ECM jammers and crew safety

[yahya]

Dear Colleagues, I cannot find any information on how crew safety was married with the high power microwave transmitters used in ECM jammers. If hundreds of Watts, if not kilowatts, of RF power emanated from the jammers, especially operating in the CW mode, how did it affect the health and well-being of the crews during long-lasting missions? What kind of safety measures and regulations for the use of ECM jammers were employed during the Cold War? Serious answers please.

 

[F-2]

Sweeping New Study Shows High Aviator Cancer Rates

A study from the Pentagon found elevated rates of military aviator and ground crew cancer, sparking concern among lawmakers and advocates.

www.airandspaceforces.com

Efforts are made but aviators have much higher cancer rates then the general public

 

[Hanz2k]

Airplane is basically Faraday cage. Only glass requires some form of additional protection and in the case of E6 Prowler it was gold layer on the glass. F22 use indium oxide. Plus you always expect emission from antenna which typically is OUTSIDE of the cabin.

@F-2 - I rather bet on cosmic radiation. In passenger plane you have at least some layers between cosmos and plane. Military pilots have only helmet.

 

[yahya]

Sweeping New Study Shows High Aviator Cancer Rates

A study from the Pentagon found elevated rates of military aviator and ground crew cancer, sparking concern among lawmakers and advocates.

www.airandspaceforces.com

Efforts are made but aviators have much higher cancer rates then the general public

Do you mean present time or historically? In the 20th century, many analog aircraft instruments were painted with radioactive paint to glow in the dark. The Russians are known to have used highly radioactive paints. Many years ago I measured a MiG-21 clock, which provided ca. 70 uSv/h within 10" from the dial.
Add aircraft fuels and lubricants...

 

[yahya]

Airplane is basically Faraday cage. Only glass requires some form of additional protection and in the case of E6 Prowler it was gold layer on the glass. F22 use indium oxide. Plus you always expect emission from antenna which typically is OUTSIDE of the cabin.

@F-2 - I rather bet on cosmic radiation. In passenger plane you have at least some layers between cosmos and plane. Military pilots have only helmet.

Interesting. I guess that V/UHF COM radios do not pose too much health hazard due to relatively low power. Rather high power XPDR transmissions or microwave datalinks are of concern. Not to mention radar.

 

[F-2]

Sweeping New Study Shows High Aviator Cancer Rates

A study from the Pentagon found elevated rates of military aviator and ground crew cancer, sparking concern among lawmakers and advocates.

www.airandspaceforces.com

Efforts are made but aviators have much higher cancer rates then the general public

Do you mean present time or historically? In the 20th century, many analog aircraft instruments were painted with radioactive paint to glow in the dark. The Russians are known to have used highly radioactive paints. Many years ago I measured a MiG-21 clock, which provided ca. 70 uSv/h within 10" from the dial.
Add aircraft fuels and lubricants...

The study is 1992-2007. Most studies of that kind will use historical data as it covers people’s health over the course of many years.

 

[publiusr]

Military pilots have only helmet.

No defense for gonad shriveling RF...