TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Information Systems, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-263, Navy Unmanned Vehicle Program

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a second degree or above, highly integrated, general purpose, Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) mesh network connection capable of providing microsecond or faster switching speeds for initial network set up, reconfiguration, and restoration.

DESCRIPTION: While numerous research and development programs work on pushing the state of the art for optical components for avionics application, very few if any focus on the innovation required to integrate the right technology in the right format to create compact, durable and power efficient packages which we can fly in the military aviation environment. The state of the art in optical networking is such that WDM networks exist fulfilling the commercial telecom long distance requirements. They focus on addressing dispersion versus fulfilling the high connectivity of a LAN where there are numerous connections with lengths no longer than 100 meters, which have no dispersion or non-linearity to speak of. By lifting the telecom�s dispersion requirement, innovative solutions are required which utilize the state of the art in photonic component device and packaging integration technology to fulfill the maximum avionics networking functionality.

Single-mode Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed (DWDM) optical networks are emerging as a leading solution for data communication links in avionic systems. These DWDM networks provide the promise of upgrade capability to hundreds of independent wavelengths over the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) C-band, L-band, and possibly X-band or beyond, each capable of carrying an independent application. One key element for these optical links is a seamless backbone connection which combines a high degree of optical functionality transparency (eliminate or minimize Optical�Electrical-Optical conversions) for signal routing on and off the backbone network and possibly to generate and receive those signals within the backbone network. In addition, they might potentially provide electronic support capabilities required for general purpose connections on the small real estate available in avionics systems. As a basic building block, this device needs only to provide millisecond configuration with a migration path to microsecond and fast speeds.

It is envisioned that proposed innovative concepts would integrate the functionality of a tunable laser transmitter, tunable arrayed waveguide grating, a wavelength converter and an add-drop multiplexer on a substrate the size of 1 cm3. Environmentally, this device would be ruggedized to perform flawlessly over a temperature range of -40 to 100�C range and comply with testing regimes chosen from MIL-STD-883 under the guidance of MIL-STD-810F. Additionally, this network connection has to provide sufficient configuration resilience to support initial network set up, reconfiguration, restoration, low latency and fault tolerance. Innovative concepts optimizing size, weight and power (SWAP) as well as sufficient network connection and transmission functionality are desired. Additional metrics include estimated cost of the final design once developed and the anticipated ability to survive in the harsh aerospace environment.

PHASE I: Develop a design approach and integration strategy, demonstrate feasibility of the proposed technology, and evaluate it with respect to stated performance objectives that include form, fit, function, and environmental requirements for a highly integrated, general purpose, WDM mesh network connection for avionics networking.

PHASE II: Design, fabricate, package, test and demonstrate a prototype of the general purpose WDM mesh network connection that satisfies form, fit, function, performance, and stringent military environmental requirements (see reference 4 and 5).

PHASE III: Transition the optical technology to general purpose avionic platform networking for military aviation application.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Technology developed under this effort would benefit the commercial and military aviation community as well as the commercial long distance telecom industry.

REFERENCES:
1. Mazurowski, J.; Hackert, M.; Habiby, S.; Martinec, D.; Progress in the development of a mil/aero WDM backbone standard; Avionics Fiber-Optics and Photonics, 2005. IEEE Conference
20-22 Sept. 2005, Page(s): 9- 10, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/AVFOP.2005.1514131.

2. Habiby, S.F.; Advances in WDM LAN Standards Development for Aerospace Applications ; Avionics Fiber-Optics and Photonics, 2006. IEEE Conference 2006; Page(s): 20-21, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/AVFOP.2006.1707480.

3. Krug, William P; Etemad, Shahab; Habiby, Sarry; Optics for Information Assurance on Platforms; Avionics, Fiber-Optics and Photonics Technology Conference, 2007 IEEE; 2-5 Oct. 2007 ; Page(s): 28-29 Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/AVFOP.2007.4365732.

4. RTCA DO160 F - Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, 2007-12-06; www.RTCA.org.

5. McDermott, B.G.; Beranek, M.W.; Hackert, M.J.; "Fiber Optic Cable Assembly Specification Checklist for Avionics Applications" Avionics Fiber-Optics and Photonics, 2006 IEEE Conference; Page(s):80 - 81.

KEYWORDS: fiber optics; optical communications; networking; WDM; Mesh Network; ROADM

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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