Boeing to develop microwave-based airborne EMP weapon
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 18th 2009 11:37AM
posted May 18th 2009 11:37AM
[Via The Register]
posted May 18th 2009 11:37AM
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Ok.... Now we'r f*****
Cool! Let's fly over Vegas and then rob some casinos!
Think of the free parties this thing is gonna buzzkill!
well, at least we'll have something to counter the machines now...
I love that movie that's picture.
Pew Pew Pew!
Real Genius is a great movie. I used to watch that all the time when I was younger...kinda makes me wanna go watch it right now. :)
Anyone got some popcorn? lol
So, do they decide on a name like CHAMP first and then try to plug in the words to make it work? I'm always amazed at how these projects get such cool acronyms.
The Answer is yes, they come up with that crap and then justify it later.
Tears for Fears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK9O30d_yiE
that is aweeeeeeeeeeeeesome
Can it still heat food?
lol
For the world's biggest popcorn popper?
Your mom puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?
Best picture ever.
Where's Kent? KEEEEEENNNNNNTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I smell pop corn
Real Genius....I think....good one.
Quite possibly one of the greatest movies ever made in the history of greatest movies ever made.
You *think*? You don't immediately recognize it?
It's a moral imperative!
Boeing is probably the most unethical company in the defense industry, and considering their associates, that says a lot about them. They routinely lie, cheat their suppliers, and buy-off Congressmen. Boeing lost a ton of money on a contract with the Australian Air Force for a AWACS system with similar capabilities. The system was behind schedule, didn't work, and the Aussies rightly told Boeing to piss off. This contract is just a bailout from Uncle Sam for the money they lost on that debacle. In a couple of years the USAF will be complaining that it doesn't work and the costs are 3X what Boeing proposed.
And this is different than most major world companies, or even governments for that matter?
You win the CAPTAIN OBVIOUS award for the day.
"Boeing lost a ton of money on a contract with the Australian Air Force for a AWACS system with similar capabilities. The system was behind schedule, didn't work, and the Aussies rightly told Boeing to piss off."
You mean the Wedgetail program that will deliver this summer to Australia? But hey, whatever you need to make up to make you feel better.
@BoozeRob -- get off the bottle man. Boeing lost over $700M on Wedgetail (so far). Here are a few highlights from the wiki:
On June 29, 2006 the then Australian Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson, announced that Boeing had recently informed the Australian Government that the Wedgetail project has fallen behind schedule. According to Nelson's press release, the company had previously maintained that the project was actually on schedule.
Boeing has announced an 18 month delay, due to problems integrating radar and sensor computer systems, and will not deliver the aircraft until early 2009. Additionally, Boeing has taken $770 million in charges in 2006 for the delayed aircraft. Furthermore, on June 20, 2008 Boeing announced yet another delay to the Australian program, due primarily to integration of the radar and Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems. Boeing now hopes to deliver the first aircraft in July 2009 and work on the aircraft in Australia to achieve full capability in "early" 2010.
BTW, Boeing paid Uncle Sam a $600M fine two years ago for their contracting shennanigans involving corrupt officials. They are scum.
hmmmm scary, imagine if the government is after you and they pin point your exact location, then zap!!! and all thats remaining is smoke and a pair of sponge bob slippers..... imaging that...
EMP doesnt work that way. Your cellphone and watch would be toast though.
Imagine.... instant traffic jam...
oh wait.. I live in NY
This sort of thing scares me the most. A weapon like this could cause major damage. This sort of thing could wipe out major data centers or parts of the power grid with relative ease. Or even worse, it could wipe out my cell phone.
Instead of aiming that thing at an asteroid, we are aiming it at people. Sigh..... US just never learn
I'm pretty sure an EMP would do very little to an asteroid.
well if an asteroid with electronic navigation is headed our way, well be sure to consult with you to determine what is the best course of action.
"well if an asteroid with A GARMIN is headed our way, well be sure to consult with you to determine what is the best course of action."
..I don't know. The brand name gives it a little more comedic punch in my opinion. :)
It was only a matter of time that someone took conventional microwave radiation and weaponized it. The good news is that microwaves have a frequency that is too slow to cause cancer.
Can you imagine if terrorists got a hold of this and cut off everyone's Internet and TV! It's time to get serious about fighting terrorism.
How can they shield the electronics in a plane against such a powerful EMP?
Faraday Box.... and I believe it is basically an enclosure made of copper.
Yes, aside from copious amounts of shielding, the EMP could be made directional. The article mentions neutralizing "specific targets while minimizing or eliminating collateral damage" so it seems they've mastered directionality.
I just noticed you started your question with "how" so please ignore the "yes" in my answer :)
it's not EMP. Maybe read the article...
microwave weapon
"The goal is to more or less destroy the enemy's tech with out having to set off one of those pesky nuclear explosions necessary for an EMP"
because you are slow, I'll type this slow so you can understand. EMP is still the weapon here. This "microwave weapon" is creating the EMP, since using a nuke isn't really all that cool to use for your EMP needs.
Yes, I can hammer a nail into a 2x4.
PEW PEW PEW!!!!!
Do EMPs only damage/destroy electronics that are on and have power running through it. Or will it have the same affect if the device is shutdown with no power?
A sufficiently large EMP could carry enough power to overload a turned off device and render it permanently damaged. I would think it would depend on a host of factors such as the strength of the pulse when it reaches the device, the amount of shielding of that device (if any), and the sensitivity of the solid-state components.
Why is that toy on your head?
'Cause if I where it anywhere else, it chafes...
Goldeneye? anyone? anyone???
John Carpenter's Escape from L.A...Snake Plissken E.M.P.'S the World FTW.
Good! Now that we're fighting enemies whose only tech is cell-phone triggered explosives, we're investing in weapons better suited for taking down tanks, planes, and ships.
What makes you think this can't render a cell-phone inoperable? Or that there aren't a shit-ton of other weapons being developed by the likes of Raytheon, BAE, and a bunch of other defense contractors?
A+ for referencing "Real Genius"!
"We had one entry for the Madame Curie look-alike contest, and he was disqualified later for being a man... Why do I bother?"
I love Real Genius but it's an inappropriate reference for this article. An EMP is not a laser. You wouldn't even see the elctro-magnetic radiation.