Diverse Utilization of an Anechoic Chamber for Automated Electronic Warfare (EW) Testing in Support of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) EOD Technology Center is a United States Navy facility with the urgent mission of supporting the Department of Defense (DoD) warfighter in the detection and neutralization of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive device (IED) threats. The Radio Frequency (RF) Laboratory at NSWC IHD, is centered around its 24’ by 12’ by 12’ anechoic chamber, which was designed mainly for antenna measurement. However, the unique challenges this department was tasked to resolve has resulted in varied and uncommon uses of the chamber. The chamber, RF test equipment and staff of electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and computer scientists, have participated in the automated RF testing of X-ray equipment, bomb suits, radars, electronic jammers and IEDs, to provide just a partial listing of test events. This paper will detail recent unique assignments that required the rapid research, design, development and implementation of automated RF test and measurement systems providing solutions for the EOD community. The anechoic chamber's system uses, from antenna design and measurements, materials testing, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing to electronic warfare (EW) testing of radars and jammers, will be discussed along with the examination of the software algorithms that enabled fast, repeatable and reliable RF measurements. Focus will be on the roles electromagnetic (EM) measurement has for EOD robotics, EW system development and IED threat understanding. The authors speak from the diverse backgrounds of electrical and mechanical engineering and computer science.