Jumper Confirms USAF Working On New Radar Weapons

The top USAF commander has confimed that the US is now developing an array of weaponry that relies on the use of electronics rather than explosives. One of the centerpieces for this is the new AESA radars, but also include microwave's and systems for invading hostile systems. One mention was a spaced based radar system similar tot he AESA that could be used as well, but cited treaty and cost obsticles. This may profoundly change how the BVR battle is fought if they can ramp these weapons up. Make you wonder what they have planned for the STOVL JSF and its fan bay???

The U.S. Air Force's top commander has confirmed the service's development of a technologically diverse arsenal of nonkinetic devices that, without relying on explosives or impact, can produce destructive weapons effects on virtually any enemy system that relies on electronics.

High in this emerging array are new radars that can be used as weapons. They are fulfilling the U.S. Air Force's desire for offensive tools that can find enemy threats, accurately identify them and immediately strike.

Also among these 21st century foils--some in operational use, others in test or development--are high-power microwave devices for damaging or confusing enemy electronics; for example, those in surface-to-air missiles. There are also systems for the invasion of communication networks--such as integrated air defense systems--with which U.S. operators can take control, or passively gather intelligence. Other weapons exist for computer network attack (operated by the Air Intelligence Agency) and reactive electronic attack that is being prepared for the B-52's standoff jamming capability and will later migrate to smaller tactical aircraft and UAVs.
Non Kinetic Weapons

sounds like the arms race is on!

XChina comes out with some stuff then the us doea then china and now the US agian,makes you wonder if the us businesses went into china knowning china would upgrade its military as a means to up grade the US military.

the tech jump is a lot like 100 years ago realitively speaking cars, planes, dreadnoughts, machine guns, but now its attack radar, lazers, rail guns...etc.

I almost hope there is an arms race with China. Almost. China cannot afford an arms race with the USA, just like Russia couldnt. The vast difference here is that the US has much deeper financial ties with China and it ever had with Russia.

One thing for certain is this will be interesting tech.

What a sneaky away around those pesky space based weapons treaties as well. After all, these things are just radars after all.....

[edit on 7-9-2005 by skippytjc]

One things for sure...
weaponisation of space isnot going to be easy for the US..
There are so many treaties restricting anything even "remotely"(pun intended) related to using space for military purposes, that one would need to withdraw from those treaties in order to go ahead..
Also This time the more gung-ho the US goes, the more it pushes china and Russia together..
And that is quite a bit to handle.. china and russia together..

it would be that hard nasa could "discover" a large object heading for earth and as a means to protect the earth is to create a weapons grids or use the alien invasion scenerio!

we dont want an arms race with china as cus the US could lose this one cus china I think would actually go from cold to hot war which could drain both countries while leaving russia fine to become the only super power in the world. not a good thing with putin in power as a neo czar.

Treaties only stop you if anyone actually knows and can prove what you have up there. You think NASA only launches weather satellites?

What? China beating america in an arms race? Russia as a superpower? We must be kidding. China would take 20 years just to get to where we are today, they don't develop their own advanced weapons systems, they buy them from Russia, and their country does not have enough of an economy to support an arms race cold war style. Lets remember, they have a fraction of the nukes we do, and diesel subs, and old ruskie tanks, and a crappy ass navy. I am not impressed or scared. You cannot move all those people without a real Navy.

FredT
Make you wonder what they have planned for the STOVL JSF and its fan bay???

I dont think the F-35 will ever have a laser, it was a coll concept, but it wont happen. There always trying to lighten them, and especially the "C" varient, plus theres no room, So I think weight/space/and cold hard cash will keep the JSF Laserless.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Treaties only stop you if anyone actually knows and can prove what you have up there. You think NASA only launches weather satellites?

Do you have anything to prove otherwise?

Besides, If the AF wanted a certian satellite up there, they wouldn't go to Nasa, they would purchase a rocket from some company and have them launch it...Which would likely Boeing or Lockheed.