Secure Optical Data Communications Between Tactical Vehicles - LightSpeed^™ Technology

Modern military forces need an alternative to radio-frequency (RF) based communications between tactical vehicles. Free Space Optics (FSO) can provide that alternative but, to date, the design and form-factor of the equipment precluded considering it as a viable solution. Recent advances in FSO technologies are changing that and systems suitable for use in tactical field operations are currently being introduced into the battlefield by the special operations community. This paper explores some of the issues associated with adapting FSO to mobile vehicular applications and provides an overview of the current maturity and capabilities of these technologies.