Electronic devices for the Army and Police between CE marking and safety

Defense electronics - and in general military electronics and those dedicated to police bodies - is made up of complex electronic devices and systems, whose very high technological qualities are capable of protecting national security.

These are more than sophisticated systems, dedicated to activities such as detection, communication, protection and attack which find their use in the air, land and maritime fields. This type of device - given its extremely delicate nature of use - requires ensure high performance for the success of operations, minimizing the risks associated with use.

Generally speaking, the defense electronics market is witnessing a modernization and to an increase in the use of advanced electronic systems, now necessary for the completion of relatively simple operations, but also high-caliber projects.

Main applications of electronics in the armed forces

Among the most extensive macro-areas of intervention of electronic systems, we certainly find those connected to detection and at communications. In particular, all those devices they produce are part of it electromagnetic signals to obtain strategic information. These are signals such as interference, disturbances, arcs, coronas - and many others - which allow us to detect a vast range of notions, especially related to the positioning of opposing "objects". Take for example, among many, i radar systems (Radio Detection And Ranging) which allow you to detect an object within a certain radius, sending a signal that bounces off it to know its distance.

Together with this macro-category of devices, they find a key role communication systems, as well as video and audio recording. These electronic devices, radios, have peculiar dimensional and functional characteristics and are basic for retrieving other categories of information. Let's think, for example, about how necessary it is for the perfect functioning of a bug worn by an agent or of helmet cameras, worn on missions by members of the Army, to guarantee their safety.

Generally speaking, given the importance of electronic devices at a strategic level it is necessary that these do not respond problems related to their use, a factor that could compromise the success of the activities of the Armed Corps.

CE marking of electronic equipment intended for the Army and Police

At the legislative level, electronic devices for the Army and Police are exempt from the obligation to be certified and from CE marking. However, in Italy and the rest of Europe, the sector is witnessing a growing demand for tests and certifications on the products in question.

These are products that were not certified in previous times, a process that is now recognized as necessary. Many public tenders related to the armed forces, in fact, the CE marking on electrical and electronic products it is requested or seen as preferential element.

One of the crucial issues in this evolution is a growing attention to rights of armed forces operators as workers. In fact, it is necessary for employees to receive all the protections dedicated to other types of workers in terms of safety, health and risk prevention.

Furthermore, the CE marking is pre-eminent if we consider the duration of the life cycle of electronic products intended for military use. The difference between the life cycle of military products and consumer products is substantial: electronic products dedicated to the "simple" user have a relatively short lifespan - on average around three years old, with specific variations based on the type of product - while the electronic devices dedicated to the use of the armed forces have a much longer life.

There are electronic instruments which - thanks to very sophisticated and cutting-edge design - can aim to have a life that goes from ten to thirty years old. These systems, in fact, are characterized by robustness, cutting-edge technologies, elevated performance and are frequently the result of specialized work by multidisciplinary teams, often in collaboration with commercial and academic counterparts.

It is therefore very likely that, in their long life as electronic products, i devices dedicated to the armed forces need to be updated in some of their components, maintained, or simply reworked in light of new needs. In this context, the CE marking and all related tests are fundamental to create effective products over time, which protect the vast number of operators with whom they will come into contact.

The exceptional nature of military products in terms of compliance

Due to their very sophisticated nature and their functionalities related to strategic operations, the design of these systems presents many challenges. In this framework the tests for the conformity assessment of electronic devices for the Army and Police to European directives and the affixing of the CE marking are extremely important. However, we must not forget the exceptionality of some devices related to the Armed Forces in terms of compliance, compared to electronic products dedicated to generic consumers.

We remind you that electrical and electronic equipment and products dedicated to consumers must comply various directives on CE marking and safety, including the Low Voltage Directive (LVD), the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive, the RoHS Directive, the WEEE Directive, the Ecodesign Directive, directives related to human exposure and electromagnetic fields.

It should be underlined that some electronic products intended for military use are, due to their precise functionality, unable to pass some of the certification tests intended for standard products, as is the case, in fact, with all equipment aimed at jamming telecommunications.

It is understood, therefore, that on "exceptional" products the proper operation and test all components that require it, while products that allow it will be able to benefit from the CE marking and place itself on the market ensuring quality, safety and effectiveness.