<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.22

                              SEVERANCE AGREEMENT


THIS SEVERANCE AGREEMENT is entered into as of March 20, 1997 (the "Effective
Date"), between CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE, INC., a Delaware corporation ("CMI") and
______________ (the "Employee").

                                    RECITAL

The Employee serves as CMI's Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and
Secretary. CMI and the Employee desire to set forth the terms of the Employee's
severance compensation if the Employee's employment is ended as a result of a
Change in Control. If a Change in Control occurs, the Employee and other key
employees may be more vulnerable to dismissal or other negative consequences
without regard to the quality of their past or prospective service. The Board of
Directors (the "Board") believes that it is in the best interest of CMI and its
stockholders to ensure fair treatment to CMI's key employees and to reduce the
adverse effects upon their performance that may be caused by an acquisition or
change in control.

The parties agree as follows:

1.      Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms will
        have the meanings set forth below.

        1.1     A "Change in Control" will occur if (a) any person, as that term
                is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities and
                Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), other than CMI, is or
                becomes the beneficial owner, as defined in Rule 13(d)(3) under
                the Exchange Act, directly or indirectly (including by holding
                securities which are exercisable for or convertible into shares
                of capital stock of CMI), of 30 percent or more of the combined
                voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of CMI
                entitled to vote generally in the election of directors
                (calculated as provided in Rule 13(d) under the Exchange Act in
                the case of rights to acquire capital stock), whether by means
                of a tender offer or exchange offer or open-market purchases or
                a combination thereof; (b) a Transaction is consummated; (c)
                Continuing Directors cease to constitute at least a majority of
                the Board; or (d) a majority of the CMI's Outside Directors
                determine that a Change in Control has occurred.

        1.2     "Continuing Directors" shall mean the directors of CMI in office
                on January 1, 1997 and any successor to any such director whose
                nomination or selection was approved by a majority of the
                Continuing Directors in office at the time of the director's
                nomination or selection and who is not an "affiliate" or
                "associate" (as defined in Regulation 12B under the Securities
                Exchange Act
<PAGE>   2
        of 1934, as amended) of any person who is the beneficial owner, directly
        or indirectly, of securities representing ten percent (10%) or more of
        the combined voting power of CMI's outstanding securities then entitled
        ordinarily to vote for the election of directors. 

1.3     "Disability" means that the Employee has met the qualifications for
        CMI's long-term disability benefit.

1.4     "Good Reason" includes any of the following:

        (a)  the assignment to the Employee of duties inconsistent with, or a
             substantial alteration in the nature or status of, the Employee's
             responsibilities immediately before a Change in Control;

        (b)  a reduction in the Employee's salary or other benefits as in effect
             on the date of a Change in Control;

        (c)  the Employee's relocation to a work site requiring an increase in
             one-way commute from Employee's residence of more than thirty-five
             (35) miles; or

        (d)  a breach by CMI of this Agreement if the breach has not been cured
             within 30 days after written notice by the Employee to CMI setting
             forth with specificity the nature of the breach.

1.5     "Outside Director" is a member of CMI's Board of Directors who is not,
        and who during the past six months was not, an employee or officer of
        CMI.

1.6     "Termination for Cause" is termination of the Employee's employment as a
        result of (a) the Employee's willful misconduct or the Employee's
        dishonesty towards, fraud upon, crime against or deliberate or attempted
        injury or bad faith action with respect to CMI; or (b) the Employee's
        conviction for a felony (whether in connection with CMI's affairs or
        otherwise).

1.7     "Termination Upon a Change in Control" is (a) termination by the
        Employee of his employment for Good Reason within one year after the
        occurrence of a Change in Control; or (b) termination by CMI of the
        Employee's employment within one year after the occurrence of a Change
        in Control other than a Termination for Cause or a termination resulting
        from the Employee's death or
<PAGE>   3
                Disability. The one-year period provided for herein shall be six
                months in the event a Change in Control arises out of a
                Transaction defined in Section 1.8(c) hereof.

        1.8     "Transaction" is (a) a consolidation or merger of CMI if the
                shareholders of CMI immediately before the merger or
                consolidation do not immediately after the merger or
                consolidation own equity securities of the surviving or
                acquiring corporation or a parent party possessing 50% or more
                of the voting power of the surviving or acquiring corporation or
                parent party; (b) a sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in
                one transaction or a series of related transactions) of 50% or
                more of the assets of CMI; or (c) the sale or other disposition
                of business units within any 12-month period that contributed
                for that 12-month period more than 45% of CMI's revenues.

2.      Term. If no Change in Control has occurred, this Agreement will expire
        one year from its Effective Date. If a Change in Control occurs within
        one year of such Effective Date, this Agreement will continue in effect
        and will not terminate, until either the Employee has received the
        severance compensation provided for below or has ceased to be eligible
        for such compensation by reason of there not having been a Termination
        Upon a Change in Control.

3.      Termination Upon a Change in Control. If a Termination Upon a Change in
        Control occurs, the Employee will immediately be paid all accrued
        salary, bonus compensation to the extent earned, vested deferred
        compensation (other than pension plan or profit sharing plan benefits,
        which will be paid in accordance with the applicable plan), any benefits
        then due under any plans of CMI in which the Employee is a participant,
        accrued vacation pay and any appropriate business expenses incurred by
        the Employee in connection with his duties, all to the date of
        termination ("Accrued Compensation"). The Employee will also be entitled
        to the severance compensation described in Section 4.

4.      Severance Compensation. If a Termination Upon a Change in Control
        occurs, CMI shall pay monthly severance compensation to the Employee for
        a period ending 12 months after termination, or ending six months after
        termination if the Termination Upon a Change in Control is by reason of
        a Transaction defined in Section 1.8(c), in an aggregate amount
        determined by adding (a) the Employee's monthly base salary at the time
        of termination, (b) a proportionate amount of the Employee's targeted
        bonus, determined by multiplying the Employee's targeted bonus by the
        number of complete months from the start of the then current fiscal year
        to the Employee's termination date and dividing the product by 144, and
        (c) an amount equal to the monthly `Perk Pot' benefit to which the
        Employee is entitled as an officer of the company at the time of
        termination, and (d) the amount of $2,080.00 in lieu of other employee
        benefits (including health benefits) the Employee was receiving from
        CMI. If the Employee become employed prior to the expiration of the
        aforesaid twelve month period, or six months if the Termination Upon a
        Change in Control is by reason of a
<PAGE>   4
        Transaction defined in Section 1.8(c), the payments provided for in
        this Section 4 shall cease as of the date of such employment; Employee
        agrees to promptly notify CMI of any such employment and to reimburse
        CMI for any payments made by CMI hereunder that cover any period during
        which the Employee was employed.

5.      Acceleration of Options.  If a Termination Upon a Change in Control
        occurs, all stock options and restricted stock held by the Employee
        immediately before the termination will become fully vested and the
        stock options will be exercisable for the periods specified with respect
        to termination of employment in the plans covering the options.

6.      Other Benefits.  Neither this Agreement nor the severance compensation
        that it provides for will reduce any amounts otherwise payable, or in
        any way diminish the Employee's rights as an employee of CMI, whether
        existing now or hereafter, under any benefit, incentive, retirement,
        stock option, stock bonus or stock purchase plan or under any employment
        agreement or other plan or arrangement, provided, however, that the
        rights granted to the Employee and the obligations assumed by CMI under
        this Agreement will be in lieu of, and not in addition to, any severance
        or other termination payments to which the Employee may be entitled
        under any employment agreement or other plan or arrangement that the
        Employee may now or hereafter have with CMI.

7.      Employment Status.  This Agreement does not constitute a contract of
        employment.  It does not impose on CMI any obligation to retain the
        employee as an employee, to change the status of the Employee's
        employment or to change CMI's policies regarding termination of
        employment.

8.      Miscellaneous.

        a.  Severability.  If a court or other body of competent jurisdiction
            determines that any provision of this Agreement is invalid or
            unenforceable, that provision will be adjusted rather than voided,
            if possible, so that it is enforceable to the maximum extent
            possible, and all other provisions of the Agreement will be deemed
            valid and enforceable to the fullest extent possible.

        b.  Withholding.  Compensation and benefits to the Employee under this
            Agreement will be reduced by all federal, state, local and other
            withholdings or similar taxes as required by applicable law.

        c.  Arbitration.  The parties will submit all controversies, claims and
            matters of difference in any way related to this Agreement, its
            performance or breach, to arbitration in San Francisco, California,
            according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration
            Association from time to time in effect. Any awards in such
            arbitration shall be final and binding on all parties.  The
            arbitrators shall allocate the costs of the arbitration in such
            manner as they deem equitable.  The arbitrators may require the
            reimbursement of all or a portion of
<PAGE>   5
        the reasonable legal fees incurred by the prevailing party in the
        arbitration proceeding and any legal proceedings which are taken to
        enforce the arbitral award.

d.      Entire Agreement; Modifications.  This Agreement is the entire agreement
        between the parties with respect to the matters covered hereby, and may
        be amended, modified, superseded or canceled, or its terms waived, only
        by a written instrument executed by each party or, in the case of a
        waiver, by the party waiving compliance. Failure of a party at any time
        to require performance of any provision of this Agreement will not
        affect the right at a later time to enforce the same. No waiver of a
        breach of this Agreement, whether by conduct or otherwise, in any one or
        more instances will be construed as a further or continuing waiver of
        the breach or of any other term of this Agreement. This Agreement shall
        inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns
        of the parties hereto.

e.      Confidential Information.  The Employee agrees not to disclose, either
        while in the Company's employ or at any time thereafter, to any person
        not employed by CMI any confidential information obtained while in the
        employ of CMI (including, without limitation, any of CMI's inventions,
        processes, methods of distribution, customers or trade secrets). This
        shall not preclude the employee from the use or disclosure of
        information known generally to the public or from making disclosures
        required by law or court order.

f.      Applicable Law.  This Agreement will be construed under and governed by
        the laws of the State of California without regard or reference to the
        rules of conflicts of law that would require the application of the laws
        of any other jurisdiction.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and
year first above written.

CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE, INC.



-------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
Gilbert F. Johnson     
President and Chief Operating Officer