Optoelectronic Analog Signal Transmission Takes Center Stage Amidst Aerospace and Defense Innovation

It is hard to imagine an industry more reliant on seamless, resilient, and secure communication than aerospace and defense (A&D). Communication and electromagnetic signal processing are at the core of advanced systems, which is why the trend towards higher frequencies (and millimeter waves) makes optoelectronic signal transmission a critical topic in this sector as technology advances at a rapid pace and demands better performance.

A&D communication networks use a mix of digital and analog transmission, with emphasis on the former, but given the industry's proclivity towards lower latency and higher bandwidth applications, analog transmission will play an even larger role in the future. Passive and active electromagnetic sensing (e.g., radar, radio telescopes, and other listening devices) requires high fidelity signal transport for “remote” processing. It brings transport of radio frequency signals over fiber (RFoF) to the forefront, which is an analog technique of converting radio frequency (RF) into light waves for secure, resilient, long-distance data/signal transmission.