US vulnerable to EMP attack

The US armed forces infrastructure, and American society at large, remain vulnerable to a debilitating attack by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generated by a high-altitude nuclear blast, a senior-level, congressionally appointed panel has warned.

Several potential adversaries, such as China, are capable of launching a crippling EMP strike against the US with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile, and others, such as North Korea or even terrorist groups, could have the capability by 2015, the panel said in its findings that it unveiled to US legislators at a hearing on 22 July.

john

www.janes.com...

the thing is most countries are not EMP protected cause its reletively new weapon (not the theory but the practical side).

Originally posted by devilwasp
the thing is most countries are not EMP protected cause its reletively new weapon (not the theory but the practical side).

Any high altitude nuclear blast will cause signifigant EMP's. Even the earliest ICBM's were capable of being targeted so they caused EMP effects rather than surface damage.

Originally posted by Starwars50
Any high altitude nuclear blast will cause signifigant EMP's. Even the earliest ICBM's were capable of being targeted so they caused EMP effects rather than surface damage.

I read somewere that they included a few airbursts as part of the SIOP. However, in responce to the US being vulnerable. You are correct, however, at this time the numbers of countries that could perform this attck at least on a national scale is limited. Maybe a small device planted say at the NYSE? That could cause some economic havoc for sure. Any country is at risk for this attack IMHO.

I think if you start shooting nukes over america you might as well have them blow stuff up,because america will see this as a nuclear strike and return in kind to who ever sent them. Its not like you can just say to america these are emp bombs dont shoot your nukes back at us.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
I think if you start shooting nukes over america you might as well have them blow stuff up,because america will see this as a nuclear strike and return in kind to who ever sent them. Its not like you can just say to america these are emp bombs dont shoot your nukes back at us.

Sorry, I ment to say as part of a nuke attack. I agree, poping of just a EMP attack is an invite to getting decimated.

oh as another factor of a nuclear strikes make sense. I also wouldnt doubt if they are plans for another wave of bio weapons after the nukes hit. All three combined would not be a pretty picture.

Anyone ever see the show Darkangel, In that show I think terrorist detonated a EMP weapon that effected most of the country that had the effect of turning america into one of the worlds biggest third world countries almost overnight.

Yeah but an EMP device that can take out the whole US is still many many years in the future but also any country on earth is vulnerable to an EMP attack you cant be a modern country without electronics so like shadow said if nukes start coming at the US then everything goes boom.

True if you can launch a nuke at that alltitude you could drop it on a US city except theres a chance it might be intercepted so you might have to detonate it at high altitude. Save our souls if somebody does that to us. I'd hate to imagine living with out electronics.

Hey heres an idea detonate a couple of nukes at high altitude so that the EMP knocks out missle interceptors and then the rest of your nukes won't have any resistance.

[edit on 7/27/2004 by cyberdude78]

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Yeah but an EMP device that can take out the whole US is still many many years in the future

I think this article indicates otherwise. The article is from the company that sells conductive concrete. Grain of salt here? But here is the paragraph anyway.

URL:
home.earthlink.net...

Excerpt:

High-altitude nuclear detonations, above 40,000 meters, produce beautiful auroral displays, but the effect on communications and power facilities can be quite ugly over an entire continent. A nuclear detonation over centrally located Kansas City or Omaha at a height of 500 km would illuminate the entire United States with an EMP field of 25-50 kV/m, which could cause damage to electrical and electronic systems at any point in the US.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Yeah but an EMP device that can take out the whole US is still many many years in the future but also any country on earth is vulnerable to an EMP attack you cant be a modern country without electronics so like shadow said if nukes start coming at the US then everything goes boom.

No it is not. A moderately sized warhead (10 or 20 megatons) detontated at a few hundred thousand feet over Kansas would probably shut down the entire continental united states. This is one of the main reasons the ABM system in North Dakota was dismantled almost as soon as it was put in place.

The Problem with an EMP attack is that a surprise EMP attack would be far more destructive than if a nuke was conventionly detonated to destroy a city, the EMP wave would render America incapable of launching a nuclear counter attack. EMP is scary because it can potentialy eliminate the M.A.D paradox by rendering one side incapable of launching a retalitory strike. Disabling a nation via a single nuke and then allowing for further un defensable bombardment places the United States at a strong disadvantage to spite its immense nuclear arsenal.

Everyone is vulnerable to an EMP attack, unless you shield all your electronics, you are.

EMP bombs are hard to make, almost harder then a conventional nuclear bomb.

Plus all of America's real important military technology is shielded, so it might take out all of the civilian stuff (I'd be pissed) but the nukes and silos should still work.

[edit on 27-7-2004 by Kozzy]

Yeah I doubt the US would leave missle silos unshielded if anything. But its not like you can hit all our subs.

I am no expert in nuclear weapons, but I have read a bit about them. From what I understand the EMP effect only occurs if nuclear warhead detonates. Also, I was under the impression that just knocking an ICBM out of the sky will not actually detonate the warhead because the actual nuclear reaction has to be started with internal components, and it wont just "blow up" from an outside explosion. If that is true than intercepting the missle would actually make the warhead alot safer because the components would be destroyed or damaged as well would they not? Thus eliminating the possibility of nuclear detonation AND EMP effect. I am gong to research into this now and if my memory is correct then I will post some sources and technical data as well.

I believe your right. Nuclear reactions are very precise so the chances of detonating the warhead are extremely slim. Its not like conventional warheads.

You could shoot a nuclear warehead with an AK-47 and it wouldn't explode, you'd probably start losing hair and sperm pretty much though.

How can you launch a surprise attack with a nuclear missile you really cant cuz it will be picked up on radar heading to the US and by the time the EMP nuke detonates our ICBM's are already en route to the nation that launched it at us.

Of course EMP could probably knock out ICBMs in flight so the first wave might just be to eliminate our counter-strike. So basically they launch there a few of their own warheads expecting us to counter-strike and their EMP just knocks out our entire counter-strike. So then after our only hope of hitting them is gone they drop the rest of their nukes on our defenseless cities.

Originally posted by cyberdude78
Of course EMP could probably knock out ICBMs in flight so the first wave might just be to eliminate our counter-strike. So basically they launch there a few of their own warheads expecting us to counter-strike and their EMP just knocks out our entire counter-strike. So then after our only hope of hitting them is gone they drop the rest of their nukes on our defenseless cities.

ICBM's are extremely well shielded from EMP effects. It is the vital communications and control equipment that would be affected. Once the ICBM's are in the air - short of physical destruction they are going to blow something up.

Also - To Westpoint223, with a SLBM you could concievably knock out critical C2 within a few minutes of launch - making retaliation very difficult.