SBIR-STTR Award

The primary objective of this program is to assess the application of single-mode fiber optic technology to missiles that can seek out and destroy the target at extended ranges in a lock on after launch mode. Current fiber-guided missile systems are limited in both data-rate and length because they utilize multi-mode fiber and operate at a lower wavelength of .8 microns. This study will assess the feasibility and cost/performance of utilizing single-mode fiber and lasers at higher data rates and link lengths.

A Phase I study has been conducted to ascertain the advantages and potential difficulties involved in the application of single-mode optical fiber to missile guidance. It determined that the strength characteristics of single-mode fiber are essentially the same as those of multi-mode fiber. It also determined the optimum operating wavelength for utilization of single-mode optical fiber in missile guidance is 1.3 microns. At that wavelength, a 10mhz video signal having a signal-to-noise ratio of better than 50db can be transmitted over a single-mode fiber with a range of 71.4 kilometers. Infrared image seeker signals generating 100mbits data can be transmitted over a range of 64.7 kilometers at a bit-error rate of 10 to the 9th power. The missile ranges are the result of considering the current state-of-the-art peak power of 4 milliwatts which may be coupled into a single-mode fiber at 1.3 micrometers from a laser. A research and development program is proposed for extending this peak coupled power to 20 milliwatts thereby extending the missile range beyond 100 kilometers for transmitting both analog video and digital infrared seeker imagers.