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DIRECTED ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY

Abstract: 24-Systems-049

UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE

Airborne High Energy Laser Military Utility Within a Layered Area Defense CONOP

When introducing new technology to the warfighter, understanding the positive impact that the technology can provide is paramount to supporting the development of the technology to maturity. Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) and more specifically High Energy Lasers (HELs) are an emergent technology whose capability is being tested for a multitude of concepts of operation (CONOPs). Many ground-based HEL systems have been tested, but due to significant atmospheric effects on ground-based HEL systems, there is increasing interest in the performance and military utility of an airborne HEL (AHEL).

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is currently supporting Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) in understanding future operational requirements, capabilities, and trade-offs of airborne HEL (AHEL) systems. The objective of this ongoing operations research is to inform AFGSC and Combatant Command decision makers of the military utility and feasibility of an AHEL equipped aircraft as part of a larger layered area defense CONOP.

This presentation will address the analysis methodology used to evaluate military utility of an AHEL within a layered area defense construct. To accomplish this analysis, an operationally relevant airbase defense CONOP was developed entailing realistic military targets and threats within a relevant operational area of responsibility (AOR). The presentation details the development and concurrent analysis of an agent-based simulation model to understand the AHEL’s military utility within relevant airbase defense CONOP scenarios. The simulations are performed in the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling (AFSIM) environment which integrates parameterized models for HELs, the atmosphere, aircraft movement, threat systems, EOIR sensors, and upstream kill chain systems. Additionally, the presentation will address the design of experiment methodology used to address a multi-variable tradespace. Finally, as this is ongoing research, up to date simulation and analysis results will be presented.

UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE