Naval operations communications

Optical communication: security, resilience and discretion for naval operations
Challenges of operational communications in naval environments
Naval forces operate in fluid, fragmented, and increasingly contested environments (congested coastal areas, strategic straits, high-density port spaces, and open-sea theaters). In such settings, communications must remain discreet, secure, and resilient, while ensuring the instant transmission of critical data between ships, coastal platforms, and port infrastructures.
Maritime transmissions face growing threats: interception, targeted jamming, or GNSS disruption in technologically tense zones. At sea and ashore, the spectrum is often crowded, shared, or under surveillance. In cases of tactical radio silence or electromagnetic confinement (military port, sensitive reloading zone, special operations), any RF emission becomes a risk factor.
Naval forces must therefore rely on communication systems that can maintain operational links without radiated emissions, are compatible with existing naval and port systems, and can operate within controlled communication bubbles.
TILBA®-LOS: a Cailabs solution
TILBA®-LOS is a free-space optical data link system developed by Cailabs. It meets the reliability and stealth requirements of modern naval operations. By establishing a highly secure point-to-point link between two ships or in a port area with a line of sight, it provides a reliable and secure communication channel without radio emissions or dependence on the RF spectrum.
Applications of TILBA®-LOS in sensitive maritime areas
- Ship-to-shore link in sensitive environments
- Ship-to-ship coordination in tactical radio silence
- Discreet link between classified or sensitive port installations
- Confidential communications in port environments
