Flying High:
The Military/Aerospace Market for Cable Assemblies

The F-22 Raptor production may have been discontinued in 2009 at 183 planes, but military and aerospace expenditures continue to fly high. The war in Afghanistan, the regional tensions in the Middle East and on the African continent, and China’s continuing push to modernize its military have all contributed to military expeditures worldwide, which exceed $1.5 trillion annually.

The worldwide market for military/aerospace cable assemblies declined 9.3 percent in 2009 to $6.9 billion, after growing 1.6 percent in 2008. This market segment had the smallest decline of any of the cable assembly segments in 2009. In North America, expenditures for cable assemblies were down only 1.8 percent. Worldwide, 2010 will see a significant increase in spending. more

By David Pheteplace
Managing Director, Cable Assembly Division
Bishop & Associates Inc. • dpheteplace@bishopinc.com

RF Cable Assemblies and the Electronic Warfare Program

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been a major threat to our military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. JCREW 3.3 is an electronic warfare program designed to protect our soldiers. The design of the RF assemblies in these systems is critical to their operation. more


Connector Designers Face Big Challenges as Military Devices Get Smaller

Military system designers are looking for smaller, lighter, and denser connectors for their input/output connectors and assemblies. The interconnects, however, must also be rugged and capable of transmitting high-speed signals. more

Connectors and  Assemblies Evolve for Military and Rugged Applications

The use of RF connectors and assemblies in harsh environments has spurred manufacturers to make critical design and testing changes. We examine these trends and changes and let you know what to expect from the companies you rely on. more

Siemon Launches Online Resource for Shielded Network Cabling
Siemon has launched an online resource dedicated to helping IT network and data center professionals get clear facts on shielded network cabling systems such as category 6A F/UTP and category 7A S/FTP solutions. more

IPC-A-610E Released: Industry Requirements for Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies Updated
April 2010—IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries® has released the E revision of IPC-A-610, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies. IPC’s most widely used standard, which provides visual acceptance criteria for post assembly mechanical and soldering assembly requirements, now addresses additional technologies, including flexible circuits, board-in-board, package-on-package, depanelization, and additional SMT terminations. more