SBIR-STTR Award

Eureka Aerospace proposes a novel approach for denying ground vehicles the entrance to selected area by stopping them using a microwave system for stopping vehicles(MSSV). The proposed system consists of high power source, such as magnetron and suitable antenna to direct the microwave energy towards the vehicle and bring the vehicle to rest, without causing permanent damage to the vehicle or pose any danger to humans. The MSSV can be deployed in a variety of places including (1) an airborne platform such as helicopter, or fixed-wing plane including the UAVs, (2) ground vehicle, such as a car, van or a truck or (3) ground-based utility pole or a tree. The proposed effort will focus on the parameter trade-off analysis to arrive to an optimal and practical operational HPMS, whose prototype will be tested in Phase II.

Benefits:
The benefits include nonlethal approach to quickly and safely stop cars on roads and highways for law enforcement. In addition MSSV can effectively protect high priority state,local and commercial assets.

Keywords:
High Power Microwave System, stopping vehicles, electromagnetic interference, area denial to vehicles, non-lethal electromagnetic interference

The proposed approach utilizes high-power electromagnetic energy to remotely disrupt/damage vehicle's microprocessors (MPs). The applied electromagnetic fields induce large currents in the wires leading to and from the MP, which in turn are responsible for the MP disruption/damage. The proposed approach uses microwaves in the 300 MHz-2 GHz range, the PRF diversity in the 10-500 Hz, utilizes the polarization diversity and exploits the potential of multi-path (ground bounce) effect. Commercially available suitable compact RF sources are identified, which after minor modifications can be applied in the development of the prototype High Power Electromagnetic System (HPEMS). These sources can be cascaded to yield higher peak power or higher average power via increase in the duty cycle. The prototype HPEMS will be able to disrupt/damage a vehicle's MP at the appreciably large ranges of few hundreds of meters. In addition, an alternative approach using an ultrawideband microwave system, operating in the 300 MHz-10 GHz range and utilizing 46-cm impulse radiating antenna will be tested and evaluated. The concepts can be successfully applied for all-weather, day/night perimeter denial, stopping cars on multi-lane highways, streets and suburban areas. HPEMS will (1)protect high-value public and military objects (buildings/facilities) from terrorist threat, and (2) enable the law enforcement to stop vehicles on highways, roads. Commercial applications: Non-Lethal Area Protection-DoD, Homeland Security,FBI, CIA, DoJ; Non-Lethal Vehicle Stopping-Law enforcement, DoD, FBI, CIA, DoJ

Keywords:
Nonlethal Area Denial To Vehicles, High Power Microwave System, High Power Electromagnetic System, Microprocessor Damage, Stopping Cars, Electromagnet