A packet switching system for a packet transfer network, the system having an architecture including a plurality of line cards, each including an ingress path pipeline, with processing elements, and an egress buffer, and an electro-optical In/Out (IO) interconnect coupling the line cards to one another in a full mesh connectivity, in the absence of a switch fabric, wherein the ingress path pipeline of each line card is coupled by means of the electro-optical IO interconnect to the egress buffer of each of the plurality of line cards.