Is the US Military becoming too reliant on computer systems?

I have been watching what the US Military has been doing for a while now and this has sort of been picking at me.

Almost every system save for small arms is becoming reliant on computer systems to do their job. First we made a digital tank (M1A2) than a digital aircraft (AH-64, Fly-by-wire aircraft) than we made a guided artillery unit (N-LOS cannon) than we went further and made a guided MLRS unit. Now here is what gets to me. And as if that wasnt enough, now were considering Metal Storm for small arms tech. And powered exoskeletons, however far off they may be to deployement.

I was watching futureweapons about six months ago and they had a program on EMP. In case anyone doesnt know, EMP is the electromagnetic pulse wave that is sent out by a nuclear weapon detonating. It literally fries all electrical circuts in its range, rendering them completely useless. The issue is that it can be replicated without using a nuclear detonation.

My point is that as our technology becomes more and more dependent on electrical systems, we become more and more vulnerable to EMP. If an EMP bomb were to be detonated in a war, EVERYTHING would go dead. EVERYTHING. I was considering this and I was thinking "oh well at least we would have our small arms." Than metal storm comes along. Even our guns would go dead.

What if we were to be hit with EMP? What are your thoughts on this, and does the US Military have raditaton shielding on all of itt vehicles?

Well, there is such technology to shield aircraft and missiles from EMP, but I'm no expert in electric current or anything like that but I have found some info on what the US DOD is researching to protect vital weapon systems electronics from EMP, though not much is made public. Here are some links, it might as well be in Greek to me, maybe someone else can make some sense out of it.



Corrosion protection and EMP/EMI Shielding

EMP Protection

George W. Ulrich

This seems to be an issue that many in Congress and our DOD are concerened about but are confident we can address from what I've read. It is said that EMP shielding and protection is very affordable and feasible. So while I dont understand EMP fully, it seems its a problem that can be solved.

Threat Posed by EMP to US Military and Civilian Infrastructure

OOOHHH NOOOOes Terminater 4!!!!!

Yep, it's like ludachris said, EMP is'nt the end all omega
weapon, electronics can be protected from EMP.


As for our dependency on computer technology, well alot fo our
weapons could'nt be made without it, and others would be highly
ineffective without them.


As for metal storm, well I don't think it will ever totally replace
small arms systems in the military.


I'm not sure about the costs, but I'd imagine that electronic guns
are probably somewhat more expensive to produce than normal
guns, so that may prevent its dominance as well.



And, even if there was a massive EMp burst, that could knock out
the entire computer network of America, and I'm assuming we'd
have a M.A.D like scenario, it does'nt take a copmputer to make
a gun, so whoever knows how to make non-digitized guns will
have the upper hand.

I remember hearing somewhere that metal is an emp shield. All the computers at NORAD are emp shielded because they have metal surrounding the components.

All vital military weapon system and ground as well as air combat systems are emp hardwired, so fear not the war machine will keep rolling. I cant say so much for civilian applications though

"All vital military weapon system and ground as well as air combat systems are emp hardwired, so fear not the war machine will keep rolling"

Er, don't think so.

Zap an infantry squad with EMP and they lose all their night sights, GPS, computers, laser rangefinders and designators and most if not all of their comms. And their ride.

Some big ticket items are supposedly protected, but nobody knows how well this will work against specially tailored non-nuclear EMP sources.

But it's a pretty remote threat, Being blown up by an IED is a bit more of an immediate problem.