Ultra-Wideband Fiber Optic RF Distribution System for Submarine Platforms

In this Phase I effort Pharad will develop novel technologies to realize an ultra-wideband fiber optic RF distribution system for submarine platforms that will provide significantly enhanced performance capabilities and cost savings compared to currently fielded solutions. Upgrading to a fiber optic distribution system will offer a number of benefits over conventional copper or coaxial cables, including significantly reduced cabling volume and weight; very low loss over a wide RF bandwidth; and improved signal isolation. The ability to reduce the volume of the RF distribution system in the submarine will provide increased space for RF equipment and enable enhanced mission capabilities. During Phase I we will investigate novel approaches for the high dynamic range and low noise transport of ultra-wideband RF signals over fiber. We will then develop a preliminary design for the fiber optic RF distribution system architecture that can meet the performance requirements while also being cost advantageous. This design will form the basis of a scaled prototype fiber optic RF distribution system that will be developed in Phase II. We will also carry out a proof-of-concept experiment that demonstrates the technical feasibility of our proposed concepts for realizing an ultra-wideband, high performance, fiber optic RF distribution system.