Fiber Optics

Military and aerospace markets for fiber optics set to takeoff

June 5, 2012

Boston, MA--A recent study by Information Gatekeepers says the avionics market for fiber optic components, subsystems, and systems is set to reach $775 million in 2015, rising from $306 million in 2009. The market includes both military and commercial aircraft including fighter and transport aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and commercial aircraft.

This increase in total market caused by factors including greater acceptance of the technology, the need to reduce size and weight, the need for higher bandwidth, and the opening of the UAV market. Specific military and aerospace requirements continue to present major barriers, including the unavailability of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, lack of hardened components for the military and aerospace environment, available test and maintenance procedures, and the limited availability of low cost, easy to use test and measurement equipment.

In addition to the military market, an equally large market is developing for fiber optics in large commercial aircraft, regional jets, private jets, helicopters, and small aircraft of all types. The complete infrastructure of installation, maintenance, and retrofits has yet to be developed by the major carriers for fiber optics. Many of the commercial needs will be drawn from the military market but special systems such an Inflight Entertainment Systems (IFE) and Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) will have to be developed at a much lower cost than for military and aerospace systems.

The report is available from Information Gatekeepers.

About the Author

Conard Holton | Editor at Large

Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.