PROTECTION OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AGAINST ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP)

THE VULNERABILITY OF MANY TYPES OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT TO THE NUCLEAR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) HAS CLEARLY BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE DOD HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM FOR NUMEROUS MILITARY SYSTEMS FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. NOT ONLY WEAPONS SYSTEMS, BUT VITAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS MUST ALSO BE PROTECTED FROM DAMAGE TO ELECTRONICS AND CRITICAL FUNCTION UPSET. THE DOD DEPLOYABLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM IS ONE SUCH SYSTEM WHICH DEPENDS ON MULTIPLES OF SENSITIVE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT TO PERFORM ITS CRITICAL FUNCTIONS. EMP-SUSCEPTIBLE COMPONENTS OF THE MILITARY HOSPITAL UNIT INCLUDE THE POWER GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION SYTTEM, COMMUNICATIONS AND DATA LINKS, ENVIRONMENT CONTROL EQUIPMENT, AND LIFE-SUPPORT, MONITORING, DIAGNOSTIC AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENTS. CRITICAL UNITS OR SUBSYSTEMS OF THESE COMPONENTS MUST SURVIVE EXPOSURE TO THREAT-LEVEL EMP IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A VIABLE HOSPITAL UNIT. THE PHASE I WORK DESCRIBED IN THIS PROPOSAL ADDRSSES THE PROBLEM OF DEFINING COST-EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR PROTECTING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AGAINST EMP. LIKELY VULNERABILITY MODES ARE FIRST ASSESSED TO FORM A TECHNICAL BASIS FOR DEFINITION OF HARDENING OPTIONS. THE FEASIBILITY OF AVAILABLE HARDENING OPTIONS ARE EXAMINED. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED FOR PHASE II DETAILED ANALYSES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS.