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DEFENSE · STANDARDS

What Is MIL-STD-461?

MIL-STD-461 is the US military standard for the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of equipment. It sets limits and test methods for how much electromagnetic interference a device may emit, and how much it must tolerate, across both conducted and radiated paths.

01

The Short Answer

MIL-STD-461 controls electromagnetic interference (EMI) for electronic, electrical and electromechanical equipment used by the US military. It is the equipment-level EMC standard: it defines both how much interference a device may emit and how much external interference it must withstand without malfunctioning.

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    CE — Conducted Emissions Interference a device puts back onto its power and signal leads.
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    CS — Conducted Susceptibility Interference the device must tolerate arriving on those leads.
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    RE — Radiated Emissions Interference the device radiates into the surrounding space.
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    RS — Radiated Susceptibility Radiated interference the device must operate through.
02

Why It Matters

Military platforms are electromagnetically dense: radios, radar, motors and other computers share a confined space. A computer that meets MIL-STD-461 is less likely to disrupt, or be disrupted by, the systems around it. It is the equipment-level partner to the system-level MIL-STD-464.

See our overview of U.S. military standards (MIL-STDs) for how this fits alongside the others.