Shielding Characteristics of Advanced Composites

Advanced composites technology has progressed rapidly in the past decade. Design studies and' hardware development activities on existing aircraft have confirmed that significant cost savings, weight savings, and consequent performance increases can result from modi­ fying metal structural designs by the inclusion o f composite structure designs, utilizing boron-filament, graphite-fiber, and glass-reinforced epoxies. One area o f concern, expressed by both the Air Force and air­ craft companies, is the impact o f composite materials on the function­ ing o f airborne electrical: and electronic components, when compos­ ites are applied to large areas o f aircraft structures and the aircraft Is exposed to high-level electromagnetic fields such as the electromag­ netic pulse, EMP, associated with a nuclear detonation,