Story
September 04, 2025
As modern military and aerospace operations increasingly depend on seamless communication and real-time intelligence, fiber optics are enabling faster, more secure, and more reliable data exchange. In contrast with traditional copper cables, which are heavier and bandwidth-limited, fiber optics offer lightweight, high-performance connectivity for a range of applications, including remote bases, advanced uncrewed aerial systems (UASs), and wearable tech. Fiber is transforming how personnel, command centers, and autonomous systems stay connected, even in the most demanding scenarios.
The world is rapidly becoming more technologically interconnected, and the military is no exception: Modern military operations are increasingly dependent on having a seamless, secure exchange of information to connect personnel, autonomous systems, command centers, and intelligence networks in real time.
Meeting the needs of communication networks across military bases and other operational areas requires an advanced technological infrastructure – one that has gradually become reliant on next-generation fiber optic cables. The use of fiber optics continues to grow swiftly across all sectors: According to Global Market Insights, the aerospace and defense fiber optics market, valued at $6 billion in 2024, is projected to be worth $15.8 billion by the end of 2034. (Figure 1.)
[Figure 1 ǀ A market forecast shows that the defense and aerospace fiber-optics market continues to grow rapidly, with the expectation that the market will more than double in size over the next decade (2025-2034).]
With high-bandwidth applications like radar, electronic warfare (EW), unmanned systems, and space-based platforms requiring the ability to transmit ever-greater volumes of data across increasingly complex platforms, fiber optics are constantly evolving to meet that challenge.
Fiber versus copper
In decades past, military installations used only copper cable architectures, which tend to be less expensive than fiber optics. The method by which fiber optics transmit data – converting electrical signals into light, sending them along hair-thin strands of glass, then converting them back into electrical signals at the other end – enables signals to travel further than traditional copper systems, with greater bandwidth and less signal degradation.
Fiber’s ability to transmit data over long distances makes it a smart option for military bases, ships, and aircraft, which are often located in isolated or extreme environments where infrastructure is limited or signal amplification is difficult. Fiber is also markedly more lightweight than copper cable, an important distinction for drones, satellites, wearable gear, and mobile command units, where saving weight in wiring can allow for easier transport or create room for other onboard features. (Figure 2.)
Also, crucially, the use of fiber increases the security of classified or mission-critical data communications, since it’s significantly more difficult to tap into than copper. In addition, fiber’s resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI) makes it a logical choice for radar, shipboard systems, and EW systems because it prevents disruptions both natural (lightning strikes) and human-made (electronic jamming).
[Figure 2 ǀ A fiber versus copper table shows that, especially for military uses where large amounts of data need to be securely transmitted over long distances, fiber optics conveys many benefits over RF cables.]
Replacing an aging infrastructure
While many military installations and networks have already upgraded from older copper cable architectures to fiber optics, an aging infrastructure remains in place in many areas.
Even the fiber-optic cable currently in place at military facilities falls short of the capabilities offered by newer generations of multimode fiber. Today’s fiber is capable of higher speeds and greater data capacity, which are needed to support artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools, real-time data integration, secure communications and other next-generation military technologies.
The still-common OM1 fiber optic cable was introduced in 1989, and at the time set a new standard for multimode fiber, which is designed to carry multiple light signals simultaneously through its relatively large (62.5 micrometer) core. Over short distances, it can support data speeds of as fast as 10 Gb/sec.
In contrast, the newest generation of multimode fiber optics, OM5, is engineered for high-speed data transmission over multiple wavelengths, enabling a minimum of 28 Gb/sec per channel and as high as 100 Gb/sec over 150 meters (492 feet), making it ideal for modern, data-heavy military or enterprise networks. Its core is also comparatively smaller than OM1 fiber, at 50 micrometers. OM5’s support for wavelength-division multiplexing, which divides multiple streams of information into different wavelengths of laser light, means that a massive amount of data can be sent across military systems with extremely low latency. (Figure 3.)
[Figure 3 ǀ A photo shows OM5 (lime, on right), the most recent generation of multimode fiber optics, which – while it has a slightly smaller diameter than its 1980s-era predecessor OM1 (orange, on left) – is capable of significantly faster data transmission.]
Advancing past obstacles
Over decades of use, fiber optics have advanced to overcome some of their traditional challenges in defense applications. While fiber’s glass core can make it more susceptible to breakage than copper, and connections can be disrupted more easily in high-vibration environments like helicopters or ship engine rooms, today’s fiber cables are well-protected enough to withstand rugged conditions and can be easily spliced or reterminated if damaged.
Aligning two fiber-optic fibers requires extremely high precision to minimize signal loss and preserve the integrity of the laser light. However, advances in connector and termination technology have vastly improved alignment accuracy and reliability, making it easier to maintain high-speed data transmission.
Fiber optics are also susceptible to contamination from particles as small as a speck of dust, which can degrade performance. However, with proper handling, regular inspection, and cleaning, these risks can be effectively minimized, thereby ensuring reliable, high-quality signal transmission even in demanding environments.
Innovations in fiber optics
Continued advancement in fiber optics is positioning the technology for even broader deployment across military and aerospace systems.
New polishing techniques and connector designs are helping to minimize signal loss, which is essential in applications like radar and EW where timing and fidelity are critical. While interconnects have historically been a weak link, these innovations are enabling ultra-low-loss fiber assemblies that can meet even the most stringent performance requirements. This advance will be especially relevant for naval systems, where fiber often needs to span considerable distances across a ship or link remote sensors with minimal latency.
Bend-insensitive fiber (BIF), which addresses fiber’s historical sensitivity to tight turns, has gone from being a specialized product to an industry standard for multimode fiber. BIF can enable a much tighter bend radius when routing in cramped areas, which makes it helpful for use in aircraft avionics bays and on naval vessels. It’s resilient enough that even tight U-turns or loops won’t result in performance loss.
Similarly, branched-fiber configurations continue to evolve as fiber-optic technology advances. These configurations enable more flexible routing and branching of optical fibers, supporting scala-ble and adaptable network architectures. This flexibility helps with system expansion and efficiently uses available space, benefits that are valuable in demanding military and aerospace environments where compactness and reliability are critical.
The next likely innovation in optical fiber branching will involve technologies that enable branching and merging between different types of optical fibers – such as those with varying core diameters or modal properties – while minimizing signal loss and avoiding communication interruptions. These advancements will significantly broaden the range of fiber types that can be interconnected, compared to current limitations.
Meeting the supply challenges of the future
Despite these advances, adoption in the defense world remains gradual, a principal reason being the complexity of military procurement processes, which can involve years of documentation, testing, and approvals.
When upgrades do make it to completion, the benefits can be considerable. One recent example is the ongoing 2025 “Fiber Deep” project on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, a base-wide fiber-optic installation undertaking that is expected to save the base as much as $10 million in reduced upkeep and repair costs while increasing network resilience and protecting against cyberthreats.
Military and aerospace connectivity increasingly demands not only high data-transmission speeds and low latency, but also vigorous resilience against interference and unauthorized access. The next generation of fiber optics is capable of delivering all these benefits and more, helping to future-proof military and aerospace networks in order to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Diana Nottingham is a fiber-optics product line manager for Infinite Electronics, a global provider of connectivity solutions. Diana has more than 15 years of experience in product management and marketing, with a focus on creating and delivering innovation for the optoelectronic and interconnect industry. Infinite Electronics is the parent company for nearly 20 brands, including Integra Optics, which offers reliable transceivers and fiber optic components; and Transtector and Polyphaser, which offer high-performance AC, DC, data, and RF surge protection and connectivity products. Readers may reach the author at [email protected].
Infinite Electronics https://www.infiniteelectronics.com/
