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This article presents information on the Autotest 2014 show held in Saint Louis, Misosuri in September 2014, which showcased automated test systems for military/aerospace equipment. Products featured during the event include the M9290A CXA-m PXIe signal analyzer from Keysight Technologies, the RouteWarePRO 4.0 software from Universal Switching and the PXI product line unveiled by ADLINK Technology.

The article discusses the critical automatic test equipment (ATE) requirements for parametric test of optically networked weapon systems. It states that the ongoing test requirements for military applications are unique that require new equipment capabilities to augment current test systems, affecting all stages of test in factories, field and depots.

In previous years, mmWave frequencies were used for niche military, aerospace, SATCOM and scientific research. This has changed, however, as emerging 5G, 60 GHz Wi-Fi, automotive radar and high speed data applications, operating in the tens to hundreds of GHz, are becoming common. The diversity of applications and the demand for higher frequency test systems are driving coaxial cable assemblies to the next level. These performance parameters for test cables extend beyond laboratory performance to address features specific to the new applications. From extremely tight tolerance for pristine laboratory conditions to rugged reliability for automated test facilities, the next generation of precision coaxial test cables operating at mmWave faces a wide range of "stiff" performance requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]