Call:
EDF-2023-DA (European Defence Fund)
Start date:
01/12/2024
End date:
31/05/2028
Financing:
267.912,50 €
Descripción:
OPTIMAS will define, design, develop, and test a prototype of an airborne laser communication system (ALCoS) applicable to different satellite constellations (LEO, MEO, and GEO) for integration into airborne, naval, C5ISR centers, and ground units. The OPTIMAS demonstrator will focus on three communication subsystems for secure, high-speed bidirectional communication:
- A LEO satellite with precise pointing acquisition and tracking (PAT) functionality.
- Key enabling technologies for FSO communications.
- Analysis to further include quantum key distribution (QKD).
Over its three-year duration, OPTIMAS will deploy optical communications between satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles, demonstrate scalability and interoperability across different domains, achieve demonstrable airborne and satellite link data rates in the Gbps range, ensure beam compensation for atmospheric conditions and divergence caused by the atmosphere, and integrate into RPAS, easily adaptable to MALE RPAS.
OPTIMAS is built on a balanced consortium of 12 beneficiaries from 7 European countries, based on close interaction between large companies, 5 innovative SMEs, 3 mid-cap companies, and 3 research organizations. With its disruptive potential—in terms of transmission speed, miniaturization of integrated communication solutions, piezoelectric actuation, stability/agility/pointing, and QKD integration—OPTIMAS will be a game changer for ultra-secure, high-bandwidth communications in war and battle zones.
