CALL 0004 Q A 2.pdf

HIGH ENERGY RESEARCH & APPLICATIONS (HERA)

BAA 08-RD-01

CALL 0004

Questions and Answers #2

Q1: The "W-Band Propulsion Development" Statement of Objectives (SOO) #1 in HERA Call 0004. In paragraph 2.0, I understand the first sentence of the first bullet, but I don't understand what the government wants in the second sentence quoted here, "Develop millimeter-wave powered plasma sources, associated high voltage power and magnetic field systems and beam conditioning and direction systems." The sentence appears to ask for millimeter-wave plasma sources that are unrelated to millimeter-wave powered heat-exchanger systems. Can you please clarify the government's requirement in the quoted sentence?

A1: The "develop mm-wave powered plasma sources" refers to the study of magnetically confined plasmas pumped at or near the cyclotron resonance by a mm-wave beam. This project is not directly related to the mm-wave heat exchanger project and would likely initiate and run in parallel with the later stages of the mm-wave heat exchanger project.

Q2: Unclear as to what is the desired frequency (or the band) ie; 50 Hz, 2 GHz, 20 GHz, etc.

A2: This question doesn't have a simple answer. The broad answer is that we're open to considering all frequencies in our R&D work. However, depending on the SOO (if it's SOO 4 for example) there may be specific frequencies associated to specific systems (ADT, CHAMP, etc.). My recommendation is to answer with the ability to consider all frequencies depending on what effect we are trying to achieve, which varies widely from system to system.

Q3: SOO #1 IDIQ: Section 2.0 Advanced Electromagnetic Sources and Components. The 4th bullet references "high-average power HPM systems". Can the AF clarify what HPM systems it is referring to?

A3: To respond to the question about the "high-average power HPM systems," it is basically the direction that we are moving to achieve higher rep rates in our systems. As we move from the single shot systems, we have to consider the heating effects and prime power abilities of our systems. This necessitates the idea of using high-average power HPM systems and their associated qualities.

To be more direct to the question, we don't have any specific systems now that are operating as high average power system, however, that is a direction that we have to consider to address warfighter needs.

HERA BAA 08-RD-01, CALL 0004 Q&A #2