The term “avionics” appears 8 times in this article and “digital avionics” three times. Rightly so.
Since we’re doing a bit of an historical review here’s something to consider: the Soviet bloc during the Cold War had a sophisticated electronics industry. Semiconductor fabs in Russia, Ukraine and East Germany were only a few years behind their American, Dutch, and Japanese counterparts, thanks to a mix of industrial espionage and extensive government support for local development as well.
For example: the first 16-bit microprocessors began production in the USA in 1976. The Zelenograd plants started 100K / y volume production of a Soviet 16-bit design (and it wasn’t a clone but a local design) in 1980. Robotron in the DDR was prototyping runs of 32-bit microprocessors in 1989 when the system collapsed, about four years behind the cutting edge in the United States.
Of course this wasn’t going into home computers and arcades. Just like in the west most of it went into weapons systems and avionics. To be able to go toe-to-toe with the great powers means you need to go toe-to-toe with them in electronics.
Over here in North America, IBM Federal Systems and Western Electric (as in AT&T) were among the largest defence contractors for much of the early Cold War.
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The term “avionics” appears 8 times in this article and “digital avionics” three times. Rightly so.
Since we’re doing a bit of an historical review here’s something to consider: the Soviet bloc during the Cold War had a sophisticated electronics industry. Semiconductor fabs in Russia, Ukraine and East Germany were only a few years behind their American, Dutch, and Japanese counterparts, thanks to a mix of industrial espionage and extensive government support for local development as well.
For example: the first 16-bit microprocessors began production in the USA in 1976. The Zelenograd plants started 100K / y volume production of a Soviet 16-bit design (and it wasn’t a clone but a local design) in 1980. Robotron in the DDR was prototyping runs of 32-bit microprocessors in 1989 when the system collapsed, about four years behind the cutting edge in the United States.
Of course this wasn’t going into home computers and arcades. Just like in the west most of it went into weapons systems and avionics. To be able to go toe-to-toe with the great powers means you need to go toe-to-toe with them in electronics.
Over here in North America, IBM Federal Systems and Western Electric (as in AT&T) were among the largest defence contractors for much of the early Cold War.