Shielded Facility FAQ
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What is a HEMP / EMP shielded facility?
An EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) or HEMP (High-altitude Electromagnetic Pulse) shielded facility is a structure engineered to protect critical electronic equipment and infrastructure from intense electromagnetic and radio frequency energy generated by nuclear events, solar activity, or other EMP-inducing sources. It ensures continuity of operations and protection from damage.
What protection standards do Armag’s shielded facilities meet?
Armag’s shielded facilities are custom engineered to meet or exceed standards such as MIL-STD-188-125-1A (fixed facilities), MIL-STD-188-125-2 (transportable facilities), and MIL-HDBK-423. They can also deliver +20 dB RF attenuation as a baseline, with higher levels of attenuation available for specialized applications.
What sizes and configurations are available?
Every Armag shielded facility is custom-engineered to meet specific customer requirements. The facilities are available in sizes from ~60 sq ft up to ~5,000 sq ft. Configurations are custom engineered for customer needs: interior layout, power, HVAC, equipment racks, etc.
Are these for outdoor use?
Yes. Armag modular data centers are designed to be standalone buildings for exterior use. Their 1/4″ steel construction and specialized outer coatings allow them to withstand extreme climates and operate for decades with little to no maintenance.
Are these facilities relocatable?
Yes. All Armag facilities are designed to be transportable and able to withstand transport loads. Armag can design facilities to be airlift certified upon request (e.g. C-17, C5).
How durable are these facilities, especially outdoors in harsh environments?
All Armags are purpose-built to last decades, with minimal maintenance. Armag takes very careful measures to ensure the ingretity of the HEMP shield over the life of the unit. Some protection features include:
- Exterior coatings meeting ISO 12944 C5M (marine/coastal environments) for corrosion protection
- Designed to withstand extreme weather including wind loads (up to ~250 MPH in some configurations), rain, snow, hail, sun exposure, etc.
- Metallization processes for conductivity and corrosion resistance
What internal systems and amenities can be included?
Facilities can be customized with:
- HVAC / climate control
- Power distribution & backup power
- Racks and mounting hardware
- Intrusion detection / access controls
- Signal & power line filters, waveguides beyond cutoff, etc.
What are the lead times, how quickly can these be delivered?
Delivery speed depends on size, customization, and logistics (site prep, transport, etc.), but Armag offers turnkey delivery and designs that avoid many construction hassles or interruptions to existing operations.
Is it necessary to place the shielded facility on a concrete or asphalt pad?
It is not necessary to place your EMP shielded facility on a concrete or asphalt pad, but these pads do enhance the leveling. At a minimum we recommend a compacted crushed stone base. Should you choose to go with concrete we recommend a 6 in. – 8 in. pad. Check local building guidelines to determine if a footer is required and, if so, how deep the footer is to be.
How much maintenance should I expect to encounter over the life of the shielded facility?
Armag EMP shielded facilities are very low maintenance. You will need to grease the door hinges regularly (2-3 times per year in mild environments and monthly in more extreme environments). A grease fitting is attached to the hinge making it easy to apply the grease deep into the hinge.
The paint should last 8-10 years in mild conditions. However, in extreme environments such as coastal areas, the life will be less. The best practice is to thoroughly inspect the exterior finish 2-3 times per year. Early detection of a problem will greatly limit the amount of maintenance needed to remedy the situation. Contact us with any questions.
How is the shielded facility delivered and offloaded?
Delivery trucks may be 75′ to 100′ long, so the roadway should be evaluated to determine whether there are tight turns that the truck may not be able to navigate.
The equipment required for offloading will be determined by the size of the shielded facility. Small units may be offloaded with a forklift while large units may require the services of a crane. Armag will help you determine which type of equipment may be needed. If a crane is required, a rigging company will need to do a site survey before the load is shipped. The distance in which the crane will have to swing the load will have a significant bearing on the size of crane needed. Also, during the site survey the rigger will look for overhead obstructions (trees, power lines, etc).
Charges for freight to your site and offloading are the customer’s responsibility. We arrange the transportation for you and will add it to your invoice.
