High Powered Microwaves (HPM): Challenges, Trade-offs and Pursuits

In the episode of From the Crows’ Nest, host Ken Miller is joined by Dr. Andrew Long of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Dr. Long has spent more than 16 years designing antennas and RF components for various applications ranging from moonshot research to commercial products, from HF to Q-band. His current tasks and interests at SwRI revolve around design, fabrication, and measurement of exceptionally novel apertures. Ken and Dr. Long discuss the rapidly growing field of High-Powered Microwave (HPM) technology, which serves as a bridge between traditional electronic warfare, especially electronic attack, and directed energy laser technology. What qualifies as HPM? What are the fundamental challenges and trade-offs, and where are current research pursuits taking the combined EW and DE communities.

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