The Directed Energy (DE) Division develops laser and high-power microwave (HPM) weapon systems, within naval size, weight, and power (SWAP) constraints, to strike enemy land, air, and sea targets and to defend naval platforms and land bases from threats that include missiles, loitering munitions, manned aircraft, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISRT) platforms, and swarms of small, unmanned systems.
Objective
Foster investments and program development aligned to dynamic warfighter needs in support of the Navy and Marine Corps through Directed Energy technologies to enable offensive strike and defensive maneuver in a layered and complementary capability with Kinetic Weapons and Electronic Warfare. Collaborate across C5ISR, Electronics, Power and Energy, Materials and Manufacturing while leveraging Naval platforms to enable new options for lethal threat engagement, enhanced sensing and spectrum operations that enable deception and disruption.
Research Areas
Strategic Alignments
According to Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Caudle’s Navy Fighting Instructions, fielding directed energy (DE) for line-of-sight air and missile defense represents a fundamental paradigm shift for maritime warfare. ONR Code 353’s research portfolio directly supports the CNO’s strategic vision to transition directed energy from experimentation into decisive Fleet air and missile defense capabilities. By advancing High Energy Lasers (HEL), Pulsed Lasers (PL), and High Power Microwaves (HPM) alongside Counter-DEW (CDEW) survivability, the division matures Naval S&T to deliver scalable, multilayered hard- and soft-kill options for terminal defense.