Susceptibility of Electronic Systems to High-Power Microwaves: Summary of Test Experience

For more than a decade, the Swedish Defence Authorities have, in cooperation with Swedish industry and other countries, studied the effects of high-power microwave (RPM) radiation on electronic systems. Testing at high-field levels has been carried out on military equipment as well as on civil equipment, such as cars, computers, and security systems. From these studies, it is concluded that the distance for RPM sabotage can reach about a kilometer. Experience from system testing has, besides giving information about system susceptibility, also demonstrated the need for a careful pre-analysis of the system under test. This is due to the fact that high-level testing, in most cases, includes only a small fraction of the threat parameter space, such as test frequencies and irradiation angles.