Saved Program Millions of Dollars by Eliminating Recalibration over Product Life
In one program, long-term frequency stability was not just a component requirement; it was a requirement for the program itself. It directly affected maintenance burden, field service intervals, and total lifecycle cost.
By leveraging ultra-low oscillator aging and digital control, SiTime helped eliminate the need for recalibration throughout the product's life. The result was a timing solution that reduced operational complexity while saving the program millions of dollars in maintenance and support costs.
Why it mattered
- Reduced maintenance burden over product life
- Lowered lifecycle program cost
- Improved long-term timing stability without recurring recalibration
Takeaway
When long-term stability affects serviceability and sustainment, oscillator aging is not a secondary spec. It is a cost driver.
Application / Product: Voice and Data Comms Radio
- Capable of UHF, VHF, AM, FM, and SATCOM
- SiTime drives PLL which is distributed to multiple transceivers for RF generation
Programs and Platforms
- 50k+ radios delivered since introduction in 1990 (recent contract for ~9k more)
- Is operating on 200+ platform variants worldwide in over 50 countries
SiTime Solution: Endura Super-TCXO SiT5541
- ±10 ppb frequency stability over-temperature from -40°C to 95°C
- Phase Noise: -148 dBc/Hz, Power: 145mW, Package: 7x5 mm
Why SiTime?
- Low aging (150 ppb / 20 yr) allows for no extra circuity / sw and no future recalibration
- 20x better phase noise under vibration than Quartz
- 25x better frequency stability under vibration than Quartz (0.004 ppb/g)
- 60x better reliability that Quartz with a MTBF of 2,200M hours
Future Comms/Radio Business
- Dismounted radios – handheld, manpack, personnel recovery beacons
- Mounted radios – ground, air, sea, space
Differentiator – Vibrations Have Virtually No Effect on Phase Noise
Phase Noise Under Random Vibration (50 Hz to 2 kHz)
Communication Block Diagrams
Land Defense Vehicle Communications Block Diagram
Tactical Manpack Radios Block Diagram
- Timing solutions for RF, Network, GNSS, FPGA, CPU, and SoC requirements
- SiTime Endura value add→ Shock, Vibration, and Stability over Temperature!
Enabled a New Application with Shock Survival Above 100,000 g
In this application, survivability under extreme shock was the primary requirement. Existing timing options could not meet the mechanical demands of the environment.
We enabled the application by offering an oscillator capable of surviving shock levels above 100,000 g – the only oscillator currently on the market with this capability. That performance opened the door to systems designed to counter small, inexpensive drones without relying on large, high-cost missile interceptors.
Why it mattered
- Met an extreme shock requirement that other oscillators could not
- Enabled a new class of applications
- Supported a more cost-effective approach to counter-drone defense
Takeaway
In high-shock environments, timing selection can determine whether an architecture remains viable at all.
Application / Product: Medium Caliber Fuzes
- Proximity / airburst fuzes designed to detonate when close to a target
Programs and Platforms
- Initial production ~10ku Scaling to millions in future years (replacing "dumb" ammunition)
- The objective is to support all platforms currently using traditional ammunition
SiTime Solution: ENDR-NPK
- Ultra high shock MHz oscillator
- Small Size 1.5 x 0.8 mm CSP package and low power 0.23 mA
Why SiTime?
- 120,000g shock survivability – high reliability
- Saves board space by 80% compared to Quartz XO
- Significantly lower cost compared to alternatives
Future Fuze Business
- Lots of opportunity
Recommended Products for Fuze and High Shock Applications
Achieved 24 Hours of Holdover in Low SWaP Platforms with Less than 1.5 μs of Timing Error
For mounted and dismounted platforms operating in GNSS-degraded or GNSS-denied environments, holdover performance determines how long the system can continue operating with usable timing accuracy.
SiTime demonstrated 24 hours of holdover with less than 1.5 μs of time error in a small SWaP implementation, allowing platforms to continue their mission even when GNSS was unavailable.
Why it mattered
- Extended mission continuity during GNSS degradation or denial
- Delivered long holdover in a SWaP-constrained platform
- Preserved timing accuracy without requiring a larger, heavier solution
Engineering takeaway
For mobile and dismounted systems, holdover performance must be evaluated together with size, weight, and power, not in isolation.
Application / Product: Assured-PNT Hub for Vehicles (Land, Air, Sea)
- Must operate in GNSS degraded and denied environments
Programs and Platforms with A-PNT Requirements
- Active USG Programs: Army MAPS Gen II, Army NorthStar, Air Force Resilience-EGI
SiTime Solution: SiT7101 + SiT95317 and TimeFabric™
- Integrated clock generator to drive all system clocks
- TimeFabric™ provides aging compensation SW
- Reference architecture gives flexibility
Why SiTime?
- <1.5 μs time error over 24 hours
- Open-source SW for added flexibility
- 70x better g-sensitivity
- 74x smaller than CSAC, 25x vs Quartz
- 3x lower power
- Image
Future A-PNT Business
- All systems are concerned with operating in GNSS degraded or denied environments
- Drones, EW, radar, dismounted, mounted, C-UAS, interceptors, missiles, etc.
Example Block Diagram for A-PNT System
