U.S. Army breaks ground on largest electromagnetic testing facility at Redstone Arsenal to support advanced aviation and systems testing

By Martin Chomsky (Defence Industry Europe)

The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center has broken ground on a new Military Systems Electromagnetic Test Support Facility at Redstone Arsenal. The project, known as MSETS, marks the start of a congressionally funded initiative more than 25 years in development.
Photo: U.S. Army Redstone Test Center.

The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center has broken ground on a new Military Systems Electromagnetic Test Support Facility at Redstone Arsenal. The project, known as MSETS, marks the start of a congressionally funded initiative more than 25 years in development.

 

The 28,000-square-foot facility will be the largest of its kind within the U.S. Army and the third-largest radio-frequency testing facility in the Department of Defense. Construction is expected to be completed in 2028, with multiple customers already committed to using the facility.

The MSETS facility will include the Army’s largest anechoic chamber designed for advanced electromagnetic testing. The chamber will support testing of all Army rotary-wing aircraft, including the MV-75 currently in development.

An anechoic chamber is designed to absorb sound and electromagnetic reflections, creating a controlled environment for precise measurements. This enables accurate testing of electronic systems, antennas and other components without external interference.



The MSETS environment will allow assessment of electromagnetic spectrum effects on integrated systems across large military platforms. It will feature a 120-by-105-foot chamber capable of providing a 100-decibel quiet radio-frequency environment for testing and evaluation.

The facility will support a range of capabilities, including instrumentation checkout, safety-of-flight testing and electronic warfare evaluation. Additional functions will include GPS-denied environments, antenna characterization and electromagnetic compatibility testing.

The Redstone Test Center, located at Redstone Arsenal, is a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command. It provides testing and evaluation services for missile systems, aviation platforms and associated technologies.

The MSETS project is intended to expand the Army’s ability to test complex systems in controlled electromagnetic environments. Once operational, the facility is expected to support advanced testing requirements for current and future military platforms.

 

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