Attch_1_-_SSLEM_SOO_20180326.pdf

FA9451-18-S-0003 Call 0001 Attachment 1

Solid State Laser Effects and Modeling (SSLEM)

Statement of Objectives (SOO)

FA9451-18-S-0003 Call 0001

26 March 2018

1.0 PURPOSE

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate (AFRL/RD) is currently developing pulsed lasers with modeling and simulation capabilities to investigate the potential utility of these types of lasers in the future battlespace. This effort is being accomplished through the Laser Effects Research Modeling and Simulation (AFRL/RDLE) Solid State Laser (SSL) Program at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. FA9451-18-S-0003 Call 0001 entitled, “Solid State Laser Effects and Modeling (SSLEM)”, is designed to support the specific needs of AFRL/RDLE and the SSL Program.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The feasibility of fielding pulsed lasers on an aerial platform places stringent performance requirements on lasers to include higher pulse energies, excellent beam quality (BQ), deep magazine, and higher “wall plug” efficiency (percentage of prime power drawn by the entire system that is converted to useable laser energy). The risks associated with an operational laser system to operate at tactically significant ranges are dominated by the laser’s ability to efficiently produce sufficient pulse energy while maintaining a very high BQ to create a desired effect on target. One of the primary technical challenges is minimizing the degradation in BQ due to increased pulse energy while maintaining acceptable size, weight, and power (SWaP) for aircraft applications.

The potential utility of laser systems must be assessed utilizing experimentally benchmarked predictive tools to understand the laser-material-interaction phenomenology in both laboratory and field environments. To that end, a robust laser effects experimental strategy must be developed in concert with the development of advanced predictive tools to ensure the ability to measure accurate laser performance and collect laser-material-interaction data. Currently, a majority of the laboratory diagnostics and predictive models have been developed for either continuous-wave (CW) lasers and/or pulsed laser welding and machining applications. Due to limited information on the high energy pulsed laser phenomenology, novel diagnostics and predictive capabilities must be developed to help measure and understand the phenomenology of high energy pulsed laser induced material ablation. This parallel approach of pulsed laser technology development, laser effects experimentation, and modeling and simulation (M&S) tool development will equip AFRL with the requisite data and tools necessary to estimate laser system specifications to address mission specific problems identified by the Air Force.

3.0 SCOPE

The scope of the Solid State Laser Effects and Modeling (SSLEM) effort is as follows:

Develop high energy pulsed laser technology to address mission specific problems identified by the Air Force and optimize laser effectiveness to meet Air Force capability gaps and science and technology needs

Address science and technology challenges associated with demonstrating pulse energy scaling while maintaining excellent beam quality

Advance the understanding of laser-material-interaction phenomenology at the material, component, subsystem, and system levels

Address system and packaging challenges associated with minimizing the weight and volume of the pulsed laser while maintaining the desired average output power and beam quality

Identify and pursue solutions to Air Force technical gaps and MAJCOM needs that may be filled by laser directed energy technologies

The Government plans to bring this technology to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 (component and/or breadboard validation in a laboratory environment) development effort. The development protocol consists of parallel tasks combining pulsed laser source modeling, pulsed laser hardware development, pulsed laser effects experiments, puled laser effects modeling, fly-out model modification/utilization, and parametric pulsed laser application studies.

4.0 TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES

The SSLEM effort falls under Technical Areas #1 - 5 of the baseline Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), FA9451-18-S-0003, under which this Call is issued. Offerors shall address how they propose to accomplish all seven of the following tasks:

Task 1: Laser Source Development and Maturation

The Government’s latest laser prototype design documentation and drawings will be provided to the contractor to perform laser source development and maturation.

Utilize the existing Government subscale prototype laser to conduct laser effects testing Re-engineer previous designs, as necessary, to improve pulse energy and beam quality Research and evaluate improvements in laser component technology (e.g. diodes, gain material, etc.) for use in high energy pulsed laser designs Perform risk identification and risk reduction activities to mitigate risks for further development of scalable pulsed lasers Design, build, test, troubleshoot, document, demonstrate, and utilize scalable pulsed lasers pursuant of fulfilling technical objectives Design, build, test, troubleshoot, document, demonstrate, and utilize advanced and/or novel pulsed laser diagnostics

Task 2: Laser Source Modeling

Implement, where feasible, Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS), or other pre-existing software to design, develop, and model pulsed lasers

Design and implement models to develop and simulate pulsed laser sources to quantify performance trade-offs including but not limited to: choice of laser gain material and pump wavelength; laser gain material geometry; laser resonator design; amplifier design if the laser includes amplifiers; design of cooling system; design of pumping system.

Calculated parameters may include: output power; power dissipated in laser gain material; beam quality; pump beam profile, thermal lensing; thermal degradation of the beam quality; intensity and phase profiles of the resonator mode; intensity and phase profiles of the amplifier beams; power conversion efficiency; laser noise under the influence of technical and quantum noise

Task 3: Laser System Modeling Integration and Analysis

Conduct laser system modeling and simulation activities Develop Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) trade study and analysis tools Development of Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing (ATP) specifications Model laser atmospheric propagation to predict of the interaction of the beam with the atmosphere including, but not limited to: beam quality; chromatic dispersion and non-linearities; influence of turbulence

Task 4: Laser Effects Testing Implementing Pulsed and Continuous Wave Lasers

Prepare and present test plans for laser effects testing Identify methods for acquiring representative test articles Design and fabricate representative test articles and fixtures when test articles are not available; Document the test article operation and maintenance procedures when required

Collaborate with Government and contractor modeling and simulation teams to ensure the test data will be suitable to model development efforts

Design novel lab diagnostics to perform laser effects testing Create user manuals for newly designed diagnostics Utilize, where feasible, current laser effects practices and diagnostics to perform laser effects testing; Identify new techniques and test practices as required Conduct laser effects testing following Government approved test plans Reduce and analyze the laser effects data Determine the reason for failure and determine if additional measurements or analyses are required Prepare and report testing results Test coupons (test articles or samples) from operational capital assets to gather data regarding the assets survivability (3400 funds)

Task 5: Vulnerability Assessments

Conduct pre-test vulnerability assessments of threats based on specific aim-points Develop Failure Mode Analysis (FMA) Develop lethality assessments

Plan and perform material characterization and optical properties tests (microstructural, composition, material identification, temperature and heating-rate dependent thermo-physical properties, absorptance, reflectance, and transmittance measurements)

Plan and perform laser propagation testing

Task 6: Engagement Modeling and Simulation

Develop, modify, and/or improve fly-out engagement models Incorporate laser lethality assessments and FMA Integrate with other analysis frameworks as identified by the Government Utilize models to perform studies to understand and predict laser utility in the battlespace

Task 7: Laser Effects Modeling and Simulation

Identify governing physical processes necessary to represent the target response Collaborate with the Government and contractor laser effects testing teams to ensure the data will be of utility to modeling and simulation development Develop laser effects models to predict target response during pulsed laser irradiation Utilize laser effects models to quantify susceptibility and improve the understanding of target vulnerabilities Integrate laser effects models into mission level models Simplify physics based models to an engineering level

Note: Not all of the modeling and simulation efforts will require the development of new software. Modifying and further developing the capabilities of existing software may be sufficient, or in some cases preferential. This approach will be especially attractive if appropriately suited Government-owned or non-proprietary or open-source software can be repurposed to meet AFRL needs. The desired outcome is to develop innovative and effective methods for accurately modeling and predicting physical effects. This type of research extends beyond basic tool application into research for new methods of modeling. Additionally, enabling existing software models to effectively pass information within an integrated framework is one of the primary directions of Air Force Research Laboratory, Laser Division (AFRL/RDL).

5.0 SCHEDULE, DATA ITEMS AND OTHER DELIVERABLES

Start Work: Date of Award (DOA) End of Technical Effort (ETE): DOA + 45 months

Technical Data:

CDRL A001: Computer Software Product End Items CDRL A002: Test Plan CDRL A003: Developmental Design Drawings/Models and Associated Lists CDRL A004: Presentation Material CDRL A005: Status Report CDRL A006: Technical Report – Study/Services CDRL A007: Scientific and Technical Report CDRL A008: Software User’s Manual CDRL A009: Test/Inspection Report

CDRL A010: Operations and Maintenance Instructions for R&D Equipment CDRL A011: Management Plan

Hardware:

The contractor may be required to deliver and demonstrate capability of hardware developed under this effort (laser sources and laser effects test diagnostics), as required, by the Government Program Manager.

6.0 SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

The contractor shall establish an Environment, Safety and Occupational Health program free from those conditions that can cause death, injury, occupational illness, damage to or loss of equipment or property or damage to the environment. The contractor shall comply with all precautions established by the Air Force and AFRL/RD during all activities performed in connection with this contract.

The contractor shall establish and conduct a hazardous material/waste management program in accordance with all Federal, Department of Defense (DoD), Air Force, State and local regulations, AFI 32-7086 (Hazardous Material Management) and AFI 32-7042 (Solid and Hazardous Waste Compliance) and their AFMC supplements (latest version). The contractor shall manage and provide for the ordering, handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials/waste used in performance of the contract in compliance with applicable local Air Force operating plans and instructions as well as Federal, State and local laws and regulations.

The contractor shall train all pertinent (Government, contractor, subcontractor) personnel in the proper handling, control, disposal and use of hazardous materials/waste for contractor activities.

The contractor shall report all mishap and chemical release to the appropriate offices.

The contractor shall establish and conduct safety training (laser, electrical and lifting) in accordance with all Federal, DoD, Air Force, State and local regulations, AFI91-203 Air Force Consolidated Occupational Safety Instruction (includes fire extinguisher training, material handling equipment, LOTO, etc.) and AFI48-139 Laser and Optical Radiation Protection Program (laser training, eye exams, etc.). The contractor shall train all pertinent (Government, contractor, subcontractor) personnel in the proper safety (laser, electrical and lifting) for contractor activities.

7.0 SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall adhere to all Supplemental Requirements stated in Attachment 2 to FA9451-18-S-0003 Call 0001 and shall make this completed document either part of or an addendum to the proposed Statement of Work (SOW).