At present, electromagnetic pulse weapons mainly include nuclear electromagnetic pulse bomb and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse bomb. Nuclear EMP bomb is a new type of nuclear weapons with enhanced EMP effect as the main feature. Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse bomb, is the use of explosives explosion compression of magnetic flux method to produce high-power microwave electromagnetic pulse weapon. Microwave weapons can cause electronic components in weapons, communications, early warning and radar system equipment to fail or burn out; lead to system miscoding, erasure of memory information, etc., and powerful high-power microwave radiation can cause the entire communications network to go out of control. It is even capable of detonating the combat parts or explosives in missiles in advance. Electromagnetic pulse weapons can also kill and maim personnel, when the microwave low-power irradiation, can make missiles, radar operators, aircraft pilots, as well as gunners, tankers and other physiological function disorders, irritability, headache, memory loss, neurological disorders, as well as cardiac failure and other symptoms; when the microwave high-power irradiation, people's skin burning, eye cataracts, the skin of the internal tissue of the serious burns and even death. Soviet researchers have used goats for strong microwave irradiation test, the results of 1 kilometer away from the goats died instantly, 2 kilometers away from the goats have lost the ability to move and paralyzed to the ground.
Terrible Weapons
October 31, 1961, the Soviet Union in the 35 kilometers above the island of Xindi airburst nuclear test, it was not expected that the hydrogen bomb not only destroy everything near the heart of the explosion, but also thousands of kilometers within the scope of the electronic system of the impact of the Soviet ground air defense radar was burned out, unable to detect the airborne flight target; thousands of kilometers of communication disruption, the troops more than 1 hour were in a state of no command. Not coincidentally, on July 9, 1963, the United States in the Pacific Ocean, Johnston Island, 400 kilometers above the air explosion nuclear test, 1400 kilometers away from Johnston Island, Honolulu, but into a state of chaos. Burglar alarms went off nonstop, streetlights went out, and relays on power equipment burned out one by one ......
At the time, people weren't able to solve the mystery. It was only later, after several years of research, that it was discovered to be the ill effects of the electromagnetic pulse created by the explosion of the hydrogen bomb. Atomic bomb explosions produce four effects: shock waves, optical radiation, early nuclear radiation and radioactive contamination, while hydrogen bomb explosions add another effect, the electromagnetic pulse.
Hydrogen bomb explosion, early nuclear radiation in the alpha ray will interact with the surrounding medium of molecules, atoms, excitation and produce high-speed movement of electrons (Compton effect), a large number of high-speed movement of electrons to form a very strong electric field. In the heart of the explosion within a few kilometers of the electric field strength can reach a few thousand volts per meter to tens of thousands of volts, and to the speed of light to propagate around. Its scope of action with the increase in blast height and expand. The equivalent of 1,000 tons of hydrogen bombs, such as 40 kilometers high altitude explosion, can affect the whole of Europe.
U.S. military experts see the military value of this instantaneous electromagnetic pulse generated by nuclear explosions, began to spare no effort to study how to enhance the nuclear explosions produced by the electromagnetic pulse effect and inhibit the other effects of several kinds of weapons they can produce a powerful electromagnetic pulse called electromagnetic pulse bomb.
Human catastrophe
Electromagnetic pulse, is a short transient electromagnetic phenomenon, it is in the form of space radiation propagation through electromagnetic waves, can be electronic, information, electricity, photovoltaic, microwave and other facilities caused by the destruction of the electronic equipment semiconductor insulation layer or integrated circuit burned, and even equipment failure or permanent damage.
We have seen the atomic bomb explosion of few people, but almost everyone has seen the "second atomic bomb" explosion. This explosion is the natural phenomenon of lightning and static electricity. Lightning, electrostatic formation of electromagnetic radiation and the sun, interstellar electromagnetic radiation, as well as the Earth's magnetic field and the electromagnetic field in the atmosphere, the resulting explosion is only the size of the difference, the principle is the same. In addition, the "second atomic bomb" explosion there are man-made phenomena, that is, man-made sources of electromagnetic radiation generated by electromagnetic radiation.
With the development of science and technology, society as a whole, a large number of electrical equipment, such as television transmitters, radio transmitters, radio stations, aviation navigation systems, radar systems, mobile communication systems, high-voltage transmission systems, high-current industrial frequency equipment and light rail, mainline electrified railroad systems. In short, all the electromagnetic energy applications to work on industrial, scientific, medical, military electromagnetic radiation equipment, as well as electric spark ignition internal combustion engine-powered machines, vehicles, ships, household appliances, office equipment, power tools, etc., will produce different frequencies, different intensity of electromagnetic radiation. Among them, most are electromagnetic pulse radiation.
Modern battlefield electromagnetic environment is a variety of electromagnetic energy *** with the role of the composite environment, both natural electromagnetic interference sources, such as lightning, static electricity, etc., but also a strong man-made sources of interference, such as a variety of power radar, radio communications, navigation, computers, as well as with the confrontation of electronic warfare equipment, new concepts of electromagnetic weapons. Therefore, the battlefield electromagnetic environment is much more complex than usual, and the battlefield electromagnetic environmental effects under high-tech conditions are mainly composed of various types of electromagnetic pulse fields.
In this way, there is no mushroom cloud of human catastrophe - EMP disaster, there are natural and man-made two categories. In peacetime, all kinds of natural and man-made EMP hazards occur from time to time. Every year, accidents such as paralysis of information systems due to lightning EMP occur frequently around the world, from satellite communications, navigation, computer networks and even household appliances are subject to the serious threat of lightning disasters. In 1999, Shanghai alone suffered losses of more than 200 million yuan due to lightning.
Nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a strong electromagnetic radiation generated by nuclear explosions, the destructive power of nuclear EMP is very huge. Some countries in the nuclear test, nuclear electromagnetic pulse energy invasion of electronic and electrical systems, burned off the cable, burned electronic equipment cases are not uncommon. High-altitude nuclear explosions generated by the electromagnetic pulse harm than the ground and underground nuclear explosions, nuclear electromagnetic pulse intensity, covering a wide area.
Because of the attenuation of the atmosphere, high-altitude nuclear explosions produce heat, shock waves, radiation and other effects, the hazardous range of ground facilities are not as large as the effect of electromagnetic pulse, 1 million tons of nuclear weapons in the high-altitude explosion, the total energy of about three-tenths of a million in the form of electromagnetic pulse radiation out. With the development of nuclear technology, developed countries have developed a nuclear EMP bomb, enhanced the EMP effect, while weakening the shockwave, nuclear radiation effect, the destructive power of the EMP increased significantly.
Weapons competition
Human development of electromagnetic pulse weapons began in the 1970s, to the 1990s into the practical stage.
-US "second atomic bomb"
In 1985, the United States in the development of the "Strategic Defense Initiative" program, the high-power microwave weapons as its space weapons as the main project, focusing on the study of its killing mechanism. 1987, the U.S. Department of Defense put forward "the second atomic bomb", "the second atomic bomb". In 1987, the U.S. Department of Defense put forward the "Balanced Technology Initiative" plan, high-power microwave weapons is one of its five key technologies.
During the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. military carried and used electromagnetic pulse weapons in the E-8 "United Star" aircraft. The United States and Russia miniaturized electromagnetic jamming machine, can be conventional weapons thrown to the enemy, not only can damage the enemy command and control system, but also directly affect the precision-guided weapons and information technology warfighting effectiveness of individual soldiers. 1992 July, the U.S. Congress, General Accounting Office of the House Armed Services Committee submitted to the "basic defense technology, military special technology dependence on the risk of foreign countries," a report on the future of the advanced weapons of the most critical six technologies, including high In July 1992, the General Accounting Office of the U.S. Congress submitted a report to the House Armed Services Committee on "Risks Associated with Dependence on Foreign Countries for Defense-Based Technologies and Military Special Technologies", proposing the most critical six technologies for future advanced weapons, including high-power microwave weapons. The U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force also formulated a high-power microwave weapons development program.
In 1993, the U.S. conducted an electromagnetic pulse weapon experiments code-named "Harp", antennae group to the ionosphere to launch electromagnetic pulse, blocking communications and destroy incoming missiles. 1996, a U.S. National Laboratory developed a suitcase-sized high-energy electromagnetic pulse weapon, as well as can be equipped with cruise missiles on the electromagnetic pulse weapon, its effective combat effectiveness. EMP weapon, its effective combat radius of 10 kilometers.
In 1998, Russia invented a small 8 kilograms of strong current electron gas pedal, the explosion emitted X-rays, high-power microwave, can destroy electronic equipment.
In March 1999, the U.S. used microwave weapons, which were still being tested, in its bombing of the FRY, paralyzing communication facilities in parts of the FRY for more than three hours. In the Iraq War, U.S. forces used electromagnetic pulse bombs to airstrike Iraqi state television on March 26, 2003, causing the disruption of its broadcast signal.
In addition to Russia and the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Japan, among other countries, are also engaged in the development of high-power microwave weapons. Some international military experts have analyzed that the important reason why Iraq was passively beaten in the Gulf War was the destruction of command and control systems and air defense facilities and the loss of control of the electromagnetic environment.
Defense measures
The strike target of the EMP bomb is very different from the traditional atomic bomb. It attacks three types of targets: first, military and civilian electronic communications and financial centers, such as command headquarters, warships, communications buildings and government sites; second, air defense early warning systems; third, various types of missiles and missile protection systems.
The United States and the former Soviet Union in the research and development of electromagnetic pulse weapons, all attach great importance to the electromagnetic environmental effects of weapons and equipment and protection and reinforcement technology research. 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter issued a decree to emphasize the serious threat of nuclear electromagnetic pulse, requiring each development of a weapon, must consider the ability of electromagnetic pulse protection. To this end, the U.S. has established more than a dozen EMP field simulators in Cortland, New Mexico, Arizona, and other places. In recent years, Taiwan's military in strengthening electronic warfare attack capability, pay attention to electromagnetic pulse protection research. According to Taiwan media disclosure, Taiwan's "Ministry of National Defense" in 2001, invested NT $ 780 million for "electronic warfare and information warfare equipment" planning, including "information security plan" and "pulse protection plan". and "pulse protection program". "Pulse protection program" mainly against electromagnetic pulse weapons from the opponent's "hard kill", protection of important military facilities of the Taiwan army, strategic civilian facilities and "government" key building facilities.
According to an authoritative source in Taiwan's military, Taiwan's "Pulse Protection Program" is currently underway at the Hengshan Command Post. Its program consists of countermeasure pulse effect, electronic countermeasure protection network and other seven parts, in order to prevent electromagnetic pulse weapons attacks, to maintain the operation of the computer network, to protect the computer combat command system and the safety of the database. Responsible for this plan, "Zhongshan Institute of Science," said the official in charge of the "pulse protection program" to achieve, the Taiwan military combat command system is equal to "put on a top anti-electromagnetic interference protection hat "
From
From the 1960s, a number of countries began to nuclear electromagnetic pulse characteristics research, one after another to make some progress. However, the study of electromagnetic protection, basically stay in the category of electromagnetic compatibility, did not pay attention to electromagnetic pulse protection. So far, the vast majority of military and civilian electronic equipment in these countries have not taken EMP protection measures, and some even without any mandatory factory inspection standards and facilities, the overall level of at least 20 years behind the United States and Russia.
This means that these countries have already opened their chests in front of the EMP weapon strikes of the military powers. Once these countries' government agencies, financial centers, communication networks, radio and television broadcasting and other important systems and military facilities that have a bearing on the national economy and people's livelihoods are struck by a strong EMP, it is inevitable that there will be a wide range of paralysis or damage, and it will be difficult for the national economy and the social order to operate normally.