This report documents the results of a test and evaluation program to verify the operational utilization of fiber optic technology in an operational attack aircraft. The program involved configuring an A-7 aircraft with an airborne light optical fiber technology (ALOFT) system consisting of special signal conditioning hardware and fiber optic bundles. In the ALOFT system configuration, fiber optic bundles replaced conventional copper wires as a means of transmitting signals between the A-7 aircraft tactical computer and various components of the Navigation and Weapons Delivery System (NWDS). The flight test and evaluation of the ALOFT system at the Naval Weapons Center (NWC), China Lake, CA, was the first demonstration of the feasibility of using fiber optic technology in a full system application in an operational environment. Qualitative analysis of the test program results indicated that the performance of the ALOFT-configured A-7 aircraft was comparable to that of a fleet-configured A-7 aircraft in both navigation and weapons delivery modes.


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