Lucent to tackle Army optical communications network

U.S. Army officials are hiring Lucent Technologies in Murray Hill, N.J., to install a next-generation optical communications network at a U.S. Army installation in Mainz-Kastel, Germany. The project will increase network bandwidth at Mainz-Kastel, which will improve the facility’s ability to communicate, enhance its tactical and strategic systems, and improve readiness, training and mobilization efforts, Lucent officials say. Lucent’s work will support the Army’s Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program (I3MP), which focuses on upgrading voice and data network infrastructure at Army bases around the world. For more information contact Lucent online at www.lucent.com.

KVH wins $1.5 million order for TACNAV navigation systems

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KVH Industries Inc. in Middletown, R.I., received a $1.5 million order from an existing U.S. military customer for the company’s TACNAV military vehicle navigation system. KVH’s TACNAV use the company’s digital compass and fiber optic gyro (FOG) technology as well as proprietary software algorithms to provide uninterrupted navigation, heading, and pointing data for vehicle drivers, commanders, and crews. While TACNAV complements the global-positioning system, its self-contained sensors operate independently of GPS to provide mission-critical data for troops in the vehicle and to the digital battlefield-even if GPS is blocked, jammed, or is otherwise unavailable. For more information contact KVH online at www.tacnav.com.

Nufern offers ytterbium-doped triple-clad fiber product line

Nufern in East Granby, Conn., is offering the next optical fiber in its ytterbium-doped triple-clad fiber family. The ytterbium-doped fiber consists of a 22-micron core diameter; 400-micron inner glass cladding diameter with NA about 0.22; and an outer glass cladding of 480-microns with a high-numerical-aperture 0.46 polymer cladding. “The successful introduction of our polarization maintaining PLMA-YTF-20/300/330 triple-clad fiber at Photonics West this year encouraged us to expand the product line to include a fiber with larger cladding diameter for higher power operation,” says Kanishka Tankala, vice president of operations at Nufern. “The introduction of the new 22/400/480 fiber ensures that our fibers and fiber laser modules are compatible with one of the most universal, industry-standard power-delivery fibers- 400/480, thus easing connectorization and diode pump power delivery issues for our customers.” For more information contact Nufern online at www.nufern.com.