Air Force Research Lab's Directed Energy Directorate gains new technical director

  • Published
  • By Jeanne D. Dailey
  • Air Force Research Laboratory
Kirtland Air Force Base --  Dr. David A. Hardy was recently appointed as the director of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate.
Dr. Hardy i s a member of the Senior Executive Service , equivalent to the rank of general or admiral in the armed services.
Before joining the Directed Energy Directorate, Dr. Hardy served as the associate director for Space Technology at AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate located at Kirtland AFB.
In this position, he had oversight of AFRL's space science and technology investments
and managed the directorate's science and technology portfolio.
In his previous assignments, Dr. Hardy worked as the AFRL's senior space experimentalist responsible for the advancement of all major space fight experiments.
He also served as chief, Battlespace Environment Division, within the Space Vehicles Directorate, where he administered all research within the Air Force to specify and predict the nature of the space environment. In addition, Dr. Hardy was the chief technical adviser, Requirements Directorate , Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
Dr. Hardy has published 125 papers in national and international journals and has been directly responsible for the development and flight of more than 35 scientific and operational space flight systems.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, a Master of Science degree in space physics and astronomy, a Doctor of Philosophy in space physics and astronomy, and a Master of Science degree in strategic studies.
"It is a privilege to be selected to lead the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed
Energy Directorate. I have long admired the directorate's outstanding legacy, and look forward to working with a great team of men and women who are conducting groundbreaking research for our nation," said Dr. Hardy.
In his new position, Dr. Hardy leads the United States Air Force's center of expertise for directed energy technology. With a workforce of 800 plus people, the directorate develops and transitions research technologies into military systems.
Some of the unique facilities within the directorate include the Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland, the North Oscura Peak Test Facility at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in southern N.M., the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site in Hawaii, and numerous state-of-the-art research laboratories.