Switch Mode Power Supplies and MIL-STD-461 Compliance

Switching-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) are used extensively in many electronic applications. Many manufacturers offer MIL-STD-461 compliant solutions, as well as Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions for military applications. SMPS offer many advantages when compared to Linear Power Supplies. The primary advantage of an SMPS is that it offers power conversion and regulation at 100% efficiency – albeit, given ideal components. All power loss is due to less than ideal components and the power loss in the control circuitry. Other advantages of the SMPS are smaller size and therefore less weight. SMPS have switching frequencies that range from 50 kHz to 1 MHz.