Advancing System Maturation and Deployment Readiness
Across the conference, participants highlighted steady progress in maturing directed energy (DE) systems and driving them closer to operational deployment. Technical sessions underscored how rapid prototyping and experimentation are revealing performance gaps earlier and more accurately. Attendees agreed that structured Test & Evaluation (T&E) remains critical for accelerating transition timelines. The strong engagement from engineers, physicists, scientists, and system developers reflected this growing momentum.
Addressing Persistent Funding and Resource Constraints
A recurrent theme was the challenge posed by inconsistent funding and limited access to representative test environments. Presenters emphasized that these pressures slow developmental timelines and restrict experimentation opportunities, particularly for emerging DE technologies. Several sessions noted that predictable investment is essential for improving system reliability and scaling production. Stakeholders agreed that coordinated advocacy and cross-community collaboration will be key in overcoming these barriers.
Refining Mission Requirements Through Realistic Testing
Speakers repeatedly stressed the need to align mission requirements with real-world system capabilities. Discussions challenged traditional performance metrics—such as power output alone—as insufficient for evaluating operational effectiveness. Instead, presenters argued for test frameworks that account for environmental factors, mission context, and full-system behavior. This shift reflects a broader movement toward more holistic, mission-aligned T&E approaches.
Strengthening Collaboration Across Government, Industry, and Academia
The event highlighted growing collaboration between government organizations, industry partners, and academic institutions. New partnerships emerged during the week, particularly through technical sessions, short courses, and facility tours such as the AV LOCUST visit. Attendees noted that cooperation across the community remains uneven, but improving this alignment was identified as a top priority. Follow-on initiatives are already forming to expand shared access to infrastructure and test ranges.
High Engagement Demonstrates Community Commitment
Despite the significant Government shutdown that forced a months-long postponement, attendance and engagement exceeded expectations. Participants expressed strong interest in the technical content, reflected in a 4.62 out of 5 satisfaction rating. Field reports, classified sessions, and the Navy test demo resonated strongly with attendees, offering valuable insights into current development trajectories. The enthusiasm demonstrated that the DE T&E community remains resilient, adaptive, and forward leaning.
Growing Momentum for Future DE T&E Efforts
The conference closed with a clear consensus: the directed energy ecosystem is expanding, and T&E will play an increasingly essential role in accelerating capability deployment. Attendees identified several key actions for the path ahead, including securing stable funding, increasing system orders, enhancing system reliability, refining mission based requirements, and improving cooperation among stakeholders. Participants also voiced confidence in DEPS’ ability to adapt and deliver high value events under challenging conditions. The week’s discussions reinforced optimism about the future of DE development and the strengthening of the T&E community.
CALL FOR PAPERS
The 2026 DE Test & Evaluation Joint Conference focused on "T&E Support to Prototyping and Experimentation." The theme of this conference was Rapid Development and Deployment of Directed Energy Technology, and the practical impact of test and evaluation (T&E) in supporting prototyping, experimentation, and other developmental activities was explored.
Abstracts were solicited in these topic areas:
- High Energy Laser (HEL) Sensors and Sources
- High Power Microwave (HPM) Sensors and Sources
- Atmospheric Characterization and Effects
- Department of War (DoW) and Service Experimentation and Prototyping Campaigns and Test Results
- Measurement and Calibration (METCAL)
- Modeling and Simulation Guiding Design from Experimentation to Deployment
- Instrumentation and Target Requirements for Breakthrough Technologies
- Targets and Instrumentation for HEL and HPM Testing and Experimentation
- Testing Considerations for AI/ML Integration in Prototype Systems
- T&E's Role Across the Kill Chain in Experimentation
- T&E Capabilities for Directed Energy Systems
- Operational Security (OPSEC) Implications on Testing and Experimentation
- Bio-effects
- Manufacturing, Metrology, and Testing for Transition from Prototype to Fielded Systems
- Airborne Laser Systems