Maritime Advanced Ship-Defense Thermally-Managed Intensely Focused Laser

For ship self-defense, the Navy requires a rugged, effective, maintainable, efficient solid state laser that can be scaled to generate 100 kW in a high-quality beam. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novelMaritime Advanced Ship-defense Thermally-managed Intensely Focused laser (MASTIFF), a two-stage phased array of laser elements with dynamic cavity correction in both covert and overt modes. MASTIFF will employ diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser modules in POC'sproprietary laser-pumped laser cavity, which will reduce heat removal requirements and greatly improve both system scalability and performance over current laser systems. Specifically, the laser beam power will be increased by up to four orders ofmagnitude over that produced by Nd:YAG lasers and cost per effective shot will be reduced from the current $10,000 to under $10. Injection locking will ensure that light from all modules is combined into a single, powerful output beam, so that eachmodule, and consequently the entire system, maintains high beam quality. In Phase I we will develop a complete design of the MASTIFF system and build a proof-of-concept device to demonstrate the feasibility of the MASTIFF concept. In Phase II afunctional MASTIFF prototype will be developed. POC's proposed MASTIFF is a truly modular, efficient, scalable laser system. It is more efficient and easier to install than current devices. Such a laser system will be exceptionally useful in both thegovernment and commercial sectors. Since it is so easily scalable, it can be operated in lower power mode as a large area illuminator (government) or even for graffiti removal (civil). At medium power it can be used for distant target designation(military) or for typical welding tasks (industrial). The possibility of choice of covert or overt modes enhances its usefulness as an illuminator or target designator. At high power the MASTIFF can be used as a directed energy weapon (military) or forcutting and deep welding (industrial). The commercial applications for this technology are excellent. There is a large market for superior, scalable welding and cutting tools.