Electronic Warfare Gets Even Nastier - In comes NKCE

**Zinja** · 02 Nov 10,, 23:53

Lockheed Martin Awarded High-Power Microwave Energy Weapon Contract
ORLANDO, FL, November 2nd, 2010 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a $230,000 U.S. Air Force contract to define requirements for a weapon that uses high-power microwave energy beams instead of explosives to take out enemy electronic systems. The Non-Kinetic Counter Electronics Capability (NKCE) contract will lead to a new type of weapon that will destroy electronic equipment without endangering personnel.

The contract, awarded by the U.S. Air Force Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, calls for the development of an operations concept for the NKCE system, along with a mission planning strategy. Lockheed Martin will deliver its findings to the U.S. Air Force during the first quarter of 2011.

The contract also involves the development of system requirements and a concept of packaging the high-power microwave source system into an aerial platform. In addition, Lockheed Martin will identify hardening strategies to ensure system survivability in heavily defended areas.

“This type of weapon is completely non-lethal, so we can take out specific electronic targets deep within an enemy’s infrastructure without concern for human collateral damage,” said Tom Remenick, Advanced Programs manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The ability to specifically render the enemy’s electronic equipment useless will give our Warfighters a distinctive advantage in any conflict.”

When fielded, the weapon would require an aerial delivery platform for operational flexibility and the ability to engage multiple targets per mission. The system would be aimed at buildings or other structures containing identified electronic equipment that high-power microwave bursts would quickly render useless.

Link

**bigross86** · 03 Nov 10,, 05:33

And if someone happens to be in the vicinity of said electronic equipment, they're gonna end up with some FLK's: Funny Looking Kids

**Chogy** · 03 Nov 10,, 14:55

If it's actually in the microwave frequency range (like an oven), it's not ionizing radiation, and shouldn't damage chromosomes. It might burn, though.

I find energy weapons vaguely creepy. Sending an invisible beam on its way with no noise or smoke, and damaging a target, doesn't seem natural. It also (the technology) might be more tempting to use for the very reason that it doesn't create "collateral damage," unless you don't consider electrical power plants, hospital equipment, water treatment, etc, as collateral.

**USSWisconsin** · 03 Nov 10,, 15:01

Non ionizing radiation isn't harmless, it is less - lethal, kind of like rubber bullets. It can cause nasty permenent injuries (internal burns and scarring), particularly to the ankles, neck and genitals When radar is operated, they make everyone leave the antenna area, during the cold war there were fatalities from it when people tryed to get "warm" from it. This article is from the manufacturor of the system, it has a bias.

**USSWisconsin** · 03 Nov 10,, 15:03

Originally Posted by bigross86

And if someone happens to be in the vicinity of said electronic equipment, they're gonna end up with some FLK's: Funny Looking Kids

more than likely no kids at all, ever again

**NUS** · 03 Nov 10,, 19:41

Originally Posted by Chogy

I find energy weapons vaguely creepy. Sending an invisible beam on its way with no noise or smoke, and damaging a target, doesn't seem natural.

It's strage to hear such ideas from the pilot. There is not much difference between this weapon and airplane radar. Both send concentrated microwave frequency beams. Also, i bet they told you to stay away from working radar of your airplane.

Think about it as an advanced jamming.

**Jimmy** · 04 Nov 10,, 06:51

Originally Posted by USSWisconsin

Non ionizing radiation isn't harmless, it is less - lethal, kind of like rubber bullets. It can cause nasty permenent injuries (internal burns and scarring), particularly to the ankles, neck and genitals When radar is operated, they make everyone leave the antenna area, during the cold war there were fatalities from it when people tryed to get "warm" from it. This article is from the manufacturor of the system, it has a bias.

Every radar has a certain distance you're supposed to stay clear. It's generally not very far unless you're directly in front of the antenna, which is fairly stupid.

**USSWisconsin** · 04 Nov 10,, 07:24

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Every radar has a certain distance you're supposed to stay clear. It's generally not very far unless you're directly in front of the antenna, which is fairly stupid.

The fatality case studies I heard about in radiation physiology were about a soldier standing in front of the wave guide opening on the DEW line to "warm up" and another about a sailor working on the mast with the search antenna on a navy ship, they both died of internal injuries. But those were radar sensors, not focused microwave weapons. We used microwaves to ionize gases in plasma processing, so they can put a lot of energy into something. But the inverse square rule makes distance the best protection, the energy density falls off as the inverse of the square of the distance. To weaponize microwaves they would need to focus them into a coherent beam, and if it would damage electronic equipment through the walls of a building, it would probably damage tissue as well. Other injury cases involved microwave packaging equipment with poorly maintained shielding, where ankles were blown out from energy conduction through the tendons, similar injuries to necks, and sterilizations due to cooked male testes. And there are many brain injury studies from heavy cell phone users, radiation doesn't do the same thing to everyone, that’s why they use LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of those exposed).

**Chogy** · 04 Nov 10,, 15:09

Originally Posted by NUS

It's strage to hear such ideas from the pilot. There is not much difference between this weapon and airplane radar. Both send concentrated microwave frequency beams. Also, i bet they told you to stay away from working radar of your airplane.

Think about it as an advanced jamming.

Sure, but the difference - A normal search radar is not intended to be a weapon... it is simply dangerous by nature. This thing is being weaponized from the beginning. Again, it's just something I personally find a bit odd and not appealing.

**USSWisconsin** · 04 Nov 10,, 15:51

Originally Posted by NUS

It's strage to hear such ideas from the pilot. There is not much difference between this weapon and airplane radar. Both send concentrated microwave frequency beams. Also, i bet they told you to stay away from working radar of your airplane.

Think about it as an advanced jamming.

Contemporary observers have said the same things about machine guns, high explosives and submarines when they were introduced, new weapons are terrible things, but loosing a war can be even worse. But I feel the same way about this - it is ugly.

Advanced jamming in a sense similar to HARM (anti-radar missiles) -
Harm actually stands for High speed Anti-Radiation Missile- but it is used against radar
AGM-88 HARM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**ShawnG** · 04 Nov 10,, 16:59

Is this going to be in Call of Duty: Black Ops?

**citanon** · 04 Nov 10,, 18:49

Originally Posted by USSWisconsin

The fatality case studies I heard about in radiation physiology were about a soldier standing in front of the wave guide opening on the DEW line to "warm up" and another about a sailor working on the mast with the search antenna on a navy ship, they both died of internal injuries. But those were radar sensors, not focused microwave weapons. We used microwaves to ionize gases in plasma processing, so they can put a lot of energy into something. But the inverse square rule makes distance the best protection, the energy density falls off as the inverse of the square of the distance. To weaponize microwaves they would need to focus them into a coherent beam, and if it would damage electronic equipment through the walls of a building, it would probably damage tissue as well. Other injury cases involved microwave packaging equipment with poorly maintained shielding, where ankles were blown out from energy conduction through the tendons, similar injuries to necks, and sterilizations due to cooked male testes. And there are many brain injury studies from heavy cell phone users, radiation doesn't do the same thing to everyone, that’s why they use LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of those exposed).

Not sure what technology they will use but microwave "lasers" have existed since before the ruby laser. At least, that's what wikipedia says.

Maybe the raidation from a MASER can be better collimated.

:wakeup:

Also, w.r.t. HARM, I wonder if these new weapons will give the enemy radar operator less warning to shut off emissions and take countermeasures than a HARM missile launch would.

**FJV** · 04 Nov 10,, 19:57

All current weapon platforms should already be hardened against such a weapon anyway.

Being able to survive an electromagnetic pulse due to a nuclear explosion should be a standard requirement for decades. And very likely this is the case.

Would most likely work as advertised against civilian electronics, however even there shielding requirements have become much stricter.

**USSWisconsin** · 04 Nov 10,, 21:20

Originally Posted by citanon

Not sure what technology they will use but microwave "lasers" have existed since before the ruby laser. At least, that's what wikipedia says.

Maybe the raidation from a MASER can be better collimated.

:wakeup:

Also, w.r.t. HARM, I wonder if these new weapons will give the enemy radar operator less warning to shut off emissions and take countermeasures than a HARM missile launch would.

Yes, IMO this sounds like a microwave laser, but now we have solid state lasers, which are far more compact and efficient than gas lasers of the past.
not sure if a maser would be part of this, but it might serve as an amplifier stage
If the enemy radar operator detected targeting sensors, perhaps their radar could be shut off in time, once the weapon was fired, I doubt there would be time, since the beam wouldn't maneuver like a missile, but it might hinder followup shots in the event of a miss if the firing platform need to reposition itself for another shot..