Bistatic Engagement Algorithms and Methodologies (BEAM)

MZA and AFIT are leveraging their complementary expertise in beam director design and laser beam control and modeling to design aĀ counter-UAS beam director with an on-gimbal phased array source that has the performance of a CPCM architecture without a CPCM optical layout. We will leverage a suite of external sensors to mitigate both vibration and atmosphere sub-aperture phase and tilt errors as well as provide an inertially stabilized pointing system and high bandwidth, low noise tracking. We willĀtrade both metric-based and measurement-based phasing algorithms for the atmospheric phasing correction of the system. The system structure and gimbal control will leverage MZA's recent beam director developments including The Airborne High Energy Laser (AHEL) and MZA's counter-UAS system, MZapp. Further, we will utilize targetted lightweighting and shape optimization from MZA's JAMROC work to minimize non-common path jitter susceptibility of the individual sub-apertures. In-housing modeling tools such as the Scaling for High Energy lasers and Relay Engagements (SHaRE), Directed Energy Finite Element Analysis Toolbox (DEFEAT) and WaveTrainĀwill be used to predict system performance and carry out engagement simulations that will define system requirements. These predictive simulations will feed into the design and assist in designing the control systems that will allow the system to replicate CPCM-like performance. We will carry out an initial SRR using SHaRE runs to define requirements to achieve the desired counter-UAS mission such as system size, and power. We will host a mid-term modeling review to provide in-depth information on our team's performance and engagement modeling capabilities that will help drive the rest of the design process. After maturing the design through the rest of Phase I, we will hold a PDR to review the beam director architecture, control algorithms and expected performance. We will also document long lead time items at the PDRĀto ensure a Phase II demonstrator build can stick to schedule.