Nuclear EMP Attack Scenarios and Combined-Arms Cyber Warfare
Abstract
Nuclear EMP attack is part of the military doctrines, plans and exercises of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran for a revolutionary new way of warfare against military forces and civilian critical infrastructures by cyber, sabotage, and EMP. This new way of warfare is called many things by many nations. In Russia, China, and Iran it is called Sixth Generation Warfare, NonContact Warfare, Electronic Warfare, Total Information Warfare, and Cyber Warfare. Some U.S. analysts, the very small number paying attention, call it Cybergeddon, Blackout War, or Combined-Arms Cyber Warfare. Significantly, because EMP attack entails detonating a nuclear weapon at such high altitude that no blast or other prompt effects injurious to humans are delivered, only the EMP that immediately damages only electronics, potential adversaries do not appear to regard nuclear EMP attack as an act of nuclear warfare. Potential adversaries understand that millions could die from the long-term collateral effects of EMP and cyber-attacks that cause protracted black-out of national electric grids and other life sustaining critical infrastructures. At least some regard this relatively easy, potentially anonymous, method of inflicting mass destruction as an attractive feature of what they describe as a Revolution in Military Affairs. Ignorance of the military doctrines of potential adversaries and a failure of U.S. strategic imagination, as noted in military writings of potentially hostile powers, is setting America up for an EMP Pearl Harbor. Russia, China, North Korea and Iran appear to regard nuclear EMP attack as the ultimate weapon in an all-out cyber operation aimed at defeating U.S. and allied military forces on the battlefield and in a theater of operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 27, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1097009
Entities
People
- Peter V. Pry