Directed energy weapons (DEWs) are defined as electromagnetic systems capable of converting chemical or electrical energy to radiated energy and focusing it on a target, resulting in physical damage that degrades, neutralizes, defeats, or destroys an adversarial capability. Navy DEWs include systems that use High Energy Lasers (HEL) that emit photons, and High Power Microwaves (HPM) that release radiofrequency waves. The U.S. Navy uses DEWs for power projection and integrated defense missions. The ability to focus the radiated energy reliably and repeatedly at range, with precision and controllable effects, while producing measured physical damage, is the measure of DEW system effectiveness. Conversely, capabilities to increase the resilience or survivability of platforms or Sailors from DEW threats are part of the Counter Directed Energy Weapons (CDEW) program.

The Office of Naval Research has three weapons-oriented research concentration areas: High Power Microwaves (HPM); Ultra-Short Pulse Laser (USPL) and Atmospheric Characterization; and Counter-Directed Energy Weapons and High Energy Lasers (CDEW & HEL).

Research Concentration Area: CDEW and HEL

High energy lasers (HELs) lasers and high-power microwaves (HPM) systems as weapons have been under investigation since the 1960s and 70s. As an example of naval platform survivability and self-defense against small boat threats, the Office of Naval Research developed and tested the Maritime Laser Demonstrator (MLD), the first laser weapon system operated at sea. ONR and NRL later worked collaboratively with the Naval Sea Systems Command on the Solid State Laser Quick Reaction Capability Program (SSL-QRC) to actively deploy the first military HEL, the Laser Weapons System (LaWS) on the USS Ponce. Today, HEL research continues to offer breakthroughs in performance for continuous wave (CW) laser weapons.

The Counter-Directed Energy Weapons (CDEW) Program was initiated in response to the rapid development of high energy lasers (HEL) and high-power microwave (HPM)/high- power radio frequency (HPRF) threats being developed by potential foreign adversaries. The ONR Counter Directed Energy Weapons (CDEW) research program expands the understanding of the known sciences through both research and component testing to increase survivability and self-defense capabilities for U.S. Navy platforms. Directed energy weapons technology advancements and proliferation has raised the urgency of developing low-cost CDEW technologies for rapid deployment to Navy units. The ONR CDEW program addresses emerging directed energy threats in an operational, maritime construct containing three layers of defense: DEW detection, DEW effects mitigation, and unit protection.

Research Challenges and Opportunities