Aero-Adaptive/Aero-Optic Beam Control (ABC)

Program Manager: Dr. Thomas Beutner

Overview

The goal of the Aero-Adaptive/Aero-Optic Beam Control (ABC) program is to improve the performance of high energy lasers on tactical aircraft against targets in the aft field of regard.  In order to achieve high off-boresight targeting capability, current optical turret designs protrude into the flow.  This causes severe aero-optic distortions in the aft field of regard due to turbulence in the wake and the unsteady shock movement over the aperture.  These distortions decrease the power flux on target (the measure of lethality for a directed energy system) and limit the directed energy system to targets in the forward field of regard.  This program will optimize flow control strategies for pointing angles in the aft field of regard.  The program will also explore the ability of the flow control system to be synchronized with adaptive optics.  This effort will initially focus on wind tunnel testing to prove the feasibility of steady and periodic flow control techniques to reduce or regularize the large scale turbulent structures surrounding an optical turret.  These tests will culminate in a hardware-in-the-loop demonstration with an adaptive optics system.  Following successful wind tunnel demonstrations, a preliminary design of a flight test turret incorporating flow control will be undertaken.   

Last Updated: 02/18/08