Experiments to Demonstrate the Efficacy of the TPASCO HPM Source Concept

Both US critical infrastructure and military electronic systems may be vulnerable to threats posed by HPM weapons. To assess the level of vulnerability, as an aid in electromagnetic hardening, and as a surrogate for foreign devices, a tunable, configurable, maintainable, and mobile HPM source is required. We have proposed a candidate source, TPASCO, that meets these requirements, and in Phase I have computationally demonstrated its tunability over a full waveguide band. TPASCO antennas provide circular and linear polarization agility, at power densities, pulse lengths, and repetition rates that meet both present and foreseeable threat levels. In Phase II, we will execute experiments that will demonstrate the ability of TPASCO to modulate full current electron beams over L-band waveguide bandwidths, using novel methods for pulse power drive that enable major operational simplifications. Key device parameters will be computer controlled, allowing frequency changes in seconds. Since remaining technologies to fully implement TPASCO are low risk, these experiments will enable full facility implementation. Subsequent to experiments, we will provide a report that will identify key subsystems, provide their conceptual designs, and estimate costs for full implementation of the TPASCO concept across multiple waveguide bands at the indoor and outdoor ranges at Eglin AFB.