By Stephen Borgna
Marketing Communications Specialist
Imagine a squadron of stealth fighters, flying deep into contested airspace, receiving real-time targeting data from a satellite relay. As enemy air defenses attempt to lock on, an electronic warfare aircraft disrupts their radar and coordinates with friendly pilots through a high-speed, fiber-optic-enabled data interlink.
On the ground, a forward-deployed reconnaissance unit detects an armored column advancing through rough terrain. Within seconds, their sensor feed is transmitted through a fiber-backed network to a command post miles away where AI-driven battlefield management software suggests an optimal counterattack. A nearby missile battery, already linked to the network, receives targeting coordinates and is ready to engage.
At sea, a destroyer patrolling a contested waterway picks up an unidentified contact on its radar. The ship’s fire control system instantly correlates data from nearby aircraft and satellites to paint a complete picture of the threat. Fiber-optic-enabled networks enable encrypted, high-speed communication between naval assets in the region to formulate a plan before the situation escalates.
This is the interconnected battlefield − a dynamic, data-driven combat environment where fiber optic networks serve as the backbone of real-time intelligence, targeting, and command and control. Every platform, from fighter jets to submarines to autonomous drones, depends on secure, high-bandwidth communication to execute complex operations with precision.
Fiber optics, once deemed impractical, have become heavily engrained into these communication networks over the last 40 years. At the heart of these networks are ruggedized fiber optic connectors, cable assemblies, and termini that enable these mission-critical connections.
The Emergence of Fiber Optics
The concept of fiber optics isn’t new. The foundation of fiber optic technology was actually laid much earlier than the invention of practical fiber systems in the mid-late 20th century.
In 1870, Irish physicist John Tyndall conducted an experiment demonstrating that when light was directed through a flowing stream of water, the light followed the curved path of the stream due to total internal reflection (TIR). TIR is the phenomenon where light is completely reflected within a medium when it strikes the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle, preventing it from escaping and allowing it to be guided over long distances. This is the foundational principle of modern fiber optic systems.
Prior to the 1970s, fiber optics remained experimental and were confined to very niche uses such as medical imaging devices and early military research. During this time, fiber systems had an attenuation as high as 1,000 dB/km, meaning the signal would be almost completely lost within a few meters. This made fiber systems totally impractical for use over longer distances.
Corning Glass Works, now known as Corning Inc., made a major breakthrough in the 1970s when it developed the world’s first low-loss optical glass fiber that reduced signal attenuation to 20 dB/km. Fiber was now a very attractive long-distance communications solution. In the years that followed, military applications began to implement fiber into everything from ISR technologies to electronic warfare systems, avionics, command and control networks, and more.
Rugged Fiber Connections Enable Modern Mission-Critical Systems
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Advancements in fiber optics have led to a massive jump in military and aerospace capabilities. The framework of modern mission-critical systems now depends on the low-loss high speed signal enabled through fiber optic systems to communicate and enable real-time data sharing across multiple domains.
Once high-speed fiber was practical and available, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) began integrating fiber optics into land and naval-based communication networks. Fiber optics are not only faster than traditional copper-based systems – their use of light signals to transmit data meant communication networks were less vulnerable to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Today, fiber optics are woven into the fabric of the C6ISR platforms that drive multi-domain operations and ensure all assets across air, land, sea, space, and cyber can communicate effectively in real-time.
Amphenol has played a central role in the establishment of these modern fiber systems with connectors such as the TFOCA. Available through Amphenol FSI, the TFOCA (Tactical Fiber Optic Cable Assembly) line of multi-channel MIL-PRF-83526 fiber connectors are specially designed for rugged fiber optic connectivity in harsh battlefield conditions. Amphenol FSI developed these connectors in collaboration with the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) in 1999.
What does the use of fiber optics in these systems look like in practice? The U.S. military’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is a prime example of a system that features fiber optics as an integral layer of its system architecture.
The U.S. military has a vast network of assets that collect intelligence around the world, including Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs, satellites, ground-based radar stations and maritime surveillance systems. The DCGS is one of the systems responsible for aggregating the data gathered by the military’s ISR assets and distributing it in real-time to commanders and operators so they can make informed decisions, while also enabling information sharing between drones, satellites, and personnel on the ground.
DCGS systems transmit full-motion video (FMV), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and electronic intelligence (ELINT) from various platforms to distributed command centers manned by military intelligence staff, who then relay that information up the chain of command or to the appropriate personnel in real-time. Without fiber optics-backed infrastructure, DCGS ISR capabilities such as hyperspectral imaging or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) feeds would suffer from delays and bandwidth limitations. Within the DCGS, fiber optics are arranged in a distributed architecture of terrestrial and subsea fiber networks that connect forward-deployed sensor nodes, ground stations, and command centers across multiple domains.
Amphenol FSI’s TFOCA (Tactical Fiber Optic Cable Assembly) line of multi-channel MIL-PRF-83526 fiber connectors feature a robust hermaphroditic design that enables easy daisy-chaining and rapid deployment in the field. Variants such as TFOCA-II® and TFOCA-III® offer improved optical performance, increased fiber counts, and enhanced sealing technology for greater environmental protection. \
Perhaps a decision to strike a target using a smart weapon system is made using information gathered and aggregated by DCGS personnel. The precision guidance and targeting modules on these weapon systems may be employing fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) to accurately navigate to the target. Perhaps the target is a radar system that needs to be jammed – an electronic warfare system connected through fiber optics may be responsible for jamming it or targeting it through high-speed-fiber-enabled cyber capabilities. Maybe more intelligence is needed before a decision is made – a Reaper drone employing advanced fiber avionics in its airframe may be tasked with gathering more information.
Fiber optics are baked into everything in modern mission-critical platforms, and fiber’s role is only going to become larger in the years to come. For instance, the DCGS is increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities into its system architecture that will surely rely on the high-bandwidth capabilities offered through high-speed fiber.
As fiber optics continue to shape the future of military and aerospace communications, the reliability of these networks depends on the durability and performance of the interconnect systems that link them all together. This is where Amphenol Fiber Optic Interconnect Systems come in.
Amphenol Rugged Fiber Optic Connectors, Cables, and Termini Enable the Interconnected Battlefield
Amphenol produces a variety of fiber optic interconnect technologies including connectors, cable assemblies, and termini to enable reliable fiber optic speeds and low-loss connectivity throughout mission-critical military and aerospace applications operating in harsh environments. We offer fiber interconnect systems in single mode and multi-mode configurations with the design and manufacturing expertise to produce an end-to-end solution for your application.
Some of our core fiber products include:
CF38999 Multi-Channel Fiber Optic Connectors
CF38999 Multi-Channel Fiber Optic Connectors are the industry standard for harsh-environment fiber optic circular connectors. These 100% scoop proof connectors feature a MIL-DTL-38999 Series III connector with incorporated fiber optic termini. The lightweight CF38999 is designed to withstand vibration and shock and features recessed pins to minimize potential damage to the termini. These connectors feature exceptional EMI shielding and corrosion resistance due to stainless steel or cadmium over nickel plating.
MTC-HD – High Density MT Ferrules with 6 Insert Arrangements
The MTC-HD Series is a high-density fiber optic solution featuring MT ferrules with six insert arrangements, supporting up to 72 fibers in a compact design. These VITA 89-aligned connectors are available in physical contact (PC) and expanded beam configurations and offer single-mode and multimode fiber options. At 25Gbps per-channel in the largest shell size, MTC-HD can support a throughput of up to 10.8Tbps.
Fiber Optic Termini
Amphenol offers a selection of fiber optic termini for use throughout our fiber optic connectors, including MIL-PRF-29504 style, HD20, JSFC, ARINC 801, and MT Ferrules.
TACBeam Expanded Beam Connectors
Expanded beam is a fiber technology that uses precision lenses to collimate and refocus optical signals, eliminating direct fiber contact to enhance durability, resist contamination, and reduce wear over repeated connections.
Amphenol FSI incorporates expanded beam technology in its TACBeam Expanded Beam Connectors. TACBEAM is a MIL-DTL-83526/20 & /21 qualified ruggedized connector that supports single-mode and multimode fiber in 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 fiber configurations. Its hermaphroditic design allows for easy linking of multiple cable assemblies, enabling daisy-chaining for extended-distance applications.
Visit the Amphenol Military High Speed and Amphenol FSI for more information on Amphenol’s comprehensive suite of fiber optic interconnect solutions.