Integrated electronics in defense systems

The role played by the Department of Defense in the early development of integrated electronics is discussed and the current status of military application is summarized. The potential advantages of the new technology to military systems are outlined. These include improved reliability, savings in cost, improved maintenance and logistics supply, enhanced system effectiveness, design flexibility, shorter development/production leadtime and decreased size, and weight and power requirements. The paper concludes with a discussion of the question of military specifications and standards supporting the position that standardization in integrated circuits should for the present be limited to criteria for stating performance characteristics, methods of measuring characteristics and definitions and terminology.