Optical and Photonic Solutions
CACI’s free-space optical (FSO) communication systems, sensing, and processing solutions transform missions from the battlefield to orbit. Our team develops the most advanced photonics-based applications for space exploration, secure data communications, remote sensing, and mobile, air, underwater operations, and more.
Innovative Communication Systems
CACI has designed and delivered FSO communication systems to U.S. Government customers for more than two decades. Our talented multi-disciplinary team members are experts on FSO capabilities for land, air, and space environments, and continually develop new applications for secure data communications, space exploration, and more.
Our FSO technologies increase efficiency through tradeoffs between range and bandwidth and enable low probability of intercept (LPI) and low probability of detection (LPD) with reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) compared to radio frequency (RF) systems. With inherent immunity to RF interference and jamming, our experts develop and deliver significant advantage for our customers’ communications.
Next-Generation Technologies
Our FSO communication system and sensing and processing solutions include high-power optical amplifiers, full optical modems, laser transmitting and receiving hardware, chip-scale photonics devices, and more. These next-generation all-platform optical payloads solve the toughest customer mission challenges in communications, sensing, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and radar applications.
Communications for RF Challenged Environments
CACI’s FSO technologies enable highly secure communications in RF-challenged, restricted, or denied environments. Optical carrier frequencies can transmit more data with lower SWaP than comparable RF systems. Our FSO capabilities are available for space, airborne, and terrestrial missions. Our deep space modem capabilities deliver the latest advanced algorithms for space operations and exploration missions. These advanced processing capabilities are used by NASA and others for beacon generation and modulation and deliver high-performance processing power with reduced draw for challenging deep space and on-orbit communications.
Advanced Laser Sensing
CACI’s laser sensing technology enables near-term airborne and space light detection and ranging (LiDAR) applications. CACI’s LiDAR advances are transitioning this capability to widespread mission applications. Demand for these capabilities is growing in mission applications such as stand-off intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), where LiDAR applications are ideal for tasks such as wide-area surveillance and long-range object identification.
Optical Processing Power
CACI’s optical signal processing experts develop solutions that leverage the unique capabilities of photonics technology to provide broadband, real-time sensing, and analysis of RF spectra from 0-100 gigahertz (GHz). Primarily among these is leveraging terahertz (THz) of bandwidth available in the optical domain to perform real-time, wide-band processing not possible in either the RF analog or digital domain. These technologies are finding use in areas such as SIGINT, high-resolution radar, and resilient communication systems that can operate safely in both congested and contested environments.
Lighting the Future: How CACI is Revolutionizing Optical and Photonic Solutions
With decades of investment and research, CACI has built up deep expertise, capacity, and scale in a vital technology field for national security -- free space optical (FSO) communications and optical solutions. Linda Braun, Vice President of CACI's Optical and Photonics Systems, talks more about our advancements in this technology in defense, intelligence, and other national security missions needing secure, reliable, and high throughput communications in this article.