This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) is devoted to the challenges of applying optics to new advanced RF analog systems only; digital data link applications are covered elsewhere in protocol/architecture specific documents like Fibre Channel, ATM, Ethernet, Sonet, etc.

This document has four main goals:

1

To completely cover today's capabilities and limitations of fiber in meeting multiple types of advanced RF system requirements.

2

To discuss near term advancements being developed that will bring us closer to meeting all the capabilities of current copper coax systems.

3

To identify the benefits of fiber optics for RF systems

4

To identify challenges for future development.