Professional Documents
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Advanced Research
in Engineering RESEARCH
and TechnologyIN
(IJARET),
ISSN 0976
INTERNATIONAL
OF ADVANCED
ENGINEERING
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
AND TECHNOLOGY (IJARET)
IJARET
IAEME
Shalin S. Shah2
ABSTRACT
In the past two decades, the field of information transmission has revolutionized
technologically. Currently, the preferred mode for commercial long distance telecommunication is
fiber optics. Enabled by the solid state laser and the production of low cost optical fibers with
reasonably low attenuation, this revolution is expanding a variety of related areas viz. sensors and
computing. This paper gives an insight to the military implications of the fiber optics technology.
I. INTRODUCTION
Until the late 1970s, telecommunications systems depended on the advances in electronics to
provide improved performances at a lower cost. As the fiber optics technology emerges, soon
communication links set up using copper cables will be obsolete. Owing to the advantages fiber optic
networks have over copper cable networks, it has already replaced them in many applications,
including telephony, computing, media, communication, medical applications, instrumentation, and
gradually proceeding towards the military aspect. Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc., under
sponsorship from the United States Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR), has developed a
structural health monitoring system for large-scale structures, based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG)
sensors.[1] A brief comparison between the fiber optic and copper cable has been shown in Table 1.
II. MILITARY APPLICATIONS
Commercially, fiber optics technology has been a tremendous hit but on the contrary, the
military applications have not been fully exploited as yet. With the recent advancement in the fiber
optics tech, the military can benefit substantially from this technology with less investment.
For secure communications, high bandwidth applications and large step-out distances fiber
optic technology is superior to electrical data transfer.[2, 13, 14] The higher end characteristics of the
optical fibers make them even more desirable for military applications. These attributes include
1
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
immunity to electromagnetic interference, relative security from eavesdropping, the ability to span
long distances without repeaters, and low cable weight.[3] But additional requirements like wider
operating and storage temperatures, and the ability to withstand severe vibration, shock and other
mechanical stress has imposed restrictions on the use of fiber optics and hence limited their viability.
Also, the lack of readily available hand tools, parts, training, etc for installation, maintenance and
repair of systems in the field acts a big hindrance. But this scenario is fast changing due to the
proliferation of a variety of commercial systems. By and large, the technologies which need
improvisation are simply more rugged prototypes of the commercially available technologies with
increased tolerance on the physical aspect.[4]
Table 1
Characteristics
Fiber Optic
Copper Cable
Weight
Dimensions
Attenuation (Loss)
Range
Data Rate
Low
Small
Low
Big
High over long
distances
None
Heavy
Moderate
Moderate
Small to Medium
Limited for long
distances
Yes
None
Not necessary
Critical
Necessary
Not necessary
None
Necessary
Necessary
Big
Not necessary
Yes
No
Electro-magnetic
Sensitivity
Cross Talk
Potential
Equalization
Lightning Protection
EMP Damage
Electro-Optical
Conversion
Security in Explosion
Endangered
Environment
Installation/Handling
The most promising applications of this technology in the defense sector are in weapons
systems, sensors, surveillance systems, optical computing systems and information transmission
aboard vehicles Fiber Optic Guided Missile (FOG-M) is a weapon system currently being developed
and researched rigorously[10]. This is a medium range, lock-on-after-launch weapon system to be
used against helicopter and other ground vehicles. A similar fiber optic guided missile system is also
under development for the Navy. Fiber optics can be used extensively for a variety if sensing and
surveillance applications due to their rugged characteristics and the ability to monitor a panorama of
physical parameters. For example, underwater submarine surveillance can be improved as a result of
the high sensitivity obtained using an acoustic inferometer made from optic fiber. Moreover,
replacement and maintenance costs can be substantially reduced if one used the sensors owing to
their extremely rugged structures.
2
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
Fiber optics used in neural networks is a leading technology which is on the mind of every
major defense contractor. Though it is still in the research stage, many applications have already
been identified, including target recognition, sonar classification and target tracking. The weapons
systems will be revolutionized if the task of designing a neural network can be accomplished.
Such inherent advantages of fiber-optics make them an integral part of military vehicles.
Ground, sea, and air vehicles can all benefit if this technology is implemented in the foreseeable
future. Also owing to the reduced weight of fibers as compared to copper cables and their immunity
to electromagnetic interference, they are being considered for aircraft design too.[5]
The trends in fiber-optic devices are towards low-loss fibers with greater resistance to
damage, semiconductor lasers with low dispersion and greater tenability, and a variety of optical
control devices with high speed and which integrate well with electronics.[13,14] This does no harm to
its military applications. The military shall only benefit as such developments continue. Military
applications of fiber optics have been displayed in Table 2.
III. COMMUNICATIONS
From the security perspective, the use of for military communications is unparalleled.
Because no electro-magnetic fields are produced, eavesdropping is impossible. Hence it provides
unparalleled use for all types of communications. The Intrusion Detection Optical Communications
(IDOC) system is being built for the Air Force by Hughes Microelectronics Systems Division to link
two computer systems or local area networks. This system has recorded a transmission rate of up to
12megabits/sec, over distances up to 1.5km. This system will automatically shut down if the signal is
disrupted. Researchers at the Rome Air Development Center (RADC) at Hanscom Air Force Base
are working to increase the systems capabilities to 100megabits/sec over a distance of 35km.
A version of this system can be employed if fiber optic connectors could be made that are
easy to install and uninstall. A fiber optic communications network could be installed and the units
could be installed in the field could establish a secure communications link to the network by simply
plugging in.
Fiber optics could also be employed in the military to establish a temporary short-range
communication link.[6]
Table 2
Application Category
System
Benefits of Fiber
Communications
Intrusion Detection
Optical
Communications
(IDOC) System
FOG-M
AAWS-M
FOG-S
PDAMS
High pressure sensor
Allows non-encrypted
system
Improved security
Weapons
Sensors - Nuclear
Testing
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
Image probes
Combustor flame
probes
Compactness and
Reliability
Withstands high
temperatures
Surveillance
Submarine
Ariadne Program
High sensitivity
Can hold up in
corrosive sea
environment
UAV
R&D stage
Covert Operation
Airborne Platform
Avionics
Fly-by-light system
Weight/space savings
Radar
Phased array
Capability to exploit
parallelism of array
Aircraft stress
monitoring
R&D Stage
Light weight
Small size
Real time monitoring
Optical Computing
Neural Networks
Massive parallelism
Shipboard
Information system
Damage control system
(in tandem with sensor
network)
Navigation
Weight/space savings
Low cost
EMI/RFI immunity
Ability to hold up in
corrosive sea
environment
High data rate
No spark hazard
Ability to service line
cable
Small size
Light weight
Low power
Ruggedness
Potentially modest cost
Potentially great
accuracy
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
Parameter of Interest
Hydrophone
(pressure)
Pressure
Magnetic field
Gyroscope
(rotation)
Position
(displacement)
Vibration
(acceleration)
Flow
Liquid level
Oil Pollution Monitor
Temperature
pH
Table 3
Measured Performance
20 dB 1 micropascal
0-300 mm Hg
10-9 Gauss, 1mW optical power
10-3/h, 1mw optical power
10-3 in. resolution
10-6-10 g
10-6-10-5 m/s
0.5 mm
15 ppm
0-100 degrees
6.8-7.4
Target recognition
Word recognition
Sonar classification
Target tracking
Robotics
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online), Volume 6, Issue 2, February (2015), pp. 01-08 IAEME
and lightning strikes, making electrical shielding unnecessary. Optical fiber networks can prove to be
a very important factor in phased array radar system. It can also revolutionize the navigation market
when Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs) become available in the market[11]. Also, fiber signal paths are
very well suited for use on shipboards. This is because extreme EMI levels, electrical problems,
flooding, and corrosive environment make fiber a natural choice for data transfer aboard ships.
VIII. ACRONYMS
AAWS-M Advanced Anti-armor Weapon System - Medium
EMI
Electromagnetic Interference
EMP
Electromagnetic Pulses
FOG
Fiber Optic Gyroscope
FOG-M Fiber Optic Guided Missile
FOG-S Fiber Optic Guided Skipper
HMMWVHigh Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
IDOC
Intrusion Detection Optical Communications
MLRS
Multiple Launch Rocket System
RADC Rome Air Development Center
RFI
Radio Frequency Interference
TBM
Tactical Ballistic Missile
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
IX. REFERENCES
1.
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3.
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