Xilinx Offers Defense-Grade Virtex-6Q FPGA Family with Anti-Tamper and Anti-Counterfeit Features

Third Generation, High Performance, Secure IP Core Architecture Reviewed by the NSA, Furthers Xilinx's Secure Leadership Position in State-of-the-Art A&D Applications

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- March 27, 2012  -- Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) today announced availability of the Virtex®-6Q Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) family, a high performance defense-grade, programmable solution for major defense applications. NSA has reviewed the Xilinx Security Monitor (SECMON) IP core and found that it provides a level of Anti-Tamper (AT) protection, which will further strengthen the secure capabilities of the Virtex-6Q family of FPGAs. The arrival of these devices in combination with the SECMON IP core, provides a secure platform for Aerospace and Defense (A&D) designs used in critical AT applications, while extending the relationship between Xilinx and the NSA.  

The review and evaluation for the SECMON Anti-Tamper IP core encompassed a rigorous and thorough examination of: requirements and architecture, source design code and test plans/procedures.

"The Virtex-6Q family is yet another trailblazing step in the long history of Xilinx supporting the Aerospace and Defense industry," said Yousef Khalilollahi, Senior Director, Aerospace and Defense at Xilinx. "This product meets the stringent design requirements of secure defense products for protection against sophisticated adversaries."

The programmable Anti-Tamper solution for Xilinx's Virtex-6Q FPGAs complements AT system applications overall, thus ensuring protection of system's critical technology as instructed by DoD 5200.39. A variety of support is available from Xilinx for AT implementation including software, IP, documentation, methodologies, working groups and expertise. The Xilinx secure solution yields higher levels of integration and reliability that benefit other applications such as commercial avionics systems.

Additionally, the Virtex-6Q FPGA is the first product from Xilinx to feature easy to verify anti-counterfeiting features to combat the rising threat of fraudulent devices being introduced into defense systems worldwide. Features include a simple visual identification and confirmation of the products' authenticity based on the external Virtex-6Q FPGA package marking, as well as other built-in, multi-level Xilinx proprietary features assuring product verification.  

In addition to its secure capabilities, defense-grade Virtex-6Q devices offer mask set control, ruggedized packaging, high temperature environmental operation and longer product life when compared to pin-compatible commercial equivalents. Xilinx offers the industry's broadest portfolio of secure, defense- and commercial-grade FPGAs.

About the Virtex-6Q FPGA Family

Virtex-6Q FPGAs are secure high performance, defense-grade devices that are fabricated on a proven, low-power 40nm, dual-oxide process technology with full support in the Xilinx ISE® Design Suite, for seamless migration between prototyping and production. Virtex-6Q FPGAs specifically address the demands of complex and sophisticated A&D systems that must be powerful, flexible and off-the-shelf while being absolutely secure, where superior integration and the highest reliability are critical.

The inherent re-programmability of Virtex-6Q FPGAs allow mission critical systems to overcome the limitations of traditional long lead time ASIC and ASSP approaches, making them ideal for the A&D industry, powering products in avionics, electronic warfare, missiles and munitions, MILCOM and Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) systems. The Virtex-6Q family is available in I-temperature grade (-40 to +100 degrees C) as well as M-temperature grade (-55 to +125 degrees C). For more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com/applications/aerospace-and-defense/index.htm.

About Xilinx

Xilinx is the world's leading provider of programmable platforms. For more information, visit: http://www.xilinx.com/.