Editorial

Optoelectronic innovation is everywhere
Optoelectronics are an essential part of many military and aerospace applications.

Products

ARINC fiber-optic cable assemblies
kSARIA in Wilmington, Mass., is offering fiber-optic cable assemblies that satisfy the stringent requirements of the ARINC 801-806 Project Papers, adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) in October 2005.

Bulkhead media converters for harsh-environment applications
Stratos Lightwave LLC in Chicago is offering a family of bulkhead media converters for harsh-environment applications.

CCD remote-head color camera
Toshiba Digital Solutions Division in Irvine, Calif., is offering its smallest CCD remote-head color camera model, the IK-UM44H.

Capacitors to address DC blocking in optical transceivers
AVX Corp. in Myrtle Beach, Calif., is offering the GZ capacitor series to address DC blocking issues from 15 KHz to 400 GHz in optical transceivers.

Color DSP machine-vision camera
The TMC-7DSP/6DSP color machine-vision camera from JAI PULNiX Inc. in San Jose, Calif., offers high-performance digital signal processing (DSP).

Desktop nanopositioning system
Discovery Technology International LLLP in Sarasota, Fla., is offering the RoboMate positioner, a precision desktop-size combined angular-linear motorized nanopositioning system.

Fiber-optic pressure sensor for extreme-temperature environments
FISO Technologies in Quebec is offering the FOP-MH fiber-optic pressure sensor for applications in extreme temperatures such as military and aerospace applications.

Fiber-optic switches that meet military and space qualifications
Agiltron Inc. in Woburn, Mass., is offering the CL Series fiber-optical switches, which are ultra-high-reliability components that passed mil-spec as well as space qualification.

Fixed-power beam expanders in optomechanical platform
Edmund Optics Inc. in Barrington, N.J., is offering a family of beam expanders with high-performance optical designs packaged in a precise optomechanical platform.

High-power laser multimode pumps
EM4 in Bedford, Mass., is announcing the HPL series of high-power laser multimode pumps designed to provide the high power and reliability required for cladding-pumped military and commercial applications such as cable TV (CATV) amplifiers and EDFAs.

High-power single-mode industrial Yb fiber lasers
OZ Optics in Ottawa is offering a series of ytterbium fiber lasers for industrial, medical, and other applications.

Incandescent replacement lighting for electronics
Expanding the scope of its visible LED and HiRel product lines, TT Electronics OPTEK Technology in Carrollton, Texas, developed military-grade visible LEDs in a variety of colors designated the OMV series.

Laser diffuse and laser retroreflective sensors
Banner Engineering Corp. in Minneapolis is offering the World-Beam QS18LD laser diffuse and QS18LLP laser retroreflective sensors.

Laser feedback or calibration system with 1-nm resolution
Optodyne Inc. in Compton, Calif., announced the MCV-600 Nanometer laser system for feedback or calibration of precision stages with nanometer resolution.

Laser modules with AC power adapters
BEA Lasers in Elk Grove Village, Ill., is offering the 150P series laser modules with AC power adapters, which plug to an AC power supply to produce 6-volts DC for the laser.

Laser-diode modules with TTL modulation
Photonic Products in Hatfield Broad Oak, England, added TTL modulation options to its Photon range of laser-diode modules, which will accept signals from DC up to 100 kHz minimum.

Long-range fiber-optic video camera
Fiber Instrument Sales Inc. (FIS) in Oriskany, N.Y., is offering a long-range fiber-optic video camera for military bases, airports and other large facilities.

MSA-size erbium amplifier with transient control
MPB Communications Inc. in Montreal is introducing a mini-amplifier called the EOA-xs with built-in transient control.

Midwave thermography camera for real-time temperature analysis
Infrared Solutions Inc. in Minneapolis is offering the VarioTHERM camera head, a universal midwave infrared camera for precise, real-time thermal analysis in scientific and industrial applications.

Multichannel framing camera
Specialised Imaging Ltd. in Tring, England, is launching the SIM Multi-Channel Framing Camera with ultra-high-resolution image intensifiers for high-speed spatial and temporal analysis of transient events.

Optical interconnect withstands harsh environments
The PRO BEAM connector series from Tyco Electronics in Harrisburg, Pa., is a fiber-optic interconnect designed specifically for fast data connections where resistance to severe environmental conditions is paramount.

Optical military cable assemblies for radar, communications, and sensors
Molex Fiber Optics in Downers Grove, Ill., is offering optical military cable assemblies for a variety of military and aerospace applications such as avionics, mobile tactical field command platforms, radar, radio communications, and sensor systems.

Rugged cameras for high performance in harsh environments
Adimec Advanced Image Systems b.v. in Eindoven, The Netherlands, is offering a family of rugged megapixel cameras called the RA1000, which offers day-imaging performance in monochrome or color for OEMs worldwide in the defense industry.

Surface-mount RGB LED for high-intensity colors
LEDtronics in Torrance, Calif., is offering the SML505RBG1K-TR low-profile surface-mount red, green, and blue light-emitting diode (RGB LED), which provide high visibility in a size of 5.5 by 5.5 millimeters.

Thermoelectric cooler for machine-vision camera
Imperx Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla., added a thermoelectric cooler option to its 11M5 Lynx machine-vision camera that offers high sensitivity, dark current, and noise stability.

UID-compliant verifier for military contractors
Cognex Corp. in Natick, Mass., is offering the Cognex Direct Part Mark (DPM) Verifier that enables U.S. Department of Defense suppliers to meet new government requirements for unique identification (UID) of parts.

Features

Infrared products continue to improve warfighter capability
Designers of infrared technology for military applications are all in agreement-business is not only good, but continued growth and support for new designs and capability are expected.

Products

Miniature 1064-nanometer fiber lasers
MPB Communications Inc. in Montreal is releasing a series of miniature ytterbium fiber lasers called the YFL-µ series.

News

Air Force pushes optical data network
The Air Force could soon be moving data with a high-speed optical network from Srico, in Columbus, Ohio.

Army picks Goodrich for chemical agent detector
Soldiers could soon be using advanced optics to find bombs or detect chemical and biological agents.

Demand swells for optical backplanes
Demand will soon rise for embedded optical-waveguide-based backplanes versus enhanced electrical copper based solutions, according to a report from Research and Markets, an analyst firm in Dublin, Ireland.

Global Hawk uses Raytheon optics
Pilots of the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) monitor enemy targets with an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) high-resolution imaging system built by Raytheon, Corp.’s Space and Airborne Systems division, El Segundo, Calif.

Janos Technology expands optical testing services
Officials at Janos Technology Inc. in Keene, N.H., a supplier of advanced optical assemblies and precision infrared (IR) optics, announced the addition of the QED Sub-aperture Stitching Interferometer (SSI).

L-3 buys electro-optics company
Leaders at L-3 Communications in New York City announced in November they had acquired EOTech Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich., for $49 million.

NASA airborne laser mapping systems studies Katrina damage
Through a cooperative research program NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are exploring the use of airborne laser mapping systems to quantify coastal change along the entire coastline affected by Hurricane Katrina.

NASA tests Clear View for pilots
In an effort to make flying safer, more than a dozen NASA, airline, industry, and government pilots are testing technology to synthetically give pilots a clear view of their surroundings.

NASA’s Hubble looks for possible moon resources
NASA is using the unique optical capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope for a new class of scientific observations of the Earth’s Moon.

Optical Cable certified by DOD
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has certified Optical Cable Corp. in Roanoke, Va., as a fully qualified supplier of ground tactical fiber optic cable, meeting all military requirements.

Orbiter tracks changes on Mars
NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, which this month began its ninth year in orbit around Mars, continues to observe the Martian landscape.

PPGI makes missile-warning sensors
Designers at ATK Missile Systems in Clearwater, Fla. have chosen Photonic Products Group Inc. (PPGI) of Northvale, N.J. to make optical components for a missile warning system that protects U.S. aircraft in Iraq from shoulder-fired missiles.

Raytheon selects KVH navigation unit for torpedoes
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Tewksbury, Mass., ordered the fiber-optic gyro (FOG)-based TG-6000 precision inertial measurement unit (IMU) from KVH in Middletown, R.I., for the guidance system of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation MK54 lightweight torpedoes.

Seiler builds fire-control optics for light howitzer
U.S. troops firing mortars from the new Lightweight 155-mm howitzer will aim their rounds with an optical fire-control unit built by Seiler Instrument & Manufacturing Co. in St. Louis.

VSI delivers 1,000th Joint Helmet Mounted System
Vision Systems International (VSI) has delivered the 1,000th Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) two years ahead of schedule, company officials say.