Directed Energy and Electric Weapon System

Project 3402 - Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS): Program supports the National Defense Strategy (NDS) of building a more lethal force by leveraging maturing technology to deliver proven laser weapon capability to the Fleet. The Mk 5 Mod 0 High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system, as installed in the forward deployed combatant, provides a low cost-per-shot capability to address Anti-Surface Warfare and Counter-Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C-ISR) gaps with the ability to dazzle and destroy Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and defeat Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) while integrated into the AEGIS Combat System on a Flt IIA Destroyer. SNLWS/HELIOS, as a Non-Program of Record (POR) Research & Development (R&D) asset, provided an industry-developed and government integrated capability to the Fleet in as short a timeframe as possible, thereby addressing the NDS direction to foster a culture of innovation. HELIOS included the development of a laser weapon system in the 60 kW class. The FY 2027 budget request supports the Research & Development (R&D) asset of HELIOS on DDG 88 by providing In Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) and Software Support Activity (SSA) technical product support, component repair and/or replacement, grooming, and testing after the availability and during the operational period; and to begin development of a containerized 150kW Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) for cruise missile defense by incrementally providing at least 300kW of power building on existing laser scaling efforts; development of the Joint Beam Control System (JBCS) technology capable of supporting a 300-500kW laser weapon system; and conduct upgrades to the High Energy Laser Counter Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Project (HELCAP) testbed as appropriate to support JLWS testing. In coordination with the military services and the Missile Defense Agency, begin development of a consolidated implementation plan for all Golden Dome Directed Energy projects, leveraging synergy and common weapon architectures between these efforts where possible.

The High Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Project (HELCAP) will accelerate the integration of High Energy Laser (HEL) technologies and prototype HEL weapon systems through demonstrations of critical technologies integral to defeating Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) targets with non-kinetic weapon systems. HELCAP has developed a High Energy Laser (HEL) source capable of ASCM defeat while also enabling target acquisition, identification, and atmospheric correction abilities through advanced beam control subsystem maturation. The Directed Energy Testing Against Missiles (DETAM) effort will utilize the Laser Weapon Testbed (LWT) and other Directed Energy (DE) assets to initiate a Test & Evaluation (T&E) campaign focused on transitioning Naval HEL technologies to operational use by evaluating them in a realistic operating environment. DETAM will promote advanced laser component development while testing prototype weapon systems against surrogate ASCMs and advanced operational threats to ensure rapid integration of HEL weapon systems with the Naval Fleet.

Project 9999 (PU C357) - Congressional Add - 100kW Directed Energy Production is a Congressionally directed effort to advance the manufacturing readiness of 'weapon grade' subsystems for 100kW class High Energy Lasers (HELs) including the Main Optical Bench (MOB) for beam combining and beam control. Additionally, these funds will support Navy plans to develop and refine weapon integration processes and system performance qualification and evaluation. In order to expand mass production of weapon grade Laser Fiber Amplifiers (LFAs), manufacturing processes currently utilized need refinement and improvement. This will result in higher production capabilities at a reduced cost per LFA for the United States (US) Government. Project 9999 (PU CA34) - Congressional Add - Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) supports development, integration and marinization of the E-HEL capability into multi-service Air and Missile Defense networks to demonstrate a capability to defeat Group 1-3 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs). Project 9999 (PU CA35) - Congressional Add - Directed Energy Production is a Congressionally directed effort to advance the manufacturing readiness of 'weapon grade' subsystems for 100kW class High Energy Lasers (HELs) including the Main Optical Bench (MOB) for beam combining and beam control. Additionally, these funds will support Navy plans to develop and refine weapon integration processes and system performance qualification and evaluation. In order to expand mass production of weapon grade Laser Fiber Amplifiers (LFAs), manufacturing processes currently utilized need refinement and improvement. This will result in higher production capabilities at a reduced cost per LFA for the United States (US) Government.