The US Air Force (USAF) released last Friday (28) the image of the test of an F-15 fighter in wind tunnel. Most interesting, however, is that the fighter jet model was carrying a directed energy weapon, more popularly known as a laser weapon.
The tests seek to study the extensive flow disturbances around the laser-equipped fighter jet, mounted in a fuselage pod. The movement can be seen in the image released by the USAF, obtained with Schlieren Photography, used precisely to see the flow of fluids.
Second statement from Eglin Air Force Base, a major USAF test facility, the 716th Test Squadron gained a new aero-optical test capability in March.
The Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) has partnered with MZA Associated Corp to develop a system capable of accurately obtaining information about the waves around model aircraft that will use laser weapons.
The arrival of the new capability enhances the test capabilities available to develop and prove the superiority of systems needed to meet the demands of the National Defense Strategy.
“This final demonstration was the culmination of many years of development and testing in an effort to create an aero-optic test capability in the AEDC wind tunnels,” said Dr. Rich Roberts, commander of the 716th Squadron's Store Separation Flight. "The ability to obtain this data will be useful for defense programs that will need to transmit laser-directed energy."
The new system is called Integrated Directed Energy Aero-optical Surrogate, or IDEAS, and it allows the military to characterize how the laser beam will behave and, if necessary, how to precondition the laser. The tests are done in conjunction with another system, the Captive Trajectory Omni-directional Reflector, or CapTOR.
“The IDEAS brings together MZA's aero-optic diagnostic sensors along with our gimbal tracking and control software to provide complete observation field wavefront measurements,” said Dr. Matt Whiteley, Vice President and Senior Scientist at MZA. “IDEAS enables measurement geometries that are difficult to obtain using tunnel windows, including in the deep wake of the aircraft. It provides the complete picture of the environment in which a laser must operate.”
The USAF has been investing in the development of laser weapons for decades. In the past, directed energy weapons have been studied in large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and C-135. Over the years, lasers have been miniaturized, allowing the development of weapons small enough to be mounted on fighter jets, such as the F-16 and the F-15 itself.
The SHiELD (Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator) program is one of the major US initiatives to develop laser weapons for the battlefield of the future. The project seeks to create a self-defense system to destroy missiles that approach the aircraft. The first flight test with the SHiELD is scheduled for 2024.
