The Company
For over 100 years, this principal supplier of naval power systems has delivered mission-critical propulsion and energy solutions to the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and allied fleets. Their shipboard data collection systems—housed in cabinets beneath naval vessels—require industrial-grade computing to withstand extreme maritime conditions while processing critical operational data. This case study explores how Premio's rugged edge computer enabled the consolidation of multiple systems into a single high-performance solution, overcoming challenges of space constraints, harsh environments, and urgent deployment timelines.
Challenge
The customer's legacy rackmount servers were ill-suited for naval environments, presenting critical pain points:
- Environmental Resilience Failures: Existing hardware couldn’t withstand shipboard shock/vibration or temperatures exceeding 50°C in enclosed cabinets.
- Maintenance Complexity: Lack of hot-swappable drives increased downtime during at-sea servicing.
- Space Constraints: Bulky servers occupied excessive real estate in cramped shipboard cabinets.
- Urgent Modernization: Defense procurement cycles demanded rapid deployment of non-China origin solutions.
Solution
RCO-6000-RPL: Naval-Grade Edge Computing
Premio delivered a turnkey rugged computing solution with:
Ruggedized Design for Harsh Environments
- Fanless chassis with IP40-rated enclosure
- MIL-STD-810G compliance for shock/vibration
- Validated operation at 76°C for 72+ hours (exceeding naval requirements)
High-Performance Consolidation
- Intel® 13th Gen Core™ i7 processor
- 32GB DDR4 RAM + 1TB hot-swappable SATA storage
- Reduced 7-PC setup to a single unit
Defense-Ready Features
- Non-China origin components
- Secure boot and TPM 2.0 support
- Wall-mount compatibility
Benefits
Operational Transformations
- Mission Reliability: Zero failures during extreme temperature testing (76°C/-20°C)
- Space Optimization: 80% reduction in cabinet footprint
- Lifecycle Assurance: 7-year minimum service life
Premio Partnership Advantages
- Expedited Deployment: Delivered 4 test units within 3 weeks
- Engineering Collaboration: Late-night support for urgent BIOS optimizations
- Future-Proof Scaling: Reserved production capacity for fleet-wide rollout
The Challenge
Environmental Resilience Failures
The customer's existing commercial servers consistently failed under shipboard conditions, with critical components damaged by vibration from propulsion systems and extreme heat buildup in enclosed cabinets. Standard hard drives and cooling fans proved particularly vulnerable, leading to unplanned downtime during extended deployments where temperatures often exceeded 50°C.
Maintenance Complexity
Without hot-swappable drive capabilities, sailors had to power down entire systems for storage replacements - a time-consuming process that disrupted mission-critical data collection. Each maintenance event required specialized IT personnel, creating logistical challenges during at-sea operations where technical resources were limited.
Space Constraints
While standard 19" rackmount servers work well in data centers, their 2U form factors consumed valuable real estate in shipboard cabinets. The need to deploy multiple units compounded space limitations, forcing difficult compromises with other essential marine systems in already crowded compartments.
Urgent Modernization
Tight defense procurement cycles required replacing the aging servers within weeks, not months. New regulations mandating non-China origin components added complexity, as most commercial rackmount solutions rely on global supply chains that couldn't guarantee compliance. The customer needed a purpose-built solution that could meet both technical and procurement requirements simultaneously.
The Solution
Premio's RCO-6000-RPL emerged as the ideal solution, combining military-grade ruggedization with cutting-edge performance.
Ruggedized Design for Harsh Environments
The system’s heavy-duty aluminum enclosure provides superior durability against shock, vibration, and corrosion—critical for shipboard deployments. A fanless design eliminates moving parts prone to failure, while advanced heat dissipation ensures stable performance even in high-temperature shipboard cabinets. MIL-STD-810G testing confirms its resilience against the constant vibrations and impacts typical of naval operations.
High-Performance Consolidation
Powered by a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor, the RCO-6000-RPL replaces multiple legacy servers with a single compact unit. With 32GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB of hot-swappable storage, it handles intensive data acquisition, encryption, and real-time monitoring without throttling. The space-saving design reduces cabinet footprint by 80% compared to the previous solution, while tool-less drive bays enable quick at-sea maintenance.
Defense-Ready Features
Built to meet strict naval requirements, the system ensures full supply chain compliance with non-China origin components. Security is hardened via TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, while flexible wall mounting allows seamless integration into shipboard cabinets. Premio’s rapid 3-week delivery from U.S. facilities ensures timely deployment aligned with defense procurement cycles.
The Benefits
Operational Transformations
The RCO-6000-RPL delivered immediate improvements in naval operations, proving its reliability under the most demanding conditions. During rigorous testing, the system maintained flawless operation at both 76°C and -20°C extremes—eliminating the thermal failures that previously plagued shipboard data collection.
By consolidating multiple legacy servers into a single rugged pc, the solution achieved an 80% reduction in cabinet space, freeing up critical real estate for other mission systems. With a guaranteed 7-year service life and extended component availability, the navy gains long-term stability in its data infrastructure, reducing both maintenance costs and upgrade cycles.
Premio Partnership Advantages
Beyond hardware, Premio provided unmatched support that accelerated the customer's modernization timeline. The team delivered four fully tested units within just three weeks—meeting urgent defense procurement deadlines—while providing after-hours engineering support to optimize BIOS settings for naval software compatibility.
This collaboration established a foundation for future growth, with Premio reserving production capacity to support the customer's planned fleet-wide rollout. The partnership demonstrates how Premio's technical expertise and responsive service can overcome even the most challenging defense deployment schedules.