Aerospace Ethernet Cables Approved for Military Use
A line of Cat6a IEEE 802.3 1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet standard cables from W.L. Gore & Associates has been qualified according to the Society for Automotive and Aerospace Engineers (SAE) AS6070/5 and AS6070/6 qualified products list (QPL) for civil and military applications. The new industry standard supports the AS50881 electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) specification for high-speed data cables.
The 10-Gb Ethernet cables (see photo) feature low loss and excellent signal-integrity (SI) performance over long distances. They are manufactured with silver-plated copper conductors with PTFE dielectric material and exhibit impedance of 100 ⦠with tolerance of ±10 â¦. The cables, with 500-V rating, have capacitance of 42.6 pF/m and nominal velocity of propagation of 80%.
“Reliable high-speed data interconnects are essential to operating new common and open system architectures,” says Oliviu Muja, aircraft wiring systems principal technologist for Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). “We have already tested, validated, and qualified Gore’s Ethernet Cat6a cables for use in avionic systems for new and existing aircraft applications.”
“We are pleased that our Ethernet Cat6a cables are now approved on the SAE AS6070 Qualified Parts List (QPL),” adds Brian Tallman, product manager for W.L. Gore’s North American Aerospace Team. “We are also excited by the market response to the key features of our cables, like the small size, reduced weight, and greater flexibility. These features are making it easier for customers to route our cables in tight spaces of an aircraft without breaking or failing.”
