The researchers also developed and demonstrated several approaches for busing energy into and out of the structure. These methods encompass various attempts at designing an integrated bus structure capable of transferring critical loads through joints to prevent disruption of the load path. Technicians have fabricated prototype panels to validate these approaches, and researchers are using validation results to optimize structural performance and develop improved fabrication methods and bus integration designs. It is likely that implementing this technology in the future will involve integrating an active switching network into the bus system. This type of network would allow the creation of parallel networks of series circuits to provide power handling tailored to weapon system requirements. This network would offer another advantage as well: if any loadbearing capacitor elements were shorted due to in-service structural damage, the active network could eliminate those components from the circuit.

Developing this technology is an important step toward fulfilling future AF needs. One day, engineers will use AFRL-developed capabilities to design smaller air vehicles capable of delivering short pulses of electrical energy to power directed energy weapons and provide necessary power for air vehicle subsystems. These future air vehicles will play an important role in tomorrow’s AF and will forever change the face of warfare.

Mr. William Baron and Ms. Melissa Withrow (Azimuth Corporation), of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Air Vehicles Directorate, wrote this article. For more information, contact TECH CONNECT at (800) 203-6451 or place a request at http://www.afrl.af.mil/techconn_index.asp. Reference document VA-H-06-06.