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Fiber
Optics in Military Aerospace: Profits Before Progress?
By
Scott Clay, Bishop & Associates Inc.
Most experts in wiring
and systems still feel that widespread use of fiber optics within the
cockpit of aircraft (or in the passenger compartment) is still a few
years away. Now, with the recession and the resulting slowdown of
aircraft deliveries, and the tremendous cost pressure on all types of
components within the airframes, fiber will probably wait even longer to
supplant copper.
Despite this, the two major programs in this sector—one in military and
one in civil aerospace—are both groundbreakers in the use of fiber. For
the Air Force and a large number of overseas customers, the F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter is a showplace for fiber optics systems, mostly in the
cockpit. On Boeing’s new 787 “Dreamliner” twin-aisle passenger aircraft,
the Seattle aircraft maker is using fiber optics as a major part of its
Common Core Architecture and e-Enabling system.
Both are sadly years behind schedule.
The Common Core
Architecture and e-Enabling system is the latest in systems and
electronics, and will use fiber and copper to integrate all on-board
maintenance, dataload, and even crew information systems. Unfortunately,
the method of assembly for this airliner, with various subsections of
the aircraft built in different parts of the world and sent to the
Seattle area for final assembly, creates an inherent delay in schedules.
Other factors, in addition to the untimely strike at the Boeing plant,
have contributed to delays with FAA qualifications and customer
deliveries. The banking collapse of 2008 has done nothing but add to the
problems: Boeing experienced order cancellations, even with down-payment
forfeitures, because some key leasing companies and airlines could not
get financing. And the first 787 has yet to fly; it is scheduled for the
second quarter of 2009 and deliveries are now not slated until 2010.
Fiber connectors and assemblies have been built and incorporated into
the Common Core Computer System being
made by GE Aviation and Tyco Electronics.
These delays don’t change the fact that fiber optics is the ideal
choice, and it’s inevitable that it will be a major part of future
design. And in some areas, the future is now. Fiber is already seeing
applications in new installations or replacements of displays or CRTs,
as the newest generation uses fiber to bring a large amount of data
signals to the screen. On the Block III version of the Boeing Apache
AH-64D Attack Helicopter, which is the latest version of this superior
ground attack machine, fiber makes it possible for the latest in
“Net-centric” warfare capabilities to be available to the crew members.
The Army and Boeing wanted to greatly improve the information for the
pilots in terms of content and speed of reception. With the conflicts in
Iraq and Afghanistan, enemy forces are using the latest ground-to-air
weapons against American aircraft and helicopters. These new missile
systems are quicker to acquire targets, have more powerful engines,
better sensor systems, and are not as susceptible to the newer
seeker-jamming and self-protection equipment currently in our aerial
platforms. Pilots needed “real-time,” immediate situational awareness of
such threats to be able to select the correct countermeasures to defeat
the incoming weapons. Fiber becomes key in the net-enabled architecture
for these new displays and warning systems, as the data and video
streams are so large, copper simply cannot handle the vast amount of
signals.
The Army also has installed new, much more modern communications systems
in this rotorcraft, which also demand performance in data transfer.
Earlier versions could not receive all the data and information from
UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that are now employed over all
battlefields. With the latest systems, onboard radios and displays can
receive direct signals from these UAVs, this includes all types—from
large, high-altitude long-endurance platforms to small, hand-launched
ones currently in service with individual infantry squads. Other
information that is provided immediately is data about location of
friendly and enemy forces, timely weather forecasts, weapon status and
availability, GPS- and terrain-following information, and, as mentioned
before, countermeasures and defensive equipment. These new capabilities
are revolutionary, and are changing the combat situation in both war
theatres on a daily basis. The Army is working on equipping all
rotorcraft with these capabilities.
Many of the newest civil
aircraft and helicopters also will have fiber applications, as new, more
rugged systems are made available. Companies are becoming more aware
that copper will not provide the speed and performance that is needed to
fully utilize these systems. Also, the unreliable costs of fuel, weight,
and mileage are key factors, and fiber systems allow the system makers
to cut weight, thus increasing mileage. Companies are using fiber in
in-flight-entertainment (IFE) systems now, and they must be reliable
enough for the system makers to guarantee the connector performance, or
they will be financially responsible for premium seats that go unsold
because of IFE systems that do not work. Makers also are busy with the
development of new fiber systems, ones that are more robust, reliable,
and lower in cost for the consumer. In a recent edition of Avionics
magazine, there were at least a dozen announcements and articles about
new developments or components in fiber done by companies
such as Tyco Electronics,
Sabritec, Radiall, Deutsch, and Souriau. The associated articles all
noted that these companies are addressing the problems of service,
reliability, ruggedness from constant use, proper shielding, EMC issues,
and other areas.
As mentioned previously, the Joint Strike Fighter is the largest single
weapons program in world history, which if carried out to its intended
goal of over 4,000 aircraft, could be worth over $50 billion or more.
There will be three versions of the aircraft. One will be a standard
takeoff/landing aircraft made for ground attack. In the U. S. inventory,
this version will replace the F-16, A-10, Strike Eagle, and other ground
attack/infantry support airplanes. The second version will be the CV or
Carrier Version. It will incorporate larger wings and control surfaces,
and is made to operate off the U.S. Nimitz and Bush class fleet
carriers. The third version will be the short take-off, vertical landing
model to replace the Hawker Harrier type of aircraft that are used by
the Marines and the Navy. The basic design and construction of these
aircraft will be the same, except the vertical take-off will use a
shaft-driven lift fan with a three-axis rotatable swivel nozzle to
implement the vertical lift and landing. Fiber is used extensively
within the cockpit area for displays, radars, multifunction information
systems, and other controls.
When this recession recedes, fiber will be a big part of the comeback.
Fiber will be used even more in future upgrades and “resets” for
avionics systems, especially in helicopters and existing Air Force and
Navy aircraft. New developments will add to the reliability and service
life of systems and components. There have also been major advances in
the making of fiber optic cable, with new developments from Tensolite,
SEA Wire and Cable, Wiremasters, and others. Many traditional wire and
cable companies are also greatly improving their fiber abilities to
produce assemblies with greater reliability and new options. These are
the companies that will be ready for the future when it comes.
Scott Clay
Director Military & Aerospace, Bishop & Associates Inc.
Scott Clay has worked for more than 25 years in the connector
and wiring systems markets. He has held various positions in
field applications and marketing for Molex, Tyco, Methode, and
ITT. For the past 15 years, Clay has focused on the
military/aerospace sector, and five years ago formed his own
company for consulting and application engineering. He has
worked on design-in and electronics on F/A-18E/F, F-22, F-35,
C-130J, C-5M, C-27, P-8, A-10, and numerous other aircraft. Some
of the Navy programs Clay has participated in are SSN-774
Virginia class subs, CVX, DDG-1000, and the Littoral Combat Ship
class. He has extensive expertise in land vehicle systems, and
has worked closely with the worldwide locations of GD, BAE, AM
General, and other key manufacturers. He is currently working on
variations of MRAP, JLTV, upgrades for the Bradley fighting
vehicle, M-88 recovery vehicle, FMTV, and other platforms in the
wiring and systems areas, plus portions of the future combat
systems.
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