TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO SUB and PEO Ships

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an affordable compact beam director system for a High Energy Laser (HEL) weapon to be employed by a US Navy Submarine for precise targeting in maritime environments.

DESCRIPTION: Submarine HEL employment would support covert protection and early warning for a carrier battle group as well as self defense of submarine and friendly special operating forces. Previous beam directors developed for land-based or airborne use are too large for submarine use and not submersible. This topic addresses the need for compact, agile HEL weapon beam directors that greatly reduce the weight and volume of existing HEL weapon beam director systems while providing the ability to maintain extremely accurate movement of the optical elements so that the laser intensity is maintained on target. To maintain submarine force levels in the future funding environment, weapon system affordability must be addressed upfront as a major design consideration. Proposals in this area should address the following areas: (1) opto-mechanical design of the compact beam director compatible with existing/future Submarine mast configurations, (2) innovative optics and control system that either adapts to or otherwise mitigates the effects of thermal blooming and other turbulent phenomena, (3) control or removal of beam jitter caused by on-board vibrations, (4) integration with current/future mast configurations. The HEL beam director is required to have the following capabilities: (1) capability to handle 100kw average output power, (2) -30 – +80° of altitude training range, (3) 360° of azimuth training range, (4) 1 radian training accuracy relative to an inertial reference, (5) structures and components must remain operable through 20 G shock acceleration, (6) housing must withstand fluid pressure to 100 psi without leakage and must isolate the beam director optics from the maritime environment

PHASE I: Identify and provide concept design of critical hardware components for demonstration of the opto-mechanical, adaptive optics, and/or jitter control concept. Indicate areas where cost reductions are possible. Integration and targeting capability must be demonstrable through simulations or models.

PHASE II: Develop laboratory prototype hardware to demonstrate Submarine mast integration potential and HEL weapon targeting capability. Evaluate potential for integration into surface ship configurations in larger form factors and higher energy levels.

PHASE III: Integration into Universal Modular Mast prototypes or a prototype compact surface ship beam director. It is expected that demonstrating a laser beam director meeting the stated requirements will result in a wide range of applications.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The commercial market includes such areas as laser communication and power beaming.

REFERENCES:
1. Undersea Enterprise (USE) Science & Technology (S&T) Strategic Plan, dtd Jan 20, 2010

2. Surface Warfare Enterprise (SWE) Science & Technology (S&T) Strategic Plan, dtd May 15, 2009

3. JTO S&A White Paper call for Beam Control

KEYWORDS: Beam Director; Beam Steering; High Energy Laser; Jitter; Optics; Submarine; Vibrations

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between November 10 and December 12, 2010, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting December 13, 2011, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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