DIRECTED ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY


2017 Directed Energy Symposium Short Courses
13 February 2017 Huntsville, Alabama

Course Details   Registration & Fees

These short courses are being offered in conjunction with the Nineteenth Annual Directed Energy Symposium, to be held 13-17 February 2017 in Huntsville, AL. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits will be awarded upon successful completion of these DEPS short courses.


    Morning Courses

  1. Introduction to High Energy Laser Systems

  2. Windows and Coatings for HEL Systems

  3. Directed Energy Bio-Effects (Limited C)
    Full Day Course

  1. Introduction to High Energy Laser Lethality Science
    Afternoon Courses

  1. Transitioning DE Technology to the Warfighter

  2. RF Directed Energy Effects (Limited C)

  3. Optical Turbulence

  4. Introduction to RF Systems (Limited D)


Course 1.  Introduction to High Energy Laser Systems

Classification: Unclassified, Public Release

Instructors:
    -  John Wachs, Schafer
    -  Tom Meyer

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 0800

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: This lecture will introduce the field of HEL weapons and their associated technologies using an interweaving of technical requirements, history, and accomplishments. The basic attributes of HEL weapons will be covered, leading into discussions of laser-material interaction, lethality, potential weapon applications, system requirements, laser power scaling, propagation, and beam control. DoD interest in tactical applications, current technical issues, and areas of research emphasis will be highlighted.

Intended Audience: This course is geared to those with a technical background who seek an overview of HEL technology and the current state of the art. Individuals who are beginning to work in the field or technical managers who wish an integrated overview would benefit from the class.

Instructor Biographies: Mr. John Wachs worked as a civilian employee for the Army in Huntsville, AL during his entire 42 year career, which was devoted to directed energy (DE) research and development. The first part of his career focused on field testing of high energy laser devices. For the remainder of his career, Mr. Wachs managed the development and testing of DE systems for both tactical and strategic military applications. Since his retirement from Army civilian service in 2010, he has provided part time support to the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office through Schafer Corporation as a greybeard advisor.

Dr. Tom Meyer has worked in the field of Directed Energy Technologies and Weapons for over forty years. In his early career he developed high power CO2 and CO lasers at AFWL. Next he was Branch Chief of the laser group that demonstrated the first 5 kW Oxygen Iodine laser, as well as electrically initiated HF and DF lasers. AT DARPA he ran the ground based laser program which developed Excimer and Free Electron Lasers as well as the pioneering development of atmospheric propagation technologies. When the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization was formed, Dr. Meyer joined that organization and eventually became Director of the Directed Energy Office. During his tenure the Alpha HF Chemical Laser saw first light, the shuttle atmospheric compensation experiment was performed, the Relay Mirror Experiment (RME) was accomplished, and the Neutral Particle Beam in Space (BEAR) experiment was completed. After retiring from the Government, Dr. Meyer became a consultant to the HEL JTO, DARPA, Navy, and National Laboratories. He served on the DEPS BOD for six years and is a DEPS fellow.


Course 2.  Windows and Coatings for HEL Systems

Classification: Unclassified, Public Release

Instructor: Bill Decker, Defense Acquisition University

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 0800

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: The student will understand the possible alternatives for Windows and Coatings for HEL Systems and sources to obtain the optical materials and coating services. Topics include:

  • Windows - issues and solutions
    • How HEL windows applications are different
    • The options for materials for tranmissive optics
    • Optical polishing technology - current state of the art
  • Coatings
    • Why coatings are still a problem
    • Sources for coating services

Intended Audience: This course will benefit those working in the high energy laser community, with a general background in optics. Technical and managerial people will benefit from the course.

Instructor Biography: Mr. Decker is currently the Director, Technology Transition Learning Center of Excellence, Defense Acquisition University and concurrently is a Professor of Engineering Management. His experience includes over 35 years in electro-optics with ten years experience in high energy laser systems, including THEL, ABL, ATL, HELLADS and HELTD, all while employed by Brashear (a division of L-3 Communications) in Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Decker holds a MS in Physics from the Naval Postgraduate School and a BS in Engineering from Cornell University. He currently consults for Heraeus Quartzglass America in addition to his DAU efforts.


Course 3.  Directed Energy Bio-Effects

Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution C (Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the U.S. Government or its contractors)

Instructors:
    -  Ben Rockwell, AFRL
    -  Noel Montgomery, AFRL
    -  Jeff Whitmore, AFRL
    -  Jason Payne, AFRL

Duration:Half-day course, starts at 0800

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: This course will present and discuss the effects of optical and radio frequency energy upon biological systems. With the proliferation of directed energy (DE) sources in the military environment there is increasing need for understanding DE bioeffects to protecting our troops from incidental or intentional exposure. We will present the mechanisms through which biology may be affected by DE and the power levels required to produce effects. This information will be set within a safety, legal, and policy context to illuminate the challenges faced by DE systems as they navigate the acquisition environment. Topics include:

  • Why is the Department of Defense Interested in Directed Energy Bioeffects?
  • Laser Bioeffects
  • Applications and Considerations
  • Modeling Hazards and Assessing Effectiveness
  • Mechanisms of Damage for tissues
  • Eye Vs. Skin
    • Long Exposures
    • Moderate Length Exposures
    • Short Pulse Exposures
  • Special Considerations
  • Laser Summary
  • RF Bioeffects
  • Damage Mechanisms and Modeling
    • whole body
    • skin
    • eyes
  • Dosimetry
  • RF Case Studies

Intended Audience: This course is intended for anyone interested in the biological effects of laser and radio frequency energy. Rigorous scientific directed energy bioeffects information will be presented in a context of safety, legal, and systems development

Instructor Biobraphies:Dr. Benjamin A. Rockwell is a Principal Research Physicist in the Optical Radiation Branch, Bioeffects Division, Airman Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory. Dr. Rockwell serves as the Advanced Laser Bioeffects team leader, guiding a team to develop recommendations to change the national and international laser safety standards based on solid scientific investigation of hazards. He is a Fellow of SPIE, the Laser Institute of America, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Dr. Noel D. Montgomery is a Senior Research Electrical Engineer in the Radio Frequency Bioeffects Branch of the 711 Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory. He has 29 years experience in characterization of radiation hazards and bioeffects to include Radio Frequency, optical, and ionizing radiation effects on humans and the environment. Dr. Montgomery has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a Master of Science Degree in Health Physics from Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Portland, Oregon. Dr. Montgomery is a diplomate of the American Board of Health Physics.

Jason Payne is a Research Biomedical Engineer in the Radio Frequency Bioeffects Branch of the 711 Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory (711 HPW/RHDR). Within the Air Force Research Laboratory, he has spent the past 12 years researching the biological effects of Radio Frequency (RF) energy on humans. Mr. Payne is the Modeling and Simulation team leader for RHDR, and works with a group of engineers and scientists to develop simulation tools to model the absorbed RF dose from Directed Energy systems, along with the resulting thermal response within tissue and the accompanying biological effects. Mr. Payne has a MS degree in Electical Engineering from Texas A&M University a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering also from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Jeff Whitmore is a Principal Research Psychologist in the Radio Frequency Radiation Branch, Bioeffects Division, Airman Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory. He has investigated human performance in extreme environments (high Gz+, high altitude, sustained wakefulness, and RF energy) over the past 27 years. His recent foci include 95GHz performance effects and the science behind RF safety standards. Jeff studied methods to enhance alertness in individuals and teams for his PhD at the University of Sheffield.


Course 4.  Introduction to High Energy Laser Lethality Science

Classification: Unclassified, Public Release

Instructors:
    -  Chuck Lamar, Space and Missile Defense Command
    -  Dave Lyman
    -  Tom Schriempf

Duration: Full-day course (runs 0800-1700)

CEUs awarded: 0.7

Course Description: The course is intended as an overview of lethality science. The course will first describe the role of lethality science in the systems engineering process and its relation to the other major disciplines in HEL science and engineering. The mathematical and physical foundation of lethality science related to the interaction of High Energy Lasers with materials will be presented. Interaction with metals, composites, and glasses will be presented. The tools used by analysts will be described to include both analytical and numerical methods. The effects of pulsed lasers and continuous wave lasers will be compared. The fundamentals of High Energy Laser testing will then be discussed. A brief description of available resources for follow on activity will be provided

Intended Audience: HEL Lethality is the cornerstone of system engineering. Those working in the fields of System Engineering and Laser Vulnerability should benefit from the course. Others interested in understanding the effects of High Energy Lasers on materials should also benefit.

Instructor Biographies: Mr. Chuck LaMar leads the U.S. Army High Energy Laser Lethality program. As such, Mr. LaMar led the Directed Energy Alternative system engineering for the recent U.S. Army Analysis of Alternatives. He is also the program manager for the Army’s Solid State Laser Testbed; a facility dedicated to lethality and propagation studies for High Energy Lasers. In addition, he represents the Army on the JTO Lethality and Beam Control TAWG. He has written over 50 professional papers and publications in the field of High Energy Lasers.

Dr. J.T. Schriempf received his Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Carnegie Mellon University. He has spent the bulk of his professional career in the study of the effects of lasers on materials, with a particular emphasis on applications. While at the Naval Research Laboratory he became a recognized authority within the Department of Defense in the application of very high power lasers as weapons. After some years in private industry, he joined the Applied Physics Laboratory of the Pennsylvania State University as a senior scientist and Department Head, progressing to Assistant Director, in charge of the High Energy Processing Division. Following that he was Director of Laser Technology and Operations at ARL’s Electro-Optics Center in Kittanning, PA, where he was very actively engaged in both management and research in the area of the applications of lasers to the solution of industrial problems. Presently he is on full-time assignment as Assistant Program Manager for Lethality in the Navy Directed energy and Electric Weapons Program Office in Washington, DC. He is presently a Senior Member and Member of the Board of the Laser Institute of America, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fellow of DEPS, and a Member of the Board of DEPS. He has authored over seventy papers and reports on laser applications for both military and industrial purposes. Since October 2008 Dr. Schriempf has been employed as a "Highly Qualified Expert" in laser effectiveness with NAVSEA PMS 405, the Navy's "Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems Program Office".


Course 5.  Transitioning DE Technology to the Warfighter

Classification: Unclassified, Public Release

Instructor: Bill Decker, Defense Acquisition University

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 1300

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: The DE community has attempted to transition HEL and HPM systems to the warfighter several times in the past two decades, with no success to date. This course will focus on the shortcomings of our efforts to work the requirements, budget and political processes to have a broadly endorsed DE program of record. Topics include:

  • Where are we today? Review of DE programs past and present to review lessons learned.
  • The Defense Acquisition System, including the impact of the Interim DoD Instruction 5000.02
  • The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System
  • The Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System
  • The political environment in which these three systems operate
  • How non-DE programs are successful
  • Description of our action plan:
    • What DEPS is doing/has done
    • What you can do - and progress to date (a beginning, but no success)
This will be a workshop environment, where participants will be expected to contribute suggestions and share lessons learned (both good and bad).

Intended Audience: Program managers, industry and government leaders, scientists and engineers committed to having our Warfighters benefit from DE technology.

Instructor Biography: Mr. Decker is currently the Director, Technology Transition Learning Center of Excellence, Defense Acquisition University and concurrently is a Professor of Engineering Management. His experience includes over 35 years in electro-optics with ten years experience in high energy laser systems, including THEL, ABL, ATL, HELLADS and HELTD, all while employed by Brashear (a division of L-3 Communications) in Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Decker holds a MS in Physics from the Naval Postgraduate School and a BS in Engineering from Cornell University. He currently consults for Heraeus Quartzglass America in addition to his DAU efforts.


Course 6.  RF Directed Energy Effects

Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution C (Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the U.S. Government or its contractors)

Instructors:
    -  Timothy Clarke, AFRL
    -  Julie Lawrence, AFRL

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 1300

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: This course will provide a basic overview of Radio Frequency Directed Energy (RF DE) and its effects on electronic systems. The course will cover what RF DE is, how it is similar to but different from classic Electronic Warfare (EW) and Nuclear generated Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP), and how it penetrates targets systems and produces effects ranging from temporary interference to permanent damage. We will also discuss the statistical nature of RF coupling to electronics and effects and how effect levels are best described as a probability of effect or failure. Finally we will describe some RF effects models and how they can be used to estimate probability of target effect. Topics include:

  • RF DE Systems-Narrow Band and Wide Band RF
  • RF Propagation and Coupling
  • Effects on Electronic and Probability of Effect
  • Effects Investigation Methodology
  • RF Effects Models and Simulation

Intended Audience: The course is intended for anyone who wants to learn to the basics of RF DE and how it effects on electronics, Even though it does not require a bachelor's degree in science or engineering, it is meant for individual with some back ground in science or engineering and/or in technical program management.

Instructor Biographies: Dr. Timothy Clarke is the High Power Electromagnetics (HPEM) Effects Program Manager at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He has worked in the area of HPEM for about 15 years. His PhD is from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge University.

Dr. Julie Lawrance is Principle Investigator for the HPEM Effects Program at AFRL, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, She joined AFRL in 1999 and has conducted extensive effects testing as well as novel antenna design for HPEM applications. Prior to joining AFRL she worked for 14 years in industry, primarily in the area of effects testing. Dr. Lawrance holds a B.S. Degree in Physics from Occidental College, a M.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering in the area of Applied Electromagnetics from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of New Mexico.


Course 7.  Optical Turbulence

Classification: Unclassified, Public Release

Instructor:Joe Watkins, Clemson University

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 1300

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: This class will discuss the statistical analysis of turbulence induced changes in the refractive index of air. Students will develop the background necessary to formulate the structure functions used to quantify the random effect of turbulence in the classical analysis given by Andrews and Phillips in their seminal work Laser Beam Propagation through Random Media. Classical, weak and strong fluctuation theory will be reviewed, as well as recent papers that discuss fitting experimental data of the beam’s position as a function of time to differing probability density functions.

Topics to be covered include:

  • Propagation through random media concepts
  • Born and Rytov approximation
  • Kolmogorov theory of turbulence
  • Inner and outer scale of turbulence
  • Structure Functions
  • Second and fourth order statistics
  • Probability density functions

Intended Audience: Undergraduate in science and/or engineering who desire a basic knowledge of the effect of optical turbulence on beam propagation. Students currently in an undergraduate curriculum may also benefit, as this material is taught to midshipmen at the Naval Academy.

Instructor Biography: Dr. R. J. Watkins Jr. is the Executive Director of the General Engineering Program at Clemson University, holding a joint appointment in the Mechanical Engineering Department. All freshmen engineers start at Clemson in the General Engineering Program, numbering approximately 1500 students for 2016. Prior to arriving at Clemson in 2014, he was a Permanent Military Professor (PMP) for 9 years in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he developed the Directed Energy Research Center (DERC) with funding from the Office of Naval Research and the Joint Technology Office (JTO). The center supported 7 Trident Scholars and provided research opportunities for over 100 midshipmen and 15 professors from 5 disciplines during his tenure there. The DERC continues to conduct research in the modeling, simulation and experimental validation of control systems and methods that may be used to reject atmospheric and platform disturbances in a Directed Energy (DE) beam, the physics involved in beam propagation, damage effects to materials from high energy lasers, and methods that may be used to disrupt a DE beam. He served on the Free-Electron Laser Technical Area Working Group (TAWG) for the JTO and was selected as the Chair of the Advanced Concepts TAWG prior to his retirement from government service. Dr. Watkins also served as the Senior Academic Advisor for the College of Engineering and was the Program Director for the initial accreditation process for the General Engineering major. Dr. Watkins has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and holds the Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering, a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He is a 20 year veteran of the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force, serving in three nuclear submarines, where his last afloat tour was as Executive Officer of USS LOUISVILLE, SSN 724. He was qualified as a nuclear engineer with the Navy as well as for command at sea prior to his selection as a PMP. He retired as a Captain after 32 years of service.


Course 8.  Introduction to RF Systems

Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution D (Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the U.S. Department of Defense or its contractors)

Instructor: Dr. Mark Rader, Space and Missile Defense Command

Duration: Half-day course, starts at 1300

CEUs awarded: 0.35

Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to RF Directed Energy weapons, also known as High Power Microwave (HPM) weapons. The course consists of four parts: 1) a general introduction to the basic terms and concepts, 2) a discussion of the varous types of effects that can be induced and how they are characterized, 3) the technologies that enable RF-DEW weaponization, and 4) hardening techniques and technologies.

At the end of the class, students will know what RF-DEWs are and how they differ from classical Electronic Warfare and nuclear EMP. Students will learn the various ways in which microwaves couple into a target (i.e., front door/back door, in-band/out-of-band) and some of the many sorts of effects that they can precipitate. Technology discussions will show the difference between narrow band (NB) and ultra-wide band (UWB) sources, antennas and diagnostics, as well as the principal elements of the power systems needed to support them. The course concludes with a discussion of hardening techniques and technologies.

Topics to be covered include:

  • Definitions, motivation, notional concepts
  • Effects on targets of interest
  • Technology - Sources, Antennas, Diagnostics, Power Conditioning and Power Sources
  • Hardening Technologies and Techniques

Intended Audience: Newcomers to the field of RF-DEW or managers with some background in science and engineering will benefit the most from this course.

Instructor Biography: Dr. Mark Rader works in high power RF-DEW research at the Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Alabama.


Course Fees  
    Half-Day   Full-Day
   Full-time students   $0   $0
   Others   $250   $450
   Two half day courses can be selected for the price of a full-day course.

Registration

  • Complete this form to register on-line. Note that on-line registration does not require on-line payment.

    Some organizations have installed web filters that prevent on-line registration from inside their facilities. If this appears to be true for you, please try again off-site or use the registration option below.

  • Print this registration form (in PDF format) and follow the instructions provided.

Persons requesting cancellation through 16 January will receive a full refund. Cancellations after 16 January are subject to a $100 cancellation fee. There will be no refunds after 10 February.

 
Copyright 2017 Directed Energy Professional Society   DHTML/JavaScript Menus by OpenCube

Last updated: 2 February 2017