The U.S. Must Plan to Counterstrike a North Korean EMP Attack

Dana Mathewson

Timothy, Jack and I have all discussed, on occasion, the danger of an EMP attack on this country, by North Korea or anyone else. We all have the impression that our government is not paying enough attention to the issue, though in fact that may not be the case -- they have just not said anything about it.

Austin Bay, a respected military expert, writes the following in PJMedia:

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/09/20/the-u-s-must-plan-to-counterstrike-a-north-korean-emp-attack/

If North Korea detonated a nuclear device 200 kilometers above the Earth in order to create an electromagnetic pulse, would the U.S. counterstrike North Korea with conventional and perhaps nuclear weapons?

The answer had better be "hell yes."

Everyone agrees: an EMP attack over or near U.S., Japanese, or South Korean territory is a physical attack that would wreak havoc with communications, the power grid, and civilian physical infrastructure.

This quip makes the point with bumper sticker clarity: "EMP kills EMS."

American emergency medical systems, or EMS, depend on mobile communications to route EMS ambulances to accident sites and citizens in physical distress. An EMP attack would knock out a seizure victim's cell phone, the county EMS communication center, and the communications on the EMS ambulance. It would likely fry all of the electronics on the vehicle. If the ambulance has an electronic microchip key and a fancy-superkeen electronic ignition button, it might not even start.

EMS also relies on GPS, or Global Positioning Satellite location system. An electromagnetic pulse would damage GPS receivers. An EMP's fritzing electrons in space could impede satellite to ground signals in the area for days, even though GPS satellites orbit 22,500 miles above the Earth.

An EMP attack could damage the SCADA systems monitoring and controlling critical infrastructure such as dams, factories, water and sanitation systems, oil refineries, and natural gas pipelines.

In short, an EMP attack destroys the electronic neurons and sinews of modern society.

There's a lot more here. But one thing bothers me, that Bay does not address. An EMP attack may well cripple our ability to respond. It's true that we have guided-missile submarines ("boomers") circling the globe at all times, and very likely there will be one or two close to North Korea; but an EMP would surely make it impossible for government and military officials to communicate with them, to give the attack orders.

Anybody disagree?

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 10:37 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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