High-Power Microwave (HPM) Weapons"Effects and Failure Analysis Tool

This research effort is to develop a tool to model the electromagnetic vulnerability/interference (EMV/I) of electronic systems, subsystems and components to directed-energy HPM weapons. A complete HPM-Expert conceptual framework has been developed for performing simulation-based failure analyses that establishes HPM weapons"effects on targeted electronics associated with both front- and back-door coupling paths (e.g., communications systems, electro-optical/infrared sensors, Global Positioning Systems, inertial navigation systems, and processors). The focus is on device/component/circuit-level EMV/I and quantifying associated disturbance, disruption, or damage (DDD) thresholds. A combination of system-level analytical and numerical tools, statistical electromagnetics, domain decomposition, and sneak circuit analysis (SCA) techniques are integrated and applied to address this problem in the frequency domain and which can be extended into the time domain. This will lead to a mature capability that will increase the Navy"s ability to protect its own electronic systems from HPM attack, as well as to determine the level of damage incurred by the enemy. The objective of this proposed effort is two-fold: (i) develop a pre-prototype HPM-Expert computer modeling and simulation capability based on the refined conceptual framework and demonstrate it on a sample challenge problem to be postulated by the government; and (ii) develop a working prototype capability that integrates the various algorithms and tools into a single, stand-alone package consisting of an analytical approach and process definition that can be readily transitioned for use in selected military Programs of Record as well as commercialized in cooperation with one or more technology transition partners.