The Sturm-type Electronic Countermeasure was produced and deployed for use by the Abwehran Armed Forces (AAF) in the Second Quarter of AF 260 (YE 32).

Type: Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) Designer: Dietrich Starkwerk Manufacturer: Abwehran Imperial Yards Government: Abwehran Star Empire

The Sturn Electronic Countermeasure was designed in the Second Quarter of AF 260 (YE 32) and was one of the first designs of Dietrich Starkwerk. Due to military contracting, it is produced by the Abwehran Imperial Yards.

Typically housed inside a launcher on the surface of a space vessel or aircraft, the Sturm ECM system fires several missiles that at a pre-set distance and speed break into a large spread of electronically-charged metallic debris. The debris (which is similar to Chaff) makes a similar radar return as the craft it is fired from, going at nearly the same speed (though, in atmosphere it decreases in speed quickly) and forming a similar heat profile¹⁾. When the debris forms, scattered one-use explosives designed to create light touch off randomly, illuminating the reflective pieces of metal to fool imaging scanners. When fired directly at enemy craft/sensors, or when used near radio/laser communications, it effectively serves as a jammer which disrupts the signal and/or forms hundreds of thousands of returns.

In space, deployed Sturm ECM debris becomes ineffective after about one hour due to inertia spreading it too far out.

Firing Method: May be fired one after another, but typically for Aerospace craft it only takes one to form the correct profile or to jam the selected target.²⁾ In space, launchers can hold up to twenty of these countermeasures and be easily loaded. Given the length of spacecraft, it takes two missiles per 100 Meters to match their profile. Atmospheric craft carry a launcher with ten missiles, and it only takes one to make a similar profile or perform jamming on ground targets. The ECM is programmed before deployment either by spacecraft or by aerospace units.