Written by: Josephine A. Vitella Technical Content Writer, Marketing, Wolf Advanced Technology 

In defense and aerospace computing, one constant remains: everything is getting smaller, lighter, and expected to do more with less. The holy trinity of SWaP — size, weight, and power — has become the gatekeeper of what flies, rolls, or orbits. Every extra gram, every cubic centimeter, and every watt matters.

For years, VPX boards have been the backbone of modular open systems. The 3U and 6U VPX modules have shouldered the load for high-performance embedded computing, while mezzanine cards have provided flexible, feature-level upgrades. But as platforms shrink and mission profiles demand greater agility, even the smallest VPX cards can feel like bringing a sledgehammer to tighten a watch.

Enter VNX+ — the VITA 90 standard. Think of it not as a challenger to VPX, but as its nimble younger sibling. One-third the size of a 3U VPX, VNX+ extends modular open standards into domains where VPX simply can’t fit: small UAVs, satellites, smart munitions, and handheld systems. It is rugged, open, and built for the edge cases where “just a little smaller” can make or break the mission.

This whitepaper explores how VNX+ reshapes the conversation. It’ll examine the SWaP constraints pushing system engineers to rethink integration, compare VNX+ directly with VPX and other form factors, and show how WOLF Advanced Technology is leading the charge to bring this small form factor from concept to deployed capability. Most importantly, this whitepaper will illustrate why VNX+ isn’t just another standard — it’s the missing puzzle piece in the modular ecosystem that makes tomorrow’s missions possible.

Read the full whitepaper