Wavelength Division Multiplexed Local Area Network Subcommittee

Last Updated: December 9, 2011

Chairman: Michael Hackert, NAVAIR
APIM: Prepare new and update existing fiber optic standards (pdf, 64.6K)

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Goal: The goal of the WDM LAN Subcommittee is to prepare a fiber optic-based local area network (LAN) standard employing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The work is being done cooperatively between ARINC and SAE with the ultimate goal of publishing a common standard for the aerospace industry including commercial air transportation, military, and the space segment. The objective is to define an easily adaptable single-mode-based plug and play system that will be applicable across different aircraft platforms through multiple aircraft generations. The LAN is expected to exhibit very high data transfer capacity, design flexibility, affordability, and longevity, as well as broad applicability.

Scope: The scope of the activity is to prepare a set of standards defining all necessary elements comprising a fiber optic local area network on aerospace platforms. The set will be co-published by ARINC and SAE. The standards will encompass network functions, configurations, access techniques, system control, protocols, timing, and hardware elements. The LAN standard will be based on functional requirements that have been identified over the past three years by the SAE Requirements Task Group.

Benefit: New and evolving aircraft systems that require high-speed data transfer and the ability to handle high frequencies with minimal loss are currently being introduced in the aerospace industry. A fiber optic-based WDM LAN network can accommodate data transfer rates well beyond existing data communications systems employing copper wires and non-multiplexed fiber optic systems. Very high bandwidth and the flexibility of a fiber optic-based WDM LAN will allow the retention of system interconnections in aircraft requiring avionics upgrades. Significant weight and power advantages will be realized for systems using copper wire for interconnections. EMI and RFI susceptibility will also be reduced significantly. These advantages are of extreme importance at this time when new generations of airplanes are using considerably more composite material in their structures.

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Current Drafts:

Next Meeting Announcement:

Working Papers:

Presentations for WDM LAN Exploratory Meeting (zip, 5M)
June 10, 2008; Annapolis, Maryland

Outline for WDM LAN Specification AS-5659_PP859P0 (pdf, 9K)
(Editor: Mazurowski)

Outline for Transparent Optical Backbone Network Specification AS-5659/1_PP859P1 (pdf, 12K)
(Editor: Habiby)

Last Meeting Report:

Joint ARINC/SAE Wavelength Division Multiplexed Local Area Network (WDM LAN) Subcommittee Meeting
October 25, 2011; in Newport Beach, California

Wavelength Division Multiplexed Local Area Network (WDM LAN)
January 14, 2010; in St. Augustine, Florida

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