The Nasty, Unspoken Reasons for Submarine Laser Communications

ARLINGTON, Va., 31 Jan. 2010 DARPA pushes submarine laser

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The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency requested (DARPA-BAA-10-25) a blue-spectrum laser system linking submerged submarines with ASW aircraft for tactical relay information (TRITON). Submarine laser systems must be capable in both open ocean and murky coastal waters.

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Laser comms would reduce reliance on towed-buoy receivers, enhance communications with ballistic missile subs, and upgrade coordination among ASW aircraft and SSNs.

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Unspoken Reasons

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1)

As some readers know, encrypted aviation IFF sets (Identification Friend or Foe) adapted for submarines have long been available, but as would be expected they are useless at typical depths during battlespace maneuvers.

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2)

During the 2003, Persian Gulf War the DOD relied heavily on commercial satellites to augment overwhelmed military assets, but officials worry those may not always be available.

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The Bright Side

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Laser communication is direct (to multiple interrogation systems simultaneously), instantaneous, and high band-width (permitting lots of encrypted intelligence). Battlespace supremacy could be maintained even if satellites were knocked out of commission and dozens of friendly and hostile subs were in the same battlespace simultaneously.

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Submarines are always silent and strange.