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IJARET
IAEME

DETAILED ANALYSIS OF FIBER OPTIC NETWORKS

AND ITS BENEFITS IN DEFENSE APPLICATIONS
Himanshu K. Patel1,
1,2

Shalin S. Shah2

Nirma Institute of Technology, Ahmedabad - 382 481

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

Minimum Bend Radii No crushing

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

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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

High data rate

EMI/RFI immunity
Reduced vulnerability
of launcher
Ability ti sense in
particle generation
phase
Ranges in excess of 10
kbar
Accurate tracking of
impulses

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

Fiber Optic Gyroscope

(FOG)

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

IV. WEAPON SYSTEMS

The only fiber optic weapon that is currently being developed is the FOG-M. The FOG-M is
a medium range (~20-40 km), lock-on-after-launch weapon system to be used against helicopters and
ground vehicles. FOG-S, another fiber optic guided weapon, is also being proposed for the Navy. A
fiber guided weapon for the AAWS-M (Advanced Anti-armor Weapon System-Medium) , which is a
short range man portable weapon, has also been proposed. It is supposed to be used primarily against
tanks.[7]
Both the FOG-M/S and the AAWS-M concepts are hit-to-kill weapons and use a man in the
loop for guidance. A camera has been installed in the nose of the missile which sends back a picture
to the gunner during its flight. This is done with the help of a fiber optic cable paid out from the
missile during flight. Also, through the fiber link, guidance commands are transmitted from the
gunners position to the missile. A single-mode fiber with a silica core is doped with germanium or
phosphorus, a pure silica cladding, and an ultraviolet clear polymer coating to protect the fiber from
damage, are typically used. The outside diameter of the fiber is 200-250 microns.
This weapon is made possible only by the fiber data link. Copper cables are rendered useless
in this case because high bandwidth is required to transmit a picture which is unavailable when
copper cables are used. For a fiber optic guided weapon to function, the fiber is supposed to pay out
at missile velocities without breaking. Fiber pay out speeds up to 600 ft/sec have been successfully
demonstrated in tests. The maximum theoretical pay out speed is approximately 2,600 ft/sec.
The Air Force and the Navy are also considering a fiber guided weapon to be dispensed from
an aircraft. A possible tactical application of fiber optics technology is to use aircraft to drop buoys
into the ocean with fiber optic guided missiles. The buoys would have either a fiber optic or radio
link to the aircraft or a radio link to the ship or land base. When any enemy ship or plane moves into
their range, these missiles can be launched. This technique can be used to deny both aircraft and
ships to a fairly large section of ocean.
V. SURVEILLANCE/SENSORS
Owing to their rugged characteristics and ability to monitor a wide range of physical
parameters, fiber optic sensors offer great promise in a variety of future sensing and surveillance
applications. Table 3 lists the currently measured performance parameters for some fiber optic
sensors.
The use of fiber optics technology in battlefield surveillance has many possibilities. Since
fiber optic sensors are compact, rugged, and extremely sensitive to a variety of parameter, they are
used in the battlefield environment[12]. For example, a pressure sensor buried in a road or a seismic
sensor along the road could determine the number of vehicles that pass a point or it can also help in
recognizing the type of vehicle based on the pressure readings. Moreover, underwater submarine
surveillance could be improved by using optical fiber to make an acoustic inferometer. Also, the
maintenance and replacement costs due to the corrosive sea environment will be reasonably reduced
due to the rugged nature of these sensors. Fiber sensors can also be used to monitor a number of
engine parameters including temperature, pressure, engine speed, and so on during the flight.
Another possible use of fiber optics for surveillance is unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) with a
fiber optic data link between the vehicle and a ground station. One can then transmit guidance
information to the vehicle and images from the vehicle to the ground station via the data link. The
primary advantages of using a fiber optic link are immunity to jamming and EMI and covert
operations.

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

VI. OPTICAL COMPUTING

As optics become a major networking media in all communications needs, optical
interconnects will inevitably play an important role in interconnecting processors in parallel and
distributed computing systems.[8] Several Government institutions and Defense Academies are
working on optical computing. Efforts are under way to produce a device that can automatically
recognize a target using optical signal processing. In this system, only phase information would be
used to recognize the target in real time.[9]
Neural Networks is an application of the fiber optics technology in the field of optical
computing. A lot of research work is being carried out in this are because of its unparalleled
parallelism. The manmade neural networks are composed of a variable resistor and a feedback loop
to change the resistance depending on the output. Many applications of the neural networks are:

Target recognition
Word recognition
Sonar classification
Target tracking
Robotics

Examples of military tasks where neural networks can be employed are:

Detection of relocatable strategic weapons and recognition of ground features by means of

satellite sensors.
Stealth aircraft detection by infrared search-and-track systems.

VII. FIBER OPTICS ABOARD VEHICLES

Fiber optics is well suited for use aboard military vehicles because of its inherent advantages.
Currently, a lot of emphasis has been given to making the aircraft or ship lighter. As compared to the
copper cables, fiber optics are lighter and hence better suited. Also, the fibers are immune to EMI
6

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.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

11.
12.

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Jones, R.T.; Thiraviam, A., Reliability of Fiber Optic connectors, OCEANS 2010, Seattle,
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A Rand Note N-2866-RC Military Applications of Fiber Optics Technology, Joseph F.
Benzoni, David T. Orletsky.
A Lot of Fiber Optics Likely to Fly on NASP, M. W.Matthews (ed.) Military Fiber Optics
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Pandhi, Sushil N., The Universal Data Connection, IEEE Spectrum.
Sherrets, Larry, Lightguide Digest, Vol. 1
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Yuanyuan Yang; Jianchao Wang, Sparse WDM optical interconnects under wavelengthbased model, OCEANS '02 MTS/IEEE, Vol3. Pg. 1806-1813
Researchers Foresee Sharp Increase in Military Photonics Applications:, Donald Fink (ed.),
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war[J];OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY & INFORMOTION;1999-05
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