Fiber optics technology has many applications in a variety of industries including communications, manufacturing, and defense. Compared to other technologies, fiber optics has fewer associated costs, higher bandwidth capacity, and saves energy. It also has an important usage in the defense industry. Here’s more information about how fiber optics can help your business:
Fiber Lasers in Sensor Systems
In the defense industry, one such application of fiber lasers is for sensor systems. The fiber lasers “act as the optical light source or the sensor element. When the fiber laser is used as the sensor, it can usually achieve high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high sensitivity, long distance sensing and multi-parameter sensing.” (Source) Specifically, fiber optics technology is used to pick up noise underwater by the shore line that may be missed using other methods.
Benefits of Fiber Optic Vector Sensors
A report by VIP Sensors of California highlights the benefits of an innovative Fiber Optic Vector Sensor (FOVS) and a Detection System that allows formation of vector sensor arrays in a single optic fiber to be used in Navy towed sonar arrays. The report states that, unlike the open ocean, a port or waterway is a noisy environment, which leaves it vulnerable. Noise from commercial shipping vessels, recreational boat traffic, and stationary underwater noise sources such as cooling pumps abound, which mask the sounds of an approaching intruder. An omni-directional hydrophone surveillance sensor senses acoustic pressure equally in every direction, which reduces the sensor’s ability to detect acoustic signals from an intruder that are quieter than the surrounding noise sources. VIP Sensors’ proposed vector sensors and vector sensor arrays improve the detection and localization of acoustic signals.
Australian Government Using Fiber Optics
The Australian government is also looking towards fiber optics technology to improve its defense. The DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation) of the Australian Government Department of Defence launched The Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program to improve Australia’s Defense capabilities by giving Australian and New Zealand industry opportunities to demonstrate new ideas and approaches related to using technology. One external partner working to facilitate the rapid transition of science and technology into Defense capability is Thales Australia Ltd. The Thales Australia Ltd. proposal resulted in the Fibre Optic Towed Array (FOTA), a sea-bed surveillance array that detects sound with extreme sensitivity using micro-sized lasers embedded in the core of optic fibres. At less than 20 mm in diameter, it can detect sounds with extreme sensitivity.
Because fiber optics technology detects intruder noise that falls below the average noise level, it is an important shore line defense application. It allows the military to better protect the shore line from possible threats.