A recent article in CAN Newsletter Online discussed the widespread use of the CAN protocol in military and defense applications. From military vehicles to drones to other equipment for soldiers, the military is increasingly relying upon tools powered by CAN networks.

There were protocols developed specifically for military use of CAN when it became clear that there was a need to create standards for implementing CANbus within the military vehicles community. Both the group and the protocols they created are called MilCAN.

The MilCAN group has currently developed two specifications of the MilCAN protocol: MilCAN A is based on J1939, and MilCAN B is similar to CANopen. Both protocols were developed to specialize the use of CAN around deterministic data transfer, so the specifications can also be used for non-military applications.

Kvaser was mentioned as a prime example of CAN hardware developed for use in the challenging conditions that often face military vehicles and personnel. The article highlights the Multifunctional Display Unit (MFDU) created by Nijkerk Computer Solutions, which features a Kvaser PC104+ board inside.

“The boards by Kvaser are integrated in a closed system that needs to meet extremely constrained environmental conditions. Among the key reasons for choosing Kvaser … was the performance of the boards, the number of available channels and total bandwidth, as well as the support for Linux.” Mike Hantson: Nijkerk

To learn more about this application of the Kvaser PC104+ boards, read our case study about the Nijkerk MFDU.

You can read the full CAN Newsletter Online article here, or click here for a quick look at the differences between MilCAN A and MilCAN B.

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