A wind tunnel model image of an F-15E carrying a laser weapon pod on its centerline station has been released by the U.S. Air Force.
According to the press release by Arnold Engineering Development Complex, a new aero-optical test capability was acquired by the 716th Test Squadron in March. Engineers are trying to collect wavefront information anywhere around aircraft models, which are firing laser-directed energy.
This new system, dubbed Integrated Directed Energy Aero-optical Surrogate (IDEAS), allows engineers to determine the behavior of the laser energy and how to precondition it if necessary. This testing is done in conjunction with the Captive Trajectory Omni-directional Reflector (CapTOR).
“IDEAS allows for 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,” said Dr. Matt Whiteley, vice president and senior scientist with MZA, the company that develop IDEAS.
The U.S. Air Force has a program called Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) to develop a defensive laser pod of its legacy fighters such as the F-15.
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