U.S. Air Force Maj. Billie DeLuca, Air Force Institute of Technology assistant professor of physics (left), and U.S. Air Force 2d Lt. Jonathan Bizzano (right), AFIT master’s student in applied physics, discuss research in AFIT’s Department of Physics Quantum Optical Technology Laboratory.
(U.S. Air Force photo)

By Sara Topp
Air Force Institute of Technology

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has been at the forefront of Department of War (DoW)-directed research, education, and innovation since the U.S. Air Force first envisioned using high energy lasers and high-power microwaves as weapon systems. 

AFIT alumnus, retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Donald Lamberson led much of the laser work at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, and in 1970, requested the creation of an academic program at AFIT focused on high energy lasers. In 1973, Lamberson scored the first laser shoot down on an aerial target at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

Lamberson completed both his doctorate in aerospace engineering in 1969 and his master’s in nuclear engineering in 1961 at AFIT. He was also the 2002 recipient of AFIT’s ‘Distinguished Alumni Award’ that recognizes outstanding career achievements. 

In 2001, AFIT established the Center for Directed Energy (CDE) as its first cross-disciplinary research center, founded to conduct sponsored research which would influence the evolution of DE. Under the leadership of CDE Director and Professor of Engineering Physics, Dr. Steven Fiorino, the center is focused on four strategic priorities: research, education, innovation, and collaboration.

RESEARCH
CDE is focused on solving DoW research problems related to DE technologies and DoW applications. The center develops models and software that are used primarily for educating, consulting, and advising.

EDUCATION
The center focuses on educating the next generation of DE professionals. Pre-service and in-service certificate degree programs are offered with an emphasis on research to support education. In conjunction with the AFIT Graduate School of Engineering and Management’s Department of Engineering Physics, CDE offers rigorous academic programs in the DE associated technologies. 

Additionally, CDE offers unique co-op and internship opportunities that challenge participants to expand their knowledge and apply it to related real-world scenarios.

INNOVATION
CDE researches many areas that will enable or influence new sources of laser power, including chemical, gas, and solid-state lasers with advanced active tracking and adaptive optics capabilities.

Graduate students in the advanced atmospheric dynamics course from the AFIT’s Department of Engineering Physics
participate in the DIYnamics research experiment. (U.S. Air Force photo)

COLLABORATION
CDE develops modeling and simulation products for researchers and warfighters through collaboration with a diverse group of partners in the DoW and DE communities. One of CDE's major contributions is the development of various software codes to more accurately model atmospheric effects on DE propagation. Two highly-recognized examples include High Energy Laser End-to-End Operational Simulation (HELEEOS) and Laser Environmental Effects Definition and Reference (LEEDR).

The CDE is 100% sponsor funded through various research efforts. Its annual average budget of $3 million supports these leading research focus areas:

• Atmospheric effects on DE Systems
• Effects on Hypersonic Infrared Target Sensing (HITS)
• High energy lasers: DPALs, gas lasers
• DE weather integration prototype and real-time weather sensor feed
• Aerosol and optical turbulence measurements and modeling
• Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) target interactions
• Adaptive optics and beam combination

BY THE NUMBERS 2021-2026

• NEW sponsor funding received: $16M 
• Total experimental equipment value: $4M 
• Graduate theses & dissertations: 33
• Peer reviewed journal publications: 89