SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J.-August 10, 2009- Defense Photonics Group, Inc. (DPG) announced today that it has delivered fiber optic systems on two contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. The first contract, with the U.S. Army, is a Technical Risk Reduction Program evaluating DPG's advanced Optical HarnessT technology for potential applications across their rotary wing aircraft fleet. The second contract delivered initial prototypes to the U.S. Air Force. The prototypes consist of fiber optic RF links, which are components of DPG's Optical Transport System that are to be used by the U.S. Air Force for applications in a critical Electronic Warfare simulator.
"DPG's Optical HarnessT technology is a direct replacement for the wiring harnesses used on today's aircraft, and does not require replacing the aircraft's existing systems," says Dr. John Husaim, CEO of Defense Photonics Group. "By using fiber optic technology, DPG can reduce copper wire harness weight by more than 50 percent. In addition, the technology incorporates multiple signals and formats on a single optical fiber using a single laser diode. Fiber optic systems provide immunity to electromagnetic and radio interference, making aircraft less susceptible to potentially catastrophic lightning strikes or dangerous electromagnetic pulses (EMP)."
According to Dr. Jason Stark, Defense Photonic Group's Chief Technology Officer, "The large amounts of copper wires bundled in aircraft can make them susceptible to severe disruptions like EMP and lightning. The resulting electric and magnetic fields may couple into electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges that render entire critical systems useless in the event of an emergency. DPG's fiber optic systems remove this source of vulnerability."
DPG systems are currently undergoing advanced testing to demonstrate their performance in the most demanding aerospace environments.
"These two contracts represent a significant step forward for DPG as it works to improve performance and reliability while reducing weight, life cycle operating costs, and EMI susceptibility of military aircraft," says Dr. Husaim. "In addition, we believe DPG's technology holds great potential for commercial aviation as the industry strives to improve aircraft performance and safety."
The U.S. Army's Technical Risk Reduction Program enables advanced testing of the Optical HarnessT, and furthers the potential integration of the fiber optic technology onto existing military and commercial platforms. The U.S. Air Force's contract evaluates DPG's technology in a system that replicates enemy radar signals, and tests the capabilities of electronic countermeasure systems. DPG's technology substantially improves on the performance of existing cabling systems, and enables significant enhancements to the design and performance of entire harness systems.
About Defense Photonics Group, Inc.
Headquartered in South Plainfield, N.J., Defense Photonics Group, Inc., (www.defensephotonics.com) designs, manufactures, and markets leading-edge fiber optic systems for use in critical defense and commercial aerospace applications. These applications range from Optical HarnessT applications which enable low risk large-scale replacement of electrical wiring harnesses in legacy and new build aircraft, high-bandwidth optical RF signal transport, and fiber optic video distribution systems.
