When
Where
Title
High Energy Laser Perspectives from a Former Government Leader and Current Academic Researcher
Abstract
Since 2019, the Military Services have developed several high energy laser (HEL) prototype systems in support of the near- and mid-term goals of the Department of War Directed Energy Roadmap. Currently, the most sophisticated prototypes under development are the HEL Counter Anti-ship-cruise-missile Program (HELCAP) being funded by the Office of Naval Research and the Indirect Fire Protection Capability HEL (IFPC-HEL) being funded by the U.S. Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. Both prototypes are scheduled for field demos in FY26 in support of Golden Dome for America. Based on lessons learned from HELCAP and IFPC-HEL, one significant challenge that remains for future prototype systems is the timely integration of continuous-wave HEL sources at >100 kW-class power levels. A lot of these integration challenges can be overcome with enough time and funding; however, they can also be overcome with innovation. Either option will require an experienced workforce, and that is the point of this talk—to start a discussion on how the University of Arizona can help this cause. In support, this talk will highlight current projects within the newly formed Beam Control and Propagation (BC&P) Laboratory at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.
Bio
Mark F. Spencer is a Professor of Optical Sciences and the inaugural holder of the Robert M. Edmund Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences within the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. At large, he is a scientist/engineer who has spent his career working in various technical and administrative capacities. Mark began his research career at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate (2014-2021) after receiving his PhD from the Air Force Institute of Technology as a SMART Scholar. Before taking his current role in academia, he served as a Directed Energy Staff Specialist at Headquarters US Indo-Pacific Command
(2021-2023), as well as Director of the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office and Principal Director (Senior Official) for Directed Energy within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering at the Pentagon (2023-2025). Mark is an internationally recognized expert in directed energy (specifically, beam control and propagation for laser systems) and currently conducts research in unconventional imaging, sensing, and adaptive optics for defense and commercial applications. He is a Senior Member of Optica and a Fellow of SPIE.
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