Pilot study electromagnetic weapons, HPM-weapons

The weapons and protection systems of today and tomorrow are becoming increasingly dependent on sensors, computers, and other electronic system components for their operation. Furthermore, wireless communications between different military units and command staff is important for full tactical and operational capability. The technology area High Power Microwave (HPM) weapons, which is emerging today, concerns generation of electromagnetic pulses with high peak power, which temporarily or permanently can disable the electronics in irradiated objects. This pre-study gives a brief overview of the most important for construction of an HPM weapon: radiation source, antenna, and high voltage pulsed power supply. A summary of earlier HPM weapon studies with a perspective on international development and possible international collaborations together with a discussion on possible distances for effects gives a background to a proposal for a research plan for a new HPM weapons project aiming at construction of tactically useable HPM weapons for some different platforms.