Safran Electronics & Defense is developing a new solution for transmitting and receivingoptical communications by laser. This innovation will enable armed forces to shareinformation at very high speed with no risk of jamming or interception. It is the result of thecompany’s expertise in inertial navigation, optronics and communications.
Laser optical communication technology will be based on terminals that can transmit and receiveoptical communications: one terminal to send data encoded in a laser beam, the other to receive itand convert it into digital information. Users will be able to share messages, pictures and video atranges of tens of kilometers, or even further with the aid of relay satellites.
Laser optical links offer several advantages over traditional radio communication, includingdiscretion and resistance to interference. But also throughput, with speeds of 5 Gb/s to 50 Gb/s,which is a major benefit as data volumes continue to increase and data-hungry AI becomes morewidely deployed.
One of the main challenges with an optical communication system is to establish a direct line of sightbetween two terminals, and then ensure its stability during data transfer, whatever the conditions(for example, heavy swell for naval applications). Safran Electronics & Defense has addressed thischallenge, drawing on its technological expertise in the development of mobile platform-mountedoptronic sights and satellite communication solutions.
“We’re one of the only companies in the world today capable of developing this technology at scalefor use by the armed forces,” said Alexandre Ziegler, Executive VP, Defense Global Business Unitof Safran Electronics & Defense.
“We already have sovereign control over all the necessarytechnological components. And our teams have a deep understanding of military requirements andrelated technical issues on land, at sea, in the air and in space,” he added.
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment andinteriors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world,where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence,with 92 000 employees and sales of 23.2 billion euros in 2023, and holds, alone or in partnership, world orregional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and ispart of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.
Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers on-board intelligence solutions allowing them tounderstand the environment, to reduce mental load and to guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, inall environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 12,000employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.
