Air Force and ATK Developing Directed Energy Weapons to Defeat Explosive Devices

Air Force and ATK Developing Directed Energy Weapons to Defeat Explosive Devices

Published by David Crane in New And Future Technology on June 15th, 2005

News Release

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Air Force Research Laboratory, Office of Public Affairs, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue S.E., Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-
5776
(505) 846-1911; Fax (505) 846-0423
INTERNET: http://www.de.afrl.af.mil/News/2005

June 15, 2005

DE RELEASE NO. 2005-25
CONTACT: Eva D. Hendren
PHONE: (505) 846-6315
Email: eva.hendren@kirtland.af.mil

TECHNOLOGY AIMED AT DEFEATING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) officials here announced today (June 15) that Alliant Techsystems (http://www.atk.com/ATK) is being given $1.5 million as part of a rapid development program to build a system to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Under the terms of the contract, the laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate, High Power Microwave Division will be working with the Edina, Minn.-based company to develop high-power microwave technologies capable of defeating several types of IEDs currently threatening U.S. and allied troops in Iraq. ATK Mission Research will build and test the…

Scorpion II Demonstration System, a transportable high-powered microwave system capable of disabling a wide variety of IEDs.

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TECHNOLOGY AIMED AT DEFEATING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES-2

Previous efforts with the Scorpion I system were under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the company and the Directed Energy Directorate Officials note that moving from an agreement to this contract reflects a greater Defense Department interest in developing a force protection system that can be used for the global war on terror.

The money going to ATK will also pay for materials, including hardware, facilities, supplies, travel, labor and services. The laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate, High Power Microwave Division is the Department of Defense’s center of expertise for high-power microwave research.

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