SITIS Topic Details |
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| Proposals Accepted: | |
| Program: | SBIR |
| Topic Number: | AF103-013 (AirForce) |
| Title: | Directed Energy Hardening of Munitions | Research & Technical Areas: | Weapons |
| The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation. | Objective: | Develop technologies to protect guidance and control components against electromagnetic threats, including high power microwaves, employed by adversaries against our munitions.
| Description: | The ability of high power radio frequency (HPRF) energy to interfere with, shut down or damage electronic systems is a well known phenomenon. It is the purpose of this effort to develop technology to protect electronic systems such as precision guided munitions (PGMs) against known and expected near term electromagnetic (EM) threats. This effort deals specifically with those non-invasive techniques that can provide protection resulting in a successful mission. Protection/mitigation techniques may include software mitigation, radio frequency (RF) absorbent coatings, shielding and/or filtering. The RF environments to protect against will be those specified in MIL-STD-464.
The contractor will fabricate generic PGMs with representative apertures and conducting penetrations to use in determining the coupling RF energy into the PGM cavity. Various electronic elements and fill will be used in several configurations to allow for modeling of different PGM internal layouts. The fill will have the same or similar dielectric properties to the fuel and/or explosive materials contained in PGMs. This effort will be carried out through two distinct paths of investigation and verification. Computational simulations using models for existing and proposed materials will be carried out showing analytically that proposed processes are capable of providing the necessary protection.
Computer-aided drafting (CAD) models will be generated to model the physical properties and dimensions of the systems to be protected for use in determining the level of protection provided by “material hardening.” Circuit analysis will also be performed on representative electronics. The electronics will simulate particular aspects of interest for PGMs. Interference thresholds for detrimental effects will be determined experimentally on these simulation circuits and proposed hardening of circuits and/or material hardening will be presented. Hardening techniques will be fabricated, implemented and demonstrated empirically.
Successful demonstration of hardening techniques will ultimately result in the hardening and demonstration of representative functional electronic fixtures housed within topically correct PGM geometries during the Phase II effort. The hardening technology will be demonstrated in an “operational” flight simulation in an HPRF environment. Final acceptance of hardening success will be demonstrated by the empirical comparison of the test electronics in a protected and non-protected configuration. The levels of effect and protection will be quantified for the frequencies of interest.
The AF will provide an inert test article.
| PHASE I: Consists of design and fabrication of the test article. Detailed CAD drawings are required. Shielding effectiveness will be made over MIL STD 464 frequencies. Existing coatings of at least three types will be evaluated for shielding improvement. Electrical circuits will be identified for test.
| PHASE II: Circuits will be fabricated and demonstrated to be vulnerable to HPRF prior to installation. The electrical circuits will be installed into the test article. RF effects will be demonstrated for these devices within the test article, selected shielding and coatings applied, and their effectiveness verified. Hardening of electronics will also be employed as necessary to demonstrate survivability.
| PHASE III | DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION:
Military Application: The AF will provide an inert test article. Effects will be verified then hardening measures will be applied. The improved performance will be verified and demonstrated in compliance with MIL STD 464.
Commercial Application: Applications include lightweight RF protection for server farms, home computers, or sensitive electronic control systems (or System Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems).
| References: | 1. S. Celozzi, et al., Electromagnetic Shielding, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2008. 2. Philip E. Nielsen, “Effects of Directed Energy Weapons,” National Defense University, Washington, DC, 1994. 3. J. Benford, High Power Microwaves, 2nd Ed, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL, 2007. 4. F.M. Tesche, et al., EMC Analysis Methods and Computational Models, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1997. 5. W.D. Prather, “Shielding Specification Techniques and Measurement Methods for Aircraft,” Proc. IEEE/EMC International Symposium, Honolulu HI, July 2007 (Invited). |
| Keywords: | High Power Microwaves, HPM, Narrow Band, Shielding, Munitions |
Additional Information, Corrections, References, etc.. |
Ref #6: Ref. 6 - MIL-STD-464B. Note: Replaces referenced MIL-STD-464 in Topic DESCRIPTION, Line 4. (Uploaded in SITIS 8/24/10.) AF103_013 MILSTD464B draft.doc |
Questions and Answers: |
No questions posed on this topic at this time |
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