Advanced Optical Network

The following article describes an advanced dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) Optical Network developed by L-3 Photonics. The network, configured as an amplified optical bus, carries traffic simultaneously in both directions, using multiple wavelengths. As a result, data distribution is of the form peer-to-multi-peer, it is protocol independent, and it is scalable. The network leverages the rapid growth in commercial optical technologies, including wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and when applied to military and commercial platforms such as aircraft, ships, unmanned and other vehicles, provides a cost-effective, low-weight, high-speed, and high noise-immune data distribution system.