A Vision for Directed Energy and Electric Weapons

In the Current and Future Navy

Captain David H. Kiel, USN
Commander Michael Ziv, USN
Commander Frederick Marcell USN (Ret)
Introduction
In this paper, we present an overview of potential Surface Navy Directed Energy and Electric
Weapon (DE&EW) technologies being specifically developed to take advantage of the US Navys All
Electric Warship. An all electric warship armed with such weapons will have a new toolset and sufficient
flexibility to meet combat scenarios ranging from defeating near-peer competitors, to countering new
disruptive technologies and countering asymmetric threats. This flexibility derives from the inherently deep
magazines and simple, short logistics tails, scalable effects, minimal amounts of explosives carried aboard
and low life cycle and per-shot costs. All DE&EW weaponry discussed herein could become integral to
naval systems in the period between 2010 and 2025.
Adversaries Identified in the National Military Strategy
The 2004 National Military Strategy identifies an array of potential adversaries capable of
threatening the United States using methods beyond traditional military capabilities. While naval forces
must retain their current advantage in traditional capabilities, the future national security environment is
postulated to contain new challenges characterized as disruptive, irregular and catastrophic. To meet these
challenges a broad array of new military capabilities will require continuous improvement to maintain US
dominance. The disruptive challenge implies the development by an adversary of a breakthrough
technology that supplants a US advantage. An irregular challenge includes a variety of unconventional
methods such as terrorism and insurgency that challenge dominant US conventional power. A catastrophic
challenge couples unconventional actors or rogue states with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or
WMD-like effects that would be employed against the US or its allies. The war on terrorism encompasses
both the irregular and catastrophic categories.
The Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Operations Concept, in accordance with the National
Security Strategy, the Quadrennial Defense Strategy and the Transformational Planning Guidance (TPG)
describes planning for Joint Force operations over the next 15 to 20 years in terms of creating and
sustaining pressure and attacking enemies with lethal and non-lethal means. It enumerates the strategic
pillars of force transformation namely, strengthening joint operations, exploiting intelligence advantages,
experimenting with new concepts and developing transformational capabilities.
Unique and tailor-able effects offered by various DE&EW can provide the operational flexibility that
makes these technologies suitable to the expanded set of national security challenges. Directed energy
weapon systems offer a viable means to meet the defensive capabilities criteria established for the Navy
through 2025 in the TPG. These systems span an array of capabilities employing lasers as weapons and
sensors, and the electro-magnetic rail gun (EMRG). Deterrent high power microwave weapons will not be
discussed in this paper.
Integrated Power Systems (IPS) A Key Enabler for Electric and Directed Energy Weapons Systems
Traditional US naval vessels have dedicated and separate prime movers to drive shipboard
propulsion and electrical service loads. On a typical warship, nearly 50% of the installed shipboard
propulsive power (on the order of 40 MW) is only used to power the ship through the final 5 knots to a ships
maximum flank bell. Based on a typical operational profile, a ship will only use this power less than 5% of
its underway time. These propulsion prime movers are typically mechanically coupled to the propeller or
water jet via a shaft and reduction gear box.

The significant levels of unused propulsive power capacity have been addressed in the DDG-1000
Zumwalt class land attack destroyer. DDG-1000 is the first US warship to employ a sophisticated
electrical distribution system to direct the total available installed power (approximately 80 MW) for use in
both the electric propulsion motors and to support the full range of shipboard electrical loads. This system,
known as the IPS, is a key enabler of a full range of novel shipboard directed energy and electric weapon
systems including speed-of-light high energy laser systems and electromagnetic rail guns.
Laser Weapons and Sensors
The Navy has an increasing interest in laser development and use to improve war-fighting
capabilities in all facets of its operational scope. While funding for these programs must be weighed against
other Navy priorities, funding requests for laser Science and Technology (S&T) programs, including
transformational opportunities, are consistent with a long-term development path. Since other nations are
aggressively developing advanced Directed Energy (DE) capabilities, the Navys current cautious laser
development path increases the likelihood of technological surprise from near-peers and also jeopardizes
achieving potential advantage that could be realized by laser systems currently under development.
Age of the
Battleship
Gun Strategy

Surface
Warfare
Diversity

Aircraft Carrier

Battleship

Dreadnaught
AEGIS

Futures

Man-of-War

WWII
Age of the
Missile Shooter
Two Dimensions
Missiles & Guns

Guns

Standard Missile
Tomahawk
ESSM & RAM

Tartar
Talos
Terrier

AEGIS

WWII

Today
Age of the
Electric Ship

Three Dimensions
Missiles & Guns &
Electric Weapons

DDG-1000

Missiles
Guns
AEGIS

High Power Laser

CG(X)

EM Gun

Next Gen
Combatant

Low Power Laser EM Launch

WWII

Today

20XX
Chart Courtesy of Neil Baron

Figure 1: The evolution of Naval Weapons (Chart courtesy of Neil Baron)

Why Lasers? Why Now?
Laser weapon systems comprise a set of technologies that offer unique new capabilities. Unlike
earlier weapon systems driven by the threats of the cold war era, those of today are driven by capability
requirements because the threat is not dogmatically shaped. Figure 1 depicts the evolution of weapons in
the surface Navy. Broad response capacity must be available to cope with the unexpected, innovative, lowtech surprise. The potential for use of directed energy in weapons, sensors and deterrent systems takes on
new importance in this scenario especially when juxtaposed with the promise of multi-megawatt power
availability from the shipboard electric plant. When placed in the context of the electric ship, electrically
pumped laser weapons and their associated laser-based sensors, offer the potential for blinding sensors,
providing protection against ballistic missiles and an ability to handle hard-to-discern, short-timeline anti-ship
cruise missiles (ASCM).

More generally, laser weapons enable delivery of scalable levels of energy at both tactically and
strategically relevant distances enabling the accomplishment of new missions and generating entirely new
classes of effects during naval battle engagements and on the battlefield. They also offer unique solutions to
many of the most serious threats and enable safer accomplishment of hazardous missions. Compared to
traditional weapons, laser weapons offer significant benefits including: non-lethal, long-range force
application capabilities, lethal target effects, potentially unlimited magazines and significantly smaller
logistics footprints than non-DE weapon systems; although some specialized support equipment will be
required. Furthermore, there are advantages of reduced operational costs and lower manpower
requirements because of automated battle management systems using state-of-the-art electronics.
Laser weapons destroy a target either by heating the target surface to the weakening point and
causing it to fail under operating stress, or by burning through the skin to destroy underlying critical
components and/or subsystems. Additionally, the laser may be used to attack energetic material in a target
and cause low-order detonation, a primary destruction method. In all military applications, laser weapons,
laser sensors and laser deterrence and communications systems proffer significant force multiplication and
thus can enable future commanders to accomplish greater numbers of missions more effectively and in less
time, consistent with Force Net and Sea Strike strategies.

Surface Navy Laser Development Vision

Solid State Laser,
Good BQ; Modest
Laser Power; Beam
Director 30-50 CM

FEL with Good BQ;

Modest Power, Beam
Director ~ 1m

FEL with Good BQ; High

Power; Beam Director ~1m

Counter Rocket
Artillery Mortar (CRAM)
Asymmetric Threat
EO Sensor Damage
Counter MANPAD

EO IR Counter Measures
Optical Augmentation, EO
Sensor Detection &
Disruption
Laser Designator / Range
Finder
(Laser Radar) &
Periscope Detection
Dazzler / Non-Lethal
Visual ID / NonCooperative Target
Recognition

CRAM

Ballistic Missile
Defense

OTH Platform TAMD & Soft

Target Strike*

Asymmetric Threats

Supersonic High-G ASMD

(self defense)

Counter-Armed UAV
Crossing ASCM

FEL INP PH I

Transonic ASMD
(self defense)

FEL INP PH II
MDA High Alt Airship
MDA ABL Relay Mirror

BLOCK 2

JHPSSL
BEAM CONTROL FNC
ARMY CRAM ACTD
ALL OTHER FIBER LASERS

BLOCK 1A

MATES-SHIELDS FNC
ENHANCED SHIELDS FNC
MEDUSA

BLOCK 4

Block 1 + Improved
Power Unphased Single
Mode Low BQ Laser with
Sensor Jamming
Capability

THEL
CRAM
HELLATT

Military Capability

System

BLOCK 1

Tech Feeds

BLOCK 3 (Demo)

Unphased, Single
Mode, Low BQ, Low
Power Fiber Laser
with 30-50cm Beam
Director

Figure 2: A Laser Development Path.

Laser Development Roadmap
Figure 2 shows a long-term laser development path for the DE&EW Program in terms of block
segments. Goals must include overcoming socialization issues, assessing the utility of, developing and
eventually integrating a megawatt-class, hard-kill laser weapon system into the very stressing shipboard
environment. In terms of weaponization, the FEL is the laser device of choice and holy grail for
weaponization in the 2020 time frame. However, there exist many nearer-term potential naval applications
for kilowatt-class solid-state laser (SSL) and high-power microwave (HPM) weapons. The development of
SSLs is of particular interest to the naval aviation and to the surface naval communities, while the free
electron laser is of interest to and is being developed for surface shipboard use in the navy of the future.
HPM weapons, being developed for employment as deterrent systems will not be discussed here.

Referring to figure 2 above, Block 1 and the improved Block 1A laser weapon systems, employing
unphased, ganged, single-mode fiber lasers operating at modest average power levels with a beam director
of 30-50cm aperture, could be useful ranges for enhancing mission capabilities on a variety of naval
platforms. Activies within these missions could include counter-rocket artillery mortar (CRAM), asymmetric
threats and destroying electro-optic sensors at tactically significant ranges. The Block 1A listing would
improve capabilities of Block 1 laser systems by taking advantage of updated beam control and optical
technologies as they come to fruition. It is interesting to note that, in commercial applications, solid-state
lasers with output power of order 5kW are used to weld and cut metals. Modularized fiber lasers, with
output power up to 1 kW and capable of being ganged, are currently available commercially. Many other
types of low power SSLs are currently in use in such military systems as laser pointers, sensor blinders and
deception devices.
Block 2 capabilities listed in figure 2 depend on technical improvements to fiber lasers of Blocks 1
and 1A to achieve better beam quality and greater output power with improved beam control to buy greater
power delivered to targets at increased range.
Blocks 3 and 4, in figure 2, show the long-term development paths for the free electron laser (FEL).
The FEL is currently very much a research device largely in the hands of the Science and Technology (S&T)
community. A truly electric laser and a fitting photon source in the context of the electric ship, it offers
tunability to cope with laser propagation limitations and power throttling for a broad range of utility
unavailable in any of the lasers now in use or planned for the near term.
Solid State Lasers (SSL)
Of particular interest to the Navy are slab and fiber lasers. Slab lasers are an older SSL
technology, yet not as technically or commercially developed as fiber lasers and certainly not the most
efficient. Fiber lasers are relatively new but offer greater efficiency, easier thermal management and lighter
weight than slab laser configurations. These lasers, at output power of interest, with low beam quality, are
commercially available (COTS) and can be purchased from catalogs. The first high power lasers to be
introduced into the fleet on a large-scale basis are likely to be solid state slab and/or fiber lasers.
Fiber Lasers
In a proof-of-principle demonstration of a fiber laser at Sandia National Laboratory in June 2006,
Raytheon destroyed mortar rounds, at ranges of interest, using a commercially purchased fiber laser, thus
showing the effectiveness of this type of laser, with low beam quality, against targets of interest.
Furthermore, in late summer of 2006, a series of static field tests conducted at NSWC Crane, Indiana,
against a variety of missile seekers at tactically significant range, demonstrated again the reliability and
utility of a commercial fiber laser. These demonstrations validated the lethality model and engagement
simulation and paved the way to a deployable near-term fiber laser weapon.
In the fiber laser arena, there is a focus on near-term weapon system demonstration instead of
development of laser device capabilities. For these demonstrations, the development time span is 2-4 years
and concentration is on the use of commercially available lasers (COTS) to augment existing weapon
systems capabilities. Emerging program plans involve replacing the Gatling gun in a Phalanx mount and
working to improve both laser beam quality and laser output power for a demonstrator system which is
currently called Laser Weapon System (LaWS). The primary objective of the LaWS Program is near-term
transition of the laser weapon to the warfighter. Its shipboard missions include addressing threats such as
the asymmetric threat among several others, The LaWS Program plans development of a weapon system
starting in mid FY 2008 and culminating with a demonstration of capability in FY 2009.
Technology Issues with Solid State Slab Lasers
In slab SSLs, external pump energy is used to stimulate changes in the electronic energy states of
atoms and/or molecules within a specially prepared (doped) crystal (lasing medium). For reasons of
efficiency, slab SSLs of interest use laser diodes as a pump source. The lasing medium is selected to

absorbandbriefly storeenergyinanelectronpopulation(inversion)forsmallfractionsofasecondand
thentoreleasetheenergyintheformofacoherentlaserlightbeamwhenappropriatelystimulated.The
wavelength of the laser light depends on the atomic or molecular structure of the lasing medium. The
potential for compactness and completely selfcontained packages make SSLs attractive for naval
shipboardandaircraftapplications.
ThemostseriousdesignconcernforhighpowerslabSSLsismanagingtheheatbalanceinthe
lasingmaterialstherebyretainingbeamquality.Intheselasers, mostofthepumpenergygoesintoheating
ofthelasingmediumcausingdamagetothematerial,degradingthequalityofthelaser beamandresulting
inlowwallplugefficiency.PMS405andOfficeofNavalResearch(ONR)sponsorseveralSmallBusiness
Innovative Research (SBIR) efforts that show promise toward achieving Navy goals for thermal
management,efficiencyand output power forslabSSLs.
The Radiation Balanced Laser (RBL) Project, ongoing at Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), is
exploringlasermaterials(example,ytterbium:yttriumaluminumgarnet{Yb:YAG})inwhichtheabsorption
andfluorescence frequencyspectraoverlapandbotharegreaterthanthelaserfrequency.Whenthese
conditions exist and when the fluorescence frequency exceeds the pump frequency, cooling of the laser
material can occur by virtue of the fluorescence transferring excess power and entropy from the laser
mediumtoaheatsink.Heatgenerationinsolidstatelaserscanvarydramaticallywithpumpwavelength.
Bycarefuladjustmentofpumpfrequencyandintensity,absorbedandemittedpowerscanbebalancedand
causeanullofinternalheatgeneration.
TheNavyand theDODJointTechnology Office (JTO) aremonitoringandguidingdevelopment
effortsonotherSSLPrograms,particularlytheJointHighPowerSolidStateLaser(JHPSSL)Program,to
ensureNavylaserneedscanbemet. TheJHPSSLProgramisshepherdingsolidstatelasertechnologies
toward the development and demonstration of a 100kW solid state slab laser. Successful thermal
management andeyesafetyare keygoalsinthis effort.
Free Electron Lasers (FEL)
TheFELisaunique,electricallypowereddevicethatoffersthepotentialforhighaveragepower,
essentially unlimited run time with good beam quality and operation at a wavelength of the designers
choosing. It functions by extracting kinetic energy from a relativistic, free (unbound) electron beam (e
beam)andconvertingittoelectromagnetic(EM)radiation.TheEMradiationisachievedbypassingthee
beamthrough analternating magneticfieldinadevicecalledan undulatoror wiggler. Thespatially
periodic wiggler magnetic field induces transverse force on the electrons causing them to produce EM
radiationintheforwarddirectionoftheebeam.FELoscillatorsandamplifiershavebeendemonstratedto
produceanelectricallydriven,powerfulsourceofwavelengthselectable,coherentEMradiation.
Current plans for the FEL include largescale development under an ONR Code 35 Innovative
Naval Prototype(INP) Programplannedto begininFY2010.Toachievethelongtermgoalwithrespectto
aFELforthenextnavy,themajorneartermfocusareasare:
1. Developmentofa100kW,preferablyupgradeable,FELwithaworkingwavelengththatcanrange
between1.00and2.20 micrometerdependingontheatmosphericconditions.
2. AMWclassbeamcontrolsystemtointegratewiththeFEL.TheFEL offerstechnicallychallenging
controlissues forbothelectronandphotonbeamsinthelasersystemsofinterest.
Other US Navy Laser Weapon System Developments
Laser beam control technology is a very important, integral part of laser weapon system
development, sincewithout ita laserbeamcould notbeplacedontargettoperform its magic.TheSeaLite
BeamDirector(SLBD),developedasaprototypicallaserweaponsubsystemduringthe1980s,remainsthe
stateoftheartinlaserbeamfirecontrol.Itsopticalsystemwasdesignedtohandlemegawattclasslaser
beam power and its acquisition and track maintenance capability was engineered and has been
subsequentlyupgraded in recentyears tohandletargetsofinterest.

In the not too distant future, the High Energy Laser Precision Aimpoint Tracking (HELPAT)
experiment will use the SLBD to demonstrate precision tracking of a maneuvering target in the presence of
background clutter. This most recent upgrade to laser beam control is engineered to enhance eventual
acquisition and tracking capability in the maritime environment. It adapts existing air-to-air, combat-proven,
tracking algorithms for use in the SLBD to perform precision tracking.
In another effort, the ongoing On-Axis vs. Off-Axis Concept Study will review optical technology
developments over recent years and help to resolve long-standing issues regarding use of on-axis and offaxis optical systems within the beam director. In an on-axis optical system everything is symmetrical but
there is a hole in the central part of the beam that can be used to advantage for some lasers. An off-axis
optical system, if it can be applied, lends itself well to the inherent Gaussian laser beam, produced by the
FEL, in which most of the beam power is in the central part of the beam.
Two large technical issues loom in applying the off-axis optical system to the high energy FEL are:
auto-alignment of the optical system and inherent mechanical imbalance attributes in the optical system.
Auto alignment can be accomplished, but it is difficult by virtue of the shapes of the off axis mirrors. The
mechanical imbalance attributes arise from massive outlying components in the telescope that present
complex inertial moments during high angular acceleration. Both issues must be resolved before off-axis
optical systems can be useful to high energy FEL applications.
US Navy Electromagnetic Rail Gun (EMRG) Program Overview
The US Navy Office of Naval Research is currently funding a Science and Technology (S&T)
Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) with a goal of increasing the EMRG muzzle energy from the current stateof-the-art level of 8 mega joules (MJ) to tactical energy levels of 64 MJ. At these energy levels, an EMRG
can provide a much needed low-cost, high-volume, all-weather Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) indirect
fires weapon system on a ship at sea to support US military forces ashore at a range of > 200NM.
The EMRG is the first ONR INP, an initiative to develop mission critical technologies and aid in the
critical transition from Science and Technology (S&T) to Program of Record. An INP supports the
development of technologies considered disruptive, or in other words, technologies that, for reasons of
high risk, or departure from established requirement, or having unique Concepts of Operations (CONOPS),
are unlikely to survive without top leadership endorsement. INP candidates are reviewed and approved by
the Navy S&T Corporate Board, which includes some of the highest leadership within the US Navy. Focus
is on Applied Research (6.2 level) and Advanced Technology Development (6.3 level) which should be
planned to achieve a level of maturity suitable for insertion to acquisition. The primary goal of the INP is to
move risk from acquisition, where a budget would normally be in billions of dollars for an ACAT 1 program,
back to the S&T where costs are much lower.
As shown in figure 3, the EMRG INP will be executed in two phases, which will culminate with a
transition to an ACAT 1 program of record in the 2016 time frame. INP Phase 1 is currently focused on
technology risk mitigation of key EMRG components and the development of a 32 MJ guided projectile. INP
Phase 2 will focus on the development of an integrated, prototypical system, an integrated at-sea or shorebased 32 MJ demonstration, and continued technology development for the projectile to achieve a 64 MJ
tactical energy level. Initial Operational Capability of the EMRG, at full 64 MJ tactical energy level, is
planned for the 2020-2025 timeframe.

Figure 3
Electromagnetic Rail Gun Technology Development Roadmap
EMRG Capabilities and Advantages
Figure 4 shows the planned capabilities of the EMRG at the 64 MJ tactical energy level, with an
indirect fires range of between 50 and 250 NM which will be varied mainly by varying the firing angle, with a
peak altitude of approximately 800,000 feet at 50 NM and approximately 500,000 feet at 250 NM. Muzzle
velocity will be approximately 2.5km/sec (or about Mach 7.5) with an impact velocity of about Mach 5.0.
During its flight trajectory, the projectile spends approximately 5 minutes of its 6 minute flight above the
sensible atmosphere (greater than 100,000 feet) thus simplifying airspace de-confliction.
The anticipated range of the EMRG at 64 MJ (250 NM) exceeds the anticipated range of all current
or near term projectiles including ERGM (about 63 NM) and LRLAP (about 95 NM) and is equal to the future
assault range of the US Marine Corps (USMC) MV-22. This capability will allow the EMRG to complement
USMC MV-22 tactical air assets in high operational tempo engagements and may be used to provide
support for forces ashore from an off-shore at-sea platform in the event that particular operational
circumstances do not support placing tactical air or ground-based fire support assets in harms way. Even at
half the full tactical energy level of 32 MJ, the EMRG will have an anticipated range of approximately 110
NM which is equal to the current USMC ship to objective maneuver (STOM) distance of 200 km (about
110 NM).

Figure 4
Electromagnetic Rail Gun - 64 MJ Capabilities
The EMRG will accomplish these capabilities as a pure kinetic energy round without the use of any
propellants or explosives. By eliminating explosive elements from the logistics train, the EMRG will provide
the future warship with the ability to carry nearly 10 times the current number of on-board rounds within the
same space as current magazines, extending time on station and improving the total volume of fires that be
provided from the sea. Other benefits of EMRG kinetic energy projectiles include precision strike with
minimal collateral damage, a simplified logistics tail, reduction in weight (typically required for magazine
armor), fire fighting systems, thermal insulation, reduced life cycle cost and a significant level of flexibility
provided to the US Navy warship designer not possible with conventional explosive munitions.
Conclusion
The projected 7 ships of the DDG-1000 class with its innovative and flexible IPS system will be
introduced to the fleet beginning in 2013. Lessons learned from this new ship class will usher in a new area
of innovation that will potentially be applied to the development of the next generation IPS for
implementation on the CG(X) class in the 2018 timeframe and will be further developed for ships such as
the DDG(X) class in the 2020-2025 timeframe.
Ships with IPS and the myriad of electric and directed energy weapons that this system enables
will provide the US Military with unparalleled flexibility, increased shipboard safety, and a significant
increase in volume of fires that can be brought to bear in support of our forces afloat and ashore.