Directed Energy Research
Abstract
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) mission is to develop a robust system to defend the United States against ballistic missile attacks at all ranges, in all phases of flight. Negating a ballistic missile in boost phase, before a threat missile can spawn countermeasures, will revolutionize missile defense by dramatically reducing the role of interceptors. In FY 2010, the Airborne Laser (ABL) proved we could acquire, track and destroy a boosting missile, addressing many aspects of the boost phase kill, but also underscored the complexity and challenges of fielding such a weapon system. The experience we gained from that successful first foray into directed energy weapons is pointing us along a new path that integrates a highly efficient, compact electric laser into a high altitude, long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of flying in the stratosphere above the clouds which diffuse the laser energy. Flying at low speed in the relatively calm air at 60,000 feet significantly reduces the complex beam pointing and atmospheric jitter compensation systems, that were so troublesome on the ABL. With these lessons learned and breakthrough research at our nation's premier scientific laboratories, the Agency is implementing an incremental roadmap that will prove the technology is ready to execute Missile Defense missions before 2020. This roadmap jointly develops with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Air Force a set of core technologies common to both Air Force and missile defense missions; including fiber launchers; high brightness, high efficiency diode pump modules; and high power, high efficiency fiber amplifiers. Funds are also developing two high energy laser technologies, the Diode Pumped Alkali Laser System (DPALS) with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Fiber Combining Lasers (FCLs) with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). Both laser technologies have considerable promise for scaling to very high average power while simultaneously achieving high system electrical-to-optical efficiencies, exceeding 40 percent, and very low system weight and volume. These key investments are targeted at driving the weight per kW of power in the fiber amplifier from a 5kg per kW to 1 kg per kW. The resources funded in this Program Element fund the joint MDA, DARPA and Air Force development of a 50kW compact, packaged, combined fiber laser system, scaling up from the successful 34 kW laboratory laser demonstrated in the laboratory in FY 2015. In FY 2016, MIT LL will complete the Critical Design Review (CDR) and begin fabrication and integration of the 5 kilograms (kg) per kW low size weight and power Fiber Combining Laser (FCL) system. In FY 2016, LLNL will demonstrate a DPALS at 30 kilowatts average power. In FY 2017 and FY 2018, each laser will demonstrate the technology necessary to scale the laser power to hundreds of kilowatts. Multiple Industry partners continue to make steady progress in high power lasers. The MDA will select the best available high energy laser technology from the National Laboratories and/or Industry for a follow-on prototype high power laser demonstration in FY 2019 with a CDR in FY 2020.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- MD69_0603178C_3_0400_PB_2016
Related Documents
- Root: Weapons Technology
- Child Accomplishment: Directed Energy Research