The Diagnostics And Repair Of Contemporary Electronic Warfare Systems

The Polish Land Forces (PLF) are equipped with diagnostic-repair shelters (pol. AD-R) designated to conduct the diagnostic test and repair of telecommunication devices. Surprisingly, there is lack of similar solutions when it comes to contemporary Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, which are equipped with specific devices. On ad-hoc basis this lack of capabilities can be compensated for with diagnostic and repair post of the AD-R shelter, designated for conducting diagnostic tests and repairs of radio devices that are in use in the PLF. However, available measurement equipment does not fully cover the frequency range and power levels typical for contemporary EW systems.Some improvement on this situation may be brought about by a new project aimed at designing a modernized AD-R shelter, named ADR-K. This shelter will have a wider range of measurement capabilities in relation to frequency ranges and generated power levels. However, the diagnostic equipment of this shelter will make it possible to perform only basic tests of the devices applied in EW systems which are used by the PLF. Neither extensive tests of these devices nor diagnostics of EW equipment used by the Navy or the Air Forces are possible.In the paper we discuss the needs for the diagnostic tests of devices used in typical subsystems of the EW system. We present the capability of the Military Communication Institute in the area of test-checks and calibration of direction-finders. Finally, we characterize the capabilities of AD-R and ADR-K shelters in relation to typical EW system and their equipment.