Air Force asks industry for laser weapons and high-power microwaves to defend against cruise missiles
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio – U.S. Air Force directed-energy weapons experts are surveying industry for enabling technologies for an upcoming experiment to use high-power laser weapons or high-power microwaves to destroy or disable incoming cruise missiles.
Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, issued a capability request for information last week for the Directed Energy Counter-Cruise Missiles (DE C-CM) project.
The DE C-CM experiment seeks to understand and assess directed-energy weapons technologies to defeat cruise missiles, as well as to assess the suitability of these kinds of weapons for active air and missile defenses, perhaps even for defenses against hypersonic weapons.
Researchers want warfighters to operate and interact with directed-energy weapons and provide their opinions on system capabilities, functionality, and supportability.
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Experiments will work together with modeling, simulation, and analysis to help the Air Force craft future acquisition programs and upgrade existing systems. Researchers are interested in technically mature and cost-effective directed-energy weapons for this experiment starting next year. The mission focus is on defending forward air bases and personnel.
Prototype laser weapons and high-power microwaves should be able to integrate with existing missile-defense equipment like target-acquisition and -engagement radars, and command and control networks, and should include electrical power and thermal management.
Weapons prototypes should be modular and modifiable to support technology advancements, offer alternative system architectures for fixed, transportable, and mobile basing, and operate in varying environments.
Researchers especially are interested in a high-energy laser system able to accommodate future airborne relay mirror options, with a cooperative adaptive optics uplink to the relay. Experts want low life cycle costs, high reliability, and minimal support equipment.
Prototype directed-energy weapons should have electromagnetic compatibility with existing military systems per MIL-STD-461G, and should not interfere with nearby military systems.
Companies interested should email descriptions of their relevant technologies no later than 4 Oct. 2019 to the Air Force's Michael Jirjis at [email protected], and James Simonds at [email protected]. Also send two hard copies by post to Strategic Development Planning And Experimentation, 1864 4th Street, Bldg. 15, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433.
Email questions or concerns to James Simonds at [email protected]. More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLWRS/FA8650-19-S-9344/listing.html.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
