Northrop, AOptix, High Speed / High Bandwidth Laser comms


Message posted by Smythers on July 14, 2020 at 12:23:01 PST:

As this is the defacto premier 'Black projects' watching website on the planet, I thought a little memory jog would be in order as we travel forwards in time.

For your consideration and further viewing, I'd like to present the work of Northrop Grumman (Prime) and AOptix that went into developing, testing and then *poof! vanishing!* the Airborne Laser Comms system.

First quote from Northrop

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The future laser communications terminal will provide more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to the user at much higher speeds than currently achievable with radio-frequency systems.

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and furthe on?

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Northrop Grumman's design approach will provide greater communication capability between existing military platforms and space assets," said Taylor W. Lawrence, vice president and general manager of the company's Systems Development and Technology Division. "In addition to increasing the amount of bandwidth over current radio-frequency systems, this technology has the potential to reduce size, weight and power requirements and do so at a lower cost.

"As the industry continues to move toward more interoperability and network-centric systems, laser applications provide a key technology for airborne reconnaissance missions using a layered architecture involving satellites, manned and unmanned aircraft, aerostatic vehicles, and portable/fixed ground terminals," Lawrence added. "This aperture system is a critical link between airborne lasercom terminal requirements and a number of truly transformational communications system

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Watch the linked video, and have a little think as to why such a system would absolutely fall off the radar. Especially with the B-21 and P-ISR assets Northrop had in design stages at the time.

Food for thought and it is why I always advocate watching the small light aircraft that weave over the test ranges. They very often carry some very, very interesting articles under test.

Attached link: https://youtu.be/wOJS_TrYfFo

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