carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) (02/06/91)
From: carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) >From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) > Divisional Jamming assets (from open sources): > 1. AN/MLQ-34 ("Milky Thirtyfour") TACJAM comm jam system is the > tactical ground-based ECM (electronic countermeasures) system. > It's mounted in a comm shelter carried on an M1015 tracked vehicle. > (modified M548 Arty ammo carrier - M113 family.) Modifications include > a 60KW, 400Hz power system and ground rod driver. Also included is a > 'quick-erect' pneumatic antenna mast with a folding log periodic > antenna. The system contains four receivers (computer tuned) and > three transmitters which permit simultaneous jamming on three separate > frequencies. TACJAM is the primary ground-based VHF comm jammer in the > division - organic to A Company (Coll & Jam), MI Battalion (CEWI). > Normally employed in General Support of the division. > Mike Schmitt "Jam it 'till it Hertz" One point that may not be obvious from the above description is that this jammer is designed to be moved quickly. The operator can stop the vehicle, use the ground rod driver (which has a rack of 10 foot ground rods) to ground the equipment, use the pneumatic equipment to erect the antenna, and be on the air quickly to monitor and jam enemy frequencies. The quick setup and moveout capability is extremely important if the enemy has direction finding equipment and the appropriate artillery to reach the jammer. A high power jammer is probably the easiest electronic device to find and target on the battlefield. Jammers that sit in one place for a long time don't live to fight another day. I haven't heard much about Iraqi attempts to jam our comm, but I assume they probably won't do it very often because the jammers would be very vulnerable. Bruce Carlson carlson@gateway.mitre.org