Bandwidth enabling laser communications for the army tactical network

Current on-the-move network applications rely heavily on RF solutions to maintain mobility while providing adequate voice, video and data solutions. These applications demand the ability to quickly establish a network infrastructure and to be able to breakdown and move on when required. While existing RF technologies allow the user to remain mobile in the field, the future of on-the-move communications demand a higher bandwidth than the current RF solutions can handle. This paper explores the current efforts being made by the army in the exploration of laser communications as a solution for these high bandwidth applications