Could North Korea Wipe out the U.S. with and EMP?

www.empcommission.org...

If you have nothing better to do some time, maybe give that little book a read on the vulnerability of the U.S. to an electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear weapon. Maybe that's the real reason the U.S. is so worried that North Korea is about to run a nuclear test, and has space launch capacity.

Think that's impossible?

North Korea Vows New Nuclear Test 'Aimed' at US
www.voanews.com...

North Korea's National Defense Commission says the reclusive state will conduct an “all-out confrontation battle” that will include further satellite and long-range launches, as well as what it calls a nuclear test of a “higher level.” It says these actions will be aimed at its sworn enemy, the United States.

A single nuke set off above the U.S. in space, is all it would take to send us to the stone age by wiping out our electrical grid system and more. What has the government done to prevent this...Nothing. Billions on war, while the home front is one flash away from losing it all.

And no groping by the TSA will be able to stop it.

Your thoughts?

no...the delivery device they would need to use, would be destroyed long before it got close to mainland america. i think what worries the western countries, not only america, is a space based weapons platform.

Originally posted by jimmyx
no...the delivery device they would need to use, would be destroyed long before it got close to mainland america. i think what worries the western countries, not only america, is a space based weapons platform.

How can you be sure?

What if China and North Korea attack at once? And Russia?

And say there is some stuff hidden in South America....

How can you be sure the defense will wok?

The trick is to hide your nuke in your new satellite and wait for it to go over the U.S. If the U.S. shoots it down, you complain to the world court and get them fined. If they don't shoot it down, blow it over them.

No lose scenario.

i would think an EMP of that magnitude would be difficult to focus solely on the US without hitting Canada and Mexico, so they would be making many enemies by using it.

If this were to happen, I'm sure our naval assets in the Pacific would swiftly respond. Also, Aegis could potentially shoot down anything incoming.

Yes, don't hit the friends of the great Satan.

Somehow I don't think any country bent on wiping out the worlds superpower is too worried about Canada and Mexico getting wiped out too.

Sadly with all of the electrical Grid's together, Canada gets kicked too.

Originally posted by stuntmanbob

Originally posted by jimmyx
no...the delivery device they would need to use, would be destroyed long before it got close to mainland america. i think what worries the western countries, not only america, is a space based weapons platform.

How can you be sure?

What if China and North Korea attack at once? And Russia?

And say there is some stuff hidden in South America....

How can you be sure the defense will wok?

contingency planning.
2nd line

Does everyone really believe the defense systems of the U.S. are that good? That's not why people don't shoot at the U.S. they don't shoot because they don't want to become a smoking hole when the U.S. fires back.

Yes the anti missile systems are getting better, but in orbit around Earth, there is so much industrial space crap, targeting in orbit is a very difficult thing.

No. Unless you define "Wipe out" differently than I do. It was cause some deaths and inconvenience and major annoyance to whatever area was affected. It would have virtually no affect on our military which would very quickly turn North Korea into a wasteland.

China and Russia are about the only countries that could openly attack the US and not be wiped off the map 30 minutes later.

All of our nuclear response capabilities are EMP hardened.

First, it would take a minimum of two very large nukes detonated at high altitude to cover most of the US. Even assuming they both made it to target and both were successfully detonated it would not 'wipe out' the U.S. It would do significant, serious and long-lasting damage putting most of us back into the 1800's. Yes, it would be very bad.

However, if that were to ever happen (sooooo unlikely) anything of any value within NK would be glassed. No discussion, no negotiations, no press releases. The country would cease to exist as we know it. And if they did attack us in such a manner the action would be indefensible in the international community. They would be a pariah. No other country (China, Russia, etc.) would come to their aide and risk having a huge part of their valuable infrastructure toasted either. Just can't see it happening.

think for a moment:
you have countries that are nuclear capable...these countries have the capacity to detect even small nuclear signatures from land,sea, and space platforms....now think fukishima underwater.

No.

North Korea desperately wants recognition as being "one of the tough guys" and nothing more. They are not prepared for the Hell the west could unleash.

Many people like to think that the table is level...That any country could stand against the juggernaut...this is a fantasy of those wanting to see huge changes in the world...here is a clue, not going to happen.

Russia is not interested in anything but Russia. Idealism went out the window 20 years ago. They are looking out for Russia. China is trying to grow and become a financial powerhouse. Getting into a war with one of the most technologically advanced societies ever is not going to serve that end. China, IMHO, would probably be the voice of reason in trying to avoid such actions. They, like Russia, are looking out for China. The days of "allies" and "coalitions" are falling away as each and every country is trying to do what is best for that country.

Starting a World War will serve none of the true powerhouses....sure the Middle East is in an uproar...always has been and always will be...but none...I mean none...of them are global powers. They are desperate for their religious causes and they are trying to draw anyone in that will listen. There is nothing in the interest of any of the true world powers to go that route.

North Korea just has an ego problem and wants (needs) to feel it matters on the world scene...

Found this on nuclear EMP. It's interesting. It says most military systems are shielded to a degree some more than others and the exact effects of EMP and how to shield against them are highly classified.
I'd say most military hardware designed in the cold war was designed to be operational after a nuclear war had started so most hardware would probably be shielded but to what extent and exactly how is classified.

There have only been a few high altitude nuclear explosions. There have been none since November, 1962. At that time, scientists were just beginning to understand the phenomenon well enough to even know what to try to measure. This means that there is a very limited amount of data available, and only a part of that data is unclassified.

www.futurescience.com...

It seems the whole EMP issue is highly classified and no simple matter at all.

No one can launch a nuclear weapon at the US. To do so would guarantee a response from the massive US nuclear arsenal. MAD mutually assured destruction.

Or, you could stop looking for a boogie-man
And get a mirror...

Originally posted by winterkill
Does everyone really believe the defense systems of the U.S. are that good? That's not why people don't shoot at the U.S. they don't shoot because they don't want to become a smoking hole when the U.S. fires back.

Yes the anti missile systems are getting better, but in orbit around Earth, there is so much industrial space crap, targeting in orbit is a very difficult thing.

Absolutely they are that good. Check out the military budget for the US military. Modern NATO technology is that good.

I always wonder about the translation in these situations. Also, with Iran. When they say "it is aimed at the US," do they mean the rocket is literally aimed at the US? Or, does it mean that the new capabilities are meant to show the US that they are not to be messed with? I think the latter.

reply to post by winterkill


Yes, the Aegis based ballistic missile defense system is that good. Out of all the tests, there have been only a few misses, and several of them were because the missile failed, and a couple were the first Japanese launched missiles.

Regardless of the defenses however, the US policy is to respond to an attack with similar weapons systems. So if we are hit with an EMP attack, then missiles will fly in return.

As for tracking in orbit, you'd be amazed at what SPACECOM is tracking. I've seen images that have been put online of what's being tracked, and it's incredible both in the amount of crap that's up there, and with the ability to track the amount that they are tracking.

reply to post by ibiubu


In most cases, I'd be willing to go with the latter. They're going to show us that they have the capability to do what they say they can do.