Secure Optical Data Communications Between Tactical Vehicles - LightSpeed™ Technology

Dr. Leo Volfson LBV@tplogic.com Mr. Tom Stautz tom.stautz@tplogic.com Torrey Pines Logic, Inc. San Diego, CA ABSTRACT Modern military forces need an alternative to radio‐frequency (RF) based communications between tactical vehicles. Free Space Optics (FSO) can provide that alternative but, to date, the design and form‐factor of the equipment precluded considering it as a viable solution. Recent advances in FSO technologies are changing that and systems suitable for use in tactical field operations are currently being introduced into the battlefield by the special operations community. This paper explores some of the issues associated with adapting FSO to mobile vehicular applications and provides an overview of the current maturity and capabilities of these technologies. INTRODUCTION Various forms of optical communications have been used by military forces for thousands of years. A relative newcomer in this scene is Free Space Optics (FSO), an optical communications technology that uses light propagating in free space to transmit data between two points. Modern FSO became possible with the advent of small lasers in the 1950s and, more recently, the explosion of Light Emitting Diode (LED) technologies based upon inexpensive and relatively powerful emitter diodes. It is now possible to establish robust and reliable tactical communications networks using FSO and new products are being introduced that provide suitable performance in a form factor small enough for use by soldiers in tactical operations. Although much work is required, there is no reason that FSO technologies cannot be adapted to vehicular applications where it will provide reliable inter‐vehicle communications under a variety of field conditions.