A method and system for establishing a free space optical link that includes creating a first link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle and pointing a laser from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. The method includes steering the laser in a spiral pattern and recording a time at the first vehicle of each incremental position of the laser in a spiral pattern. The method includes detecting the laser at the second vehicle, recording the time of detection at the second vehicle, and steering the laser to the positions that coincide with the detection times of the second vehicle to establish an optical link between the first and second vehicles. The first link may be a RF link. The free space optical link may be created with a conformal panel having an RF array, an optical detecting aperture, and an optical beam directing aperture.