NEW-HIP to Replace Aircraft Wiring with Single-Mode Fiber-Optic Network

Network Enabled, a fiber optic networks project by WDM Highly Integrated Photonics (NEW-HIP) has been launched to substitute the existing wiring by a single-mode fiber-optic network.

The project will aid in the development of prototype photonic receivers and transmitters for applications in a fiber network transmitting analog and digital signals.

The receivers and transmitters would control navigation, flight components and mission stores, and support advanced communications, radar and electronic warfare systems. The development provides numerous benefits compared to existing multimode fiber and copper cables such as minimized weight, simultaneous interconnection of multiple components and the endurance to extreme environmental conditions. The main advantage of the photonic components is the capability to reconfigure the logical connections of an optical network dynamically.

By changing the tactical aircraft’s fixed point-to-point cable infrastructure to a reconfigurable fiber-optic network can offer cost savings for the Defense Department over the durability of the aircraft. Existing digital integrated transmitters can support tuning of above 32 wavelength channels with data rates of 10 GB/s. In addition, the digital receiver can support a set of four simultaneous outputs from the supplied 32 channels.