Abstract

Overview

The increasing use of radiofrequency (RF) radiations by various devices raises significant concerns about human exposure, particularly in military settings where the use of RF devices is extensive. However, a comprehensive exposure assessment in these scenarios remains inadequately explored.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted focusing on the exposure of military personnel to RF specific to military environments, aiming to dissect the literature and categorize device types and their implications.

Findings

• The literature categorizes military RF devices into four primary classes for specific uses: communication, localization/surveillance, jammers, and EM directed-energy weapons.
• The analysis of the exposure conditions revealed occasional cases of overexposure, while most conditions were within safe exposure limits as per existing worker safety guidelines. However, the heterogeneity and limitations in study designs signify an imperative need for more detailed assessments.

Discussion and Conclusions

While current evaluations report mainly compliant exposure levels, the sparse data and missing evaluations for certain types of devices underscore a pressing need for further research. This becomes even more crucial with the imminent deployment of newer technologies such as 5G, drastically altering exposure scenarios in military sectors.

The review urges ongoing research into the interaction between military personnel and RF-EMFs from various military devices to fully ascertain the health risks and ensure safety standards are maintained.