A "destabilizing foreign military capability" Scenario
One possibility that would create a horrendous national security nightmare
“An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack is a threat few Americans are familiar with, yet one which could easily destroy their lives. What would you do if your electricity suddenly went out and didn't come back on for months or even years? How long would you last with the food in your pantry, the bottled water you have shelved, and your net worth reduced to the cash in your pocket? These are the factual consequences of EMP attack.”
Electromagnetic Pulse Attacks : Are we prepared ?
The Hacker News, September 14, 2012
For those individuals who actually do pay attention to and read the news with some measure of objectivity the latest news of truly significant stand-out importance is and rightfully should be the unexpected warning messaging to have come out today from the office of Representative Mike Turner (R-OH) Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.
Further limited clarification was found in an internal email wherein mention is made of the "destabilizing foreign military capability" that is deemed a “serious national security threat”1
Other reporting brings attention to the locus of the threat being of Russian origin and is possibly focused on a space-based weapon threat.234
For those who want more in depth and detailed discussions about the possibilities inherent in space-based weaponry the article linked to in footnote number 1 contains an excellent general discussion of these matters; while in the article here linked to titled “A Planetary Rotational Nuclear-Emp Campaign to Destroy The Earth’s Satellite Layer” which was published February 1, 2022 by the Australian security news outlet Space & Defense Tech and Security News contains a well detailed report that describes some special considerations with regards to the use of space-based warfare actions.
Given what information is readily available to the general public which coupled with average understandings and concerns about nuclear weapons the most likely common fear would probably be fractional orbital bombardment systems (FOBS) which is designed to deliver nuclear bombs from a low earth orbit position; this is a very understandable fear given the horrors of what an actual nuclear bomb is capable of creating on or near the earth’s surface. The atomic bomb, code-named “Little Boy,” used for the destruction of the city of Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945 was considered to be an inefficient bombing device, and yet when it exploded at a height of approximately 1,900 feet above the city it released just over 16 kilotons of explosive power killing upwards of 140,000 people alone just from the blast effects and the immediate resulting firestorms and other blast related deadly effects; later numbers of deaths and injuries increased with the passage of time as the deadly effects of radiation poisoning claimed many lives in the short term and via radiation induced cancers over the long term.
While such fears do constitute genuine national security concerns of the highest order, this is not, in my opinion, the most worrisome situation as I consider such situations to be in all likelihood deemed last resort uses of nuclear weapons which are highly unlikely to occur any time soon.
The scenario that I do have in mind that I consider to be a horrendous national security nightmare is more likely to be the use of electromagnetic pulse weapons such as discussed in the linked to article above that is focused on “A Planetary Rotational Nuclear-Emp Campaign to Destroy The Earth’s Satellite Layer.”
The threat of an EMP attack is not a new subject and has even resulted in the creation of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack.
The destruction of vital satellite systems such as discussed by Space & Defense Tech and Security News most definitely would produce alarming levels of destabilization for any society that might be impact targeted.
With that in mind it seems to me that a truly effective and highly efficient destabilization plan using EMP weapons in space would be highly dependent on the choice of an ideal timing for such an attack; for instance what would happen if a high-order disabling EMP attack took place directly over the USA on the date of or no more than 24-48 hours prior to or after the National Election?
In the article referred to immediately above there is some discussion that focuses on Russian and North Korean cooperation in the development of highly specialized orbital EMP weaponry.
It is further noted in a 2018 study that there was:
“Some evidence that North Korea may be developing or has already acquired non-kinetic physical counterspace weapons such as a Nuclear EMP device.” (Harrison, 2018)
In 2017, the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, noted how back in 2004: “Russian generals warned … the design for a Russian EMP warhead was unintentionally transferred to North Korea.” (Harrison, 2018) In 2009, South Korean intelligence officials told the press that Russian scientists were in North Korea helping to develop an EMP weapon (Harrison, 2018). While in 2013, a Chinese military commentator indicated that North Korea already had Super-EMP nuclear weapons (Harrison, 2018). In 2021, a United States based assessment added this possible Space Warfare scenario:
“Any of North Korea’s … [Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles] … or their Space Launch Vehicle could probably deliver a Super-EMP warhead to the United States. North Korea orbited a satellite weighing about 100 kilograms. One design of a Super-EMP warhead would be a modified neutron bomb, more accurately an Enhanced Radiation Warhead (ERW) because it produces not only lots of neutrons but all kinds of radiation, including lots of gamma rays. Gamma rays cause the … [High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse] … effect. One U.S. ERW warhead (the W-82) deployed in NATO during the Cold War weighed less than 50 kilograms. Since an EMP attack entails detonating the warhead at high-altitude, above the atmosphere, the warhead does not even need a re-entry vehicle.” (Pry, 2021)5
Interestingly enough last week Russia launched a payload bearing rocket6 that to the best of my understanding is part of an upcoming planned series of military launches for this year. It is being suggested by various reporting sources that the timing of today’s intelligence alert by Representative Turner might be connected to the launch in question. For my part the fact the rocket that was launched, a Soyuz-2-1v, is considered a light weight variation of the Soyuz line of rockets suggests that it contains a low weight payload; this would be in keeping with the possible North Korean developments in low weight satellite EMP weapons. Given the current wartime relationship between Russia and North Korea I would not be at all surprised if Putin and Kim Jong Un came to some kind of arrangement whereby some type of EMP weapons sale took place between the two allies.
So now getting back to the scenario of an EMP attack on the USA during the National Election period; it seems to me that even the most hard core Maga Republican would not welcome such a decisive disruption and consequent destabilization of social control and order if the country was thrown into an almost anarchic chaos that would surely result if Putin chose to attack our country’s vital satellite systems in coordination with a low orbit EMP blast designed to disrupt all things electronic on the ground of the North American continent. Such an attack would also devastate Canada and probably Mexico. If the Republicans think that there is a border control problem now, what might they think of the potential border problems that would result from such an attack.
On top of which President Biden would in all likelihood remain the president of the country albeit with emergency powers as necessarily needed during such a horrendous situation. In which case if I was one of his advisers one of the first things that I would do is strongly suggest that Trump and all his cohorts and cronies, many of whom are Republican politicians, be locked up and held incommunicado for the safety and security of the country, especially in view of their clear and obvious support of Putin over and above American democracy, security, and stability.
Robert J. Rei, February 14, 2024
"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." -Aldous Huxley
“Alarm Raised Over Destabilizing New Russian Threat In Space: Reports It is unclear exactly what space-based capabilities, if any, this pertains to, but there are some very clear and troubling possibilities.” Joseph Trevithick Deputy Editor, February 14, 2024, The War Zone, https://www.twz.com/space/alarm-raised-over-destabilizing-new-russian-threat-in-space-reports
Ibidem at 1
“GOP warning of 'national security threat' is about Russia wanting nuclear weapon in space: Sources It would not be to drop a weapon on Earth but to possibly use on satellites” John Parkinson, Luke Barr, Anne Flaherty, Luis Martinez, and Adam Carlson, February 14, 2024, ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-plans-brief-lawmakers-house-chairman-warns/story?id=107232293
“House Intel Chairman announces ‘serious national security threat,’ sources say it is related to Russia” Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Annie Grayer, Kevin Liptak and Michael Williams, February 14, 2024, CNN Politics, https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/14/politics/house-intel-chairman-serious-national-security-threat/index.html
"A Planetary Rotational Nuclear-Emp Campaign to Destroy The Earth’s Satellite Layer” Chris Flaherty, February 1, 2022, Space & Defense Tech and Security News, https://spaceanddefense.io/a-planetary-rotational-nuclear-emp-campaign-to-destroy-the-earths-satellite-layer/
“Kosmos 2575 Mission” Retrieved February 14, 2024, RocketLaunch.org, https://rocketlaunch.org/mission-soyuz-21v-kosmos-2575
I’m going to have to read this again in a few minutes to see if I’m as horrified as I think I am.
Thank you Robert
If there is one word to focus on it is
Destabilization. Of all the words that you wrote in your article, personally I find that Destabilization is the most dangerous word.
That is what EVERY foreign actor wants for the West. Destabilization and destruction.