U.S. May Test Secret E-Bomb In Iraq

CBS News Report:

Military analysts predict U.S. forces will test a new �E-bomb� during the expected invasion of Iraq as part of a 21st century blitzkrieg designed to render Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's forces blind, deaf, dumb and incapable of retaliation � electronically.

The highly classified bomb creates a brief pulse of microwaves powerful enough to fry computers, blind radar, silence radios, trigger crippling power outages and disable the electronic ignitions in vehicles and aircraft.

�They would be useful against any adversary that is dependent on electronic systems,� said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute, a think-tank based in Arlington, Virginia.

In modern warfare, electronics undergird virtually every weapon more sophisticated than a rifle or hand grenade. For that reason, Air Force scientists have worked for decades on a practical way of producing powerful but brief pulses of microwaves that can incapacitate electronic equipment without damaging buildings or harming people.

Officially, the Pentagon does not acknowledge the weapon's existence. Asked about it at a March 5 news conference at the Pentagon, Gen. Tommy Franks said: �I can't talk to you about that because I don't know anything about it.�

However, military analysts say a number of unclassified documents suggest that such a device is ready for the battlefield.

Sounds more like a nuke than anything else. Or how would the intense microwave radiation else be created ?

Did you read the post Karl? It disables all electronic devices. A nuke would destroy them all.

In modern warfare, electronics undergird virtually every weapon more sophisticated than a rifle or hand grenade. For that reason, Air Force scientists have worked for decades on a practical way of producing powerful but brief pulses of microwaves that can
incapacitate electronic equipment without damaging buildings or harming people.

Rumor has it that they have used this before in Desert Storm, but I don't know whether or not that can be confirmed.


[Edited on 3-19-2003 by AF1]

Originally posted by AF1
Did you read the post Karl? It disables all electronic devices. A nuke would destroy them all.
[Edited on 3-19-2003 by AF1]

If you get the radiation under control...

USA TODAY had this bout a month ago with a quote from the pentagon sayin they have one and will use it

USA TODAY had this bout a month ago with a quote from the pentagon sayin they have one and will use it

Its an Explosive Pumped Flux Generator according to New Scientist. Hello, I'm new btw.

www.newscientist.com...

Originally posted by Dr Grey
Its an Explosive Pumped Flux Generator according to New Scientist. Hello, I'm new btw.

www.newscientist.com...

Thanks for the link..
Im still wondering about the power source

This will likely be a new "tactical" battlefield version of HAARP used for more defined and "surgical" targets. I would expect this to be used within the first 24 hours of operational deployment.

WELCOME DR. GREY hope you hav ea good and long stay here

Originally posted by Dr Grey
Its an Explosive Pumped Flux Generator according to New Scientist. Hello, I'm new btw.

www.newscientist.com...

Hello Dr. Welcome to the nuthouse! Hope oyu enjoy your stay!

Originally posted by dragonrider
This will likely be a new "tactical" battlefield version of HAARP used for more defined and "surgical" targets. I would expect this to be used within the first 24 hours of operational deployment.

ok .. will they simulate a nuclear attack ?

or simulate a simulation ?

The Docter is in! I hope you are a shrink. But if not, I could you a RX for some Nexium.

"As far as the power source used it is plutonium to generate the 1.21 jigowatts of electricity needed to power the flux capacitor."

So you're saying the power source is nuclear ?
If not could you be more explicit ?

The article says it is a bank of charged capacitors. A capacitor holds a charge until a cicuit is closed. In other words, it is not necessary to have the power source on the tomahawk.

Karl, it is not nuclear. EMP is a byproduct, if you will, of nuclear detonation, that does not mean only a nuclear detronation creates EMP.

Thanks, i didnt know capacitor technology had advanced that much.

Originally posted by Karl Molarius

Originally posted by AF1
Did you read the post Karl? It disables all electronic devices. A nuke would destroy them all.
[Edited on 3-19-2003 by AF1]

If you get the radiation under control...

Actually, microwaves *are* radiation...However the main difference is that microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy waves while conventional radiation is *particle* waves.
Microwaves *can* be deadly, but it would take a high concentration at a very short range from the "transmission" point to do it. The electromagnetic waves pass through the body and do not linger to cause any "lingering" damage to flesh.
However, the dangers of particle radiation are well know...Contamination remains in the body as the particles that become trapped in the flesh will cause continuing damage of tissue, right down to the genetic level...And it must be chemically flushed (usually with drugs) or the "half-life" of the isotope will prove to be deadly over a number of *years*.



[Edited on 20-3-2003 by MidnightDStroyer]

It has been widely reported that this will be one of the first things used when the sustained bombing begins.

It's worth remembering that as it knocks out computers and electrics, It will also knock out hospital equipment and any electrics or computers used to regulate, treat and supply Baghdads water.

Karl,

Here's an easier explanation ... Think of it like a HERF gun ... Only bigger and with a larger range.

Atleast that's how I think of it ...

Hey, anyone want a link to a handheld HERF gun ??

Thanks for the warm welcome, and no, I am no shrink . Interesting use of physics. The power source to charge the capacitors, apparently, is external. I guess the capacitor bank gets charged as part of the priming. Guessing a few kV would be needed. So the explosive forces the capacitor plates together, the fast movement of the charged body generates a magnetic field, which induces more current in an inductor coil which induces more magnetism and so on. While this is happening the magnetic field is compressed by the capacitor plate amplifying the effect and producing a really big EM pulse. This gets picked up by power lines, aerials etc and gets converted back to voltage spikes which knock out electronics.
What ever will they think of next?
I guess they haven't used it yet though - I can still see live video feeds from Bagdad on TV