HELSTF Center of Excellence

Laser Demonstration Device (LDD)

The Laser Demonstration Device (LDD) is a continuous-wave chemical laser designed and constructed by United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) at East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1972, and was used at that facility until 1990. Ownership was transferred to HELSTF in 1991, and the LDD was installed and recharacterized in 1992.

LDD was installed to allow experimenters to simulate MIRACL power densities at lower power levels (10-20 kilowatts), reducing the cost per experiment. A user test area is available to LDD where experiments can be performed to the individual customer's specification. Future plans may include integration of LDD into the MIRACL beam train. This will allow the LDD beam to be propagated into any of the MIRACL test areas or to the SeaLite Beam Director. 


A view from the outside of the LDD complex

Typical LDD test programs have included: 

  • Materials Effects and Hardening
    • Ceramics
    • Composites 
      • Static and Tensile Tests
      • Pressurized Cylinders
    • Metals (Base and Painted)
  • Optical Components
    • Substrate Materials
    • Coatings
    • HF and DF Laser Mirrors
  • Precursors to Major MIRACL Tests
    • Vulnerability Testing on Cruise Missile Components for Navy Point Defense
    • Demonstration Wavelength Coupling Coefficient Experiment for Air Force Airborne Laser
Article Credit:

For additional information, please e-mail, visit White Sands Missile Range, or mail to:

Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
HELSTF Directorate, SMDC-AC-H
White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002-5148
http://helstf-www.wsmr.army.mil/ldd.htm
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