MicroESM or High Performance ESM?

ESROE founder and internationally renowned ESM scientist, Jon Roe, was recently asked the question: why would I acquire MicroESM when radar ESM equipment offerings from major manufacturers provide higher sensitivity detection against weak signals and more accurate direction of arrival measurement? He lays out the reasons in his new whitepaper…

Abstract

Over the decades in which they have been a key capability for situational awareness and threat detection, improvement of Radar Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM) systems has particularly focused on receiver sensitivity and directional discrimination:

• Receiver sensitivity to ensure that ESM retains its detection range advantage over radar (“detect the threat radar before I am detected”), even as opposition radars are able to reduce their power levels.
• Directional discrimination to get a more precise bearing to the target radar and to aid in distinguishing multiple radars on similar bearings.

From a detection perspective, this focus has been valuable. But from a vulnerability point-of-view, it has also been critical. This is because these high value and often heavy and power consuming ESM systems have only been deployable on warships or high value aircraft, all of which need to be kept at acceptable range from any threat.

MicroESM, designed to be complementary to existing systems, brings very low size, weight and power (low SWAP) to ESM for the first time, enabling ESM to now be anywhere and even to be ‘disposable’. It does not even need an operator present and can be networked to provide a whole area ESM capability, whether along a coastline or across a battlefield. This paper provides the context for deciding when MicroESM is the right solution, often as one element within an overall ESM capability.