The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Raytheon Company a two-year, $7.5 million contract to develop an improved composite material for infrared windows and missile domes.

The contract calls for the development of significantly enhanced materials and manufacturing processes compared to those currently in use for windows and aerodynamically shaped domes in the 3-5 micron mid-wave infrared band.

The Phase 1 contract is being performed for the Office of Naval Research as part of DARPA's Nano-Composite Optical Ceramics program. The objective is to develop a processing method for the manufacture of infrared transparent missile domes capable of higher speed operation and greater particle impact resistance than sapphire, the current material. If options are exercised in subsequent phases, the full program has a potential value of $14.4 million.

Phase 1 goals include achieving mid-wave infrared optical transmission exceeding that of spinel with mechanical properties greater than those of sapphire. These efforts will include the development of new classes of infrared materials for windows and domes based on multi-phase nano-composites designed to be substantially stronger than existing single-phase infrared materials.

Sergyi Way
07.05.2007

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