There is growing demand from both the Navy and other branches of the armed forces for the deployment of new, non-lethal weapons systems that can function in the harsh military environment. These platforms, which provide the option for the war fighter to respond to a perceived threat with a measured response, are in use and in development targeting a
potential enemy with light, sound, and heat. The exposure levels from these systems are designed to be non-lethal and safe within known human effects limits. The non-lethal weapon produces a temporary and reversible stimulus on the target, such as verbal warning message delivery and/or temporary thermal and/or visual distress.

Among these systems are technology developments using high powered sound arrays and laser disrupter devices, also known as Distributed Sound and Light Array (DSLA) non-lethal weapons. This is an advanced acoustic hailing and laser disrupter technology that enables verbal and/or laser light warnings to be issued to potential threats, such as small boats approaching warships or vehicles approaching checkpoints.

Commercially available sound and laser light systems have limited capabilities and limited built-in environmental ruggedness. Until recently, military sound and/or laser light weapons were essentially just industrial voice paging and/or laser systems that provided limited command authority and had a limited effect on the target. The industrial sound systems have low power efficiency and limited frequency response, which result in poor speech intelligibility even at close range. Suitability of these systems for the harsh environments encountered in military applications remains in question. Recognizing the capability gap of existing technologies, Penn State Advanced Research Lab (PSARL) devised a new approach to transmitting voice commands and alert tones over large distances, while simultaneously enveloping a target in high intensity light. The expected configuration is shown in Figure 1-1.

The EMPF is tasked with ruggedizing this DSLA, which incorporates audible and visual deterrent options in a single weapons system. The EMPF ruggedized packaging of the system components will be modular to accommodate a variety of installation scenarios. The utility of the system is further increased as the same DSLA packaging will have the capability to be installed on land, air, and sea platforms. For example, electronic steering makes it possible to install the line array on the hull of a ship. The EMPF must ensure that the added environmental ruggedizing features do not interfere with key DSLA performance issues.

Some of the tasks that the EMPF plans to execute are:

• Replace electronic components that do not meet the temperature range requirement.
  
• Add heating/cooling to meet the temperature range.
  
• Add any necessary vibration isolation to component packaging.
  
• Choose and add conformal coating to circuit boards for moisture, salt spray, and wind driven rain protection.
  
• Convert to ruggedized electrical and/or fluid connectors.
  
• Add additional circuitry if needed.

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) from the electronics of the DSLA using the relevant requirements of MIL-STD-461E is planned and will be combined with temperature/altitude/humidity testing, power testing to MIL-STD-704 A and E, vibration testing to MIL-STD-167, MIL-STD-810F environmental testing, and MIL-S-901D mechanical shock testing. There will also be EMPF requirements toward obtaining Air Worthiness Certification needed for the MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter application. Air Worthiness Certification is a requirement that the EMPF has recently completed for the M-3650 MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter intercom in a successful EMPF sustainment program.