The destructive weapon with which Putin could conquer the world. Research began during the Cold War

2197 readings

The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat is returning to the attention of experts and political leaders as a potentially devastating weapon in future conflicts. From disabling GPS satellites to destroying energy infrastructure, this technology is a real danger, but there are measures that can reduce its impact, writes the British newspaper The Telegraph.

In the summer of 1859, telegraph operators around the world were affected by an unusual phenomenon. Equipment caught fire and operators suffered severe electric shocks. The night sky was lit up by spectacular auroras visible from Canada to New Zealand.

Initially, the phenomenon was thought to be a form of high-altitude lightning, but amateur astronomer Richard Carrington discovered that the Sun was the source of these phenomena. A coronal mass ejection (CME) has overloaded the Earth’s magnetic field, causing power surges in electrical equipment. Today, such a global event is called the “Carrington event”. It creates massive voltages that burn electrical circuits, Libertatea shows.

During the Cold War, both the US and USSR explored the idea of ​​using nuclear explosions to create an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) capable of paralyzing enemies. The American project, called Starfish Prime, demonstrated that a nuclear explosion can generate a stronger electromagnetic pulse than originally anticipated. According to The Telegraph, the effects on Earth’s radiation belt lasted for 10 years, highlighting the destructive potential of these phenomena, whether natural or man-made.

“The next war will not be the one we imagine – it will be fought in the electromagnetic spectrum,” says Jonathan Hollerman of Grid Down Consulting, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) researcher. While the focus is on developing the fastest aircraft, experts warn that we are neglecting the threat of EMP, which could have devastating consequences. However, “to cause damage over a large area, you need a sufficiently high level of power, which is difficult to achieve with a satellite,” explains Thomas Withington of the Royal United Services Institute.

A more likely use of an EMP would be to disable space infrastructure. A mysterious Russian satellite orbiting at the outer limit of the Earth’s atmosphere has sparked fears that Moscow is developing a space-based platform to launch missiles, including nuclear weapons, to destroy large numbers of enemy satellites. “Russia is trying to develop a nuclear space weapon that would destroy satellites by creating a massive wave of energy when detonated,” according to CNN, citing three sources familiar with US intelligence about the weapon.

At the same time, Russia focused its attention on the development of nuclear-powered anti-satellite weapons. “Our general knowledge of Russia’s pursuit of this type of capability goes back many months, if not years,” said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “But only in recent weeks has the intelligence community been able to assess with a greater degree of confidence exactly how Russia continues to pursue this.”

Experts suggest such a weapon could destroy mega-constellations of small satellites, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, used by Ukraine in its war with Russia. However, “this would almost certainly be a weapon of last resort” for Russia, given that it would inflict the same damage on Russian satellites in the area. It also remains unclear how well developed the technology is, given Russia’s recent public failures with its nuclear technology.

In terms of EMP protection, governments have begun to place increasing importance on the subject. Under the Trump administration, EMP protection was made a national priority by executive order, but this initiative was abandoned under the Biden administration. However, the topic is expected to return to the spotlight with Trump’s possible return to power. Although the scenario of an EMP attack may seem apocalyptic, “if we can quickly disconnect the valuable transformers, they can be saved,” says Lord Arbuthnot. Also, building simple and inexpensive Faraday cages can significantly reduce the impact of an electromagnetic pulse.