Two companies to help Navy safeguard high-altitude sensitive electronics from electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Navy electronics experts are hiring two companies to develop enabling technologies to safeguard naval systems from the effects of high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
Officials of the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego, announced estimated $12.5 million separate contracts Wednesday to Long Wave Inc. in Oklahoma City, Okla., and to Reliance Construction Co. in Cary, N.C., for high-altitude EMP hardening processes.
These enabling technologies are expected to protect sensitive electronics on satellites, aircraft, surface ships, and ground systems from EMP energy, which can destroy or disable a wide range of electronics. EMP, which typically comes from high-power microwaves, often results from above-ground nuclear explosions.
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High-altitude EMP protection seeks to ensure survivability from a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse event. Since high-altitude electromagnetic pulse shield systems are easily rendered ineffective by incorrect usage and/or inadequate life cycle maintenance, tests, inspections, and maintenance are necessary.
EMP hardening maintenance seeks to uphold the designed levels of protection, and can involve infrastructure or structural changes and upgrades. Long Wave and Reliance Construction will carry out high-altitude EMP processes, testing, hardness maintenance and hardness surveillance.
The two companies will carry out the first task orders in $20,000 orders. The total obligated amount on orders for all the awarded contracts combined will not exceed $12,5 million, Navy experts say.
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Long Wave specializes in installation and maintenance of very-low-frequency, low-frequency, and high-frequency (VLF/LF/HF) communications systems, nuclear command and control communications, and systems engineering. Reliance Construction, meanwhile, is a general-construction contractor.
On these contracts, Long Wave and Reliance Construction will do the work at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Fairfield, Calif., and should be finished by December 2029.
For more information contact Long Wave online at www.longwaveinc.com, Reliance Construction at www.reliance-cc.com, or the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific at www.niwcpacific.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
