Directed Energy CTF Oversees Testing of Anti-Drone Weapon

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TULLAHOMA TN Vol. 68, No. 4 Arnold AFB, Tenn. PERMIT NO. 29 February 16, 2021 Directed Energy CTF oversees testing of anti-drone weapon By Bradley Hicks The latest system tested, office. This experiment has in- c-UAS capability, and the first lessons learned from the de- AEDC Public Affairs the High Energy Laser Weap- volved taking commercial off integration with a base,” said ployment of its first HELWS, on System 2, also known as the shelf systems and deploy- DE CTF Director Lt. Col. Jar- referred to as H1 and deployed KIRTLAND AIR FORCE HELWS2 or H2, is a counter- ing them to several Combatant ed Rupp. “Additionally, these in early 2020. The H2 system BASE, N.M. – Throughout Unmanned Aerial System (c- Commands, or COCOMs, for locations were selected as to features a number of improve- 2020, the 704th Test Group’s UAS) directed energy weapon training, testing and evaluation significantly enhance c-UAS ments, including ruggedized Operating Location AA, part (DEW). for a one-year period. capability through the use of enhancements to ensure trans- of the Directed Energy Com- H2 was tested as part of a “This experiment has many these DEWs, helping to pre- portability and survivability in bined Test Force, or DE CTF, directed energy experiment notable U.S. Air Force firsts, vent enemy airborne intelli- a wide range of operational en- focused much of its effort on that began in the spring of 2020 including the complete train- gence, surveillance and recon- vironments, a new beam direc- the testing of weapons de- and was managed by the Stra- ing of and operation of the naissance (ISR), and attacks.” tor for more accurate targeting, signed to prevent adversarial tegic Development Planning system by Security Forces Air- Raytheon Intelligence & drone observation and assault. & Experimentation, or SDPE, men, the first directed energy Space developed the H2 with See WEAPON, page 4 AEDC Aeropropulsion team takes the lead on AFWERX Rapid Test Technique Development effort By Deidre Moon said Steve Arnold, technical AEDC Public Affairs advisor for Aeropropulsion at Arnold. “Historically, when The Arnold Engineer- a new engine design is tested ing Development Complex for the first time in an altitude Aeropropulsion Combined test cell, unexpected interac- Test Force team at Arnold tions can occur between the Air Force Base has become engine and the test cell that involved with AFWERX to take weeks to resolve before explore ways to reduce the testing can continue. time required to prepare to “The AFWERX project test new U.S. Air Force tur- uses improved CFD modeling bine engines. predictions with 3D printing AFWERX is an Air Force for reduced cost subscale pro- initiative started in 2017 to totyping to better understand foster a culture of innovation the interaction problems and within the service. find solutions. Then when Through AFWERX and a the engine arrives, less time Small Business Innovative is required to start productive Research, or SBIR, project, testing.” the Aeropropulsion team is Yancee Burchett, Aero- partnering with the small propulsion test engineer, business Core Parts to de- further explained that Rapid sign and build the hardware, Test Technique Development refine the design of the Com- is a program that seeks to putational Fluid Dynamics quickly troubleshoot and un- model and test processes for derstand issues from ground this effort, known as Rapid test through the use of rapid Test Technique Development. prototyping. Core Parts is a small business “The goal of the program based in Mesa, Arizona. is to understand ground test “The AFWERX Rapid issues, in this case acoustic Test Technique Development responses, early on so that project attempts to take ad- we’ll be better prepared for vantage of emerging technol- future test programs,” he ogies, such as 3D printing and said. “This effort included Alan Womack, left, machinist lead, and Jeff Tucker, machinist, install the second of two nozzles advanced CFD, to be better exploring the use of additive onto a test apparatus in the Sea Level 2 Test Cell, Dec. 17, 2020, at Arnold Air Force Base. An prepared to test new engine Arnold Engineering Development Complex test team was researching the acoustic properties designs in altitude test cells,” See AFWERX, page 3 of two different nozzles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett) Member of Team AEDC plays role in New Mexico COVID response By Bradley Hicks ment, or PPE, to residents of the Joint Operations Center. us take for granted. In some AEDC Public Affairs New Mexico. There were approximately 20 cases, medical care is also It was through his service Guardsmen in the JOC cov- lacking,” he said. “Many of HOLLOMAN AIR in the New Mexico National ering three different shifts. the PPE, food and water de- FORCE BASE, N.M. – A Guard that Black was intro- There were also a few hun- liveries went to these indi- member of the Arnold Engi- duced to the daunting assign- dred Guardsmen on orders at viduals. Providing masks, neering Development Com- ment. Black is attached to various locations throughout thermometers, testing kits, plex team was among the the 150th Special Operations the state. and food and water was very several hundred who ensured Wing, a unit of the New Mex- “We coordinated with nu- well-received, and I believe hundreds of thousands had ico Air National Guard sta- merous federal and state em- they saved many lives. access to protective equip- tioned at Kirtland Air Force ployees to ensure PPE, food “We also had a large ment and vital resources dur- Base, New Mexico. and water was available to Guard contingency focused ing the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Mexico National those needing it,” Black said. on cleaning high-risk facili- For nearly two months, Guard was activated by Gov. Black said the delivery ties such as nursing homes Ryan Black, acquisition pro- Michelle Lujan Grisham to of the resources was impor- and medical clinics. I joined gram manager with the 704th conduct a statewide COV- tant and his involvement in the Guard to do stuff like Ryan Black Test Group, a unit of AEDC ID-19 response effort after ensuring their delivery was this, and I know my fellow based at Holloman Air Force federal funding for support World Health Organization personally rewarding. Guardsmen feel the same Base, New Mexico, was was approved. declared COVID-19 a glob- “A lot of New Mexico res- way.” tasked with facilitating the Black went on orders al pandemic. Over the next idents, specifically those in delivery of food, water and with the Guard in May 2020, 55 days, he served as one rural areas, still live without See COVID RESPONSE, page 4 personal protective equip- around two months after the of the officers in charge of access to amenities many of Arnold team members save Safety measures added Nominations for 2021 big money on sizeable job along Wattendorf Memorial AEDC Fellows open Highway …Page 2 …Page 3 …Page 6 2 • February 16, 2021 v Arnold Air Force Arnold team members save big Base money on sizeable job Col. Jeffrey Geraghty Commander Jason Austin Chief, Public Affairs Richard Tighe General Manager, National Aerospace Solutions High Mach Staff: Kathy Jacobsen, NAS Executive Editor Jill Pickett NAS Editor High Mach is published by Lakeway Publishers, Inc. a pri- vate firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold Air Force Base, Arnold Engi- Arnold Air Force Base craft personnel who completed the recent removal of nearly 2,500 feet of insulation from high-pressure air neering Development Complex (AEDC) or National Aerospace lines gather for a photo outside the Model and Machine Shop Jan. 26, at Arnold AFB. The team worked quickly to remove the insula- Solutions (NAS), under exclu- tion during a recent four-day high-pressure air. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks) sive written contract with NAS at Arnold AFB, Tenn., 37389. By Bradley Hicks the TOS contractor, was charged ing at it, scaffolding, to me, was saved more than $75,000 on Everything advertised in AEDC Public Affairs with facilitating the removal of not cost-effective if we could the job. this publication will be made the insulation for the inspec- get an outage to be up there “It’s saved us a lot of mon- available for purchase, use When a prime opportunity to tion. He reached out to Broad- around that stuff with an aerial ey,” Flanigan said. “Plus, it’s or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, complete a considerable under- rick, and the two discussed how work platform,” Broadrick said. reduced the amount of down- national origin, age, marital sta- taking at Arnold Air Force Base to approach the task. Broadrick suggested that time that we needed.” tus, physical handicap, political recently presented itself, plan- Broadrick developed a plan rather than pursuing the costly Broadrick said because affiliation or any other non- ners and craft personnel seized to complete the project. He esti- scaffolding rental, those tasked only a small amount of insula- merit factor of the purchaser, it. user or patron. mated that it would take around with the insulation removal tion remains, the Arnold AFB The High Mach office is The decision to proceed with four weeks for a four-man should look for an HPA out- Carpenter Shop will construct located at 100 Kindel Drive, the removal of thousands of feet crew to remove the insulation age to complete as much of the scaffolding for its removal. Suite A236, Arnold AFB, Tenn. of insulation during a brief out- since they would need to work work as possible utilizing aerial However, more than enough 37389-1236.

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