Program Element: 0603217C Project Number: 1307
PE Title: Ballistic Missile Defense (U) Budget Activity: 03
Adv Technology Dev (U)
February 1994
A. (U) RESOURCES: ($ in Thousands)
Project Title: DE Demonstrations
FY1993 FY1994 FY1995 FY1996 FY1997 FY1998 FY1999 Total
Program Name: Actual Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate Program
0603217C RDT&E 21,038 1,991 0 0 0 0 0 Continuing
B. (U) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MISSION REQUIREMENT AND SYSTEM CAPABILITIES:
(U) The Aircraft Based Laser (ABL) is a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) concept for theater missile
defense. The speed of light capability of the laser weapon may allow the ABL to destroy theater missiles
during boost phase at long range, providing a boost phase defense layer that does not require overflight
of enemy territory. Destroying theater missiles during boost phase provides many advantages. The
missile is most vulnerable during this phase of flight. It is easy to detect and track the plume from
the firing rocket engine. The defense system only has to deal with a single target during boost phase
since it is not practical to deploy decoys or submunitions during this phase of flight. Experiments and
analysis leading to an understanding of the operational effectiveness of this concept are performed.
(U) A second effort within this program is studying the feasibility of scaling the Diode-Pumped Solid-State Laser (DPSSL) to levels adequate for airborne weapon applications. Russian technology is being
evaluated to assess the possibility of a joint program to exploit their past investments in directed
energy weaponry.
(U) A third effort is a series of radially-inbound missile defense tests using the Mid-Infrared Advance
Chemical Laser (MIRACL) and SeaLite Beam Director (SLBD) at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), White
Sands, NM. This is a jointly funded BMDO/US Navy/United Kingdom Royal Navy effort.
(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:
ABL:
o ($4386) Continue atmospheric measurements from aircraft and balloons begun in FY 1992.
o ($6528) Continue mission analysis, performance analysis, and engineering trade studies for
theater DEW concepts.
o ($5994) Initiate Airborne Atmospheric Compensation and Tracking (AACT) program.
DPSSL:
o ($800) Design compact laser diode pumping array.
o ($1000) Conduct risk reduction cooling experiments with diode pumping arrays.
o ($600) Design and calculate mist cooling model for glass laser disks.
o ($400) Conduct planning for joint solid-state laser development effort with Russia.
o ($330) Conduct weapon concept studies for DPSSLs.
o ($380) Continue Boost Phase Interception (BPI) studies incorporating DPSSL weapon option.
o ($320) Support enabling technologies for diode packaging and crystal growth.
MD Test:
o ($250) Initiate static lethality tests on selected missiles at WSMR (BMDO contribution).
o ($50) Conduct safety assessments and develop test plans for selected missile targets at WSMR
(BMDO contribution).
(U) FY 1994 Plans:
(U) FY 1994 ABL Plans:
o ($250) Program has been transferred to the Air Force; per agreement, BMDO provides oversight.
(U) FY 1994 DPSSL Plans:
o ($1691) None, program is in termination.
(U) FY 1994 MD TESTS Plans:
o ($40) BMDO share for static and dynamic radially in-bound missile defense tests.
o ($10) BMDO share to analyze data and prepare test report.
(U) FY 1995 Plans:
o None
(U) FY 1996 Plans:
o None
(U) Program Plans to Completion:
o None
D. (U) WORK PERFORMED BY:
o ABL: U.S. Air Force Phillips Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM.
o DPSSL: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA.
o MD Test: U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, NM
E. (U) COMPARISON WITH FY 1994 DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:
1. TECHNICAL CHANGES:
o None for any of the programs at this time.
2. SCHEDULE CHANGES:
o None for any of the programs at this time.
3. ABL COST CHANGES:
o Due to a large decrease in support for Directed Energy (DE) research and development, BMDO's oversight role has decreased to a very small effort.
DPSSL COST CHANGES:
o Due to a large decrease in support for Directed Energy (DE) research and development, this effort will not be continued by BMDO.
MD TEST COST CHANGES: None.
F. (U) PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION:
(U) ABL Program Documentation:
o Monthly Letter reports
o Final report
(U) DPSSL Program Documentation:
o Quarterly on-site progress reviews
o Final Progress Summary report.
(U) MD TEST Program Documentation:
o Final Test report
G. (U) RELATED ACTIVITIES:
o 1301 Free Electron Laser PE No. 0603217C
o 1302 Chemical Laser PE No. 0603217C
o 1303 Neutral Particle Beam PE No. 0603217C
o 1305 ATP/FC PE No. 0603217C
o 1307 DE Demo PE No. 0603217C
o 1504 Materials and Structures PE No. 0603217C
o 3201 Architecture Studies PE No. 0603218C
There is no unnecessary duplication of effort within BMDO or the DoD.
H. (U) OTHER APPROPRIATION FUNDS: None
I. (U) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS: None
J. (U) MILESTONE SCHEDULE:
(U) MD Test Milestones:
o Static Tests 12-31-1993
o Dynamic Tests 09-30-1994