EM1 CONTROL PLAN FOR SHIPS
LT ARVIND FIANGANATHAN, INDIAN NAVY
hb+QdslChl
Modern ships have numerous communication,
navigation, propulsion, power generationand fire
control equipments. Technological advances in
these systems has made the EM1 equation more
complex Today the concept of EM1 management
and control takes a very high precedence in
overall systems management. Minor faults and
alarms could lead to the loss of several lives.
Undesiredsignalsfrom one equipment could lead
to malfunctioning of another importantequipment.
Today all electrical, hull and propulsion
equipments need to be checked and proved
correct for intra-ship EM1 elimination before
commissioning. Rapid advancement are taking
place in ship systems technology. Similar
advancements is needed in EM1 control and EM1
avoidance to ensure that overall systems
functioning is efficient. This paper discusses the
existing EMC system and the various short-
comings existing in them. This also discusses the
various EM1 techniques available for
measurement.This paper proposes a EM1control
plan to overcome the existing drawbacks.
Design of weatherdeck equipment
To provide EM1 control and ensure bes,
performanceof communication, navigation, guns,
missiles, rockets, torpedoes, weapon detectors
and associated ESM, ECM and control
equipment a set pattern is neededto be evolved.
This pattern should cover system requirement,
equipment selection, fitment ,at designated
locations, performancemeasurement and system
plan approval. The existing EM1 control plan is as
follows :
SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
SELECllON OF CORRECT EQUIPMENT
FITMENT AT THE RIGHT PLACE
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
310
STUDY OF PERFORMANCE
AlEFIATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
SYSTEM PIAN APPROVAL
All the above listed steps should be
meticulously executedto achieve the best results.
In most cases of ship manufacturing the SORs or
QRs for weapons and all other equipments are
specified by the designers. A thorough market
survey is required to identify, study, design and
develop the equipment meeting the SORs. The
equipment development managers are usually
keen to design and deliver the equipment. EM1is
looked into as one of the other various
secondary requirements, whereas EM1aspects of
the equipment need to be studied in detail with
respectto the location, neighbouringequipments
and overall system development, so that
minimum EM1 occurs when the plan is finalised.
The equipments should be operatedand studied,
alterations and modifications need to be carried
out before the plan is finally approved. Once the
equipment is commissioned no alterations should
be carried out.
EM1 V/s Technology Advancement
Today more and more electronic equipt'fient
are being fitted on board ships to make them
fully automated. Modern ships carry numerous
antennas and associated electronic circuitry.
These are potentialsources for EMI. Ships having
moce electronic equipment have more problems,
as is evident from the following examples :
EM1 problems existing - 36
In a modern destroyer Engineering
Prototype
Acquisition
Installation
Problems resolved
 Various ship board assistance networks have
been developed to overcome the EMI, They are
classified as CATl, CAT2, CAT3.
CAT1 : Primary/Secondary equipment is
receiving interference and is unable to
support it.
CAT2 : When a primary/secondary equipment
is receiving interference, but is unable
to support its mission in a less
efficient manner.
CAT3 : When primary/secondary equipments
are receiving interference and
operating with minimum deterioration
in a performance.
EM1 Control
To controVavoidelectromagnetic energy which
is produced, transmitted and received on the
weather decks and various associateddecks the
designer has to follow a specific plan. the
designer should study the equipment located in
each compartment, he can do it individually or
take the assistance of concerned personal. The
problem must be divided into various IocaV
cellular ares. Using appropriate modelling
techniques these problems can be controlled or
overcome. Each source, medium and receiver
have to be considered in this modelling. During
design of equipment for and near field effects
should also be calculated. Far field is expressed
as FF = 2D2/A.
FF : Starting boundary of Farfield in mts.
D : Largest linear dimension of source
A : Wavelength of energy
Microwave antenna designer has to consider
this EM energy while designing the antenna If
any targevobjectis present in FF region, then this
become a secondary source of EM1 energy.
Normally EM1 problems associated with two
antennas that are operating simultaneously can
be overcome by geometrically arranging them
311
and suitably positioning them so that either
antennae is not in the field of the other.
Signal processing can also provide vital
information about the satisfactory operation of
equipment and systems. Motor currents can be
measursd to calculate EM1 interference due to
mechanical variations. This is a non invashre
technique used to test mechanical system.
Near fleld detection technlque
EM1 measurement can be done using the
following near field techniques :
a. Mathematlcal
In this technique measurements are made at
source, medium, receiver and the results
calculated. This technique can only identify or
quantify EM1 but it cannot localise it.
b. Slgnal Processing
Thii is relatively new technique. In this
technique EM1 wave is decomposed and
expressed as a sum of total of plane waves
propagating in various directions. These waves
can be analysed individually. These waves can be
summed up to calculate the total neat field. This
technique has future potential.
c. Optlcal Technlque
This technique has been used extensively in
radar applications. This techniqueuses geometric
optics and theory of diffraction to compute, the
strength of optical rays diffracted by surface ds-
countinuities from a three dimensional-geometric
model.
In this technique light emitted from a
designated source is used to illuminate the 3D
geometric model of the ship. The illumination
directions of rays can be changed to arrive at a
sum of total of all possible reflectinggenerators.
?his technique studies the effects of reflection,
diffraction and spatial spreading of light. With equipment manufacturers.The team of specialists
rapid advances in optical instrumentation this namely system designers, installation people,
technique could become most popular in future. platform constructors, system integrators should
These above mentioned techniques help discuss and evolve a plan. EMC management
calculation of EM1 during or after commissioning plan must cover the following :
of the equipment, but a plan needs to be
ensured to overcome EM1 from design stage a Lines of authority and control
itself. b. Organisational responsibilities
c. Implementation plan
EM1 Control Plan d. Maqagement milestones
e. EMC requirements for
If EM1 has to controlled/avoided one has to sub-system suppliers
consider this aspect from the design stage itself.
This requires a good dynamic network among Taking into consideration the drawbacks
equipment designers and ship designers. existing in the present system of measurement,
Planning at every stage is essential. The system EM1 avoidance and control a EM1 control plan
should have : has been suggested to overcome all the
drawbacks. The plan is as follows:-
a Short term
b. Mid term EM1 Control Plan
c. Long term
1. Introduction
Plans to avoid EMI. These plans need to be System description
discussed and listed out. Short term Equipment description
specificationsmust cater for individual equipment Design requirements
safety and safety in the specified celvlocation. Platform requirements
Mid term specificationsmust cater for alterations
and modifications necessary to overcome the 2. Theoretical analysis
shortcomings in the original EM1 control plan. Mathematical
Long term specifications must cater for EM1 Signal processing
avoidance when integrated with future Geometric-optical
equipments if we need to take stock of Ambient noise at proposed site
equipments which are likely to be procured and EM1
fitted in future and study how compatiblethey will
be with the existing equipment from EM1 point of 3. EM1 control
view. Methods to control
Shielding, bonding, grounding
To ensure a pattern is evoked and followed Spectral control
meticulously a EM1 management plan is to be Interfacecontrol
evolved. Design, development and Power supply requirements
commissioning of a ship is a tedious job. One
has to interact with requifed persons and the 4. Tests
present and the future EM1 requirements and Applicable standards
draw a plan for execution of the same. Test plan requirements
QA Plan
One must interact with the system designer, Test facilities
platformhhip designer, EM1 consultants and Test venue

312
5. Results and Recommendations: REFERENCES
Results
Recommendations 1. Grich, R.T. RAdm, USN and Cdr,
Design improvement for present R.E.Bruninga, USN 'Electromagnetic
Design improvement for future -
Environment Engineering A Solution of EM1
Pandemic'
EM1 control plan must be prepared after Navel Engineers Journal, May 1987
consultations with designers, installation people, 2. Baron, N.T. and D.R.Ceholski, 'EM1 The
platform builders, system integrators and Enemy Wlhin'
equipment manufacturers. Naval Engineers Journal, Mary 1992

In control plan important aspects like bit rates 3. Jonathan Adam Sigler, Antal ASarkasfy and
to choose ICs, high current/voltage zone, high Chris Nemarich, 'Motor Current Signal
speed clock regions, recommended mechanical Analysis for Diagnosis of fault conditions in
finishes must be discussed in detail to reduce Shipboard Equipment'.
emission spectra and minimise external radiation. Naval Engineers Journal, Jan.1995
Control plan should specify EMC standards
which will determine cost of protection and 4. Carret James, F. Robert L Hardie & P.A.
testing. This EMC management headed by a Rogers, 'Lets Design out EMI'.
specialist with plan and documents prepared in Naval Engineers Journal, Feb.1982
time after design reviews will lead to meeting the
required standards. Once an equipment/system 5. Fleet Modernization Program (FMP)
has been certified to meet EMC requirements Management and Operations Manual.
alterations should not be permitted without
approval from original designers. Minor
alterations could lead to EMI. Alternations to
interfaces, filters, wires clock speeds and
switched mode power units could lead to EM1
occurance. It is better to seek all representatives
to ensure minimum EM1 than to get the system
retested. If this plan is followed meticulously EM1
can be controlled to a great extend on board
ships.

BIO-DATA

ARVIND RANGANATHAN is an Officer in the

Indian Navy. He is a graduate in Electronics
Engineering from Kakatiya University, Warangal.
He is a M.Tech. in E & ECE with a specialisation
in Fibre Optics and Light Wave Engineering from
I.I.T., Khargapur. He has published two papers
namely (a) 'Fibre Optic Gyro's Seeking the
Future' and (b) 'Global Village' in the Naval
ElectricalMagazine, Naval Review of Electrical &
Electronics Engineering (NIRVEE). He is presently
posted to D.M.D.E., Secunderabad.

313