|
Guest >> Sign In |
|
|
DIRECTED
ENERGY
PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETY
Abstract: 25-Systems-159
|
|
|
|
UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE
HEL Perspectives from a Recent Government Leader and Current Academic Researcher
The Department of War (DoW) Directed Energy (DE) Roadmap is due for an update, but this talk will review what it currently looks like in a one-slide format. This roadmap is often referred to as a “stairstep” approach or a “crawl, walk, run” approach to creating near-, mid-, and long-term goals for the department in DE. Since its inception in 2019, the Military Services have been focused mostly on two missions with respect to the DoW DE Roadmap: (1) counter unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS) and (2) counter cruise missile (c-CM). Both (1) and (2), in practice, speak to the near- and mid-term goals. In turn, several high energy laser (HEL) prototype systems have been developed with power levels generally increasing, as well as aperture size; thus, lethality has ultimately increased. Currently, the most sophisticated prototypes under development are the HEL Counter Anti-ship-cruise-missile Program (HELCAP) being funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Indirect Fire Protection Capability HEL being funded by the U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). Both prototypes are scheduled for field demos in early FY26. Both prototypes also use HEL sources developed by the HEL Scaling Initiative (HELSI), which is a flagship effort currently being led by the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office (JDETO) within the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)). Through competition with four different vendors, HELSI has achieved several goals. Most importantly, HELSI has enabled a new flagship program at OUSW(R&E) referred to as the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) in support of Golden Dome for America. With HELCAP, IFPC-HEL, and JLWS in mind, one significant challenge that still remains is the integration of HEL sources at 100 kW-class (and above) power levels at the system level. Currently, both HELCAP and IFPC-HEL are behind schedule due to several integration challenges. A lot of these integration challenges can be overcome with enough time, money, and experience; however, they can also be overcome with innovation. Either option will require an experienced workforce, and that is the point of this talk – to start the discussion on how we can educate the next generation of scientists and engineers needed to grow the U.S. DE workforce.
UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE
|