May 28 2008
AOptix Technologies, Inc., a leading edge developer of ultra-high bandwidth laser communication solutions has been selected by Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Systems sector to design and build the free space optical terminals for the ORCA project; an adverse weather, high connectivity, jam resistant, high bandwidth network sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and under the contract administration of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
Under the terms of the Agreement, AOptix Technologies will provide their modified lasercom terminals for development and testing in a broad range of air to air and air to ground applications.
The program objectives of the Northrop Grumman-led team are to demonstrate a prototype of a tactical optical and RF network containing ground based and airborne nodes. The ultimate goal of the DARPA program is to provide a “leave behind” system for the end user.
AOptix Technologies and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory recently demonstrated ultra high bandwidth laser communications between two mountain tops in Hawaii simulating an air to air link. AOptix curvature adaptive optics technology was essential for correcting atmospheric disturbances in a variety of conditions.
“We’re thrilled to be teamed with Northrop Grumman for ORCA. This is a huge opportunity to advance the state-of-the-art in wireless optical communications for military and intelligence applications” says, Dean Senner, President and CEO of AOptix. “Our lasercom terminals will open up enormous bandwidth with data speeds that are orders of magnitude beyond the capability of systems currently in use.”