Non-Kinetic & Directed Energy Weapons
Challenge
With a shift to near-peer adversaries, the development and integration of directed energy and non-kinetics have become a priority for U.S. defense. Directed energy weapons (DEW) and non-kinetic weapons (NKW) programs span nearly every major service, and the Defense Department has identified advances in these areas among its top priorities.
Advances in non-lethal/non-kinetic weapons are used by Warfighters, as well as law enforcement around the country, and development support and research into the effects of these tools is needed. ARA stands ready to help meet those needs.
Solution
ARA offers advanced directed energy weapons solutions to support our Warfighters, including:
- Small, high power laser weapons creating counter-material, counter-drone, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) solutions
- Systems engineering support to advance laser weapon architectures and system concepts
- Advanced laser technologies and counter high energy laser (HEL) approached to protect our Warfighters
- High power microwave (HPM) system development
- Ballistic radome development/testing
- High power, frequency selective surfaces (FSS) radome technology for HPM weapons
- HPM propagation including atmospherics, structure penetration and coupling effects
- Integrated Weapon Environment for Analysis (IWEA) including DEW tools for mission and lethality analysis
ARA also provides research and development support for non-lethal weapons (NLW) systems, including:
- Electrical Stimulus-Based Disabling Technology
- Active Denial Technology
- Blunt Impact Technologies
- Laser Technology
- High Power RF/Microwaves
- Sound and Light, including our Non-Pyrotechnic Diversionary Device (NPDD)
- Other Counter-Personnel Technologies
- Other Counter-Material
- Investigations of human effects from muscular incapacitation (HEMI)
Our modeling and simulation capabilities are being leveraged to support laser lethality and details on how conventional weapons are detonated by laser heating. This combination of modeling and system design is being used to support development of new laser weapons concepts to address evolving customer needs.
