This fall took us to two AMD Security Working Group events: first to Colorado in October, then to Washington, DC in November. After decades of working with AMD, these SWG events have become some of our favorite gatherings of the year.
There’s something special about being in a room with people who truly understand what’s at stake with security. These are deep technical exchanges between engineers and partners building systems where failure isn’t acceptable. For a company like BLT with a focus on aerospace and defense applications, that’s exactly where we thrive. Here are some of our key takeaways from the events.
Key Takeaways from Security Working Group
AMD highlighted several critical themes throughout both events that resonated deeply with our team:
Security by Design: Start Early
A central theme across both events was the critical importance of integrating security considerations early in the design process. Waiting until later development stages to address security concerns leads to costly redesigns, extended timelines, and potential vulnerabilities that are difficult to mitigate. This approach not only strengthens the final product but also streamlines development by avoiding security-driven iterations late in the cycle. Think of it like designing a bank. You don’t build the building and then wonder where to put the vault. The vault defines how you build everything around it.
The Importance of Security Beyond National Defense
BLT’s roots run deep in aerospace and defense, but the security principles we apply there our commercial clients also benefit from.
While security solutions for defense and intelligence applications were naturally a focus given the audience, the discussions extended well beyond. Security is equally vital for protecting intellectual property in commercial applications. Sophisticated attacks don’t only target military systems anymore. If your IP is valuable, someone may want it.
Whether you’re developing proprietary algorithms, custom processing architectures, or innovative signal processing techniques, robust security measures safeguard your competitive advantage. AMD FPGAs and adaptive SoCs offer unique security capabilities that protect both your designs and your sensitive data.
Future-Proofing with Post-Quantum Cryptography
With the rapid advancement in quantum computing, having strong PQC algorithms built into FPGAs will future-proof your design. Our aerospace and defense clients are designing systems today that will still be operational in 2045. Post-quantum cryptography isn’t a future problem, it’s a present-day design requirement. When quantum computers can break current encryption, every system deployed without PQC becomes vulnerable. AMD adaptive platforms let users implement PQC algorithms in hardware today, then evolve those implementations as standards mature.
Showcasing Versal RF at Partner Night
At both Partner Night events, BLT demonstrated our Versal RF capabilities, highlighting how adaptive compute delivers performance in demanding signal processing applications. The Versal platform’s combination of programmable logic, AI Engines, and RF components enables the kind of secure, high-performance systems that our aerospace & defense, space, and intelligence clients require.
Our demo illustrated BLT’s engineering depth with AMD Versal technology and our ability to deliver proven, reliable solutions for complex requirements.
Why These Events Matter
AMD hosts the Security Working Group to bring together partners and engineers to tackle the hardest problems in secure design. These multi-day events create an environment for candid, detailed technical discussions, and the insights and collaborations from SWG directly shape how we approach aerospace and defense design challenges.
As an AMD Premier Partner with decades of collaboration, we bring institutional knowledge combined with expertise in the latest platforms. When you’re building systems where lives depend on reliability and national security depends on protection, you need a partner who has proven themselves. That’s where BLT shines, and it’s why our clients, from Fortune 100 to USG, trust us with their most critical work.
Interested in discussing your design’s security? Contact our team to explore how BLT can help you build security into your next project from the ground up or harden an existing project.
