The Sept.2001 issue of Popular Mecahnics has a neat article about the Electomagnetic Pulse Bomb technology. It says that any terrorist or country with 1940's technology and $400 could build one. For those that don't know, EMPs are harmless to people, but they wreck electronics, apparently whether they are on or not(not like in "The Matrix"). So, whadda ya say we all get paranoid about the concept of being bombed back to the stone age? I could use a good excuse to buy some more stuff since the whole Y2K thing fell apart.

EMP diminishes approximately by the cube of the distance from the source, so unless it's a huge pulse it won't affect much outside a small area.  Neat though.

Edited to satisfy reality.

Scientific gobbledygook can't be allowed to affect emotional paranoia! We don't want facts, we want panic!

Agreed!  Enough with all this science mumbo-jumbo.  We need cold hard unchecked emotional reactions here people!

In light of the feelings of the majority I retract all objections to imminent panic.  Silly cube law is an inexact model anyway.  Say, is that a blue glow I see around my computer...?

Cool!!!

As long as I can make something that is small enough to conceal on my person, I will be one happy camper!!!

Let me think... hmmm... people I hate computers, where I work computers, airport security,

YEA!!! THATS THE TICKET!!! AIRPORT SECURITY!!! Nuke them metal detectors!

Actually though, where I work. There is concern about EMP and electronic listening. We have a room that is basicly a Faradays cage that holds our systems for our root encryption keys. Kind of fun watching them build the room. Unfortunately I don't have clearance to go in the completed room. Oh well...

The EMP weapon is not a new concept. I attended classified briefings in the Air Force in the early eighties in which the big fear was the intel that the Soviets were working on blockbuster EMP warheads using a 25 to 50 megaton nuclear warhead, delivered by ICBM over the North American continent. Scenario: After calling the president and assuring him the "accidentally" launched ICBM's would be self-destructed before landing in the USA, the EMP 50 megaton warheads would be detonated at an altitude of 150 miles, one over the east coast, one over the west coast. Amid profuse apologies from the Soviets, the US economy is plunged into utter chaos, as every modern electric device in the country is rendered useless. No banking system, no cars, nothing. If anybody is really paranoid about this and wants to have a working auto after an EMP burst, get an old car or truck made prior to the mid-60's. The old fashioned points and condenser will continue to work, according to the military info I was privy to.

EMP the powergrid, then we can't surf for
porn.

[moon]

In the process of making Two-Ply Tinfoil undies so's to protect the gonads for when I have children in the future!

[:D]

Lotboy said “EMP the powergrid, then we can't surf for porn.”
True, but how could/would you be able the scratch that AR15.com itch? [:(]

Alexanderredhook said:  “In the process of making Two-Ply Tinfoil undies so's to protect
the gonads for when I have children in the future!”
Prolly a pretty good idea. Wouldn’t want the lil’ critter(s) to be born nekkid. [:|]

Lotboy said “EMP the powergrid, then we can't surf for porn.”
True, but how could/would you be able the scratch that AR15.com itch?




I'd kill my self.

[frag]

I had to go to NBC Warfare Defense school for one of my SNEC numbers. Most of this stuff you hear now was highly classified when I went. Been so many years but I still remember something called the "Inverse Square....." Had to do with damage from a "Certain Height Detonation" and how much more damage was done as the "Yield" of the "Device" (in size) went up. This included such things as "Initial Radiation", Heat, Shock Wave, Mach Stem Speed and Strength, Alpha, Beta, Gamma Radiation and what types of shielding was necessary.  to "Attenuate" the radiation, etc. and blah, blah, blah. That was the Nuclear part. The other part of school was the Biological and Chemical, excellent school.  Got me real interested in designing bomb shelters as that was also in the course.

Edit (add) Oh I forgot about what the post was originally about. "Electro-Magnetic Pulse" was major part of the school and the protection of
electrical systems. Even Circuit Breakers will trip, etc.  

The effects of EMP were known for a LONG TIME! The PM article only sheds a little bit of light on the subject.

The U.S. military has been buying electronic/computer gear that has had "EMP protection" (at exorbatant prices) for a long time!

How are they going to deliver this EMP device?  For best effect it would have to be detonated at high altitude.  In other words, delivered by ICBM (we aren't talking SCUD stuff here)! Any country that would try this would get an immediate nuclear response from the US.

The countries with the capability to deliver such a weapon know this and wouldn't dare try this crap! Hopefully!

DaMan  

 

I know I'm safe....
I'll stick with my preban, fully foil lined, assault sombrero....with dingleballs made of pure selenium to act as chaff.
[):)]

The Popular Mechanics article was specifically about conventionally produced EMP, not nuclear weapon EMP.  Between conventional EMP and FAE weapons that the Russians are selling around the world, I think we are going to quickly lose our edge in conventional combat.

The EMP warheads are deployable by artillery, MRL, and aircraft delivered bombs.  They have a bigger "casualty" radius than HE.  A volley of that stuff against a COC in the field would cut the head off of any unit we have.

FAE negates the value of fortification.  It has  a large enough casualty raduis, as deployed in a volley of MRL's, to negate any lack of accurate targeting capability.  It is also very effective in soft kills to armor forces.

I can't wait.  All we need is another 10 years for the Russians to sell this stuff to everyone in the world.  Game On.

See, we still got reasons to be paranoid.