Directed Energy Demonstrator Development
Abstract
The Directed Energy Demonstrator Development project designs, integrates, and tests a Low Power Laser Demonstrator (LPLD) for missile defense. Depending on the specific industry initial design selected to continue through critical design, the demonstrator will consist of a kilowatt (kW)-class tracking laser, a multi-kilowatt class mission laser and a 0.5 meter telescope. A key risk area to cost effective boost phase kill is acquisition, tracking and beam stability at long stand-off ranges. The demonstrator will incrementally verify acquisition and tracking, laser pointing and stability accuracy at extended ranges, then mission laser effectiveness at shorter ranges. The LPLD provides an autonomously controlled laser-equipped airborne platform to develop a missile defense directed energy Concept of Operations (CONOPS). The laser flight system, beam control methodology and laser CONOPS inform development of higher power, higher altitude directed energy systems necessary for missile defense. This project also develops laser technology with demonstrated abilities to scale to the high power levels required for missile defense. Specific and/or unique accomplishments to each FY are as follows:
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2019
- Source ID
- 37d2e3feb82b0c47d7d0ac197e644bab