1 | Why Traditional GPUs Fall Short in the Battlespace
Autonomous ground vehicles, ISR drones, and new radars create large amounts of sensor data. This data needs real-time processing on the platform. Commercial graphics cards simply aren’t built for the task. They’re designed for climate-controlled data centres. Not the harsh, mobile environments of Defence systems.
2 | What Exactly Is an Embedded MXM GPU?
MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) is a plug-in GPU standard that brings desktop-class compute to embedded environments. A defence-grade MXM module delivers:
| Attribute | Value for Military Systems |
|---|---|
| Modular form factor | Directly mates to VPX, XMC or custom carrier boards—no full-size PCIe slot required |
| Compact SWaP profile | Fits sealed avionics bays, UGV electronics trays, naval consoles |
| Conduction-cooled, fanless | Reliable in dust, salt-spray and high-altitude scenarios |
| GPGPU & AI support | CUDA®, OpenCL™, Vulkan®; tensor cores for on-board ML inference |
Bottom line: You get laptop-class density with rugged-server resilience.
3 | Ruggedisation That Meets the Mission
A true rugged GPU module—such as WOLF’s WMXM-A2000E-VO—features:
- –40 °C to +85 °C operating envelope
- Conformal coating against humidity, salt and aviation fluids
- MIL-STD-810 shock & vibration compliance
- 5–10-year lifecycle availability for long programmes
These characteristics make embedded MXM GPUs suitable for use in applications. Such as protected mobility vehicles, UAV payloads, or ruggedised test environments—where space, cooling, and reliability constraints are paramount.
🖱️ View WOLF MXM GPU Products →
4 | Why Defence Needs Embedded MXM GPUs Today
Edge processing equals battlefield advantage. Key mission applications include:
- SAR & GMTI radar image formation in near-real time
- EW signal classification and adaptive jamming algorithms
- On-board AI/ML for UGV obstacle avoidance or drone target recognition
- Multi-sensor ISR fusion with low-latency video encoding/decoding
- Command-and-control visualisation on vetronics or cockpit displays
Hypothetical Application: A tough embedded MXM GPU, like those from WOLF, could be added to a concept like the M113 OCCV. This would allow for real-time object detection using synced EO/IR cameras and LIDAR. Therefore, providing onboard autonomy and visual processing without reliance on external cloud networks.
5 | Local Expertise, Sovereign Support
Metromatics is the exclusive Australian & NZ distributor for WOLF Advanced Technology. We provide:
- Pre-design guidance on conduction-cooled GPU integration
- Compliance support for Australian Defence projects
- Lifecycle management (spares, obsolescence, repair)
- In addition, offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for rapid response
Talk to our engineers about deploying an embedded MXM GPU for Defence embedded computing.
📩 Ready to Accelerate Your Embedded Computing Platform?
Finally, let’s talk about how an Embedded MXM GPU can power your next ISR, EW, or AI-enabled defence system.