Air Mission Laser Communications for 2040
Abstract
The US military has come to rely on global positioning system (GPS) position, navigation, and timing (PNT) and radio frequency (RF) communications to a fault. While such capability provides a robust flexibility and tight decision making cycles, the reliance upon it presents critical vulnerabilities. The recent growth of the anti-access, area denial (A2AD) concept, along with anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities and other aspect of contested and congested environments portends a future that requires more secure communications means, with increased capacity. Free space optical (FSO) laser communications (LC) systems, especially when used in a hybrid fashion with RF capabilities, offers increased security, increased data rate (read bandwidth), longer range, and reduced dependency on GPS and satellite communications (SATCOM). To meet these challenges, this paper recommends the accelerated development of next generation inertial navigation unit (INU) and clock technology, FSO LC aperture development, requirements for hybrid communications capabilities on current and future platforms, and development of a high altitude, long duration, multi-role communications and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1012778
Entities
People
- Nicholas S. Lofthouse
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College