Specialized aerospace and defense requirements present challenges for fiber optics, making it more difficult to use technology originally developed for civilian and commercial applications. However, the industry is now responding and finding solutions.HANK HOGAN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, hank.hogan@photonics.comIn military and aerospace applications, improving size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) is critical. That’s why electronics are being replaced by fiber optics. Fiber is lighter than copper and is immune to electromagnetic interference, a significant plus. 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