Sensor-Array Broadband Express-Rate Wavefront Sensor (SABER_WFS)

Robust operation of the airborne Laser Weapon System (LaWS) requires the use of a closed-loop Adaptive Optics System (AOS) that enables active compensation of the intensity losses and boosts the beam energy/power delivered on a target. An AOS that is capable of operating in real flight scenario necessitates for the wavefront sensor (WFS) with a real-time frame rate on the order of 100 times of the bandwidth of the aero-optical caused aberrations. As frequencies of these disturbances are in kHz ranges, WFS that operates with sampling rate of hundreds of kHz is required. The bandwidth of current state-of-the-art AOS is limited to several kHz, making them inapt to compensate for aero-optics related intensity losses. This program aims to develop a 250 kHz bandwidth WFS, the key element of AOS, that would satisfy the stated requirements. The proposed SABER-WFS system with its design and operation based on an on-board data processing shall minimize the lag between sensing and calculating wavefronts, resulting in stable performance of AOS and effective operation of airborne LaWS. The program will culminate with system transition to the designated facilities where it will be tested in the environments related to mission scenarios of interest.