Development of an Autonomous Damage Assessment Module (ADAM) for use as an Electronic Battle Damage Indicator

Future battlefields employing directed energy technologies will require an electronic Battle Damage Indicator (eBDI) tool that can measure the radiated Radio Frequency (RF) emissions from a target before and after a High Power RF (HPRF) attack and determine if target electronics have been significantly disrupted. We propose an innovative eBDI using a system so compact, lightweight and inexpensive that its deployment is exceptionally straightforward and its utilization can be on a one time, even disposable, basis. Termed ADAM, for ‘Autonomous Damage Assessment Module,' ADAM will measure and store RF emissions from a targeted facility, record critical parameters of an HPRF engagement source, measure target RF emissions after the HPRF engagement, determine if significant changes in the RF signature have occurred, and finally transmit all of these results to a command authority within seconds to minutes after engagement. ADAM is made possible by the rapid advances and reduced costs of Personal Computer (PC) controlled spectrum analyzers and Software Defined Radio (SDR) transceivers and will have a footprint on the order of a square foot or less. ADAM’s small footprint and low cost will allow deployment of multiple units close to a target facility by overt or covert means.