Press Releases

Innovative Wall Provides First Line of Defense Against Electromagnetic Pulse Attacks

January 30, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Miami, Florida -- January 30, 2019 -- Omni-Threat Structures (OTS) has developed an electromagnetic shielding concrete wall as part of a broader strategy to mitigate threats to the critical infrastructure. The OTS IEMI Wall provides vital protection against Intentional Electromagnetic Interference (IEMI) weapons as well as ballistic/kinetic and blast attacks, growing concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure facilities and equipment globally.

Of the sixteen critical infrastructure segments in the United States (identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security), the power utility sector is particularly susceptible to attacks on substations, equipment and other facilities. The OTS IEMI Wall can be constructed to protect existing facilities without the disruption of developing an entirely new structure.

OTS’s IEMI Walls, using shielding concrete, have been constructed as a more cost- effective alternative to steel, steel mesh and extruded steel walls. From a technical perspective, the OTS IEMI Wall is capable of 30-40 dB, or better, of attenuation across the typical IEMI frequency range. At 40 dB the IEMI wall provides 99% shielding. Further, the wall, inherently resilient to ballistic and kinetic threats, protects against line of sight threats.

By way of example, a ballistic attack like the one at the Metcalf Transmission Substation in San Jose, California, in April of 2013, would not be possible if a concrete IEMI wall were installed at the substation. When OTS IEMI Walls are installed instead of standard wall construction, transformers, in particular their sensors, actuators and other instrumentation, would be protected from terrestrial IEMI attacks for little extra cost relative to the value of the transformer asset.

Although installation requirements vary situationally, the OTS IEMI shielding walls could cost as little as $500/LF. This formulation is based on a 10’ high wall at least 200’ long. These walls are also a cost-effective sight barrier, offering a high level of protective security fencing.

Omni-Threat Structures, LLC (OTS) designs and builds multi-threat structures protecting against HEMP, IEMI, Emanations, Ballistic/Blast, and extreme natural disasters. OTS’s proprietary construction methods have been deployed successfully to build steel and concrete structures that are threat configurable, scalable, and cost effective. The company completed the world’s first shielded concrete structure that exceeded the shielding requirements of MIL-STD- 188-125. OTS has successfully completed multiple specialty and hardened and shielded structures throughout the country for utility, commercial, and government clients. Notable projects include the successfully completed Vertical Electro-Magnetic Pulse Simulator (VEMPS) at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland as well as a 65,000 square foot utility control and data center in Texas that incorporates commercial, hurricane-resistant, and HEMP shielded structures all in one building.

The OTS team has three decades of success as a high integrity industrial general contractors, over a decade of success with specialized design-build hardened structures and experience in the nuclear power industry, building Fukushima Flex/Beyond Design Basis structures that meet NRC Regulatory Guide 1.76 standards. Building on a history of success, OTS now constructs EMP – IEMI shielded structures that also incorporate protection from ballistic/blast, natural threats, including Cat 5 hurricanes, EF-5 tornados, and seismic events.

For further information, visit www.omnithreatstructures.com or contact Lisa Schunack at 306.633.3336.

← See More Press Releases

© Copyright 2024 Omni-Threat Structures. All Rights Reserved