The nature of complex combat operations must now include adversaries that have peer-level capabilities, such as the ability to locate friendly troops by their transmissions and jam their radios so they cant call for help, setting them up for attack. However, critical to all combat scenarios, regardless of adversary capability levels, is the need to command, control, communicate and exchange information with dispersed assets. Tactical communication systems must demonstrate the ability for rapid shutdown, relocation with maneuvering forces, and reconstitution with little action required by the operators in a stressful environment, while maintaining low probability of detection and low probability of interception. Clearly a new technology solution is required that eliminates the vulnerabilities and bandwidth limitations of RF-based tactical communication systems. Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) systems virtually eliminate the RF footprint-related vulnerabilities by using lasers as the information "carrier". Tau Technologies and OptiPulse, Inc, are teaming to develop a breakthrough new solution using OptiPulse's revolutionary Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array technology. Our "Adaptive FSO Mesh Network" system provides a power-efficient, high bandwidth, high data rate tactical communication capability that is undetectable. Our concept can adapt to, and maintain data links in, battlefield environments having challenging atmospheric conditions.
