Embraer Selects Ada and AdaCore’s GNAT Pro for AMX Upgrade

AdaCore, provider of tools and expertise for the mission-critical, safety-critical, and security-critical software communities, announced that Embraer Defense and Security has selected the GNAT Pro Ada development environment from AdaCore as a primary tool set to develop the Operation Flight Program for the AMX Modernization program. GNAT Pro will be used along with Wind River's VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) as the foundation to develop this critical software system on the AMX Modernization effort. The goal of the modernization project for the AMX jets, called A-1 by the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB), is to keep the fleet of 53 on active duty for another 20 years. The AMX is one of the most efficient combat planes in activity in the country and was manufactured by Embraer from 1989 to 2000. The upgrade of the AMX will incorporate the most advanced avionics systems, weaponry and sensors. The modernization of the aircraft will achieve the same operational level as the most advanced combat planes available on the market. The Ada language was selected for the AMX Operational Flight Program based on its proven success record in developing mission-critical avionics systems. It is used on flight-critical systems for many commercial and military fly-by-wire aircraft across the world. Ada is used when safety, security and high reliability are needed. Used for developing embedded and real-time system software, Ada's main features applied by Embraer are strong typing, modularity mechanisms (packages), run-time checking, parallel processing (tasks, synchronous message passing, protected objects and select statements), exception handling, and generics. "We pride ourselves on the quality of our development tools and high level of expertise in supporting our customers," said Robert Dewar, AdaCore President and CEO. "AdaCore has a proven track record in supporting both general Ada software development as well as a multitude of projects needing to meet the top levels of safety for the DO-178B commercial avionics standard. We are very pleased to have been selected by Embraer, the leading avionics manufacturer in Brazil."