FIBER OPTIC NETWORK FOR CARRIER ARRESTING GEAR C3 FUNCTIONS

REDUNDANCY AND FAULT TOLERANCE ARE CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS IN FIBER OPTIC NETWORKS USED IN DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEMS. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SHORTCOMINGS IN PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AREAS COULD ADVERSELY IMPACT THE VIABILITY OF PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLERS IN NAVAL SHIPBOARD USE, DUE TO MISSION SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. THIS PROPOSAL PUTS FORTH AN ADVANCED GENERAL PURPOSE, PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLER PLATFORM FOR USE IN PROVIDING CARRIER ARRESTING GEAR CONTROL. THIS CONTROL PLATFORM WILL PROVIDE THE SPECIALIZED TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED FOR NAVAL SHIPBOARD USE, NOT FOUND IN CONVENTIONAL PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLERS. THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL INCLUDE SPECIAL PURPOSE REAL TIME CONTROL MODULES AND AN INTEGRAL FIBER OPTIC FAULT TOLERANT COMMUNICATION NETWORK BASED UPON THE EMERGING U.S. NAVY SAFENET COMMUNICATION STANDARD. INTEGRAL FIBER OPTIC SENSORS WILL ALSO BE DEMONSTRATED. COMMUNICATION CAPABILITY WILL ENABLE LINKAGE OF SIMILAR AND DISSIMILAR PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLERS VIA THE FIBER OPTIC NETWORK. OTHER STUDY OBJECTIVES WILL BE RESEARCHED AND PRESENTED IN THE FINAL REPORT. AN INTERIM PROOF OF CONCEPT DEMONSTRATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA 90 DAYS AFTER START OF WORK, FOR APPROPRIATE NAVAL AIR ENGINEERING PERSONNEL.