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US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

newsweek.com

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Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#41

Post by digi_owl »

maxxxxx wrote: post #36
LeifCarrotson wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the linked article: > Thornley also argued that Germany was almost defeated and, if Hitler were assassinated, he would become a martyr to some Germans, and possibly give rise to a myth that Germany might have won if Hitler had survived. Since the idea was not only to defeat Germany but to destroy Nazism in general, that would have been a highly undesirable development. Hitler was an eloquent and persuasive perso…

From what I know by 1944 pretty much everybody around Hitler knew that their cause was lost. I doubt anybody else would have had the power to continue. And yes, he had a spell over the people around him when you read biographies. Obviously we will never know but I think at the present taking out Kim Jong Un should be worth consideration.

Well the plans drawn up seem to match very closely to when the generals themselves tried to get Hitler removed via a bomb.

And even if Hitler was removed, there was the remaining SS to contend with.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#42

Post by phkahler »

mitchellberry wrote: post #19
sandworm101 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't about shooting down a rocket. This is about disrupting the launch complex. It's about sending enough energy into a complex that computers, the ones in the offices, stop working reliably enough to launch. It is possible, but imho would require a dish far to large to fit on an aircraft. So I agree that it doesn't exist, that this is propaganda. EM interference is why launch complexes use fiber. You don't wan…

Am just an armchair commentator but surely NK already has hardened facilities prepared for an EMP from a nuclear strike? I don't see how a b52 with a kerosene powered engine is anywhere near capable of delivering that same level of radiation.

Sounds like they're talking about some newer technology that works at range, but this has been around for a long time:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosively_pumped_flux_compre...

The electrical load (output) can be a high power microwave source, or just blast out a massive EMP.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#43

Post by maxxxxx »

digi_owl wrote: post #41
maxxxxx wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I know by 1944 pretty much everybody around Hitler knew that their cause was lost. I doubt anybody else would have had the power to continue. And yes, he had a spell over the people around him when you read biographies. Obviously we will never know but I think at the present taking out Kim Jong Un should be worth consideration.

Well the plans drawn up seem to match very closely to when the generals themselves tried to get Hitler removed via a bomb. And even if Hitler was removed, there was the remaining SS to contend with.

"And even if Hitler was removed, there was the remaining SS to contend with. "

They all went home immediately after Hitler's death. By 1944 almost nobody wanted to fight anymore.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#44

Post by grandalf »

This story is meant to make the American public more willing to support an attack on NK. Americans are generally happy to support strikes that we view as high tech and not targeting/harming civilians directly.

But in reality any strikes with RF weapons will be accompanied by significant conventional strikes.

I think there is still zero chance that there will be any sort of war between the US and NK. NK holds all the cards and has played them quite effectively. The only question is how much longer our president will continue to bluster embarrassingly before he realizes his actual strategic reality.

One other possibility is that the US would be willing to undertake a strike on NK even if there was a decent chance of NK launching a successful attack on Seoul. In that scenario, the goal of the PR is to help Americans feel that every "high tech" thing possible was done to stop NK and that the casualties were sad but ultimately worthwhile.

US bluster over NK reveals both the failure of power projection toward China and China's full knowledge that the US has more to lose from failed negotiations than China does. China will let this play out slowly and let our leaders act foolish as long as they wish.

It's funny how even in spite of the widespread mockery of our president, there is much less mockery of the foolishness underlying US "tough talk" aimed at NK. I think we believe that the tough talk is aimed at NK and not at the American people.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#45

Post by phkahler »

njarboe wrote: post #38

Maybe the world should support any country with nuclear weapons in their efforts to build domestic ICBMs. If a nuclear power attacks a country, having it arrive on the tip of an ICBM leaves no doubt where it came from and who is responsible. Using a submarine, shielded shipping container, 4x4 across the Mexican border, etc. to plant and explode a nuclear weapon in the USA or other country would cause much greater lon…

Your response to NK is IMHO exactly what NK wants. They think that having nuclear weapons will get them a seat at the table. Which table I'm not sure. What they want from that point I suspect is more than just elimination of sanctions.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#46

Post by SubiculumCode »

stevenwoo wrote: post #8
SubiculumCode wrote: post #2

This N. Korea standoff is a tough situation. I cannot help but wonder if satellite weaponry exists that the U.S. could use to laser beam their dear leader? [Edited for clarity]

Seoul is near the DMZ, probably closer than San Jose and San Francisco. One would have to take out their entire chain of command to prevent a retaliatory conventional artillery strike on the US bases near the DMZ and Seoul.

I would think that the death of Kim would lead to.a number of power plays by the various leadership...that they would turn inward...

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#47

Post by timthelion »

clort wrote: post #25
klodolph wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not arguing about the propaganda point, but there are legitimate reasons for not shooting down test missiles. If you always shoot down test missiles, then NK just has to keep firing test missiles until they build one that doesn't get shot down.

or until they run out of money

why would they need money? Why would they need to trade with anyone? It is not like North Korea is infinitely small and the earth infinitely big. The earth is a small globe, and NK is a region of that globe, one which almost certainly can be an autarky.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#48

Post by timthelion »

phkahler wrote: post #45
njarboe wrote: post #38

Maybe the world should support any country with nuclear weapons in their efforts to build domestic ICBMs. If a nuclear power attacks a country, having it arrive on the tip of an ICBM leaves no doubt where it came from and who is responsible. Using a submarine, shielded shipping container, 4x4 across the Mexican border, etc. to plant and explode a nuclear weapon in the USA or other country would cause much greater lon…

Your response to NK is IMHO exactly what NK wants. They think that having nuclear weapons will get them a seat at the table. Which table I'm not sure. What they want from that point I suspect is more than just elimination of sanctions.

Would it be so terrible to end sactions against North Korea? Trade should rise the middle class North Koreans up, and the last thing a wealthy middle class wants is war. A well fed and housed middle class seems the best insurance against war possible.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#49

Post by digi_owl »

maxxxxx wrote: post #43
digi_owl wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well the plans drawn up seem to match very closely to when the generals themselves tried to get Hitler removed via a bomb. And even if Hitler was removed, there was the remaining SS to contend with.

"And even if Hitler was removed, there was the remaining SS to contend with. " They all went home immediately after Hitler's death. By 1944 almost nobody wanted to fight anymore.

After Hilter's suicide.

After the bombing, they rounded up some 5000 people, and executed most of them. And others were forced to take their own like, like Rommel.

Re: US Military's Microwave Weapon Can Fry North Korean Missile Electronics

#50

Post by stevenwoo »

SubiculumCode wrote: post #46
stevenwoo wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seoul is near the DMZ, probably closer than San Jose and San Francisco. One would have to take out their entire chain of command to prevent a retaliatory conventional artillery strike on the US bases near the DMZ and Seoul.

I would think that the death of Kim would lead to.a number of power plays by the various leadership...that they would turn inward...

That's possible. Based on all the border incidents since the end of the Korean War though it looks like the North Korea side is on a hair trigger to respond.
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