Selected Directed Energy Research and Development for
U.S. Air Force Aircraft Applications

A Workshop Summary

Robert J. Katt, Rapporteur

Air Force Studies Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

                OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

This is a report of work supported by Grant FA9550-12-1-0413 between the U.S. Air Force and the National Academy of Sciences. Any views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

ISBN-13: 978-0-309-29261-0
ISBN-10: 0-309-29261-1

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COMMITTEE ON ASSESSMENT OF DIRECTED ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR U.S. AIR FORCE APPLICATIONS: A WORKSHOP

RONALD E. KEYS, RK Solution Enterprises, LLC, Chair

WILLIAM L. BAKER, Independent Consultant, Sandia Park, New Mexico

JACQUELINE G. GISH, Independent Consultant, Glendale, California

MATT L. MLEZIVA, Wildwood Strategic Concepts, LLC

THOMAS E. ROMESSER, Independent Consultant, Torrance, California

DAVID J. SCOTT, Independent Consultant, Payton, Colorado

FRANK J. SERNA, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

ANDEW M. SESSLER, E.O Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Staff

CARTER W. FORD, Program Officer

MARGUERITE E. SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

AIR FORCE STUDIES BOARD

GREGORY S. MARTIN, GS Martin Consulting, Chair

BRIAN A. ARNOLD, Raytheon Company

CLAUDE M. BOLTON, JR., Defense Acquisition University

STEVEN R.J. BRUECK, University of New Mexico

THOMAS J. BURNS, Science Applications International Corporation

FRANK CAPPUCCIO, Cappuccio and Associates, LLC

BLAISE J. DURANTE, U.S. Air Force (retired)

DONALD C. FRASER, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (retired)

MICHAEL J. GIANELLI, The Boeing Company (retired)

DANIEL HASTINGS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RAYMOND E. JOHNS, JR., U.S. Air Force (retired)

PAUL G. KAMINSKI, Technovation, Inc.

ROBERT LATIFF, R. Latiff Associates

NANCY G. LEVESON, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MARK J. LEWIS, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute

LESTER L. LYLES, The Lyles Group

MATT L. MLEZIVA, Wildwood Strategic Concepts

C. KUMAR N. PATEL, Pranalytica, Inc.

GERALD F. PERRYMAN, JR., Independent Consultant

RICHARD V. REYNOLDS, The VanFleet Group, LLC

J. DANIEL STEWART, University of Tennessee

STARNES E. WALKER, University of Hawaii System

DAVID A. WHELAN, The Boeing Company

REBECCA WINSTON, Winston Strategic Management Consulting

Staff

TERRY J. JAGGERS, Director

DIONNA ALI, Research Assistant

JESSICA R. BROKENBURR, Financial Assistant

GREGORY EYRING, Senior Program Officer

CARTER W. FORD, Program Officer

CHRIS JONES, Financial Manager

MARGUERITE E. SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

William L. Baker, Independent Consultant, Sandia Park, New Mexico,

Ken Bruner, U.S. Pacific Command,

John H. Hammond, Independent Consultant, Fairfax, Virginia,

Lester L. Lyles, The Lyles Group,

Matt L. Mleziva, Wildwood Strategic Concepts, LLC, and

Julia M. Phillips, Sandia National Laboratories.

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the views presented at the workshop, nor did they see the final draft of the workshop summary before its release. The review of this workshop summary was overseen by Robert A. Frosch, Harvard University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Appointed by the NRC, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this workshop summary was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this summary rests entirely with the author and the institution.

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

2 OVERVIEW

Workshop Scope

Recurring Themes From the Three Workshop Sessions

Theme 1. What are the reasons that the Air Force is not adopting directed energy weapon (DEW) systems? Why are the products from Air Force (and other) DEW research and development (R&D) programs not being operationalized for Air Force applications?

Theme 2. What role does the Air Force have in the application of ground-based DEWs to air base defense?

Theme 3. What are potential paths forward for transitioning DEW technology and/or systems to Air Force operations?

3 SYNOPSIS OF WORKSHOP SESSIONS

Session 1. February 27-28, 2013, Washington, D.C.

Session 2. March 18-19, 2013, Washington, D.C.

Session 3. April 24-25, 2013, Washington, D.C.

APPENDIXES

A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members

B Terms of Reference

C Workshop Session Agendas

D Workshop Participants

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ACRONYMS