Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: lcxgf on 11/10/2011 10:05:48
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I have read a very interesting article and also I see a documentary about
EMP bombs – Weapon of mass destruction from the blog zuscience.com
If the Russian will build something very smaller and sell it I think will create a lot of mess in this world.
What do you think about this "bombs" ??
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As always, I think we need to concentrate on diplomacy rather than building better bombs.
Classically EMP was a side-effect of the nuclear weapons, but it appears as if it may be an end in itself. There is discussion on the web page about attempting to create similar effects with conventional weapons, detonated high above the ground.
Such an EMP would wreck havoc on a country's infrastructure. It could disable pretty much everything. Computers, communications, most vehicles, food distribution, the electrical grid, etc. I assume much of the military equipment is protected, although there may be some key components that would fail.
If one did a "surgical attack", say on New York, it would make people very mad, but the basic infrastructure would be moved from other places in the country, and could be rebuilt in a few days.
Doing widespread attacks across North America could create a much different picture, especially if you could cut off supply routes, for example from China where much of the electronics manufacturing is being done. Older Diesel vehicles (pre 1990) would likely run. But, it would wreck havoc in the major distribution networks, and cripple the country. Even if one could keep trains running, could one maintain signaling, communications, and logistics of what needs to be sent where?