This book delves deeply into the real-world technologies behind the ‘directed energy weapons’ that many believe exist only within the confines of science fiction. On the contrary, directed energy weapons such as high energy lasers are very real, and this book provides a crash course in all the physical and mathematical concepts that make these weapons a reality. Written to serve both scientists researching the physical phenomena of laser effects, as well as engineers focusing on practical applications, the author provides worked examples demonstrating issues such as how to solve for heat diffusion equation for different boundary and initial conditions. Several sections are devoted to reviewing and dealing with solutions of diffusion equations utilizing the aid of the integral transform techniques. Ultimately this book examines the state-of-the-art in currently available high energy laser technologies, and suggests future directions for accelerating practical applications in the field.“br>/div

This book introduces modern directed-energy beam weaponry and emerging technical concepts based on unclassified and declassified information. The book covers laser systems, analyzing the interaction between high-power laser beams and matter, and examines penetration of high power beams such as microwave and scalar wave. It also covers the use of particle and high-power radar beams and scalar wave as weapons of the future. In-depth coverage of the relevant mathematical and engineering topics and concepts are included. The book will provide scientists and engineers with valuable guidance on the fundamentals needed to understand state-of-the-art directed energy weaponry technology research and applications. Provides guidance on the fundamentals of state-of-the-art directed-energy weaponry technology; Introduces the physics behind directed-energy weapons; Offers in-depth coverage of mathematical and engineering topics.

War at the Speed of Light describes the revolutionary and ever-increasing role of directed-energy weapons (such as laser, microwave, electromagnetic pulse, and cyberspace weapons) in warfare. Louis A. Del Monte delineates the threat that such weapons pose to disrupting the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction, which has kept the major powers of the world from engaging in nuclear warfare. Potential U.S. adversaries, such as China and Russia, are developing hypersonic missiles and using swarming tactics as a means to defeat the U.S. military. In response, the U.S. Department of Defense established the 2018 National Security Strategy, emphasizing directed-energy weapons, which project devastation at the speed of light and are capable of destroying hypersonic missiles and enemy drones and missile swarms. Del Monte analyzes how modern warfare is changing in three fundamental ways: the pace of war is quickening, the rate at which weapons project devastation is reaching the speed of light, and cyberspace is now officially a battlefield. In this acceleration of combat called "hyperwar," Del Monte shows how disturbingly close the world is to losing any deterrence to nuclear warfare.

This book introduces modern directed-energy beam weaponry and emerging technical concepts based on unclassified and declassified information. The book covers laser systems, analyzing the interaction between high-power laser beams and matter, and examines penetration of high power beams such as microwave and scalar wave. It also covers the use of particle and high-power radar beams and scalar wave as weapons of the future. In-depth coverage of the relevant mathematical and engineering topics and concepts are included. The book will provide scientists and engineers with valuable guidance on the fundamentals needed to understand state-of-the-art directed energy weaponry technology research and applications. Provides guidance on the fundamentals of state-of-the-art directed-energy weaponry technology; Introduces the physics behind directed-energy weapons; Offers in-depth coverage of mathematical and engineering topics.

Several nations are engaging in development and production of directed energy weapons. Recent scientific advances now enable the production of lethal lasers and high-powered microwaves. The current growth and development in this emerging area strongly suggests that directed energy weapons of lethal power will reach the battlefield before 2010. Since proliferation of lower power laser weapons has already happened, it is likely that proliferation of high power or high energy weapons will occur as well. This paper expands on this development and posits potential impacts on a plausible future battlefield, developed in part from the Alternate Futures of AF 2025, where all comers deploy lethal directed energy technologies. From these impacts, which span doctrine, organization, force structure, and systems design, this paper recommends changes to better posture the United States for this potential future.

An encyclopedic treatment of how Directed Energy Weapons work, how the energy of these weapons is propagated to the target, and how the weapon/beam-target interaction creates effects (damage) in the target. This is a technical exposition, written at the undergraduate physics and engineering level that could serve either as a text book or as a reference text for technical practitioners. The text addresses Kinetic Energy Weapons in addition to Lasers, Microwaves and Particle Beams.