The Role of Electromagnetic Compatibility Qualification Considerations in Airborne System Integration Programs

There are many misconceptions that surround Equipment Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) qualification testing and installation assessment. The objective of this paper is to raise awareness of some of the issues that applicable to the subject, and offer a perspective of what qualification means to a certification program both technically and programmatically. The paper seeks to analyze common situations that occur during system integration programs and provides an indication of the level of detail to be considered in EMC design assessments. For the purposes of this paper the term EMC is considered to cover all aspects of electromagnetic compatibility, including, High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF), Indirect Effects of Lightning (IEL) and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP).