60-foot wingspan or a radio-controlled drone the size of a hummingbird. The growing use of nano-UAVs—which are small enough to be attached to a soldier’s utility belt and used for monitoring and situational awareness—means connectors and cable must be optimized to reduce size, weight, and power. The ability to repair components in the field is valuable, as well. UAV capabilities and needs will continue to evolve rapidly due to ever-changing technology and threats, and the market must evolve with them.
It’s been more than 40 years since man started exploring space, and today the final frontier feels closer than ever. TTI provides components critical to sending vehicles into space, enabling the careful positioning of solar rays or robotic arms during a mission, or conducting successful deep-space probes that can last for years. Rugged interconnects and cables play a crucial role in mission-critical space applications. All components must withstand extreme environments and operate through launching, space flight, and landing, as well as meet the standards of NASA and other major space agencies. Rigorous testing, including data transmission simulations, vector network analyzation, in-circuit probing testing, and out-gassing regulations, is conducted on all space technology components. Every ounce matters when it comes to launching a vehicle into space—a lighter payload means an easier liftoff and a more efficient mission. Power conservation is critical as well, so power connectors and cables must operate with lower resistance and less bulk.
Offshore and subsea environments pose some of the most extreme pressure, weight, and corrosion challenges to power, communications, network, and electronic systems. Whether it’s rugged ground vehicles taking troops to and from missions or naval vessels on months-long patrols, military-grade vehicles are crucial for combatant operations, transportation, and protection. Advanced solutions include support for navigation, safety systems, power train, and infotainment, as well as body electronics. And specialty vehicles need specialty solutions that are built for speed, reliability, and efficiency. Armored vehicles require sensors that can handle process-intensive target acquisition, as well as optimize and control weapons systems, with no margin for error. For towing vessels, tough and low-rotation cables are needed to support towing requirements in harsh environments—sometimes at depths of up to 6,000 meters.
As the military moves towards more network-centric warfare, vehicles and vessels are equipped with state-of-the-art integrated command communications systems, which are critical during missions. Along with advanced connections comes the need for high-speed components that meet the need for military environments—they should be lightweight but able to withstand extreme environments. And electronics must be able to perform in many situations, with the ability to interface between marine applications, aircraft, drones, military personnel, and land vehicles.
In warfare, the flow of information can make or break a mission, produce situational awareness, and provide actionable details that can give warfighters the upper hand. Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance--better known as C4ISR--has been an important part of the military for decades, but today’s technology brings it to the forefront of the battlefield. The U.S. military has recently launched new initiatives to focus on the research and development of electronic warfare components, including open architecture technologies.
C4ISR systems are used in battlespaces, ground vehicles, unmanned systems, command centers, and other mission-critical environments and require small yet rugged components. Open-system architecture facilitates the seamless incorporation of constantly-changing systems for mission flexibility. C4ISR requires a wide range of capabilities to manage enormous bandwidth for analytics processes while maintaining signal integrity.
Today’s battlefield weapons are multifunctional, efficient, and ever-evolving—just recently, U.S. military branches have launched efforts to expand the capabilities of futuristic weapons, including hypersonic weapons and high-energy lasers that can be used for anything from shooting down UAVs and manned reconnaissance vessels to collecting intelligence and surveillance. As always, the race is on to hone weapons systems to be more versatile and transportable—lasers, for example, have been used in warfare for years but only recently are able to function on light tactical combat vehicles.
A modular approach is crucial for today’s components, so they can power weapons systems wherever they’re needed most, whether that’s hurtling through the air or via mobile rocket launcher. Components must be deadly accurate and well-connected, providing location and reliable directional control during deployment. And connectors must be compact, rugged, and versatile to accommodate next-generation tactical weapons.