Armored fiber optic cable includes a metal protective layer—such as corrugated steel tape, aluminum armor, or stainless-steel flexible tubing—outside the fiber core. What Is the Difference Between Armored and Unarmored Fiber Optic Cable? 1. Superior Mechanical Protection 2. These cables are constructed with a protective outer jacket that covers the delicate optical fibers, but they lack the additional protective layers found in armored variants. You select between them based on route exposure, rodent risks, burial requirements, tension loads, and overall ODN architecture. This article provides a comprehensive comparison of Armored Fiber Cable and unarmored fiber cable, detailing their key differences in structure, performance, and cost, and offering practical selection guidelines to help engineers, project managers, and decision-makers make informed choices that.
