 |
| A 30 kW Laser Weapon System prototype conducts an operational demonstration on board the US Navy's interim Afloat Forward Staging Base USS Ponce (AFSB(I)15) on 16 November 2014 in the Gulf. Source: US Navy |
Release No: CR-203-15
October 22, 2015
CONTRACTS
NAVY
Demonstrator (MLD) which was the first to demonstrate defeat of small boats at sea using a high energy laser. Recent advancements in the power and durability of commercially available solid state laser (SSL) technologies have enabled the Navy to execute a quick-reaction effort and operationally field an SSL weapon. The Navy Laser Weapon System (LaWS) AN/SEQ-3(XN-1) was installed on USS Ponce in the summer of 2014. After a series of test and certification steps, LaWS is now the
first-ever fully approved laser weapon system deployed by any U.S. military service.
The Office of Naval Research seeks to continue the advancement of SSL weapon system designs, architectures, and component technologies. The government believes that improvements in lethality
may be achieved through maturation and optimization of a variety of system characteristics, including laser power, beam quality, beam director architecture, and other physical and optical aspects of the laser, beam director, and system design. Leveraging our experience and internal investments, the Northrop Grumman team is ready to fully support the three phases of the LWSD program.
This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $91,057,597. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be completed Oct. 21, 2016. If options are exercised, work will continue through July 7, 2018. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $36,465,449 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $21,465,449 will expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under the Office of
Naval Research broad agency announcement 15-0005 entitled “Solid State, High Power Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) Design, Development and Demonstration for Surface Navy, USN.” Six proposals were received in response to this solicitation. The Office of Naval Research,
Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-16-C-1009).
Related/Background:
- USN's prototype laser weapon in operational use in Gulf - IHS Jane's 360
- US Navy deploys a laser weapon to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea | Defense Update:
- ONR BAA Announcement #ONR BAA 15 - 0005
- Abstract Listing for 2015 Annual Directed Energy Symposium
- High-Energy Lasers: New Advances in Defense Applications | Optics & Photonics News
- Defense Science Board Task Force on Directed Energy Weapons Final Report - ADA476320.pdf
- Weise, T.H.G.G.; Jung, M.; Langhans, D.; Gowin, M., "Overview of directed energy weapon developments," in Electromagnetic Launch Technology, 2004. 2004 12th Symposium on , vol., no., pp.483-489, 25-28 May 2005
doi: 10.1109/ELT.2004.1398128
Abstract: In future defence scenarios directed energy weapons are of increasing interest. Therefore national and international R&D programs are increasing their activities on laser and high power microwave technologies in the defence and anti terror areas. The paper gives an overview of the German R&D programmes on directed energy weapons. A solid state medium energy weapon laser (MEL) is investigated at Rheinmetall for i.e. anti air defence applications up to distances of about 7 km. Due to the small volume these Lasers can be integrated as a secondary weapon system into mobile platforms such as AECVs. The beam power of a MEL is between 1 kW and 100 kW. The electric energy per pulse is in the kJ range. A burst of only a few pulses is needed to destroy optronics of targets in a distance up to 7 km. The electric energy requirements of a MEL system are low. High energy density pulsed power technologies are already available for the integration into a medium sized vehicle. The paper gives an overview on the MEL technologies which are under investigation in order to introduce a technology demonstrator at the end of 2005. The electric requirements at the interface to the power bus of a vehicle are presented. Finally an integration concept as a secondary weapon in a medium sized vehicle is given and discussed. In close cooperation with Diehl Munitionssysteme high power microwave technologies are investigated. Different kinds of HPM Sources are under development for defence and anti terror applications. It is the goal to introduce first prototype systems within a short time frame. The paper gives a brief overview on the different source technologies currently under investigation. The joint program concentrates on ultra wide band and damped sinus HPM waveforms in single shot and repetitive operation. Radiation powers up to the Gigawatt range are realized up to now. By presenting some characteristic scenarios for those HPM systems the wide range of applications is proven in the paper.
keywords: {electric vehicles;laser beam applications;microwave technology;pulsed power technology;research and development;solid lasers;weapons;1 to 100 kW;Antiair defence applications;Diehl Munitionssysteme High Power Microwave Technologies;anti terror application;anti terror areas;damped sinus HPM waveforms;defence scenarios;electric vehicles;energy density;energy weapon laser;energy weapons;high power microwave technologies;optronics;power bus;pulsed power technologies;radiation powers;research and development programs;solid state lasers;ultra wide band waveforms;Laser beams;Masers;Microwave technology;Paper technology;Power lasers;Research and development;Solid lasers;Solid state circuits;Vehicles;Weapons},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1398128&isnumber=30395 - Wardlaw, M.J.; Wilson, T.L., "Integration of high energy laser weapons systems aboard all-electric ships," in Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 2002. IECEC '02. 2002 37th Intersociety , vol., no., pp.65-, 29-31 July 2004
doi: 10.1109/IECEC.2002.1391976
Abstract: An all-electric ship construct for surface combatants will need to consider the impact of future, electric power based weapons systems. Shipboard environments, driven by war fighting, hoteling, and safety arguments, are already influencing the development of high impulse weapons systems away from chemical or nuclear derived charging mechanism. shipboard high energy laser (HEL) weapons system concepts, for example, are already under pressure to adopt environmentally integratable, all-electric, solutions to meet requirements. Because of these influences, HEL weapons systems that employ solid-state cavity technology are being favorably received. Alternative technologies that are more difficult to integrate, such as the free electron laser (FEL) and possibly the chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) systems, are still under consideration but will require different electric power resources. For HEL systems, there are several critical factors in electric power delivery. Depending on the HEL technology; source capacity, flow rate regulation, drop-out and other source stability aspects can significantly influence weapons availability or performance. The nominal solution to achieving these reserve capacity and regulation requirements is to incorporate specialized components within the weapons system. Given the infrequency of weapons use, these specialized components should not be relegated to specific tasks only when their functions could be generally beneficial to the overall power grid. Design approaches that cross-pollinate weapons systems power solutions with those being considered for the transmission, distribution and storage solutions in the power system would be more practical and cost efficient. Reserve power components designed to insure a consistent supply voltage and insulate against power failure can, for example, be used to enhance the performance of a nearby power grid node. With this approach, the all-electric ship power grid could undergo performance improvements with the addition of each new weapons system.
keywords: {free electron lasers;iodine;ships;weapons;COIL;FEL;chemical oxygen-iodine laser system;cross-pollinate weapons systems;distribution;electric power resources;electric ship power grid;flow rate regulation;free electron laser;high energy laser weapons systems;high impulse weapons systems;hoteling;power failure;safety arguments;shipboard environments;solid-state cavity technology;transmission;war fighting;Chemical lasers;Chemical technology;Free electron lasers;Marine safety;Marine vehicles;Power grids;Power lasers;Solid state circuits;Surface charging;Weapons},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1391976&isnumber=30300
Lavan, M.; Wachs, J., "Directed energy technology overview," in Pulsed Power Conference (PPC), 2011 IEEE , vol., no., pp.1-45, 19-23 June 2011
doi: 10.1109/PPC.2011.6191690
Abstract: I would like to summarize where we are in the development of High-Energy Laser weapons systems. The feasibility of shooting down rockets, artillery, and mortars (RAM) targets with a high energy chemical laser was demonstrated with the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) program over 10 years ago. Although the THEL demonstration was success, the logistics and safety issues associated with the chemicals used to power the laser made it impractical for use as a fielded weapons system for the Army. To overcome these issues, emphasis shifted towards the development of solid-state lasers as they are electrically powered.
keywords: {chemical lasers;solid lasers;weapons;Army;artillery targets;directed energy technology;fielded weapons system;high energy chemical laser;high-energy laser weapons systems;mortars targets;rockets targets;solid-state lasers;tactical high energy laser program;Chemical lasers;Laser beams;Laser radar;Masers;Measurement by laser beam;Radar tracking;Target tracking},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6191690&isnumber=6191397
- Gattozzi, A.L.; Herbst, J.D.; Hebner, R.E.; Blau, J.A.; Cohn, K.R.; Colson, W.B.; Sylvester, J.E.; Woehrman, M.A., "Power system and energy storage models for laser integration on naval platforms," in Electric Ship Technologies Symposium (ESTS), 2015 IEEE , vol., no., pp.173-180, 21-24 June 2015
doi: 10.1109/ESTS.2015.7157884
Abstract: High power solid state laser systems are being developed for advanced weapons and sensors for a variety of Department of Defense applications including naval surface combatants. The transient power and cooling requirements of these emerging technologies present significant challenges to the electric power distribution and thermal management systems, particularly for applications requiring back fit of the new systems onto existing platforms with limited electric power generation and cooling capacities. The University of Texas Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) have collaborated in the development of simulation models of ship power systems to evaluate and help guide the integration of pulsed laser loads onto existing ship platforms. Key to the success of these efforts is the definition of a suitable energy storage system to handle the effect of the transient load. This paper reports on the progress of detailed MatLab/Simulink models of a destroyer class ship service electric power distribution system that have been developed to evaluate the performance of battery, flywheel, and capacitor energy storage in support of laser weapons. The models allow the user to develop comparative studies of the three energy storage systems in regard to several relevant metrics that can be used for their discrimination. Examples of some of these results based on the simulations are given.
keywords: {flywheels;laser beam applications;marine power systems;military equipment;power capacitors;secondary cells;ships;weapons;MatLab;Simulink;battery;capacitor energy storage;destroyer class ship service electric power distribution system;energy storage models;flywheel;laser integration;laser weapons;naval platforms;power system;pulsed laser loads;Batteries;Flywheels;Laser modes;Marine vehicles;Power lasers;Power systems;Energy Storage;Laser;Laser Integration;Naval Power Systems},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7157884&isnumber=7157845
- Hecht, J., "Ray guns get real," in Spectrum, IEEE , vol.46, no.7, pp.28-33, July 2009
doi: 10.1109/MSPEC.2009.5109449
Abstract: Cheap rockets fired by insurgents are taking a deadly toll in the Middle East. The article looks at whether a new generation of solid-state lasers can blow them out of the sky.
keywords: {laser beam applications;military systems;projectiles;solid lasers;explosive-laden projectiles;laser defense;solid-state lasers;Batteries;Gas lasers;Guns;Power lasers;Projectiles;Pump lasers;Rockets;Semiconductor lasers;Solid lasers;Weapons},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5109449&isnumber=5109424
- Cobb, C.B.; Adams, S., "Lightweight, compact superconducting power sources for solid state high energy lasers," in Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 2002. IECEC '02. 2002 37th Intersociety , vol., no., pp.66-69, 29-31 July 2004
doi: 10.1109/IECEC.2002.1391977
Abstract: The air force is considering advanced compact electrical power systems for many future airborne DEW concepts to capitalize on the advantages of electrical DEW. High output electrical generators, employing superconductor wire technology, are being investigated as a possible solution. Generators with high temperature superconducting (HTS) wire would be significantly lighter weight and more compact than conventional copper wire-wound generators for this high level of power.
keywords: {copper;electric generators;high-temperature superconductors;solid lasers;weapons;air force;airborne direct energy weapon;copper wire-wound generators;electrical power systems;high temperature superconducting wire;solid state high energy lasers;superconducting power sources;superconductor wire technology;Diodes;High temperature superconductors;Power generation;Power lasers;Pump lasers;Solid lasers;Solid state circuits;Superconducting filaments and wires;Superconducting photodetectors;Weapons},
URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1391977&isnumber=30300x
No comments:
Post a Comment