Free-Space Optical Communications for Next-generation Military Networks

There is a continuing need for increased capacity for military applications, especially in network-centric operational concepts that promote the use of information as fundamental for gaining superiority on the battlefield. As an example, the access to, and distribution of, sensor data is a major tenet of network-centric warfare and yet radio frequency (RF) links will struggle to provide the needed capacity. Free-space optical communications (FSOC) has the potential to meet these emerging military needs by offering dramatic increases in capacity. However, there are many technical challenges al multiple layers of the communications protocol stack. This article describes these challenges and discusses some mitigation approaches to provide a path to realizing this capability on the battlefield