September 28, 2022

SPIE Photonics Industry Summit 2022 Recap

At the SPIE Photonics Summit, industry leaders were able to participate in an exchange of ideas and discussion of needs with government stakeholders. Leonardo is proud to sponsor this important conversation.

Two recent acts, CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, offer the “blueprint for sustained commitment to science”, and bring lasers, sensors, and photonics to the forefront of change in:

  • Clean energy
  • Advanced munitions
  • Bioengineering for medical research
  • Workforce development and job creation

Leonardo was proud to introduce Dr. Keith Krapels, Director, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electromagnetic Warfare Under Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering). Leonardo has collaborated with the allied military and fellow prime contractors to advance military capabilities. Already the top provider of laser diodes for advanced targeting systems, Leonardo has invested heavily in advancing high-power lasers to demonstrate capabilities in directed energy. Directed energy is one of the primary areas the DoD is looking to advance and demonstrate capability as they move toward megawatt power.

Isik Kizilyalli, Associate Director for Technology, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, built on the DARPA foundation, believes photonics is critical to increasing power, reducing nuclear energy waste, and improving energy efficiency.  Though not immediate, Kizilyalli states that today's fusion energy investment can be the path to reducing emissions.

ARPA-E is also funding projects like gas mapping lidar for emissions detection and a high-power laser decommissioning tool for subsea offshore pipeline and well decommissioning.

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