Award Data

This effort investigates an adaptive acoustic mitigation approach for reducing jitter in airborne directed energy platforms such as the airborne laser. Key benefits of the approach are reduced latency, improved correlation to the disturbance, its relative simplicity in implementation, and ability to integrate with other ABL control systems. This approach offers significant advantages in improving ...

Fiber Materials, Inc. (FMI), teamed with Aerojet, proposes to demonstrate a low cost material concept applicable to the SM-3 ACS. The material, a 4-dimensionally reinforced carbon-carbon containing silicon carbide to eliminate oxidation and erosion, will offer significant benefits in comparison to the refractory metals now in use such as rhenium, columbium, and molybdenum. Refractory and other m ...

Fiber Materials, Inc., teamed with Aerojet and Plasma Processes, Inc., will complete the design and development leading to fabrication and demonstration of a ceramic matrix composite thrust chamber and requisite joining technologies for an advanced liquid/gel divert and attitude control (LDACS) application. The proposed Phase II development program will utilize a non-eroding material based on carb ...

The Airborne Laser (ABL) program has a need to evaluate the potential performance trade-offs for different Laser Ranger (or LADAR) systems, to measure the size, trajectory and plume characteristics of ballistic missiles at long ranges. The program office will need to independently examine, during the procurement evaluation process, the predicted performance of various proposed LADAR system config ...

The next generation of ballistic missiles will require materials which are light-weight and have high-temperature resistance to withstand heating caused by the extreme velocity and harsh environments. In general, ceramic materials satisfy the above requirements for missile applications. More specifically, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) comprising matrices and fibers which have good thermo-mech ...

This effort investigates an advanced modular composite gimbal architecture for application to high performance space systems systems. The effort focuses on two long-life bearing concepts: an athermalized mechanical bearing design and a low-power magnetic beating design. The overall gimbal approach relies on several innovations which include: high specific stiffness thermally stable composite stru ...

This effort investigates an advanced modular composite gimbal architecture for application to high performance acquisition, tracking, and pointing (ATP) systems. The effort focuses on application to the Airborne Laser (ABL) and similar directed energy systems. A key contribution is a proof-of-concept demonstration of Gimbal Adaptive Disturbance Rejection for dramatically improving disturbance reje ...

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing infrared Focal Plane Arrays with extended Very Long Wavelength Infrared (VLWIR)in the 20 to 25 micron range, herby called Ultra Long Wavelength (ULWIR), with high operating temperature (HOT, T>80K). These detectors are based on intersubband transitions in self-assembled nanoscale quantum dots on GaAs substrates. The techn ...

The overall objective of this proposal is to develop the necessary components and to design and build a compact pulsed power system for the Missile Defense Agency that will produce little or no debris when activated. In particular, the energy requirements for the HPM payload appear to require an explosive-driven magnetic flux compression generator or one of it derivatives to provide the energy re ...

Plasmatronics has developed a unique oxygen singlet delta generator having the potential to replace the dangerous and bulky chemical "COIL" generator currently being used to power oxygen iodine lasers in military applications. Our process does not use any stored reactive chemicals - only oxygen plus inert gases, helium and argon. Oxygen activation is accomplished by a 40% efficient electrical proc ...