AECTP-500
Scope of testing to AECTP-500 (Category 501)
Category 501 of AECTP-500 specifies the EMC tests for equipment and subsystems, which are normally performed in a screened room. The 25 tests are derived from MIL-STD-461 and the British DEF STAN 59-411 and are grouped into conducted and radiated emissions (NCE, NRE) and susceptibility (NCS, NRS). Which tests apply depends on the application and platform; some selection rules are set by the procuring nation. We perform each test individually or as a complete test sequence to your specification.
↓Conducted emissions (NCE)↓Conducted susceptibility (NCS)↓Radiated emissions (NRE)↓Radiated susceptibility (NRS)↓Contact
Conducted emissions to AECTP-500 (NCE01 to NCE05)
Every unit emits interference into the platform supply and wiring through its power, signal and antenna leads. The NCE tests limit these emissions in the frequency and time domains; three tests come from MIL-STD-461 and two from the British DEF STAN 59-411.
| NCE01 Sec. 6.4 | Power Leads, 30 Hz to 10 kHz: Measures low-frequency interference currents fed back onto the supply leads, for example by rectifiers, inverters or switched-mode power supplies. This prevents such currents from distorting the supply of other onboard loads. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CE101) |
| NCE02 Sec. 6.5 | Power Leads, 10 kHz to 10 MHz: Measures radio-frequency interference voltages on the supply leads via a line impedance stabilisation network. The limits protect sensitive receivers powered from the same platform supply. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CE102) |
| NCE03 Sec. 6.6 | Antenna Terminal, 10 kHz to 40 GHz: Measures spurious emissions and harmonics at the antenna terminal of transmitters and receivers. The measurement is taken directly at the terminal, before the interference can be radiated by the antenna. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CE106) |
| NCE04 Sec. 6.7 | Exported Transients on Power Leads: Measures switching transients that the equipment puts onto its supply leads when switched on and off or during load changes. The test ensures that such spikes do not affect other loads on the same supply. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NCE05 Sec. 6.8 | Power, Control & Signal Leads, 30 Hz to 150 MHz: Measures interference currents on power, control and signal leads over a wide frequency range in one measurement. Where NCE05 is performed, NCE01 and NCE02 are not required. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
Conducted susceptibility to AECTP-500 (NCS01 to NCS13)
With 13 tests, conducted susceptibility is the largest group. It ranges from low-frequency ripple and bulk current injection to transients, lightning, ESD and the receiver tests at the antenna port; NCS10 and NCS11 are national requirements of the United Kingdom.
| NCS01 Sec. 6.9 | Power Leads, 30 Hz to 150 kHz: Tests immunity to low-frequency AC components on the supply leads, as generated by generators and large loads. The equipment must operate without degradation while ripple is superimposed. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS101) |
| NCS02 Sec. 6.10 | Control & Signal Leads, 20 Hz to 50 kHz: Tests the immunity of control and signal leads to low-frequency interference coupled from adjacent cables. Evaluates whether signals and control functions remain unaffected. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NCS03 Sec. 6.11 | Antenna Port, Intermodulation, 15 kHz to 10 GHz: Evaluates the intermodulation performance of receivers. Two signals outside the receive band are applied simultaneously at the antenna port; no interfering mixing product may appear in the wanted channel. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS103) |
| NCS04 Sec. 6.12 | Antenna Port, Rejection of Undesired Signals, 30 Hz to 20 GHz: Evaluates receiver selectivity against individual signals outside the wanted channel. Checks whether a strong unwanted signal degrades reception of the wanted signal. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS104) |
| NCS05 Sec. 6.13 | Antenna Port, Cross Modulation, 30 Hz to 20 GHz: Evaluates the cross-modulation performance of receivers. A modulated signal adjacent to the wanted channel must not transfer its modulation onto the received signal. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS105) |
| NCS06 Sec. 6.14 | Structure Current, 60 Hz to 100 kHz: Injects interference currents through the equipment structure, as caused by potential differences in the platform structure. The test addresses equipment with very sensitive low-frequency inputs. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS109) |
| NCS07 Sec. 6.15 | Bulk Current Injection, 10 kHz to 200 MHz: Couples RF currents into cable bundles via a current probe, reproducing the effect of external fields on the cabling. Checks across the whole frequency range whether equipment functions are disturbed. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS114) |
| NCS08 Sec. 6.16 | Bulk Current Injection, Impulse Excitation: Couples short pulses into cable bundles via a current probe, reproducing the effect of fast switching transients on the cabling. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS115) |
| NCS09 Sec. 6.17 | Damped Sinusoidal Transients, Cables and Power Leads, 10 kHz to 100 MHz: Damped sinusoidal waveforms are applied to cable bundles and individual supply leads. They correspond to the ringing that lightning, EMP or switching excites in platform wiring. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS116) |
| NCS10 Sec. 6.18 | Imported Lightning Transient (Aircraft/Weapons): Reproduces the transients coupled onto the wiring by a lightning strike on aircraft and weapon systems. The test is a national requirement of the United Kingdom. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NCS11 Sec. 6.19 | Imported Low Frequency on Power Leads (Ships): Tests shipborne equipment for low-frequency interference coupled in via the supply leads. Like NCS10, it is a national requirement of the United Kingdom. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NCS12 Sec. 6.20 | Electrostatic Discharge: Electrostatic discharges are applied to accessible points of the equipment, as occur during operation and maintenance. Demonstrates that neither damage nor malfunction results. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NCS13 Sec. 6.21 | Transient Power Leads: Short voltage transients are applied to the supply leads, as caused by load switching on the platform supply. The equipment must remain undamaged and operational. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. CS106, edition F) |
Radiated emissions to AECTP-500 (NRE01 to NRE03)
Radiated magnetic and electric fields can interfere with nearby antennas, receivers and sensors. The NRE tests measure these fields in a screened room and capture transmitter spurious outputs.
| NRE01 Sec. 6.22 | Magnetic Field, 30 Hz to 100 kHz: Measures the low-frequency magnetic near field of the equipment and its cabling. The limits protect sensors and receivers that are sensitive to magnetic fields. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RE101) |
| NRE02 Sec. 6.23 | Electric Field, 10 kHz to 18 GHz: Measures the electric fields radiated by the equipment and its cabling in a screened room. This limits interference with antennas and receivers on the same platform. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RE102) |
| NRE03 Sec. 6.24 | Antenna Spurious and Harmonic Outputs, 10 kHz to 40 GHz: Measures the harmonics and spurious outputs of transmitters radiated by their antenna. It complements the antenna terminal measurement (NCE03), for example for integral antennas. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RE103) |
Radiated susceptibility to AECTP-500 (NRS01 to NRS04)
The NRS tests expose the equipment to magnetic fields, electric fields and transient field pulses as found on military platforms. NRS04 adds static magnetic fields for naval platforms to the tests known from MIL-STD-461.
| NRS01 Sec. 6.25 | Magnetic Field, 30 Hz to 100 kHz: Exposes the equipment to low-frequency magnetic fields generated with a radiating loop or Helmholtz coil. Checks whether magnetic fields from power distribution and drives cause malfunctions. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RS101) |
| NRS02 Sec. 6.26 | Electric Field, 2 MHz to 40 GHz: Irradiates the equipment with electric fields over a wide frequency range, as generated by radio and radar systems. Demonstrates interference-free operation in the electromagnetic environment of the platform. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RS103) and DEF STAN 59-411 |
| NRS03 Sec. 6.27 | Transient Electromagnetic Field: Tests immunity to a fast, high-energy field pulse simulating a nuclear electromagnetic pulse. It mainly concerns equipment outside shielded areas. Derived from: MIL-STD-461 (cf. RS105) |
| NRS04 Sec. 6.28 | Magnetic Field (DC): Tests immunity to static magnetic fields. The requirement applies to equipment on platforms fitted with a degaussing system or subject to deperming. Derived from: DEF STAN 59-411 |
Product information "AECTP-500"
Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Tests and Verification
Radios, radars, weapon systems and onboard electronics have to work together in a confined space without interfering with each other or failing under lightning, ESD and strong fields. The NATO publication AECTP-500 describes the testing of electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) from individual equipment up to the complete platform; for equipment and subsystems, its Category 501 specifies conducted and radiated emission and susceptibility tests. EDAG Testing performs the NCE, NCS, NRE and NRS tests to AECTP-500 individually or as a complete test sequence.
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