Directed Energy (DE) continues to have dramatic new near term applications to war efforts at all level of conflict, including homeland defense missions near home. DE systems are currently being developed to support homeland defense, national missile defense, and tactical military forces, and ideas for new DE systems are being demonstrated or contemplated that will transform the nature of warfare in 10 to 25 years. Although DE is maturing, tremendous challenges remain. For near term systems, performances must be demonstrated and improved, and DE suitability features such as affordability, integration, packaging, reliability, and operability need attention. DE science and technology base is not currently funded to continue development of many promising DE technologies. The DE technology community must develop clearer and more consistent partnerships with potential users and developers of DE systems to insure development and advocacy of the highest priority DE technologies. There are insufficient entrants into the DE technology workforce at government and industrial DE laboratories and production activities to ensure ability to accommodate a potentially explosive growth in new DE systems for national security. The nation needs a partnership among government agencies, industry, academia, and Congress to establish consistent perspective, direction, resources, and initiatives to address these issues from a national point of view. The 3rd Annual Directed Energy Workshop brought together senior members from the DE community to present a broad, national perspective of these issues. Topics discussed included:
Workshop Program
In addition, the DEPS short course "Introduction to Directed Energy and Current Technical Issues" was offered on the day prior to the workshop.
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