The High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office (HEL-JTO) is pleased to be holding the annual review of their Multidisciplinary Research Initiatives (MRI) program in conjunction with the Ninth Annual Directed Energy Symposium. This program is the primary investment of the HEL-JTO basic research (6.1) funding and is with academic institutions. The program funds basic research aimed at developing fundamental scientific knowledge to support future DoD HEL systems. Efforts funded under this program are chosen for their potential to have a broad impact on multiple HEL systems and DoD missions, while complementing Service and Agency programs that are directed toward a more specific military need. Although all these efforts are directly with academic institutions they differ from more traditional basic research programs in that the academic institutions are allowed to have industrial partners. The intent of this modification is to provide more industrial visibility and influence on the program leading to a more rapid technology transition. The HEL-JTO MRI program began in 2002 with the award of several five-year grants. These projects were in the technology areas of Solid State Laser, Free Electron Laser, Closed-Cycle Chemical Laser, Compensation of Atmospheric Beam Propagation and Large, Light-Weight Optic Fabrication. More recently, awards were made in 2005 in the Fiber Laser area including single fiber laser scaling to high power, research in eye-safer wavelengths and beam combination. Also in 2005, awards were made in the new research area of Optically Pumped Atomic and Molecular Gas Lasers and the area of Aero Optic Wavefront Propagation. This will be the final review of the 2002 awarded efforts and an interim review of the 2005 awarded efforts. In total, twelve projects will be presented and a short brief by the JTO on the next HEL-JTO MRI solicitation will be also be provided A detailed agenda for the JTO MRI Review is available here. This review was co-located with the technical program of the Ninth Annual Directed Energy Symposium, also held in Albuquerque on 30 October through 2 November 2006.
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