Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate wins research funding

  • Published
  • By Jeanne D. Dailey
  • 377 Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --   The Air Force Research Laboratory, headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, recently selected innovative research proposals within its 10 technical organizations for funding under the AFRL Venture Fund and the AFRL Commander's Research and Development Fund.

The Venture Fund is for modest-sized, one-year quick studies of new topics, and the
Commander's Fund is for larger, multi-AFRL directorate and perhaps multi-year research efforts.

The headquarters received over 80 proposals.

Major General Ellen M. Pawlikowski, commander, AFRL, selected the best proposals for
funding. AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate, located here, submitted eight Venture Fund
proposals and six were selected. The directorate's winning researchers are Dr. William White,
Dr. Pat Roach, Dr. Timothy Fleming, Dr. David Hostutler, Mr. Ben Pulford, and Squadron Leader
Don Andrews. Overall, the Directed Energy Directorate accounted for more than 40 percent of the
selected Venture Fund proposals. "This is a strong testament to the quality and creativity of the
Directed Energy Directorate staff," said Dr. Robert E. Peterkin, the directorate's chief scientist.

AFRL selected seven Commander's Research and Development research proposals for funding by the end of September. The Directed Energy Directorate was the lead directorate on one proposal and a support directorate on two others.

Dr. Peterkin told his fellow researchers, "As a result of the hard work and attention to detail many of you, Directed Energy had an impressive showing in the fiscal year 2010 competition.

I am very excited about the proposals for these new research areas. Keep up the great work!"

Researchers at the AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate develop, integrate and transition technology involving high-energy lasers, high-power microwaves, millimeter waves, beam control, and advanced optical systems. The directorate also evaluates prospective applications and effects of systems using directed energy technologies, conducts modeling and simulation, as well as directs space situational awareness data collection and reporting.