High Energy Laser Weapons Systems Applications - The Black Vault

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PATH TO OPERATIONAL SYSTEM Following a three-year demonstration and concept definition effort, the ABL program entered into the Program Definition and Risk Reduction (PDRR) phase in late 1996. The PDRR phase is well underway, with modification of the designated Boeing 747 to be completed in mid-2001. Upon completion, the airplane will undergo airworthiness testing until early 2002. The battle management and communications, command, control and intelligence subsystem and the laser beam control and fire control subsystems will then be integrated into the airplane. Flight-testing will follow, to assure readiness for the laser subsystem integration. The complete system will then undergo extensive flight-testing that will culminate in a test against an actual TBM during boost phase. The demonstration is planned in the late-2003 time period. This demonstration, combined with other supporting analysis and data, is intended to constitute proof of feasibility to proceed with the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase on route to developing and acquiring an ABL operational capability. The program concept is to evolve from the PDRR configuration to an operational configuration by straightforward scaling and minor refinement of the PDRR hardware. Thus, the changes to be made would be incorporating additional modules of the laser subsystem to achieve the desired output power and more technologically advanced components to improve reliability and producibility or to lower cost. Assuming a successful PDRR phase and demonstration, EMD could begin in early 2004 and result in an operational capability in the mid-to-late 2000- decade. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ISSUES In addition to the ABL acquisition program, an Air Force science and technology program, shown in Figure 5, is currently underway to enhance system performance above what will be demonstrated on the PDRR aircraft. 8
Reduce ABL logistics tail by improving chemical laser efficiency and deployable production facilities and reducing damage effects of possible chemical laser leakage 00 05 10 15 20 25 Enabling Technologies PDRR EMD PROD Deployable Production Facility ABL P3I Critical Tech. Low Risk – Tech. Low Risk - $ Ready for ABL Upgrade Materials Compatibility Advanced Nozzles Atmospheric Compensation Tech Iodine-Atom Injection Human Risks & Safety All Gas Iodine Laser EMD Extended Range AGIL High Risk – Tech High Risk - $ White Text = Critical Tech. Yellow Text = Enhancing Tech. AF PE 6.1 6.2 6.3 Air Force = Navy = Army = Other = TRL 1 2 3 4 5 6 Funded Part Funded Unfunded Projected Source: ARFL Figure 5. ABL Long-Term Advanced Technology Development Plan Advanced Technology Demonstration To develop and demonstrate technology to improve performance for the ABL, the Air Force is conducting an advanced technology demonstration (ATD), described in Figure 6. The ATD is intended to demonstrate advanced technology at a level of maturity that will support transition to an operational ABL system. Specifically, technology transition is targeted for the ABL EMD design update, planned for early FY 2004. Specific demonstrations involve ground testing of atmospheric compensation and tracking scaled to replicate the propagation conditions expected in theater missile engagement scenarios. ABL technology objectives are to increase the atmospheric compensation and beam jitter Strehl ratios (ratio of beam intensity achieved compared to the ideal) by a factor of two and to increase the power of the laser device (power per unit weight). Tracking, adaptive optics, and laser device technologies developed under this ATD should pay off in enhanced operational capability of the ABL weapon system. If objectives can be met and the technology transitioned to the ABL system, the operational range could be increased by approximately 25 percent, and the available lasing time could be increased by 25 percent without any changes in overall ABL laser system weight. 9
Page 1 and 2: Defense Science Board Task Force on
Page 7: TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Page 11 and 12: INTRODUCTION Several decades of sci
Page 13 and 14: In addition, the task force was ask
Page 15 and 16: Findings: Current Initiatives Airbo
Page 17 and 18: Findings: New Applications Airborne
Page 19 and 20: Countermunitions Maritime Self- Def
Page 21 and 22: Findings: Science and Technology Th
Page 23 and 24: Include deployable optics technolog
Page 25 and 26: • Solid-State Lasers. Increase te
Page 27: CHAPTER I. CURRENT INITIATIVES
Page 30 and 31: • Lethality defines the total ene
Page 32 and 33: ABL PAC-3 FLOT THAAD Navy Theater W
Page 36 and 37: Technology Investment Schedule(FY)
Page 38 and 39: system, because loss resulting from
Page 40 and 41: SBL IFX DEMONSTRATION The SBL IFX i
Page 42 and 43: Capability Assessment A definitive
Page 44 and 45: Top Risks for IFX Element ID Risk I
Page 46 and 47: Issue: No Operating System Concept
Page 48 and 49: • Beam Control (wavefront error a
Page 50 and 51: 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 HF
Page 52 and 53: The lower left part of Figure 17 sh
Page 54 and 55: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Relay Mirro
Page 56 and 57: 200 Funding ($M) 150 100 50 Tier 3
Page 58 and 59: HIGH ENERGY LASER SYSTEM - TACTICAL
Page 60 and 61: down of a single Katyusha rocket. I
Page 62 and 63: concentrations of .8% have been gro
Page 64 and 65: DF Lasers An artist’s conception
Page 66 and 67: TASK FORCE FINDINGS 1. The THEL ACT
Page 69 and 70: As technology matures, the operatio
Page 71 and 72: Space and Missile Defense Command a
Page 73 and 74: this pressure. Hence the ATL, using
Page 75 and 76: • They require a mirror constella
Page 77 and 78: optics a few KW would be required.
Page 79 and 80: fluids in order to improve output p
Page 81 and 82: This program will develop and demon
Page 83 and 84: mirrors be a significant part of th
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Cost ($B) $80 $60 $40 48 laser sats
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Space Ancillary Missions Ground Anc
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OBJECTIVES The objective of the EAG
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2. Ground-, sea-, air-, and space-b
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Air Force studies have identified p
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capabilities create a desired effec
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question of how weather and environ
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Figure 46. The Army Vision THE OBJE
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efore they could lock on and engage
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Current deuterium fluoride technolo
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elative near term, and support a po
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wavelength and CW and pulse wavefor
Page 109 and 110:
COUNTERMUNITIONS The Army Space and
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• The Waste Heat Subsystem provid
Page 113 and 114:
Figure 49. The Littoral Warfighting
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technology approach that has been u
Page 117 and 118:
Rules of engagement in operations o
Page 119:
sight to the specific target(s). In
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Incorporating HEL systems into mili
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ADA integrator contractor to be imp
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triggered, need to be established u
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Maritime HEL Propagation 1 - 4.5 m
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In addition to the atmospheric phys
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A SOLUTION TO THE WEAPONEERING PUZZ
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Weapons Characteristics • Warhead
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REQUIRED WORK The Department of Def
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the extent that overall system leve
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BEAM CONTROL A recent study by the
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1st Generation 2nd Generation 3rd G
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• Many integration/demonstration
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Figure 67. Proposed Funding Profile
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concepts ranging from 50 to 300+ KW
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Free Volume = ~7 m 3 Beam Control S
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Table 3. Total SSHCL Weapon system
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8000 7000 Weight (kgs) 6000 5000 40
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Although the patent for the laser w
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In the intermediate region, cost an
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ATMOSPHERIC PROPAGATION AND COMPENS
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econstitutes the laser fluids. A be
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Another concern for FELs, which hav
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Appropriately developed and applied
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• Tactical High Energy Laser - Fi
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APPENDICES
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A-1
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APPENDIX B. TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP
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Dr. Ralph Schneider Mr. Mike Wardla
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October 19-20, 2001 Name Topic Col.
Page 189:
Capt. Jeff Barchers Dr. Al Ullman D
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TACTICAL HEL FIGHTER STUDY - BOEING
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• Enabling technologies critical
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In the future, the laser target eff
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Cloud Cover & Fog Molecular Absorpt
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P CFLOS = 0.8 Figure D-5. Notional
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egion on the right hand pie chart r
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• CUMULONIMBUS (CB) - Cauliflower
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With this brief discussion of the n
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In the future, off-board sensors wi
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Figures D-12 and D-13 illustrate po
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APPENDIX E. FREE ELECTRON LASERS
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straightforward with modest improve
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1. Develop ampere level average cur
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Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) thu
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RF Input Accelerator Optical Feedba
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picosecond electron pulses over tho
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APPENDIX F. GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AN
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GBL GGG GPS H 2 O 2 HE HE-HMMWV HEL
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