Directed Energy System Performance Prediction

This book presents a unique and comprehensive introduction to performance prediction of directed energy (DE) systems using mathematical modeling frameworks, with focus on high power radio frequency and high energy laser performance. It provides system designers with a means for predicting DE system performance and measuring the required power levels necessary to neutralize targets including UAVs and other unmanned swarms.   The book begins with a systematic and concise overview of DE systems, including its historical roots. You will then learn how to develop effective mathematical models and understand how to use these models to implement safer and efficient use of DE systems in various scenarios. A special section is devoted to examples and attributes of unmanned systems since these are viewed as primary targets suitably disabled by DE systems. There is also an extensive survey of the relevant tools of mathematics and physics for DE systems, together with a series of pertinent references you can follow for further information.   The final section of the book outlines potential future research directions that interested researchers are encouraged to pursue. With its exclusive and unmatched coverage of predictive modeling for DE systems and performance, this is an important book for engineers and operators working in the defense industry, including government and private contractors, as well as research practitioners at universities and engineering organizations worldwide working in the field of DE system performance.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction 1.1 An Introduction to Directed Energy 1.2 A Historical Sketch of DE Systems 1.2.1 High Power Radio Frequency 1.2.2 High Energy Lasers 1.3 A Selection of Systems 1.3.1 Stryker-Mounted Laser 1.3.2 US Navy’s Laser Weapon System 1.3.3 Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed 1.3.4 Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave Systems 1.3.5 AFRL’s Tactical High-Power Operational Responder 1.3.6 Other DE Systems 1.4 Purpose and Scope   2 Some Principles of Mathematics and Physics 2.1 Probability and Statistics Basics 2.1.1 Fundamentals 2.1.2 Distributions and Properties 2.1.3 Statistical Conditioning 2.2 Principles of Stochastic Processes 2.2.1 Fundamental Processes 2.2.2 Queueing Theory 2.3 Physics Preliminaries 2.3.1 Wavelengths and Frequency 2.3.2 Propagation of Electromagnetic Energy 2.3.3 Signals and Fourier Analysis   3 Fundamentals of HPRF Performance Modelling 3.1 An Overview of HPRF DEWs 3.2 Electronic Vulnerability Levels 3.3 HPRF Power Density Function 3.4 Narrowband and Wideband Effector Performance Modelling 3.4.1 Example: A Damped Sinusiodal Signal 3.4.2 Power Density for Ultrawideband Signals 3.5 Concluding Remarks   4 HPRF Performance Prediction 4.1 One Threat 4.1.1 Narrowband Case 4.1.2 Ultrawideband Case 4.2 Multiple Threats 4.2.1 Threats Arrive Simultaneously 4.2.2 Arrivals Through a Renewal Process 4.2.3 Threats Arrive Linearly 4.3 Concluding Remarks   5 The HEL Irradiance Function 5.1 Lasers: An Overview 5.2 Laser Damage Thresholds 5.3 Gaussian Beam Profiles 5.4 Irradiance Functions 5.5 Irradiance Function Examples 5.6 Some Final Comments on Irradiance Functions   6 HEL Performance Prediction 6.1 Models for Thresholds 6.2 Single Target and Single Effector 6.3 Multiple Targets: Queueing Theory Approach 6.4 Multiple Sources on a Single Threat 6.5 Number of Effectors to Achieve Minimum Performance 6.6 Concluding Remarks   7 Future Research Directions 7.1 HPRF DEW Considerations 7.2 Modelling Synchronised DEW Systems 7.3 Active Protection Systems 7.4 Adaptive Optics 7.5 Validation of Performance Models   A Emerging Threat Exemplars A.1 Airborne Threats A.2 Ground-Based Threats A.3 Sea-Based Threats   B Irradiance Function for Adaptive Optics   C Distribution of Delays Bibliography Index