GORE® Ethernet Cables for Defense Aircraft
Providing superior mechanical protection, our high-density cables are proven to solve complex routing and flight challenges while transferring reliable data at high speeds without failure. We offer several slender, lightweight, highly flexible cable configurations and performance lengths that meet Cat5e, Cat6 and exceed Cat6a protocol requirements on airborne digital networks.
Contact Us
+1 800 626 7708
Germany
+49 9144 6010
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+44 1382 56 1511
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Italy
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France
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Spain
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Sweden
+46 31 7067800
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China (Beijing)
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China (Shanghai)
+86 21 5172 8299
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China (Shenzhen)
+86 755 8359 8262
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South Korea
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Japan
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Overview
RELIABLE HIGH-SPEED DATA TRANSFER
As the defense sector requires faster digital networks in avionics, cables must transmit data reliably at much higher rates. The aerospace industry is also moving away from proprietary networks to open-source architectures and standardized protocols, like Ethernet.
GORE Ethernet Cables are designed with speed, signal integrity and durability in mind. We offer several high-density configurations and performance lengths that support Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a protocols to meet your specific application needs and requirements. Available in 4 pairs, quadrax or 2 pairs, these cables provide the fast speeds, excellent signal integrity and robustness needed to support today’s airborne digital networks and critical avionics.
COMPACT, ROUTABLE DESIGNS
Our Ethernet cables’ compact designs offer significant size and weight reduction over competing cables. Their slender diameters are inherently lighter with more flexibility without compromising durability, signal integrity or transmission speed. They can be easily installed, retrofitted and maintained, even when space is at a premium. Maintainers will appreciate how quickly it is to install our cables, saving valuable time and replacement costs.
Whatever configuration you pick for your defense aircraft, you can be confident that GORE Ethernet Cables will perform at fast speeds without failure after routing and throughout missions.
Features & Benefits
GORE Ethernet Cables are engineered with unique features that make them more durable against challenging environmental factors and aircraft conditions, including:
- chemically inert, temperature- and abrasion-resistant, EMI shielding materials
- slender, lightweight, highly flexible cable diameters
- several configurations and performance lengths
Our cables provide aircraft system architects and engineers with many benefits that improve electrical, mechanical and environmental performance, like:
- meet Cat 5e, Cat 6 and exceed Cat 6a high speed data protocol requirements
- proven excellent signal integrity with stability after installation and over time
- low crosstalk performance for less RF signal interference among electronic systems
- high-density constructions tolerate harsh aviation conditions
- valuable weight savings with smaller, lighter weight designs
- quick, easy routing in tight areas from greater flexibility and small bending
- compatible with a variety of high-speed connector systems and backshells
- selected pre-qualified samples with short lead times for prototyping and evaluation
- low risk based on validated product performance in real-world conditions
For more information about the features and benefits of our cables, contact a Gore representative today.
4 Pairs (Cat5e/6/6a)
IMPROVED SIGNAL PERFORMANCE
Our award-winning Ethernet Cat6a version exceeds stringent protocol requirements, maintaining clear data transmission at speeds up to 10 Gb at lengths up to 80 m (262 ft).
This version is approved to SAE AS6070™ standards that support AS50881 EWIS (electrical wiring interconnection systems) specifications and on the Qualified Products List (QPL). Our Cat6a version is also qualified according to C21091 specifications and has been selected for aircraft program upgrades, like the F-16 and more.
Our Ethernet Cat6a cables improve signal integrity and provide additional margin that helps overcome routing issues and mission challenges. They’re proven to outperform several leading alternative cables with:
- vastly better insertion loss to crosstalk ratio for more reliable data transmission
- lower crosstalk and consistent impedance control at higher frequencies after routing
- sufficient margin below the specification limit for return loss after routing
- reduced RF interference at higher frequencies for better noise immunity and less EMI missions among electronics
PROVEN INSTALLED PERFORMANCE

Reduced cable diameter
Based on test results using cable routing simulators that we built, our high-density Cat6a version with a multi-layer construction delivers proven installed performance compared to leading alternatives.
Not only that, but our 4-pair design is 24% smaller and 25% lighter than standard designs. In fact, they’re proven to save 5.9 kg/km (13 lb per 1000 ft) in military aircraft.
PROVEN PERFORMANCE ACROSS AIRCRAFT APPLICATIONS
GORE Ethernet Cables (4 Pairs, Cat5e/6/6a) deliver valued performance after installation and over time in a variety of applications, like:
- avionics digital networks
- cabin/fight management systems
- digital video systems
- Ethernet backbone
- military program upgrades (C-130, F-16, KC-135, UH-60)
Our 4-pair version can also be terminated with a variety of leading high-speed aerospace connector systems, allowing designers to choose the best option for every application.
If you have any questions or to discuss your specific application needs, contact a Gore representative today.
These values demonstrate the electrical, mechanical and environmental performance of GORE Ethernet Cables (4 Pairs, Cat5e/6/6a) for defense aircraft.
Download the data sheet for technical information and performance data.
Electrical Property | Value |
---|---|
Transmission Speed Gb/s | Up to 10 |
Standard Impedance Ohms | 100 ± 10 |
Typical Operating Voltage V | < 15 |
Nominal Velocity of Propagation % | 80 |
Nominal Time Delay ns/m (ns/ft) | 4.10 (1.25) |
Capacitance pF/m (pF/ft) | 42.6 (13.0) |
Minimum Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) dB at 10 MHz at 100 MHz at 500 MHz |
59.2 52.3 42.2 |
Shielding Effectiveness dB | > 55 |
Dielectric Withstanding Voltage Vrms Conductor-to-Conductor Conductor-to-Shield |
1500 1000 |
Mechanical / Environmental Properties | Value |
---|---|
Jacket Material | Engineered Fluoropolymer |
Jacket Color | White (Laser Markable) |
Conductor | Silver-Plated Copper or SPC Alloy |
Conductor Color-Coding | Solid Blue & White / Blue Stripe Solid Orange & White / Orange Stripe Solid Green & White / Green Stripe Solid Brown & White / Brown Stripe |
Dielectric Material | Expanded PTFE/PTFE |
Temperature Range °C | -65 to +200 |
Part Numbers & Drawings
We invite you to download our drawings to view cable characteristics, like diameter sizes, weight and insertion loss values.
Cat6a Part Number | AWG Size (Stranding) |
---|---|
RCN8966-24 | 24 (19/36) |
RCN9034-24 | 24 (19/36) |
RCN8966-26 | 26 (19/38) |
RCN9047-26 | 26 (19/38) |
RCN9034-28 | 28 (19/40) |
Cat5e Part Number | AWG Size (Stranding) |
---|---|
GSC-01-83471-00 | 24 (19/36) |
GSC-01-83472-00 | 26 (19/38) |
GORE Ethernet Cables (4 Pairs, Cat5e/6/6a) for Defense Aircraft have undergone substantial qualification testing to ensure they meet the most current industry standards and our customers’ requirements.
- ABD0031 (AITM 2.0005); BSS7230; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part I: Flammability
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0005); BSS7239: Toxicity
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0008B); BSS7238; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part V: Smoke Density
- ANSI/NEMA WC 27500: Environmental Testing, Jacket and Marking
- ANSI/TIA 568-C.2: Performance Requirements
- IEEE 802.3: Ethernet 10G BASE-T
- SAE AS4373™: Test Methods for Insulated Electric Wire
- SAE AS6070™/5 & /6™: Ethernet 1000BASE-T (10 Gb, 100 Ohms); QPL (RCN9034-24, RCN9047-26)
Fill out a short form to get samples of our prequalified cables in 48 hours for prototyping and evaluation. For more information about the qualifications of our cables and complimentary samples, contact a Gore representative today.
Compact, high-density construction of GORE Ethernet Cables (4 Pairs, Cat5e/6/6a)
Quadrax (Cat5e)
ORIGINAL INNOVATIVE DESIGN
When you don’t want to use a standard 4-pair design in your aircraft system architecture, our star quadrax design is a perfect alternative to meet Ethernet Cat5e protocol requirements.
These dual differential pairs transmit continuous bi-directional signals at high speeds in a variety of applications, like flight and propulsion control, box-to-box systems and more. Their performance is proven reliable up to 100 MHz at lengths up to 70 m (230 ft) using size 24 AWG and 50 m (164 ft) using size 26 AWG.
This pioneering cable geometry, which we invented originally, is lightweight and roughly 40% smaller than dual twisted pair constructions. Our cable’s lightweight build is also proven to save more than 5.0 kg (11 lb) on aircraft, like the latest fifth-generation F-35.
Yet, our cables offer robustness throughout every mission and over the system's lifetime. Our star quadrax Ethernet Cat5e version is a proven reliable substitute to dual twisted pair constructions for meeting high data rate needs.
PROVEN PERFORMANCE ACROSS AIRCRAFT APPLICATIONS
GORE Ethernet Cables (Quadrax, Cat5e) are reliable substitutes to dual twisted pair constructions for meeting high data rate needs in a variety of applications, like:
- avionics digital networks
- box-to-box systems
- digital visual interface (DVI)
- Ethernet backbone
- flight/propulsion control
- mission systems
Our quadrax version can also be terminated with a variety of leading high-speed aerospace connector systems and backshells, like ARINC and MIL-STD-38999 with size 8 contacts. If you have any questions or to discuss your specific application needs, contact a Gore representative today.
These values demonstrate the electrical, mechanical and environmental performance of GORE Ethernet Cables (Quadrax, Cat5e) for defense aircraft.
Download the data sheet for technical information and performance data.
Electrical Property | Value |
---|---|
Transmission Speed MHz | Up to 100 |
Standard Impedance Ohms | 100 ± 10 |
Typical Operating Voltage V | < 15 |
Nominal Velocity of Propagation % | 80 |
Nominal Time Delay ns/m (ns/ft) | 4.10 (1.25) |
Capacitance pF/m (pF/ft) | 45.0 (13.7) |
Minimum Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) dB at 10 MHz at 100 MHz |
50.0 35.0 |
Dielectric Withstanding Voltage Vrms Conductor-to-Conductor Conductor-to-Shield |
1500 1000 |
Mechanical / Environmental Properties | Value |
---|---|
Jacket Material | Engineered Fluoropolymer |
Jacket Color | White (Laser Markable) |
Conductor | Silver-Plated Copper Alloy |
Conductor Color-Coding | Blue/Red, Green/Yellow |
Dielectric Material | Expanded PTFE/PTFE |
Temperature Range °C | -65 to +200 |
Part Numbers & Drawings
We invite you to download our drawings to view cable characteristics, like diameter sizes, weight, minimum bend radii and insertion/return loss values.
Part Number | AWG Size (Stranding) |
---|---|
GSC-03-84608-00 | 24 (19/36) |
GSC-03-84820-00 | 26 (19/38) |
GORE Ethernet Cables (Quadrax, Cat5e) for Defense Aircraft have undergone substantial qualification testing to ensure they meet the most current industry standards and our customers’ requirements.
- ABD0031 (AITM 2.0005); BSS7230; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part I: Flammability
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0005); BSS7239: Toxicity
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0008B); BSS7238; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part V: Smoke Density
- AFDX/ARINC 664, Part 7: Ethernet Networks
- ANSI/NEMA WC 27500: Environmental Testing, Jacket and Marking
- IEEE 802.3: Ethernet 100BASE-T / 1000BASE-T (2 cables)
- SAE AS4373™: Test Methods for Insulated Electric Wire (Contact Gore for available data)
Fill out a short form to get samples of our prequalified cables in 48 hours for prototyping and evaluation. For more information about the qualifications of our cables and complimentary samples, contact a Gore representative today.
Lightweight, robust build of GORE Ethernet Cables (Quadrax, Cat5e)
2 Pairs (Cat5e)
EXCEED CROSSTALK REQUIREMENTS
For Ethernet Cat5e protocol, our 2-pair cable is an ideal solution if you don’t want to use a 4-pair or quadrax design in your system architecture. This small, robust version preserves signal integrity, significantly exceeds crosstalk requirements and reliably carries up to 1 GHz of high-speed data.
For Ethernet 1000BASE-T performance, positioning our cables side by side gives engineers more flexibility when designing avionics systems.
Applications
GORE Ethernet Cables (2 Pairs, Cat5e) are reliable substitutes to dual twisted pair constructions for meeting high data rate needs in applications, like:
- avionics digital networks
- cabin management systems
- digital video systems
- Ethernet backbone
- serial buses
Our 2-pair version can also be terminated with a variety of leading high-speed aerospace connector systems and backshells, like ARINC and MIL-STD-38999 with size 8 contacts. If you have any questions or to discuss your specific application needs, contact a Gore representative today.
These values demonstrate the electrical, mechanical and environmental performance of GORE Ethernet Cables (2 Pairs, Cat5e) for defense aircraft.
Download the data sheet for technical information and performance data.
Electrical Property | Value |
---|---|
Transmission Speed GHz | Up to 1 |
Standard Impedance Ohms | 100 ± 10/-5 |
Typical Operating Voltage V | < 15 |
Nominal Velocity of Propagation % | 80 |
Nominal Time Delay ns/m (ns/ft) | 4.10 (1.25) |
Capacitance pF/m (pF/ft) | 41.0 (12.5) |
Minimum Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) dB at 10 MHz at 100 MHz |
59.2 52.3 |
Dielectric Withstanding Voltage Vrms Conductor-to-Conductor Conductor-to-Shield |
1500 1000 |
Mechanical / Environmental Property | Value |
---|---|
Jacket Material | Engineered Fluoropolymer |
Jacket Color | White (Laser Markable) |
Conductor | Silver-Plated Copper/SPC Alloy |
Conductor Color-Coding | Solid Green & Green/White Stripe Solid Orange & Orange/White Stripe |
Dielectric Material | Expanded PTFE/PTFE |
Temperature Range °C | -65 to +200 |
Part Number & Drawing
We invite you to download our drawing to view cable characteristics, like diameter size, weight and insertion loss values.
Part Number | AWG Size (Stranding) |
---|---|
RCN9133-26 | 26 (19/38) |
GORE Ethernet Cables (2 Pairs, Cat5e) for Defense Aircraft have undergone substantial qualification testing to ensure they meet the most current industry standards and our customers’ requirements.
- ABD0031 (AITM 2.0005); BSS7230; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part I: Flammability
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0005); BSS7239: Toxicity
- ABD0031 (AITM 3.0008B); BSS7238; FAR Part 25, Appendix F, Part V: Smoke Density
- ANSI/NEMA WC 27500: Environmental Testing, Jacket and Marking
- ANSI/TIA 568-C.2: Performance Requirements
- IEEE 802.3: Ethernet 100BASE-T /1000BASE-T (2 cables)
- SAE AS4373™: Test Methods for Insulated Electric Wire (Contact Gore for available data)
Fill out a short form to get samples of our prequalified cables in 48 hours for prototyping and evaluation. For more information about the qualifications of our cables and complimentary samples, contact a Gore representative today.
Smaller Form Factor of GORE Ethernet Cables (2 Pairs, Cat5e)
Cable Routing Simulators
TESTING IN REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS
Gore has been a long-time supporter of testing our products extensively to show how reliably they perform in real-world conditions before launching them to market. So, we designed a cable routing simulator to evaluate the effects of severe bending on high-speed data cables while being routed through an airframe.
PROVEN INSTALLED PERFORMANCE
Testing characteristics such as return loss and crosstalk after routing through the simulator verifies whether a cable can withstand complex installation challenges that can degrade signal integrity and lead to failures over time. Now, manufacturers can be sure they’re getting a robust Ethernet cable that delivers superior performance over the life of the aircraft — ultimately reducing maintenance, downtime, and total costs.
For more information about our cable routing simulator and the effects of installation on Ethernet Interconnects, download the white paper.
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
We also designed an aviation display that mimics an airframe bulkhead to demonstrate the challenges engineers face when designing an Ethernet system. We connected our cables to common avionic components, like cockpit displays, mission computers and aircraft survivability equipment. Our Ethernet cables were also terminated with leading aerospace connector systems that support standard protocols.
Our demonstration shows how easy it is to bend, flex and route our cables through existing bulkheads with tight spaces.
Watch Gore engineers in these videos and more on YouTube demonstrating the durability of GORE Aerospace High Speed Data Cables.
More Information
LEARN MORE ABOUT GORE ETHERNET CABLES OR ORDER NOW
Available in several designs to meet Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a protocols, GORE Ethernet Cables are the proven solutions for airborne digital networks. For more information or to discuss your specific military aircraft application needs, contact a Gore representative
If you're ready to order our cables in 4 pairs, quadrax or 2 pairs, contact one of our defense wire and cable distributors. You can also request tested, prequalified samples, which are complimentary and available within 48 hours.
Resources
Recent News
Event
Visit Gore at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit (AAAA)
April 26, 2023 - April 29, 2023
Stop by Booth 1023 and ask to see our demonstrations to watch how GORE® Cables and Materials perform reliably before and after installation and over time. We’re also eager to hear about your latest airframe and aviation system developments and talk with you about our solutions to ensure mission performance and aircrew protection for FARA, FLRAA and enduring fleet.
Press Release
W. L. Gore & Associates Expands High-Speed Data Transmission Capabilities
Posted April 18, 2023
W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) announced today its new Cat8 ethernet cable for use in aerospace and defense platforms. The new Cat8 ethernet cable allows for four times the high-speed data transmission previously possible.
Press Release
W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES WINS SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM BAE SYSTEMS
Posted April 11, 2023
W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) announced that last week it was one of 13 companies to win a “Partner 2 Win” Supplier of the Year award from BAE Systems for Gore’s high-performance cabling supporting countermeasure and electromagnetic defense solutions. In addition, Gore also received a Silver Supplier Award for best-in-class performance and contributions to supply chain success.
Press Release
W. L. Gore & Associates Recognized for Excellence by Northrop Grumman
Posted March 29, 2023
W. L. Gore & Associates today announced that earlier this month it was recognized by Northrop Grumman with a Quality Excellence Award as part of Northrop Grumman’s Supplier Excellence Award program.
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