{"id":4979,"date":"2025-11-07T10:27:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T10:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.alker.co.uk\/?post_type=projects-delivered&#038;p=4979"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:52:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:52:25","slug":"sky-sabre","status":"publish","type":"projects-delivered","link":"https:\/\/alker.co.uk\/?projects-delivered=sky-sabre","title":{"rendered":"Ministry of Defence Sky Sabre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Equipment: Sky Sabre<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sky Sabre is at the cutting edge of ground-based air defence systems, composed of three integrated components: radar, command &amp; control (SAMOC), and missile systems. Designed for maximum effectiveness, Sky Sabre delivers exceptional speed, accuracy, and precision, with the ability to simultaneously control and guide 24 missiles to intercept 24 individual targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Brief<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our mission was to securely link the three key components\u2014SAMOC, NLC, and G-AMB\u2014via a closed fibre optic network. This eliminated any potential vulnerabilities of wireless communication and ensured a resilient, high-performance system capable of operating in hostile environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Challenge<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each system component came from different manufacturers, none of whom could provide a secure, integrated communication solution for all three assets, only their own. This demanded a bespoke, highly specialised approach involving in-depth information gathering from all three manufacturers of each assets to provide an innovative solution, suitable to cope with the extreme in-theatre scenarios expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Compounding the challenge was a mission critical 12-week delivery deadline, prompted by the onset of the Ukraine conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Solution<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within the 12-week timeframe, we designed, prototyped, and delivered a series of custom-built fibre optic solutions\u2014on time, to specification and working first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">M<strong>icro Armoured Reels \u2013 500m (Qty 28)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our groundbreaking solution led to <strong>three secured patents<\/strong>. Each 500m reel was engineered with a central cavity to house an <strong>in-field fibre optic repair kit<\/strong>, specifically for the jacketed, stainless steel micro armoured 2-fibre cable used in the harnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also enhanced our fibre optic expanded beam connectors, successfully <strong>extending communication range<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>From 500m to over <strong>2,000m (G-AMB)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And from 500m to over <strong>1,500m (NLC)<\/strong><br>This increased placement flexibility, allowing the three system elements to be deployed in a <strong>3.5km radius<\/strong>\u2014a major operational benefit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike wireless systems, closed fibre optic links are unaffected by challenging terrain and any method to signal jamming, delivering unmatched stability in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Connector Inspection &amp; Cleaning Kits<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We developed custom inspection and cleaning kits for the Alker connectors, the ones used in SAMOC and G-AMB. This significantly improved system reliability and performance under operational stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Test &amp; Diagnostic Fibre Optic Kits<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To simplify maintenance and fault-finding in the field, we created <strong>bespoke diagnostic kits<\/strong> tailored to the Alker harness types and connector interfaces adopted across Sky Sabre. These kits allow end users to quickly diagnose faults and determine the appropriate repair\u2014vital for operational continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sacrificial Fibre Optic Assemblies (SAMOC)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We identified key vulnerabilities in the SAMOC\u2019s internal fibre system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Non-rugged, plastic telco connectors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk of cross-mating due to separate TX and RX tails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our solution: a <strong>metal-armoured duplex LC sacrificial assembly<\/strong> bridging the internal fibre loom and the media converter. This ensured that any damage would be isolated to the sacrificial assembly\u2014easily replaceable\u2014rather than the extremely difficult to extract internal fibre optic loom, which has very long lead times to order a repair or new replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>External NLC Assemblies<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We engineered a <strong>short 2-core fibre optic 90\u00b0 converter assembly<\/strong> for the external NLC:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Protected the NLC\u2019s bulkhead connector<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Converted to an expanded beam to interface with the Alker 500m reels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Built for rugged conditions: fibre runs encased in a <strong>15mm, double interlocked stainless steel conduit<\/strong> (316 grade), designed to remain deployed with minimal maintenance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Repair Kit Consumables<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We supplied the MOD with replenishable in-field fibre optic repair kits for both multimode and single mode fibre:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Connectorised pigtails matching those used in the 500m assemblies to replace any damaged fibre optic expanded beam connector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preloaded repair kits stored within each reel Additional spares (\u201cSplints\u201d) stocked by MOD for fast battlefield repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Performance &amp; Reliability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our full fibre optic solution was delivered on <strong>17th November 2023<\/strong>. Following recent feedback from the MOD, we\u2019re proud to report:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Zero faults<\/strong> during 18 months of deployment in Poland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Returning to Full reinstallation back in the UK with <strong>no issues or repairs needed to date<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6582,"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-4979","projects-delivered","type-projects-delivered","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Alker Fibre Optic Specialists | Ministry of Defence Sky Sabre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Alker was tasked with securely linking three key components\u2014SAMOC, NLC, and G-AMB\u2014via a closed fibre optic network for MOD.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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