Laser Weapon System

A Vision For
Directed Energy and Electric Weapons
in the Current and Future Navy
Presented
By
David H Kiel, CAPT USN
ASNE DAYS
June 2007
Outline & Take Aways
• Why High Energy Lasers (HEL) & Electric Weapons
– The Electric Warship as a key enabler
• HEL vision
– Multi-mission & Spiral
• Near Term Capability
• Long Term Capabilities
• Summary
Take Away’s:
•HEL is here today
•Must earn its way on board a ship
•Demands Spiral Development
7/2/2007fcm
2
The Evolution
. . . 1890 Man-of-War
Cannon
50 Years
1904--WWII
.
.
Sails
Flag
.
50 Years
1950s--Today
.
Steam
Wire
Combatant
Missiles
50 Years
.
7/2/2007fcm
Dreadnought
Guns (large caliber)
.
DDX/CGX Networked
Stealthy
Electric
Weapons
Gas-Turbine
High Gain Dish
.
.
Integrated Power System
Multi-function array
3
Surface Warfare Evolution
Age of the Battleship
Gun Strategy
Battleship
Surface
Warfare
Diversity
Aircraft Carrier
Dreadnaught
AEGIS
Man-of-War
WWII
Age of the Missile Shooter
Two Dimensions
Missiles & Guns
Futures
Standard Missile
Tomahawk ESSM & RAM
Tartar
Guns Talos
AEGIS
Terrier
Today
WWII
Age of the Electric Ship
Three Dimensions
Missiles, Guns &
Electric Weapons
7/2/2007fcm
Missiles
Guns
DDG-1000
AEGIS
WWII
Low Power
Laser
Today
High Power Laser
CG(X)
EM Gun
Next Gen
Combatant
EM Launch
20XX
Chart Courtesy of Neil Baron
4
The Electric Ship
• Enabler for Directed Energy and Electric
Weapons
– ~ 50% of installed shipboard power (~ 40MW) used
for the last 5 knots of a flank bell < 5% of the time
– Through power switching in electric ship this power
can be used elsewhere
• “Zumwalt”-class destroyer switching can make the
excess power available for other applications
• Prime power for directed energy and electric weapons
and sensors
7/2/2007fcm
5
Laser Weapons
• Lasers destroy targets by
– Heating surfaces and burning through skin and weakening
structural members
– Creating low-order detonation
• Potential targets (near to long term)
– Asymmetric threats (CRAM, counter-UAV, E-O sensors, small
boats)
– Crossing ASCM
– Self Defense ASCM
• Great depth-of-fire with speed of light delivery,
moderate dwell time and deep magazines
• Augment, not replace conventional weapons
– Not all weather
– Have collateral damage just like Hard Kill weapons
7/2/2007fcm
6
Surface Navy High Energy Laser (HEL) Vision
TIME
Missions/Capabilities
7/2/2007fcm
• Supersonic High-G ASMD (self defense)
• Transonic ASMD (self defense)
----------------------------------------------------• Asymmetric Threats (at longer range)
• Small Boats/Cessna/Jet Ski/CRAM
----------------------------------------------------• Crossing/Soft Target ASMD
• Counter-armed UAV
• Dazzler/Repel/Non-Lethal
• Non-Cooperative Target Recognition
(NCTR)/
• Visual ID (VID)/Laser Radar (LADR)
• Periscope Detection
• Counter Rocket Artillery Mortar (C-RAM)
• Optical Augmentation EO Detection
• Asymmetric Threats
• Laser Designator/Laser Range Finder
• IRCM/Counter Sensor
• MANPADS
7
Surface Navy HEL/FEL Vision
BLOCK 1A
BLOCK 2
BLOCK 3
Unphased, Single
Mode, Low Beam
Quality Fiber Laser;
~50 KW; ~50 cm
Beam Director
Block 1 Single Mode, Low
Beam Quality Laser
~100kW; + Laser
Jamming of Sensors
Solid State Laser, Beam
Quality ~ 2; Power >
100 KW; Adaptive
Optics; Integrated
Weapon Sys
FEL BQ ~ 1.2; Power
>100 kW; Beam
Director > 1m
FEL with integrated
Beam Director >1m;
Power > 1 MW
• Counter Rocket
Artillery Mortar
(CRAM)
• E-O Infra-Red Counter
Measures
• CRAM
• Ballistic Missile
Defense Missions
• OTH Platform TAMD
& Soft Target Strike
• Optical Augmentation,
EO Sensor Detection
& Disruption
• Counter Armed UAV
• Counter MANPAD
• LADAR (Laser Radar)
• Dazzler / Non Lethal
MATES-SHIELDS FNC
ENHANCED SHIELDS
FNC
MEDUSA
THEL
CRAM
HELLATT
Tech Feeds
• Visual ID/NonCooperative Target
Recognition
• Crossing ASCM
• Transonic ASMD
(self defense)
(At ranges greater
than systems in
Block 1)
FEL INP PH II
High Alt Airship
ABL,
Relay Mirror
• Electro-Optic
Sensor Damage
• Laser Designator &
Range Finder
BLOCK 4
• Supersonic High-G
ASMD (self defense)
FEL INP PH I
• Asymmetric
Threats
• Asymmetric Threats
JHPSSL
BEAM CONTROL FNC
ARMY CRAM ACTD
Military Capability
System
BLOCK 1
Laser Weapon System (LaWS)
Objectives
Shipboard Missions
• Asymmetric Threats
• Counter EO/IR
• Manpads
• UAVs
HQDA
HQDAValidated
Validated
OIF
Operational
OIF Operational
Needs
NeedsStatements
Statements
(ONS)
(ONS)
Land Missions
• Defend APOD, SPOD,
High Value shore targets
in CRAM Mission
COTS Laser
Objective is near-term
transition to warfighter
7/2/2007fcm
+
Compile
requirements for
land & shipboard
systems to meet
objectives
Demonstrate
initial capability
using existing
systems
9
AFRL, Sandia, Raytheon Demonstration:
Destroying Mortars in June 2006
• June 2006 demonstration to
destroy mortars by focusing and
holding a laser beam on the
mortar
• Validates lethality model and
engagement simulation
• Provides near term path to
deployable HEL Weapon System
Laser
with beam director
on Phalanx mount
Sandia National
Lab Terminal
Ballistic Facility
Revetment
7/2/2007fcm
10
DEUSE Demonstration
• Demonstration of static close
engagement
– NSWC Crane test site
• Navy high power fiber laser
laser
– 10kW commercial fiber laser
– PSU EOC optics and operation
• Gather information to evaluate
HPFL performance at range
• Successful demonstration of
target damage
– EO systems
– Small watercraft
7/2/2007fcm
11
Laser Weapon System (LaWS)
FY07
2Q
FY08
3Q
4Q
1Q
2Q
3Q
Target Evaluation Phase 1
Lethality Validation Phase 2
Core Systems AoA
Navy Mission Working Group
NSWC/NRL/EOC Optical Systems Tests
Initial System Design Phase
Full Development Phase
Program path is for demonstration of capability in FY09
7/2/2007fcm
12
Free Electron Laser
• Unique electrically powered device
– FEL extracts kinetic energy from a
relativistic electron beam
– High average laser power at selectable
wavelengths with good beam quality
– Deep magazine gives unlimited run time
• Current development plans for “next navy”:
– 100kW (upgradeable to MW) FEL under ONR Code 35 INP planned for 2010
start
– MW-class FEL beam control system is technically challenging for electron and
photon beams
– Government-owned facility for integration and testing of FEL in maritime
environment
7/2/2007fcm
13
Summary
• Some “futuristic" capability is here today.
• Socialization issues are best overcome by spiral development
• Spiral development is best way to field:
– Fiber laser with low beam quality
– SSL with high beam quality
– MW-Class FEL + Relay Mirror
• Takes advantage of “deep magazine” concept whose real
advantages are:
– Lower life cycle cost
– Simpler, shorter, cheaper logistics tail offering greater flexibility and
opportunity for combatant ships
– Hedge against complete ammunition expenditure on near-peer
• Fast response to asymmetric threat issue
• The all-electric ship is the enabler
7/2/2007fcm
14