Review of Directed Energy Technology for Countering Rockets, Artillery, and Mortars (RAM) Abbreviated Version (2008) / Chapter Skim
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In performing this task, the committee addressed several issues, including the effectiveness of solid-state laser weapon system concepts, the technological maturity of various optical subsystems of the laser itself, and risk to overhead airborne and space assets. The committee also considered complementarities of various pieces of the technology effort, related systems engineering and integration, and the adequacy of related supporting technologies (such as power supplies and thermal management)
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The rudimentary effectiveness assessments made during this study reveal the clear benefits of higher laser power than is provided by the 100 kW demonstrator to counter more stressing raids and hedge the need to destroy future hardened RAM projectiles. Accordingly, the committee endorses the Army's longer-term goal to eventually develop and field a multi-hundred kW solid-state laser (e.g., a 400 kW laser weapon system)
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OTHER KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Effectiveness estimates were briefed to the committee during this study. The committee's own assessments, although necessarily limited because of the time frame of this study, revealed several aspects of effectiveness that need thorough analysis to better illuminate the military utility of future high-energy lasers as the Army's high-energy laser technology development and demonstration program proceeds.
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TABLE S-1 Status and Committee Assessment of Various Laser Approaches Technology/Advocate Key Issues Comments TRL Risk Estimate NGST coherent beam combining Coherent beam combining Improve efficiency TRL 4 Medium amplifier chains, slab complexity Complexity leads to system issues Textron thin Zag, slab Thermal lensing Thermal lensing will require TRL 3 Medium to high Low efficiency adaptive optics Thermal management Complexity leads to major Ceramic materials system issues technology Unstable resonator not-yet proven approach DOE/LLNL heat capacity, slab Heat capacity limited System concept requires TRL 3 High BQ not stable multiple slabs with Difficult thermal complex loading system management issues and thermal management system
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DARPA/HELLADS, slab Thermal management with Lasing media are thin TRL 3 High index-matched coolant slabs with index-matched BQ coolant flow between Optical efficiency slabs To maintain index-match, laminar flow necessary Specific power difficult to maintain Thin disk Poor BQ at high power Promises high efficiency COTS, High Thermal shock in gain media Problems with coupling TRL 9 Difficult to scale to high power and beam combining Other, levels expected TRL 3 Optical fiber, single mode Single fiber limited Coherent and incoherent TRL 2 High Nonlinearities limit power beam combining scaling Optical fiber, multimode BQ Difficult to propagate long COTS, High distances due to poor TRL 9 beam quality NOTE: TRL, technology readiness level (see Appendix D for more information) ; BQ, beam quality; HELLADS, High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System; NGST, Northrop Grumman Space Technology.
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are necessary to ensure truly mobile systems. Hybrid electric power systems being developed by the Army have ample energy but currently lack sufficient power capability for solid-state laser weapon systems; also, the hybrid-electric timelines do not match those of the laser development and demonstration program.
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. The use of lasers necessarily raises concerns about the safety of airborne platforms that may be in the vicinity, of any manned or unmanned spacecraft that may be in the laser's field of view, and of persons either on the ground or in the air who might suffer ocular damage from exposure to direct or scattered laser light.
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