Boeing Successfully Tests Electronics-Frying, Microwave Missile

[Stitch]

It's not the sexiest of weapons, because it doesn't cause big explosions, or fly around the world in minutes. But the effect is huge and could cripple a modern military without causing any casualties.

This week, Boeing announced that it has successfully tested a missile that can send out targeted, high-power microwaves that fry electronics without actually causing an explosion.

Boeing Successfully Tests Electronics-Frying, Microwave Missile : The Two-Way : NPR

[Jimmy]

I've actually been waiting for something like this to show up. I wasn't sure it was going to be the US to develop it first though.

[Chogy]

I'm frankly surprised that such a system wasn't black from the beginning, like the F-117.

- Since demonstrated effective, it would encourage research and replication by potential adversaries.
- It's existence would also emphasize (and accelerate) research into further hardening of military electronics.

Overall fascinating weapon, with vast potential. How about EMP "flares" for aircraft? Sensors indicate a missile inbound, a small EMP bomblet is released close to intercept to scramble the missile's guidance and fuzing. Obviously the defending AC would need to be immune to its own defense.

Or... a long-ranged, inertially or GPS guided missile with a larger EMP warhead could do area saturation. Several of them spaced geographically could whack entire squadrons of defending CAP aircraft prior to a strike or sweep.

[USSWisconsin]

I understand that Soviet Aircraft used to have gaseuos electronics (tubes) for just such a reason.

There is protection against this too -- a Faraday Cage and hardened electronics using smaller versions of the FC.

[Stitch]

Or... a long-ranged, inertially or GPS guided missile with a larger EMP warhead could do area saturation. Several of them spaced geographically could whack entire squadrons of defending CAP aircraft prior to a strike or sweep.

Along those lines, how about a SEAD microwave missle? Have it target the missles and/or the radar systems (the missles would probably be more vulnerable to an EMP burst), and clear a path for the attackers.

[Chogy]

The possibilities are endless. It's like a magic "allow me to turn off all your cool stuff" missile.

On the flip side, I have no doubt China and Russia at a minimum have GPS jammers that probably work very well and could potentially be proof against JDAM. You've got a fire base, or even a dozen guys in a bunker, with a system that detects inbound heavy iron rounds and activates a GPS jammer, rendering the guidance useless. Of course, anything that emits radiation becomes a known target, so such a system would have its own issues and liabilities.

Either the GPS jammer runs continually (You get a HARM up the ass) or some sort of radar scans the sky for falling metallic objects (ditto).

[Jimmy]

GPS jamming is easy and can be done with a trip to Radio Shack. Spoofing (like what Iran claims) is near-impossible.