Michael:
The US DoD considers itself an "expert customer", and thus specifies the
performance characteristics of everything it buys in a set of elaborate
requirements that make up part of the contract.
Sometimes, the DoD buys commercial (COTS) equipment, and uses it in
non-critical areas (coffee pots, copiers). Sometimes, the DoD buys commercial,
and adds various additional requirements (like using a commercial fork-lift to
handle ordnance). And then sometimes, the DoD buys a system that is
non-commercial and used in a critical area, and then they heap on the
requirements.
No matter what the mix, the DoD spells out exactly what they want in the
contract. Let's hope your client read all the lines before they bid the job.
Now might be a good time to verify that they haven't overlooked any other
requirements (salt spray, vibration, gunfire, thermal cycling, marking,
fungus, it's a big list).
Regarding spectrum, the DoD is not regulated by the FCC. The FCC is chartered
to regulate and protect the civilian spectrum allocation, while the DoD is
allocated different parts of the spectrum. Within the DoD's portion of the
spectrum, they set their own rules. Both the FCC and the DoD are subordinate
to the NTIA for frequency allocation:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/index.htm
DoD emphasis is on performing your own mission without degrading other
missions. Military equipment is also usually operated at a considerable
separation from civilian equipment; if you get TV degradation and notice a
tank parked outside, you have problems greater than EMC.
Now, just as a guess, I'll bet that the DoD has contractually invoked
MIL-STD-461F, probably MIL-STD-810F and possibly MIL-STD-464A. If the DoD
wanted any commercial requirements, they would list them in the contract.
However, since the MIL-STDS are usually much more stringent than commercial
requirements, invoking them would be redundant and wasteful.
Ed Price
[email protected] <blocked::mailto:[email protected]> WB6WSN
NARTE Certified EMC Engineer
Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
Cubic Defense Applications
San Diego, CA USA
858-505-2780
Military & Avionics EMC Is Our Specialty
________________________________
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael
Loerzer
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 10:13 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: US FCC Exemptions for Military Equipment?
+++ Globalnorm-Konferenz „Product Compliance“, 09. und 10.06.2009 in
Berlin, www.product-compliance.com (english version follows) +++
Dear All,
We are assisting a German company to deliver a military system (c-band
radar
device, 4-8 GHz) to the USA. We are not sure about the “civil” regulatory
requirements for this system.
Questions:
· Are military devices generally exempted from FCC Part 15
(Section
15.103 Exempted devices includes no military equipment)? What about the device
mentioned afore?
· Does ANSI Z535.6-2006 also apply to military devices?
I would highly appreciate your response.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Yours sincerely
Dipl.-Ing. Michael Loerzer
Managing Director
Regulatory Affairs Specialist
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Fon: +49 30 3229027-50, Direct Call: -51
Mobile: +49 170 3229027
Fax: +49 30 3229027-59
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