Military aircraft design has been in a state of evolutionary development since its invention. After the first usage of aircraft for military applications in World War I, the military has been seeking ways of improving mission effectiveness to maintain military superiority. The military has been constantly searching for new methods and technologies to accomplish this goal. In the early days of aviation, there were clear distinctions and divisions between aircraft system functions. Although they all served to support the flight of the aircraft, they operated independently of each other. With the modern trend of developing a high degree of integration between the various aircraft systems, requirements are emerging for a group of new technologies to support this trend. One such group of emerging technologies is the combination of photonics, integrated optics and fiber optics. The integrated approach to the development of the avionics, non-avionics and airframe of the aircraft is part of the approach to improving aircraft mission effectiveness through enhanced mission function performance and associated susceptibility (reliability, availability, survivability). This paper will discuss the general evolution of aircraft and, in particular, the role of photonics, integrated optics and fiber optics on the avionics, non avionics and airframe of past and future aircraft. Included will be the relationship of these emerging optical technologies to the military programs involving smart structures and smart skins.
The Impact Of Fiber Optics (Photonics) On Future Aircraft
Fiber Optic Smart Structures and Skins II ; 1989 ; Boston,United States
Proc. SPIE ; 1170
1990-02-05
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English