Hermes II addresses a very concrete need: processing, securing, and distributing critical data streams as close to the field as possible. This 3U VPX processor card is designed for embedded architectures that must handle high I/O density, large volumes of data, and demanding requirements in terms of latency, ruggedness, and cybersecurity.
Based on a 16-core Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 processor, Hermes II delivers a powerful computing platform for mission systems, rugged embedded computers, and high-bandwidth sensing applications. Its architecture also integrates Intel® Iris Xe3 Graphics and an Intel® NPU to support graphics acceleration, local processing, and AI inference when required by the application.
Its I/O-intensive positioning is one of its key strengths. The card features a 100GBASE-KR4 Ethernet Data Plane, making it suitable for applications that need to rapidly ingest and redistribute sensor or network data streams. The Control Plane can integrate up to two 10GBASE-KR links and one 2.5GBASE-T link, with TSN and IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol support for architectures requiring precise synchronization and deterministic network behavior.
Hermes II has been designed for sensitive environments. Its Secure Enclave, based on a security FPGA, adds a layer of hardware protection, complementing features such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and Intel® Boot Guard. For programs where embedded data protection is a critical concern, the M.2 NVMe storage can reach up to 3.84 TB, with a FIPS 140-3 compliant security option.
This 3U VPX card is aimed in particular at integrators and prime contractors designing embedded systems for defense, aerospace, surveillance, radar or EO/IR processing, sensor fusion gateways, and deterministic mission networks at the platform edge. Its 3U VPX format, conduction cooling, and OpenVPX profiles make it a relevant building block for compact, modular, and rugged architectures.
In practice, Hermes II is especially relevant when a project requires embedded computing, high-bandwidth network links, a SOSA aligned approach, and security mechanisms integrated from the design stage. It can be considered for modernizing an existing VPX architecture, designing a new mission computing platform, or strengthening a sensor processing chain as close as possible to the data source.
Available for early access, with commercial availability announced soon by Concurrent, Hermes II naturally fits within the advanced computing solutions offered by ECRIN Systems. Our role is to help you validate its technical fit with your architecture, integration constraints, environmental requirements, and program schedule.
