Manufacturing of Visibly Transparent Large Conformal Windows

As the use of sensors on aircraft increases, the need to protect those sensors without sacrificing aerodynamic performance grows proportionally. Conformal windows made from hard crystalline materials suit this need perfectly. These types of freeform optics match the curvature of an airframe while providing protection from high velocity particulate, moisture, and ballistic threats. In the Phase I work it was shown that 12 inch by 12 inch conformal windows can be manufactured. It is the goal of this Phase II to demonstrate the capability to manufacture a much larger conformal window (25 inches by 23 inches). Advances will also be made in the areas of fiducial design, blocking and transportation of large optics, and in grinding and polishing hard crystalline materials.