Within Electronics Risk
Why Safe on the Range May Fail in the Field
Range trials are not enough unless the defender's own radios, vehicles, sensors and medical devices are tested in realistic field conditions.
On this page
- Why real environments differ from clean test ranges
- Testing friendly radios, vehicles and sensors
- Using results to set power limits and firing rules
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Introduction
High-power microwave (HPM) directed energy weapons promise a valuable capability against drones and other electronic targets, but proving that they work against an adversary is only half the deployment problem. The other half is proving that they do not unintentionally disrupt the defender’s own communications, sensors, vehicles, medical equipment, and command systems. This cannot be established through laboratory measurements or idealised range trials alone. Microwave effects depend heavily on antenna orientation, cable routing, shielding quality, reflections from structures, vehicle geometry, and the wider electromagnetic environment. As a result, systems that appear safe during controlled testing can behave differently when deployed on a crowded base, airfield, ship, or urban site. Testing friendly electronics under realistic conditions therefore becomes a central part of fielding any microwave-based directed energy capability. [GAO+2NATO Store]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electroma…
Why Safe on the Range May Fail in the Field
Clean test ranges are designed to reduce uncertainty. Real operational environments create it.
High-power microwave systems interact with the electromagnetic environment in ways that are often difficult to predict precisely. Buildings, vehicles, fences, aircraft, antennas, power lines, and even terrain can reflect or channel energy. A radio that functions normally during a controlled trial may experience unexpected interference when mounted on a vehicle parked near a metal structure. Likewise, a sensor protected in laboratory conditions may become vulnerable when connected to operational cabling or external antennas. NATO research programmes examining HPM threats have specifically emphasised moving beyond laboratory analysis into realistic tactical scenarios because operational environments reveal effects that controlled testing can miss. [NATO Store]sto.nato.intNATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military…The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th…
A major challenge is electromagnetic coupling. Microwave energy does not need to strike a circuit board directly to create problems. Energy can enter through antennas, wiring harnesses, power cables, communication links, seams in enclosures, or other pathways. Small differences in installation can therefore produce very different outcomes. The same vehicle type may exhibit different susceptibility depending on modifications, antenna placement, maintenance history, or installed mission equipment. [ResearchGate+2Electronics For You]researchgate.netResearchGate(PDF) Research on high power microwave weaponsThis structured narrative review analyses how High-Power Microwave (HPM) Direct…
This is why military electromagnetic compatibility standards and protection programmes focus not merely on equipment design but also on integration and operational configuration. A system that passes component-level testing may still require additional evaluation once it is installed on a platform or integrated into a larger network. [Waru University]waru.eduMIL STD 464DWaru UniversityMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. ships is in proximity to high-power HF antennas and the ordnance…
Testing Friendly Radios, Vehicles and Sensors
The most important field-testing question is not whether an individual device survives exposure. It is whether an operational force can continue its mission while the microwave weapon is employed nearby.
Communications Systems
Radios are often among the first systems evaluated because they contain antennas deliberately designed to receive electromagnetic energy. Testing typically examines whether communications are interrupted, degraded, reset, or permanently damaged at different power levels and engagement angles. Even temporary communication loss may be operationally unacceptable during air defence or counter-drone operations. HPM developers and military researchers routinely identify radios among the electronic systems most susceptible to microwave effects because antennas can provide efficient entry paths for energy. [Physical Sciences Inc.]psicorp.comPhysical Sciences Inc.High-Power MicrowavesHigh-Power Microwaves PSI develops high-power microwave directed energy weapon systems, antenn…
Field evaluations therefore look beyond simple equipment survival. They measure message completion rates, network reliability, voice quality, data-link stability, and recovery time after exposure.
Vehicles and Platform Electronics
Modern military vehicles contain navigation systems, engine-control electronics, sensors, displays, and digital communications equipment. These interconnected systems can react differently from isolated laboratory hardware.
Testing commonly places vehicles in realistic operational layouts and exposes them to representative microwave emissions while engineers monitor for:
- Engine-control anomalies.
- Navigation disruptions.
- Sensor failures.
- Display resets.
- Data-bus errors.
- Communication interruptions.
- Recovery behaviour after exposure.
Research organisations working on HPM effects have highlighted the importance of testing complete platforms because interactions between subsystems can create vulnerabilities not visible when components are evaluated separately. [NATO Store+2Fraunhofer Publica]sto.nato.intNATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military…The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th…
Sensors and Air Defence Networks
Counter-drone operations often rely on radars, electro-optical sensors, electronic-support systems, and command networks. Ironically, these can be located close to the microwave weapon itself.
Testing therefore examines whether friendly surveillance assets continue functioning during and after engagements. Engineers assess detection range, track quality, false alarms, calibration drift, and network synchronisation. The objective is to ensure that a weapon intended to protect an air-defence system does not degrade the sensors required to operate that system. [GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electroma…
Medical and Support Equipment
Military bases and ships increasingly contain sophisticated medical electronics and support infrastructure. Although these devices are not the primary focus of combat-system testing, they cannot be ignored. Electromagnetic compatibility assessments frequently include sensitive support equipment because mission success depends on more than combat systems alone. A deployment area may contain medical monitors, communications hubs, power-management equipment, or other electronics whose disruption would create secondary operational risks. [Waru University]waru.eduMIL STD 464DWaru UniversityMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. ships is in proximity to high-power HF antennas and the ordnance…
What Realistic Field Trials Actually Measure
Field testing is most useful when it measures operational outcomes rather than simply recording whether hardware survives.
A comprehensive trial typically gathers evidence across several categories:
Performance degradation. Equipment may continue operating but perform less effectively. A radar might lose tracking accuracy, or a communications link may experience intermittent dropouts.
Temporary upset. Systems can reboot, freeze, lose data, or require operator intervention before returning to service.
Permanent damage. Components may fail completely or suffer cumulative degradation after repeated exposure.
Distance effects. Susceptibility is measured at varying distances and orientations to establish realistic hazard zones.
Environmental effects. Tests examine how weather, structures, terrain, and nearby equipment alter outcomes.
Operational workload. Human operators are evaluated as well. A technically survivable system may still create unacceptable workload if crews must repeatedly reset or reconfigure equipment. [Fraunhofer Publica+2NATO Store]publica.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer PublicaThe Threat of High Power Microwaves to Infrastructureby M Suhrke · Cited by 1 — ▫ Address the use of high power microwa…
Evidence from electromagnetic-effects programmes repeatedly shows that real-world configurations matter. For that reason, NATO studies investigating HPM threats have stressed joint trials and tactical scenarios rather than relying solely on analytical modelling or laboratory measurements. [NATO Store]sto.nato.intNATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military…The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th…
Using Results to Set Power Limits and Firing Rules
The purpose of field testing is not simply to identify vulnerabilities. It is to establish practical operating limits.
Once susceptibility data are collected, planners can define safe separation distances between microwave weapons and friendly assets. Commanders can identify which systems require additional shielding, relocation, or procedural protection. Testing may also reveal that certain equipment should be switched to protected modes during engagements. [NATO Store]sto.nato.intNATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military…The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th…
The resulting operational guidance often takes the form of firing restrictions and electromagnetic safety zones. Examples include:
- Minimum distances from friendly communications equipment.
- Exclusion areas around aircraft or critical sensors.
- Restrictions on firing near command posts.
- Special procedures for use in dense urban environments.
- Platform-specific engagement rules for ships or vehicles.
Such measures reflect a fundamental reality of HPM weapons: the same wide-area effect that makes them attractive against drone swarms can also create risk for nearby friendly systems. Government assessments of directed energy weapons have repeatedly noted that wider-beam systems may affect assets in an area regardless of whether they are friendly or hostile, making disciplined operational controls essential. [GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electroma…
The Key Lesson from Existing Evidence
The strongest lesson from available testing and electromagnetic-effects research is that friendly-system safety cannot be inferred from weapon performance alone. A microwave weapon may successfully defeat drones on a test range yet still present unacceptable operational risks when deployed among real communications networks, vehicles, sensors, and infrastructure.
Because microwave interactions depend on geometry, installation details, shielding, and the surrounding environment, realistic field trials remain indispensable. They provide the evidence needed to determine not only whether the weapon works, but whether it can be used without undermining the very systems it is meant to protect. [GAO+3NATO Store+3Fraunhofer Publica]sto.nato.intNATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military…The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th…
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Endnotes
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Title: gao 23 106717
Link: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106717Source snippet
Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy [lasers]({{ 'lasers/' | relative_url }}) and other high power electroma...
Published: May 2023
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Source: sto.nato.int
Link: https://www.sto.nato.int/document/high-power-microwave-threat-to-infrastructure-and-military-equipment/Source snippet
NATO StoreHigh Power Microwave Threat to Infrastructure and Military...The present report describes the joint efforts and findings of th...
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Link: https://publica.fraunhofer.de/bitstreams/5781f3af-7dee-4d17-9cf2-438cb2396eb3/downloadSource snippet
Fraunhofer PublicaThe Threat of High Power Microwaves to Infrastructureby M Suhrke · Cited by 1 — ▫ Address the use of high power microwa...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4229403_Research_on_high_power_microwave_weaponsSource snippet
ResearchGate(PDF) Research on high power microwave weaponsThis structured narrative review analyses how High-Power Microwave (HPM) Direct...
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Source: waru.edu
Title: MIL STD 464D
Link: https://www.waru.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/MIL-STD-464D.pdfSource snippet
Waru UniversityMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM).... ships is in proximity to high-power HF antennas and the ordnance...
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Source: researchgate.net
Title: 374165879 Military Applications of High Power Microwaves
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374165879_Military_Applications_of_High-Power_MicrowavesSource snippet
(PDF) Military Applications of High-Power Microwaves25 Sept 2023 — The report contains a survey of High Power Microwave devices including...
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Title: gao 23 105868
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Directed Energy Weapons: DOD Should Focus on...Apr 17, 2023 — The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently developing directed energy we...
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Link: https://www.gao.gov/video/directed-energy-weapons-dod-should-focus-transition-planningSource snippet
Directed Energy Weapons DOD Should Focus on Transition...DOD spends about $1 billion annually on directed energy--concentrated electroma...
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Title: directed energy weapons high power microwaves
Link: https://www.electronicsforu.com/market-verticals/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwavesSource snippet
Electronics For YouDirected Energy Weapons: High Power Microwaves4 Oct 2016 — The weapon is designed to disrupt, degrade or destroy elect...
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Link: https://www.psicorp.com/products/electricity-and-magnetism/high-power-microwaves/Source snippet
Physical Sciences Inc.High-Power MicrowavesHigh-Power Microwaves PSI develops high-power microwave directed energy weapon systems, antenn...
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Link: https://publicationsdrdo.in/index.php/dsj/article/download/21114/8787/92344Source snippet
(DEWs) may shape modern warfare as militaries...
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Title: directed energy weapons
Link: https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/safeguarding-your-research/guidelines-and-tools-implement-research-security/emerging-technology-trend-cards/directed-energy-weaponsSource snippet
11 Feb 2025 — Directed energy weapons (DEWs) use concentrated energy from electromagnetic or particle technology, rather than kinetic ene...
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Title: 7 14 4 str.59 82 Karcz v5
Link: https://yadda.icm.edu.pl/baztech/element/bwmeta1.element.baztech-7d56ca3f-fdd6-4f29-ab54-be4e63e9d894/c/7_14_4_str.59-82_Karcz-v5.pdfSource snippet
Tests using this generator...
Additional References
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Link: https://www.onr.navy.mil/organization/departments/code-35/division-353/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwavesSource snippet
Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesHPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave freq...
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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1toVupe_R8Source snippet
U.S. Directed Energy Weapons SystemsThe Government Accountability Office explains what are Directed Energy Weapons and takes a look at ho...
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Source: phr.org
Title: health impacts of crowd control weapons directed energy devices
Link: https://phr.org/our-work/resources/health-impacts-of-crowd-control-weapons-directed-energy-devices/Source snippet
Health Impacts of Crowd-Control Weapons: Directed...28 Oct 2020 — This technology delivers very high-frequency millimeter-[wavelength]({{ 'wavelengths/' | relative_url }}) ele...
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Title: high power microwaves more than just a hot lunch
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High power microwaves – more than just a hot lunch!3 Mar 2025 — Non-lethal effects: HPMs can disable enemy systems without causing direct...
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Source: ndupress.ndu.edu
Title: directed energy weapons are real and disruptive
Link: https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/2053280/directed-energy-weapons-are-real-and-disruptive/Source snippet
And DisruptiveJan 9, 2020 — This concentrated energy can have effects across the entire spectrum from non-lethal to lethal. For example...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930540941927100/posts/1258521139129077/Source snippet
that can fire over 10,000 rounds without failure, marking a...Read more...
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Link: https://www.fccdecastro.com.br/pdf/HPM2.pdfSource snippet
l is quoted with permission, and sources are indicated...
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Source: scoop.market.us
Title: directed energy weapons statistics
Link: https://scoop.market.us/directed-energy-weapons-statistics/Source snippet
Energy Weapons Statistics and Facts (2026)DEWs are advanced military systems that use focused energy, such as lasers, microwaves, or part...
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Source: sentrycs.com
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ork in C-UAS operations and their limitations...
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Title: How can EMI be weaponized?
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EE World Online3 Jan 2025 — Discover the impact of EMI on electronic systems and how it can be weaponized in high-power microwave (HPM) t...
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