Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Iran's potential EMP weapon

Colin Clark over at DOD Buzz has this to say about Iran’s successful satellite launch:

[T]he Iranian technological success worries American and other countries national security experts because it places Iran much closer to being able to deliver a nuclear warhead against an enemy.

But there is another reason American military and national security officials are so worried: in at least two earlier ballistic missile launches, the Iranians launched in ways that “appear they were designed to optimize an EMP burst,” according to a Pentagon source with detailed knowledge of the Iranian’s efforts and of space technology.

EMP stands for electro-magnetic pulse and it is one byproduct of a nuclear blast. EMP destroys power sources, communication capabilities and would cripple or destroy the abilities of most satellites to function. A percentage of military communication and other satellites are hardened against EMP but the gravest effect would be on the ground, the space expert said. “As bad as the space part of this is, that is pretty bad, but the ground part of it is much, much worse. Effectively, whoever was subjected to an EMP burst would be shoved back to an agricultural state.” Few civilian assets such as power grids, generators, telephone systems and commercial communications satellites are hardened against EMP.

This is part of the reason why the State Department has expressed “great concern” about the development. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said the satellite launch appeared to indicate Iran was working on a ballistic missile capable of “increasingly long range.” Combine a long-range ICBM with a nuclear payload and you get a new member of an even smaller club, the countries such as the U.S., Russia, China, France and Britain who can play the deadly serious global strategic game of hitting places around the globe with nuclear weapons.

Iran’s success elicited grudging admiration from the space expert. “They have had more success than a lot of other aspirants. Their path has been fairly linear and fairly successful,” this source said. All this occurred, of course, in the face of international sanctions against Iran, which included specific UN prohibitions against work on ballistic missiles.

Another reason for concern about the Iranian accomplishment, the space expert said, is that lofting a satellite into a successful orbit is, in some respects, more technologically challenging than building an ICBM. So Iran would appear to be extremely close to having the ability to send aloft a small nuclear device. And, this expert said, a trigger for a small, unsophisticated nuclear device is relatively easy to design and make if you are not trying to be highly accurate.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well done Iran, at least this will keep you safe from them insane Zionist who love to bully and beat defenceless people. Iran has a long history of scientific achievements so keep up and the rest of the developing world will have a role model to imitate.

Anonymous said...

Good job Uskowi

Kemjika said...

I am convinced of 1 thing:

The embargo on Iran will not break Iran. They have made Iran more independent and stronger, and now US is mad it can't stop their weapons development/production. For the resources the US has, it can actually act pretty dumb in the international arena...

Anonymous said...

The reason why the USA is running scared because their Missile Defense is the "Longest Running Scam". Remember 9/11 what happened to the world's most efficient Air Force?
They sat on their butts did they not!

Anonymous said...

Well done Iran, do all you can to safe guard your people from the Zionist crazies. Becareful Obama speaks with a forked tongue.

The Rooster said...

Check out www.bloggingthecasbah.com for some more Iran insight.

Anonymous said...

Abdimenijad is pathologically insane and a threat to the civilized world, that's the reason the sane world is worried about Iran possessing nuclear weapons. I don't believe I've ever heard Israel mention "wiping Iran from the face of the earth" as the Iranian megalomaniac has commented in regards to Israel. If Iran even threatens to deploy nuclear weapons, I, for one, hope Israel turns Iran into a f**king parking lot!

Anonymous said...

this dance of deadmen that iran enjoys is not the 1st time they have had there ass handed back to them by the world. It is about fundtimental islam; it's about funditmental christians; it is about the zionist; but i'm neither one by the grace of God. ME and about 4billion other human beings are tired of all three of your blood feuds based in god. You all are KILLERS and not good men! Your holy men are Killers; and false leaders; and we all were warned of following a false leader; no little boys in heaven for omar or akbar.between the three of your radical beliefs and views on life all of you you really fucking up a great place.Earth. if you want to go to your maker shoot yourself; more power to ya if not shut-up
and leave the rest of the world alone. all of you radial islam, radial christans and radial zionist take a breath,shut up and live and let live.there is alot of people who are tierd of your hate
"can't we all just get along" rodny king (wise man from L.A)