N161-029 TITLE: Shipboard Cabling using Rugged Wavelength Division Multiplexing

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 1.0, AEGIS Integrated Combat System.

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a robust shipboard cabling solution using Rugged Wavelength Division Multiplexing (RWDM)

DESCRIPTION: Current shipboard communications cabling is comprised mostly of large, heavy copper cable which is costly to procure and expensive to run throughout the ship. Additionally, the complexity of installing connectors between systems significantly drives production costs higher. Operationally speaking, legacy communications systems have difficulty handling digital data signals associated with newer technologies. This requires larger and a greater number of cables to support capability improvements. Systems maintenance then requires additional materials and components, which exacerbates the issues. Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is an alternative approach to data transfer which converts digital/analog data signals to optical signals of varying wavelengths of light which are then combined and transmitted through a single optical fiber. This signal conversion and data multiplexing enables bidirectional communications over one fiber strand and exponentially increases the data transmission capacity of the networked system. The telecommunications industry has been using WDM for many years, however, signal conversion is limited to ethernet signal processing and does not address the wide spectrum of Navy data inputs that would require optical conversion in order to implement fiber optic cables and/or WDM conversion technology solutions. Using Rugged Wavelength Division Multiplexing (RWDM) with a modular architecture to support conversion of multiple data source types will provide for elimination of legacy problems by allowing for fewer cables with higher capacity and fewer specialty connections. RWDM allows for a more cost effective installation of lightweight fiber optic cables because it addresses the conversion of all of the Navy�s data sources and supports more reliable and efficient data transfer.

The Navy shipboard communications network is an arrangement of data inputs, user consoles, converters, adapters, and radio terminals interconnected with high-speed, general-purpose computers and programs. These include but are not limited to Navy Tactical Data System (Ref. 1), serial links, ethernet, general purpose input/output (I/O), and video (High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)/Digital Video Interface (DVI)) components. Combat data is collected, processed, and composed into a picture of the overall tactical situation that enables the force commander to make rapid and accurate evaluations and decisions. These systems are laden with communications occurring over numerous and diverse links using a wide range of protocols where each link requires unique cabling solutions between subscribers and clients. Many shipboard cabling solutions are expensive, heavy, large, and consume Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) allocations of the ship. These diverse designs require complex connectors that are labor intensive to install and increase installation costs. As data processing technology evolves, legacy point-to-point links using analog components must still be able to interface with newer digital system elements (Ref. 2) which require signal converters to integrate and process data. Commercial technology is unable to provide analog to digital data conversion for the Navy Tactical Data System and has a very limited ability to convert the diverse range of Navy shipboard communication network data inputs for processing in a RWDM environment. Advanced sensors and radars are driving increases in data transmission requirements in order to capture the operational effectiveness of the new system elements. Within this hybrid system of digital and analog signaling, the latency of internet protocol (IP) based interfaces, especially for information that is encoded or decoded, is not ideal due to signal conversion deficiencies associated with current technology such as remote video encoders. Secured and unsecured information distribution is limited due to link and protocol restrictions. To overcome these many limitations, an innovative prototype system that provides a more robust cabling and data conversion solution to multiplex and distribute signal-processing requirements is essential.

An innovative prototype system that ruggedizes wavelength division multiplexing to distribute all platform communications over Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) / ground loop immune fiber (Ref. 3) is crucial where each link has a unique wavelength that provides interference free distribution. This system should integrate with existing hardware without creating additional or complex installation requirements or procedures. The three current copper cable types (Parallel A, Parallel B, and Low Level Serial E/D) should be replaced with a fiber optic cable capable of multi-channel data transmission with rates in excess of 10 gigabits per second. This cable type/size reduction should result in at least a 70% reduction in the system weight of shipboard cabling while still enabling communication link redundancy. The solution should provide for establishing secure links through data encryption at entry and exit points (Ref. 4). Sample links to multiplex include but are not limited to Ethernet, NTDS, Video, time distribution (IRIG-B, NTP or PTP), GPIO, and RS-232, and RS-485 serial connection ports (R.ef 4). Latency-free distribution of video and audio throughout the ship is necessary to provide real time fidelity to the Navy personnel when reacting to live video from cameras.

This RWDM system will increase mission capability by allowing for additional sensors, tactical displays, and consoles to be incorporated into the AEGIS Weapons System. The addition of more equipment is possible because RWDM technology enables a more reliable transfer mechanism through fiber optic cabling with increased data transfer rates and volume. Reduction in legacy copper cabling reduces both acquisition cost and system weight. RWDM technology allows for the optimization of electronic components within combat system cabinets enabling system redundancy in fewer electronics cabinets. This reduces overall system acquisition and maintenance cost and improves overall system reliability and performance.

PHASE I: During Phase I, the company will show the feasibility of developing a robust shipboard cabling solution to migrate Navy communication infrastructure to Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). Phase I concepts will be developed to provide the necessary architecture and components to convert and connect all Navy communication links. The feasibility will be shown through a system performance requirements comparison for data transmission/latency rates of existing copper cable/connectors to the proposed RWDM system. Preliminary impacts to weight and cost for the system shall also be assessed during Phase I and compared to current communication approaches. The Phase I Option, if awarded, would include the initial layout and capabilities description to build the unit in Phase II.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work, a prototype robust shipboard cabling solution will be developed and provided at the end of Phase II that will combine the outputs of many digital-to-optical converters by a wavelength division multiplexer into a single fiber for distribution on any platform. Phase II will include the detail design of the system to satisfy Navy requirements for data volume and latency, size, weight, system redundancy, and compliance with Ref. 3 and 4. Land based testing will be performed as scheduled through PEO IWS 1 to validate system performance and define system integration requirements. A Phase III qualification and transition plan will be provided at the end of Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: During Phase III, the company will support the Navy in qualifying the robust shipboard cabling solution for the AEGIS Integrated Combat System. The system should be able to handle both real time/non-real time, switched/non-switched and secure/unsecure communication (Ref. 4 and 5) in a similar manner by providing hardware and engineering support to PEO IWS 1.0 Ship Integration & Testing personnel for shipboard installation and certification activities. Commercially available fiber optic systems using wavelength division multiplexing approaches do not typically combine the number of types of data streams associated with the technology that will be developed under this topic. Multiplexing enhancements developed under this effort could reduce the number and types of fiber optic cables used by commercial telecommunications companies

REFERENCES:

1. Boslaugh, David. When Computers Went to Sea: The Digitalization of the United States Navy. ISBN 0769500242. Piscataway: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 1999.

2. Demler, Michael. High-Speed Analog-to-Digital Conversion. ISBN 0122090489. Elsevier Science & Technology Books. 1991.

3. Military Standard, Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and Equipment, MIL-STD-461E, 20 August 1999.

4. Military Standard, Input/Output Interfaces, Standard Digital Data, Navy Systems, MIL-STD-1397C(SH), 1 June 1995.

KEYWORDS: Wavelength division multiplexing; Navy Tactical Data System; Remote Video Encoders; Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) / ground loop immune fiber; hybrid system of digital and analog signaling; communication link redundancy

TPOC-1: David Berlin

Phone: 202-330-9500

Email: [email protected]

TPOC-2: David Gornish

Phone: 202-781-0928

Email: [email protected]

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