The US Army has begun construction of a long-planned electromagnetic testing complex at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, launching the Military Systems Electromagnetic Test Support (MSETS) facility with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Congress funds the 28,000-square-foot (2,601-square-meter) project, which the military expects to complete in 2028.

Once operational, MSETS will be the service’s largest anechoic chamber, which absorbs sound and radio waves to create an interference-free environment for precise measurements, and the third-largest radio-frequency testing facility under the US Department of Defense.

‘Game-Changer’ Evaluation Capability

The facility will support assessments of the “largest and most complex” military systems, including all of the service’s helicopter fleets and the in-development MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.

It will also help experts determine how electromagnetic spectrum conditions affect integrated systems across aviation and ground platforms.

“MSETS is a game-changer,” said James Amato, executive technical director at the Army Test and Evaluation Command. “It provides a critical capability that we currently lack at Redstone… right here where they are developed and sustained.”

Among the critical spaces inside the MSETS laboratory is a 120-by-105-foot (37-by-32-meter) proving ground that can simulate a 100-decibel quiet radio-frequency environment.

Col. Joseph Alexander, commander of Redstone Test Center, said the hub will further strengthen the military’s testing capabilities.

“Today, we do more than just break ground,” he said. “We establish the foundation for the future of Army readiness.”

“The work we begin here will ensure the American Warfighter has the best tested, most lethal and reliable weapon systems. MSETS will ensure that when the Nation calls, the systems [Redstone Test Center] tests will perform — decisively, reliably, and without fail.”