Multi-Purpose Sandbox for Modern EW and Drone-Based Threats

Multi-Purpose Sandbox for Modern EW and Drone-Based Threats

Model: SYS-MPS

Features
  • Multi-purpose radiated test system to rapidly characterize EW systems and drones
  • Measure radiation patterns, RCS, emissions, RF signature classification, and more
  • Test commercial drones, active electronically scanned arrays (AESA), and seekers rapidly and accurately
  • Test planned jamming profiles, spoofing sequences, or directed energy payloads before field deployment
  • Delivers hands-on RF/EW training for students, instructors, and deployment teams
  • Enables hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing with enemy, coalition, or commercial sensors for live validation and tuning
  • Collect intel on captured systems in an accurate and secure facility rated for high RF power levels
  • Various options available to customize SYS-MPS for your requirements
Request for Info or Quote
What is a Multi-Purpose Sandbox?

The rapidly evolving threat posed by swarms of autonomous drones is transforming modern warfare and security landscapes, leading to an increased need for fast and accurate sensor RF characterization. NSI-MI’s Multi-Purpose Sandbox (SYS-MPS) is a mission critical asset for the rapid measurement of commercial drones, active phased arrays, and seekers in a secure environment. SYS-MPS combines several measurement types into a single shielded enclosure, offering a robust tool used to unlock a complete end-to-end understanding of device performance. The system can be used as an electronic warfare testbed, to characterize antenna radiation patterns, to determine the Radar Cross Section (RCS) profile, susceptibility to directed energy, and more. Whether your team needs to assess captured systems or to rapidly prototype new countermeasures in a radiated environment, the Multi-Purpose Sandbox advances mission goals. More information about the various measurement types available on SYS-MPS is found below.

Multi-Purpose Sandbox
Electronic Warfare Testbed

SYS-MPS gives your team the tools to accurately and efficiently characterize EW systems within a shielded enclosure. This critical asset ensures that your systems can effectively detect, intercept, and counteract adversary signals to ensure mission success. The move from conducted to radiated testing provides a more thorough and realistic evaluation of EW systems, ensuring field readiness. Measurements can be conducted with a sensor mounted on a low RCS foam column or safely hovering within the chamber using a retractable tether system.

  • Customizable mission asset for the prototyping and evaluation of sensors for EW applications
  • Simulates GNSS jamming, radar deception, AI-based signal disruption, and more
  • Support for NSI-MI or customer-furnished Radar Environment Simulator (RES)
  • HIL testing with radar, seeker, GPS sensors, and more
  • Validate performance from 1-18 GHz directly in the far-field using a focused beam lens system
Tethered drone

Test far-field performance in a reduced space with our focused beam lens solution

AR Amplifiers
Electromagnetic Susceptibility to Directed Energy

Understanding the susceptibility to directed energy payloads of new systems and captured assets is crucial to maintaining EW superiority. This critical asset is a safe a secure solution for your mission, whether that is in electronic countermeasures or attack. SYS-MPS provides the necessary tools to transmit high RF power levels safely and securely from 1-18 GHz. We have partnered with Amplifier Research, part of AMETEK Compliance Test Solutions, to supply high power amplifiers from the most trusted brand in the industry. SYS-MPS includes a high-power absorber wall to ensure safe and long-term transmission of very high RF power levels in a chamber with ≥ 80 dB shielding effectiveness. The built-in tether system eliminates the risk of fall damage when a drone is de-energized.

  • Characterize the susceptibility to directed energy payloads with high RF power from 1-18 GHz
  • Focused beam lens system provides a far-field environment simulating real-world conditions
  • Test hovering drones safely using built-in tether system to prevent fall damage
  • Dedicated high-power absorber wall rated for ≥ 10 kW/m2 (6.5 W/in2) power density and 80 dB chamber shielding effectiveness guarantees equipment and personnel safety
  • Measurements based on MIL-STD 461G RS 103 and MIL-STD-464
  • Electric field probe kit available for power level monitoring during measurement & calibration
  • Measure at full continuous wave (CW) power or in pulsed mode to simulate operating conditions
Radar Cross Section

The RCS of a commercial drone can vary significantly based on its size, shape, materials, and operating frequency. Understanding the RCS of these devices is critical in developing effective countermeasures to emerging drone-based EW disruption strategies. SYS-MPS offers a means to quickly measure the RCS profile as a first step toward tracking and/or neutralizing hostile threats. After measurement, the RCS profile can be fed into complex swarm models to improve defense strategies.

  • 360° single-axis RCS measurements using gated CW techniques
  • Support for Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging to locate scattering regions on the target
  • Diagnose reflection sources for prototype systems or identify weaknesses for exploitation
  • DUT mounted on low RCS foam column
  • Focused beam lens system provides a far-field environment simulating real-world conditions
  • RCS analysis software, ISAR imaging, frequency response, background subtraction, and more
  • Test scaled models of full-size aircraft for rapid prototyping and analysis
RCS
SNF Swing Arm
Radiation Patterns

Understanding the radiation properties of a potential threat is a crucial first step to deploying effective countermeasures. Antenna radiation pattern measurements are enabled in SYS-MPS using a dedicated Spherical Near-Field (SNF) system. This solution provides a flexible tool for fast and accurate characterization of antenna systems up to 1 m3 from 1 – 18 GHz. Options are available to extend the frequency range and/or size of the test article. NSI-MI’s Advanced Antenna Acquisition and Analysis (A4) software provides a robust and easy to use API to export measured data directly into other simulation tools, improving your understanding of real-world performance.

  • Rapid characterization of antenna patterns, gain, sidelobes, cross-polarization levels, and more
  • Ideally suited for testing drones, phased arrays, surveillance antennas, seekers, or any other sensor
  • Up to ±120° angular coverage
  • 1 – 18 GHz baseline frequency coverage; extended range: 0.4 GHz – 40 GHz
  • ≤0.05° angular resolution
  • DUT installed on foam column to minimize reflections
  • Robust API to interface with external applications
Optional Upgrades

Frequency icon
Frequency Extensions

The baseline system supports measurements from 1-18 GHz with an optional upgrade to extend this to 1-40 GHz. Low frequency upgrades are available upon request. Note that the size of the room will grow to accommodate lower test frequencies. Contact NSI-MI for more information on optional frequency upgrades.

Sensor icon
Acoustic and Infrared Testing

SYS-MPS can be outfitted with acoustic and/or infrared sensors to monitor emissions while undergoing EW or susceptibility testing. These tools allow for iterative reductions to emissions and improve our ability to detect and track threats.

Shipping truck icon
Containerized Version

SYS-MPS can be installed within a standard shipping container to provide a field-ready solution to simulate, validate, and train units in the field. This agile option enables modular and tactical use cases combined with region-specific, strategic deployment scenarios. The ability to analyze captured systems directly in the field without transporting them to centralized labs allows for rapid response to an evolving battlefield.

System Absorber Kits

All reflective surfaces in SYS-MPS are treated with microwave absorber. The standard configuration includes polyurethane foam absorber, which supports RF power levels of ≤ 1 kW/m2 at full continuous wave (CW) power throughout most of the chamber. A high-power absorber wall is assembled using honeycomb absorber, which can support more than 10 kW/m2 at full CW power in the illumination region of the focused beam lens system. Should it be needed, NSI-MI can upgrade the chamber or high-power wall to increase the power handling to 10 kW/m2 and beyond. Contact NSI-MI to help you determine which absorber kit is right for your application.

Foam Absorber
Foam Absorber
Standard option
≤ 1 kW/m2
Filter Foam Absorber
Filter Foam Absorber
High-power option
≤ ~4 kW/m2
Honeycomb Absorber
Honeycomb Absorber
Very high-power option
≤ ~10 kW/m2
Honeycomb Absorber with Forced Air Cooling - Front 
Honeycomb Absorber with Forced Air Cooling - Rear 
Honeycomb Absorber with Forced Air Cooling - Exploded-view
Honeycomb Absorber with Forced Air Cooling - Extremely high-power option (air flow dependent)
Includes
  • a. Spherical near-field gantry
  • b. MEC-AZ-0.5 AUT positioner
  • c. High-accuracy floor slide
  • d. Low RCS foam column
  • e. Drone tether system
  • f. Broadband feed and focusing lens
  • g. High-performance Vector Field Analyzer RF sub-system
  • h. Advanced Antenna Acquisition and Analysis (A4) acquisition and processing software
  • i. 80 dB shielded chamber, 7.0 m x 5.8 m x 3.7 m (23’ x 19’ x 12’) L x W x H
  • j. High-power absorber wall

Commitment to Quality

SYS-MPS is proudly made in America, supporting the United States and its allies. We design, assemble, test, and support all of our products and systems within our US facilities in Suwanee, GA and Torrance, CA. NSI-MI’s Suwanee facility holds a DOD Secret Level facility clearance and is DDTC registered.

We select our component suppliers carefully to maintain the highest quality, including key suppliers within our regional community. Our quality is unparalleled, and we are proud that our facility is one of few in the world that can produce and deliver these unique products.