Analog and digital avionics signal distribution using WDM

Supporting analog and digital signal transmissions over optical fibers, this paper demonstrates a successful application of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to the avionics environment. We characterize the simultaneous transmission of four RF signals (channels) over a single optical fiber. At different points along a fiber optic backbone, these four analog channels are sequentially multiplexed and demultiplexed to more closely emulate the conditions in existing onboard aircraft. We present data from measurements of optical peak power that define the suitability of analog signal transmission, and link throughput that define the suitability of digital signal transmission. The data indicate that WDM is well-suited for the delivery of new inflight services, such as VoWiFi and HDTV.