MZA is proud to announce the addition of Dr. Don Washburn to the MZA staff. For the past fifteen years at AFRL, Dr. Washburn has been the driving force behind a series of important directed energy research projects including ABLE ACE, ABL advanced concepts and range extension, and high altitude and tactical relays. He also chaired the HEL JTO Beam Control Technical Advisory Working Group that provided recommendations to JTO management on investments in beam control technology.

After graduating from the Air Force Academy, he began his career as an Air Force Operational Pilot, where he eventually became qualified to command eight different aircraft including the F-100 and B-52. He was a Forward Air Controller and Combat Instructor in Vietnam, earning 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 18 Air Medals, and an Army Commendation Medal. He later returned to the Academy to teach math and physics courses. In the early eighties he was stationed at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory (a predecessor to AFRL) to serve as the Chief of the Advanced Beam Control Branch.

After retiring from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel, he worked for Logicon/RDA as a Division Manager overseeing beam control and directed energy simulation projects. He returned to government service as an IPA in 1991 where he provided managerial and technical leadership in the conduct of leading edge directed energy research. Dr. Washburn has a B.S. in Engineering Science from the Air Force Academy, M.S. in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from Purdue, and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from UCLA. Dr. Washburn's first assignment will be as program manager of the MZA ABL modeling and simulation efforts.