Progress in High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) Standardization

Since the publication of the last IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility special issue on nuclear electromagnetic pulse in 1978, significant progress has been made in the development of high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) standards. The standards cover HEMP environment definition, protection requirements, and test methods. In particular, civilian standards have been developed in recent times as it is recognized that the impact of HEMP disturbances is not just a concern for the military but also a concern for the largely civilian critical national infrastructure. This paper provides a summary of the HEMP standards that are presently available in the military and civilian domains.