Congress warned North Korean EMP attack would kill '90% of all Americans'

[DemolitionMan]

Lots of claims few facts. Yes testing was done. None of that testing suggested that the entire country would be wiped out and 90% would die from a single EMP attack. SK does have much to fear no doubt. And if EMP was so effective, using one on SK would wipe out NK too.

KIM Jong-un needs only one hydrogen bomb to bring America to its knees. And he knows it. This is the nation-wide effect it can have in nanoseconds.

[DB]

NK would be a glass crater as a result.

And one hydrogen bomb isn't going to wipe out all of America with 90% dead no matter how many times you say it will.

[DemolitionMan]

NK would be a glass crater as a result.

And one hydrogen bomb isn't going to wipe out all of America with 90% dead no matter how many times you say it will.

"
Describing the effects, General John E. Hyten warned, "It's a dangerous threat and a very realistic threat. If you set off an EMP, a high altitude EMP, basically every light in this hotel is going to go off; every computer is going to go off; every cell phone is going to go off; and every car in the parking lot will no longer work. That's what an EMP does ... We have to be able to respond. But our nation has not looked at EMP." Such damage would affect the continent and take months to years to correct. "

[DemolitionMan]

NK would be a glass crater as a result.

And one hydrogen bomb isn't going to wipe out all of America with 90% dead no matter how many times you say it will.

From the Article: "Congress was warned Thursday that North Korea is capable of attacking the U.S. today with a nuclear EMP bomb that could indefinitely shut down the electric power grid and kill 90 percent of "all Americans" within a year.

At a House hearing, experts said that North Korea could easily employ the "doomsday scenario" to turn parts of the U.S. to ashes.

In calling on the Pentagon and President Trump to move quickly to protect the grid, the experts testified that an explosion of a high-altitude nuclear bomb delivered by a missile or satellite "could be to shut down the U.S. electric power grid for an indefinite period, leading to the death within a year of up to 90 percent of all Americans."

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/congress-warned-north-korean-emp-attack-would-kill-90-of-all-americans/article/2637349

[sneakypete]

Congress warned North Korean EMP attack would kill '90% of all Americans'
by Paul Bedard | Oct 12, 2017, 4:25 PM

Congress was warned Thursday that North Korea is capable of attacking the U.S. today with a nuclear EMP bomb that could indefinitely shut down the electric power grid and kill 90 percent of "all Americans" within a year.

At a House hearing, experts said that North Korea could easily employ the "doomsday scenario" to turn parts of the U.S. to ashes.

In calling on the Pentagon and President Trump to move quickly to protect the grid, the experts testified that an explosion of a high-altitude nuclear bomb delivered by a missile or satellite "could be to shut down the U.S. electric power grid for an indefinite period, leading to the death within a year of up to 90 percent of all Americans."

more
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/congress-warned-north-korean-emp-attack-would-kill-90-of-all-americans/article/2637349

@mystery-ak

EEEK! EEEK! EEEEK!

In that case we better nuke the hell out of the NK's before sunset!

Anyone else suspect that these very same experts have plans and equipment for sale that would save us,if Congress would only grant them billions of dollars to further their research?

[sneakypete]

The main killer is that the electrical grid would be down for up to two years. There are somewhere around two hundred transformers nationwide which would be destroyed. They do not have backups and it takes up to two years to have one made...why? I do not know.

90 % is probably to high...maybe 50%, mostly urban. Three days food is what they have.

@Fantom

Hmmmm.

Are you trying to say this would be a bad thing or a good thing?

[massadvj]

I live in a rural area.  I have a back-up generator and a well, plus enough land to grow food for my family.  I guess if I want to be in the 10 percent, I still need an underground fuel tank for the generator, plus a bump stock for my rifle, so I can mow down the hoards of city folk who might want to raid me.

Note to self: check on backhoe rental for this weekend.

[sneakypete]

@mystery-ak

The true information about an NEMP (nuclear electromagnetic pulse) is in my book, taken from the Commissions report in 2008.  It is too detailed about our infrastructure to put here.  Hopefully, a book agent will be found to publish the book in the not distant future.  Very few people will survive if the blast is in the upper atmosphere in the center of the country as it will take out all power across the country.  If it is far enough north, the Texas grid may survive as it is separate, not connected to the grid of the rest of the country.

@mystery-ak

It will NOT take out all power in the country. There are huge solar farms all over the southern half of the country that produce a considerable amount of electricity from either/both windmills and solar panels. There is also a considerable amount of natural gas running through pipe lines that can be used to power commercial generators owned by power companies. Then there is gasoline,which is easily pumped by small generators,or even by taking a rear tire off of a car and then leaving it jacked up and put a belt over the rim and a pulley on a pump or generator.

As for the US government,the military is fully shielded against EMP damage,and the ships of the US Navy have the capability to produce HUGE amounts of electricity,as well as to desalinate sea water.

That goober is trying to dip his beak into the US Treasure by running around and screaming "the sky is falling,the sky is falling" like Chicken Little. He and his accomplices are being aided by congresscritters and Senators whose states or districts would financially benefit from the research and manufacturing that would be done.

[sneakypete]

You will have vaccum tubes to use

@Demolition Man

With any luck at all hundreds of thousands of twits and twinks will commit suicide because they won't be able to update their twitter and FB accounts with theeir "selfies of the day",and the world will be a better place for it.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

90% of Americans would probably kill themselves without their smartphones... so it is plausible.

[Free Vulcan]

If it takes down our banking and good distribution system for anything longer than a couple of weeks - it won't be good.

Everything today is computer controlled. Unless hardened all those chips are fried and will break every link in the chain.

[sneakypete]

If it takes down our banking and good distribution system for anything longer than a couple of weeks - it won't be good.

Everything today is computer controlled. Unless hardened all those chips are fried and will break every link in the chain.

@Free Vulcan

The banking won't be that big a deal. People will just be able to sign IOU's for the essentials.

People will be eating their neighbors or just murdering them for their canned food by day 3 in the cities,though. People who live in rural areas tend to keep more food stored and have access to "food on the hoof" than city people,so at first it won't be so bad in rural areas.

It won't stay that way,though. Rural areas will be the last to get electricity and water back online,food supplies,medical supplies,etc,etc,etc. The voters are in the cities,as well as the media outlets,and the politicians themselves,so they are going to get all the immediate attention.

Those of us in rural areas might have to end up picking up our rifles and going to the nearest city to "shop" before things get back to normal.

BTW,you can bet your bippy that bank records are protected,and you WILL be getting bills for overdue payments with interest as soon as the mail starts being delivered again.

[libertybele]

@mystery-ak

EEEK! EEEK! EEEEK!

In that case we better nuke the hell out of the NK's before sunset!

Anyone else suspect that these very same experts have plans and equipment for sale that would save us,if Congress would only grant them billions of dollars to further their research?

Also the equipment would make the country a much more 'greener' place to live and at the same time solve global warming. 

[sneakypete]

Also the equipment would make the country a much more 'greener' place to live and at the same time solve global warming. 

@libertybele

Not to mention cure the heartbreak of psoriasis.

Just send me yore dollahs,and I'll tell you where to sign up! Hurry,hurry,hurry! The first 10,000 people get to sign  up for the low,low introductory price of only $99.95 per year for the first 5 years!

You can trust me. I have an honest face.

[Mesaclone]

While the picture painted is certainly more bleak than the potential reality, it is also true that the consequences of such an attack WOULD be catastrophic...and that such in attack is becoming more possible each day (as NK continues to increase its missile range)...and as Iran works to develop its own nuclear capability.

Only a foolish nation would discount this threat, it is a genuine vulnerability that would bring the nation to its knees. I do think we'd recover much more quickly than these projections...and that the initial damage might be less catastrophic than portrayed...but we arguing the magnitude of the devastation, not the reality of it.

[DemolitionMan]

Lots of claims few facts. Yes testing was done. None of that testing suggested that the entire country would be wiped out and 90% would die from a single EMP attack. SK does have much to fear no doubt. And if EMP was so effective, using one on SK would wipe out NK too.

It seemed well researched and informed to the normal lay man can understand

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Of course, the actual quote said "could", not "would", and "up to 90", not "90".

[jpsb]

And let's not forget all those nuke plants that would require fuel for the back up
generators that would be needed to circulate cooling water to prevent a melt down. 
How many nuke plants are there in the USA? You can shut them down but they
still need to be cooled. They have a three day supply of fuel for the back up
generators and pumps.

[DemolitionMan]

Lots of claims few facts. Yes testing was done. None of that testing suggested that the entire country would be wiped out and 90% would die from a single EMP attack. SK does have much to fear no doubt. And if EMP was so effective, using one on SK would wipe out NK too.

The Starfish Prime  Atomic Tests proved EMP effects.Starfish Prime caused an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which was far larger than expected, so much larger that it drove much of the instrumentation off scale, causing great difficulty in getting accurate measurements. The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights,[6] setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP damage to the microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime


www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhStl7SQnM
What happens when you set off a nuclear bomb in space? Turns out we have a pretty good idea, and it's not pretty. Learn about the science behind high-energy explosions in space.

[roamer_1]

Everything today is computer controlled. Unless hardened all those chips are fried and will break every link in the chain.

That simply isn't true.

Most systems are behind an uninterruptible power source that will absorb the shock.
Even long-line transmission - the transformer that blows protects the ones beyond it.
Cars are not grounded, and there isn't enough wire in the system to allow the energy to build and travel.

Much ado about nothing.
Y2K scare all over again.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

That simply isn't true.

Most systems are behind an uninterruptible power source that will absorb the shock.
Even long-line transmission - the transformer that blows protects the ones beyond it.
Cars are not grounded, and there isn't enough wire in the system to allow the energy to build and travel.

Much ado about nothing.
Y2K scare all over again.

The idea of UPS and transformers performing as fusible links sounds good, but what stops the EMP from also inducing a current in the wires and circuits on the other side as well?

Cars may not be grounded to earth, but then neither was the wire we induced a current in in my Physics for Poets lab, or if you bench test an alternator.  I've seen what happens to automotive electronics when a voltage regulator goes bad, it doesn't take many volts over spec to fry expensive parts.  An EMP could be basically the same thing as a failed VR, too much EM.

Much ado about nothing?  I don't know.  I"m pretty sure that depends on the strength of the EMP.  Strong enough will fry pretty much everything not hardened, but I don't know if we are capable of creating that.

Y2K?  A whole lot of work went into preparing for that.  Are we prepared for an EMP?  I don't know.

[roamer_1]

The idea of UPS and transformers performing as fusible links sounds good, but what stops the EMP from also inducing a current in the wires and circuits on the other side as well?

Cars may not be grounded to earth, but then neither was the wire we induced a current in in my Physics for Poets lab, or if you bench test an alternator.  I've seen what happens to automotive electronics when a voltage regulator goes bad, it doesn't take many volts over spec to fry expensive parts.  An EMP could be basically the same thing as a failed VR, too much EM.

Much ado about nothing?  I don't know.  I"m pretty sure that depends on the strength of the EMP.  Strong enough will fry pretty much everything not hardened, but I don't know if we are capable of creating that.

Y2K?  A whole lot of work went into preparing for that.  Are we prepared for an EMP?  I don't know.

My understanding is that the power of an EMP requires long lines to travel in... as the wave travels, it exponentially builds - gaining and focusing energy as it goes along. Without the long lines of travel, it's effects are greatly mitigated.

Will there be energy behind the transformer that blows? Yes - whatever is in the air can once again begin to build - But the exponent already stored and traveling the line is wasted.

No doubt there will be damage beneath the burst, where the electromagnetic pulse is at power. But the further away, the less the effect, and the 'fusible link' tends to guarantee that.

For that same reason, I have never seen the sense in 'all electronics' being destroyed. there isn't enough bang left at distance, without the ability to magnify along long wire lines of travel . And every home and business has a circuit breaker.

Likewise small systems like cars and such, which are divorced from direct lines.. just not any poop there once it gets far beyond the detonation point.

[DB]

The idea of UPS and transformers performing as fusible links sounds good, but what stops the EMP from also inducing a current in the wires and circuits on the other side as well?

Cars may not be grounded to earth, but then neither was the wire we induced a current in in my Physics for Poets lab, or if you bench test an alternator.  I've seen what happens to automotive electronics when a voltage regulator goes bad, it doesn't take many volts over spec to fry expensive parts.  An EMP could be basically the same thing as a failed VR, too much EM.

Much ado about nothing?  I don't know.  I"m pretty sure that depends on the strength of the EMP.  Strong enough will fry pretty much everything not hardened, but I don't know if we are capable of creating that.

Y2K?  A whole lot of work went into preparing for that.  Are we prepared for an EMP?  I don't know.

A nuclear EMP would be very destructive. Just not as destructive as claimed here. Not all electronic devices are going to be destroyed. The smaller the device the less ability to induce much current/voltage in it to cause damage. Things connected via long wires for power distribution, metallic communications cables are most susceptible. Fiber optic cables are not susceptible to EMP.

[Fantom]

@Fantom

Hmmmm.

Are you trying to say this would be a bad thing or a good thing?

Yes....@sneakypete

[DB]

The Starfish Prime  Atomic Tests proved EMP effects.Starfish Prime caused an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which was far larger than expected, so much larger that it drove much of the instrumentation off scale, causing great difficulty in getting accurate measurements. The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights,[6] setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP damage to the microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime


www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhStl7SQnM


What happens when you set off a nuclear bomb in space? Turns out we have a pretty good idea, and it's not pretty. Learn about the science behind high-energy explosions in space.

Yet that test didn't set Hawaii back "200 years". The damage to Hawaii was far, far less than what is claimed will happen in the source article.