U.S. ESSENTIALLY DEFENSELESS FROM STUNNING NEW WEAPON
Two experts – one a communications systems engineer involved in classified programs who works on EMP vulnerabilities and the other a U.S. Defense Department analyst knowledgeable of their impact – said that the nation's sensitive telecommunications and the electronic systems embedded in its financial and banking institutions can be "fried" by a "turn of the switch."
The result could be a chaos that could allow terrorists to attack virtually at will.
They both pointed out that relatively cheap over-the-counter technology embedded not only in sensitive U.S. military equipment but also civilian electronic systems has not been protected from such attacks, a development that could create complete panic throughout the U.S. if they were subject either to an EMP or RF attack.
The two experts who spoke to G2Bulletin asked that their names not be divulged due to the sensitivity of their positions.
An electromagnetic pulse from a high energy explosion, such as from a nuclear device, produces radiation that rapidly changes electric and magnetic fields and produces a destructive current and voltage surge.
Experts have warned the after-effects of an EMP attack could kill tens of millions of people. They say an attack from a radio frequency weapon can knock out electronics everywhere from sophisticated financial systems to the electronics in automobiles, elevators or even medical devices. However, it is assessed that RF weapons do not kill people directly, although the after-effects of such an attack also could produce devastating results. That would be because without the electronics deeply embedded in systems to provide food, goods, products, fuel and finances, the parts of the nation hit effectively could be returned to an agricultural age, with citizens depending on local production for food and fuel for heat and transportation. Previous concern centered on an attack from the former Soviet Union or China. That concern persists with the Chinese who claim to be developing an EMP bomb for their DF-21 "carrier killer" missile. CONTINUE
