Program Element: 0603217C Project Number: 1301
PE Title: Ballistic Missile Defense (U) Budget Activity: 03
Adv Technology Dev (U)
February 1994
A. (U) RESOURCES: ($ in Thousands)
Project Title: Radio Frequency Free Electron Laser (RFFEL)
Technology
FY1993 FY1994 FY1995 FY1996 FY1997 FY1998 FY1999 Total
Program Name: Actual Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Program
0603217C RDT&E 14,232 0 0 0 0 0 0 Completed
B. (U) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MISSION REQUIREMENT AND SYSTEM CAPABILITIES:
(U) The goal of the RFFEL program is to demonstrate the capability of a high power FEL to perform boost phase and post-boost phase intercept of ballistic missiles or theater missiles from earth orbiting platforms. Midcourse interactive discrimination is also possible by destroying simple decoys and thermally tagging or imparting velocity change to sophisticated decoys. Additional Space Based (SB) FEL missions include self defense, defense of other platforms in the strategic defense constellation, and the suppression of tactical aircraft. The laser also has dual-use capabilities for research in materials science, advanced ultraviolet photolithography, medical treatments, and other industry applications.
(U) The primary thrust of the current program is the design and fabrication of a proof-of-principle FEL device to validate FEL technology and prove power scaling capability for ballistic and theater missile defense requirements. This effort is called the Average Power Laser Experiment (APLE). The APLE is a tunable (9-11 micron) 100kW average power FEL using a Single Accelerator Master Oscillator-Power Amplifier (SAMOPA) design.
(U) FEL technology development is planned in parallel with the APLE device fabrication, concentrating on advancing and tailoring technology required for FEL operation in space, on a ship, or on a mobile ground-based platform. This technology includes improved system efficiency, and the development of superconducting and cryogenic accelerators. The technology development strategy leverages a large amount of beam control, optics and acquisition, tracking, pointing, and power technologies from other directed energy weapon projects.
(U) In response to the FY93 Defense Authorization Act, the entire FEL program, including all out year
TOA, was transferred to the Army under PE602609A, effective October 1, 1994.
(U) This project is assigned to the Budget Activity and Program Element codes as identified in this
descriptive summary in accordance with existing Department of Defense policy. Further justification of
the Budget Activity code assigned to each Program Element is contained within the Brief Description of
Element section of each Program Element Summary.
C. (U) PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PLANS:
(U) FY 1993 Accomplishments:
o ($1,850) Conducted high power oscillator final design review; completed design study for advanced cryogenic FELs.
o ($4,312) APLE photo-injector qualification test successfully completed.
o ($4,330) Completed fabication and assembly of two 3-cell and 5-cell accelerator modules.
o ($2,620) Fabricated low level RF phase & amplitude controls, electron beam diagnostics, and drive laser.
o ($1,120) Continued development of medical FEL applications; developed design for automated FEL
controls and advanced FEL designs.
(U) FY1994 Plans:
(U) FY1995 Plans:
(U) Program Plan to Completion: None
D. (U) WORK PERFORMED BY:
(U) Major Contractors:
o APLE - Boeing Aerospace and Electronics - Seattle, WA, with technical support from Los Alamos
National Laboratory - Los Alamos, NM, and Duke University, Durham, NC.
E. (U) COMPARISON WITH FY 1994 DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:
1. TECHNICAL CHANGES:
2. SCHEDULE CHANGES:
3. COST CHANGES:
F. (U) PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION:
o APLE Preliminary Design Review Report 1Q/FY92
o Final Report on SABLE (horiz. beam path experiment) 2Q/FY92
o APLE High Power Oscillator Final Design Review Report 1Q/FY93
o APLE Amplifier Preliminary Design Review Report TBD
G. (U) RELATED ACTIVITIES:
o 1302 Chemical Laser PE No. 0603217C
o 1305 Acquisition, Tracking & Pointing/Fire Control PE No. 0603217C
o 1503 Power & Power Conditioning PE No. 0603217C
(U) There is no unnecessary duplication of effort within BMDO or the DoD.
H. (U) OTHER APPROPRIATION FUNDS: None
I. (U) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS: Cooperative research agreement with the Ministry of Defense
of the Republic of France.
J. (U) MILESTONE SCHEDULE:
o APLE Photoinjector completed 4Q/FY92
o Los Alamos APLE Prototype Experiment completed 1Q/FY93
o APLE Accelerator Test at full klystron power complete 4Q/FY93
o APLE Electron Beam Accelerator Test complete TBD
o High Power Oscillator Laser Test TBD