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National Technical Systems (NTS)' HERO (Hazard of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance) testing is a MIL-STD-464 certified EMC/EMI testing. MIL-STD-464 sets out minimal acceptable standards for the electromagnetic compatibility of ordnance and related equipment used in airborne, sea, space and ground-defense systems. 

MIL-STD-464 certification is typically achieved through EMC/EMI testing in highly controlled, semi-anechoic chambers. National Technical Systems (NTS) has been a pioneer in this type of testing and offers complete turnkey solutions for meeting your regulatory requirements and shepherding your product to market.

HERO Testing

HERO (Hazard of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance) testing is an essential component of achieving MIL-STD-464 compliance.HERO testing is used to determine that the ordnance safety margins required are met when the unit under test is exposed to the high levels of electric fields required by MIL-STD-464. This requires that the test method measures the current induced into the unit’s bridgewire and compares the measurements to the pre-determined mean no-fire current (MNFC) of the bridgewire.

HERO Testing at NTS: Project Background

NTS teams in Massachusetts and Arkansas jointly developed the NTS test procedure and method in response to a customer request for testing on two 25 mm rounds typically fired from an M242 cannon. One round contained a piston actuator detonator and the other contained an Electro-Explosive Device (EED) detonator.

NTS investigated various methods and chose to utilize a system manufactured by Opsens of Quebec City to measure the current on the bridgewire. The NTS Test Procedure was based upon limits in MIL-STD-464, the Army’s TOP 1-2-511, and MIL-HDBK-240.

NTS HERO Testing Facilities

HERO testing is performed at NTS’s Boxborough, MA test lab, one of the premier facilities in the nation for EMC, EMI and ESD engineering services. HERO testing at NTS Boxborough involves monitoring the response of an EED to high levels of electromagnetic radiation to confirm acceptable safety and reliability margins are met. The facility is equipped to handle Class 1.4 explosives and features six electrically shielded chambers for testing ordnance of a wide range of sizes.

As a pioneer in HERO testing to MIL-STD-464 standards, NTS has a long history of developing customized monitoring and evaluation methods. Their expertise can ensure EED devices of all specifications meet and exceed all compatibility requirements.

Complete Project Management Solutions

NTS offers comprehensive HERO testing solutions, helping users to manage compliance with MIL-STD-464 and other associated standards, such as TOP 1-2-511 and MIL-HDBK-240. They employ special extrapolation worksheets and other modeling algorithms to determine the maximum exposure levels an ordnance device can be safely handled.

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