1. A computer implemented method for designing an effective and efficient directed energy weapon system, comprising: modeling an environment; postulating a directed energy weapon system deployment; simulating a capability of the postulated directed energy weapon system deployment to defend a target aircraft against a missile threat within the environment, the simulating includes calculating the effect of the directed energy weapon system on at least one party other than the missile threat, and wherein a safety mitigation is simulated if the effect of the directed energy weapon places a party of the at least one party at risk; and iteratively improving the postulated directed energy weapon system deployment based on results from the simulating.