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. Based on the Phase I results, we propose to assemble, test, and demonstrate an Autonomous Damage Assessment Module (ADAM) eBDI system that 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 Remote Control Unit within seconds-to-minutes after an engagement. The ADAM module will be sufficiently compact, lightweight and inexpensive that its deployment is exceptionally straightforward and its utilization can be on a one-time, even disposable, basis. ADAM is made possible by the rapid advances and reduced costs of laboratory quality spectrum analyzers, digitizers, and Software Defined Radio (SDR) transceivers. ADAM’s small footprint and low cost will allow deployment of multiple units close to a target facility by overt or covert means.