Branchpoint Enabled High Energy Laser System Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-024 Topic Title: Branchpoint Enabled High Energy Laser System Proposal No.: N121-024-0066 Firm: Optical Physics Company 26610 Agoura Road Suite 240 Calabasas, California 91302 Contact: Richard Hutchin Phone: (818) 880-2907 Web Site: www.opci.com Abstract: Unlike astronomical adaptive optics applications, the turbulence and thermal-blooming aberrations in typical ship and aircraft defense operations are often so strong that branchpoints form and conventional adaptive optics fails. New sensors, processing and deformable mirrors are needed, especially: branchpoint-enabled wavefront sensors, deformable mirrors and processing combined with high resolution target imagery for aimpoint selection and maintenance plus end-to-end HEL to target boresight. Optical Physics Company (OPC) has been developing all these technologies individually under several contracts from AF, MDA, HEL JTO and Navy totaling over $6M. OPC has also delivered previous turn-key adaptive optic systems for advanced applications. As a result, OPC can offer an effective and moderate risk path to accomplish Navy objectives. The Phase I effort will produce a conceptual design for an operational system with high fidelity wave-optic simulation and performance characterization that will at least double the effective engagement range for Navy HEL systems. A preliminary design of the Phase II field test demonstration and a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) are planned during the Option phase. The Phase II field test demonstration over several kilometers of horizontal path under branchpoint turbulence conditions will raise the maturity for the technology to TRL 5. Benefits: The target application is a branchpoint-enabled HEL system on a ship or in the air which enables substantially larger engagement envelopes for offensive and defensive operation. This is a shared need between the Navy and the AF to increase the utility and defendability of HEL systems. The ability to project a laser beam precisely through complex media while achieving enhanced resolution of the target region - much better than conventional imaging through turbulence, can also be applied to tactical imaging using eye-safe wavelengths. Other applications include border surveillance and police monitoring where a single monitoring station can view personnel and events at a much larger distance than currently possible. OPC has already demonstrated success with transitioning technologies developed under SBIR funding to ongoing research and acquisition programs. In particular, OPC is building high power deformable mirrors to meet the needs of several government and prime contractor customers. This technology is well aligned with OPC's Strategic Plan to be the preferred supplier of high-value components and subsystems for military laser beam control which includes turbulence penetrating imagery for aimpoint maintenance. Return