-Caveat Lector- Information Weapons .... Paul and others on the list ... I just now found this piece, posted in a newsgroup. Our technology is leaping so fast ahead now, that I suspect we all are getting many steps behind in keeping up with our sense of 'what is possible.' R --------------------------- -Subject: Information Weapons From: "marios" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, Sep 19, 2001 2:25 PM Message-id: <9ob2db$rga$[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.defence.gov.au/aerospacecentre/publish/paper47.htm#H INFORMATION WEAPONS There are several weapons currently available that can negate, destroy or incapacitate information systems, with many more being rapidly developed. Within this paper these are broadly grouped into three main types: High Energy Radio Frequency (HERF) guns, Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP), and other information weapons. HERF Guns A HERF Gun is a device that directs high power radio energy at an electronic target. Electronic circuits are vulnerable to overload; a HERF Gun simply overloads particular circuits to disable specific pieces of equipment that are dependent on that circuit. A HERF Gun can be designed to cause varying degrees of damage from simply shutting a system down to physically destroying equipment. Pointed at a computer, a HERF Gun may either permanently or temporarily terminate its operations; a HERF Gun pointed at a 'fly-by-wire' aircraft may trigger a catastrophic failure. Although currently limited in range and destructive capacity, in the near future HERF Guns are likely to be substantially more capable and freely available and therefore must be taken seriously. HERF Guns represent an excellent addition to the offensive military inventory of a nation, and also a significant threat if possessed by an enemy. The defensive measures that can be employed to reduce the risks of HERF attacks are not well developed at this stage, but include using Gaussian shielding, gaseous discharge devices and the maintenance of physical separation. Electro-Magnetic Pulse Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) has been described as 'the next great weapon to evolve in modern warfare'.20 Initially discovered as a side effect of nuclear tests, the phenomenon has now been extended to non-nuclear generators. Such generators can create an EMP which will disable unshielded electronic systems. A development beam generator with a one gigawatt capacity could be used to develop a line of sight EMP which would knock-out most unshielded electronic devices within a radius measurable in tens to hundreds of metres, depending on the employment method. High power microwaves, communications, computers, navigation and data processing systems would be most affected by such weapons. The current limitations of these weapons are power generation and capacitor storage capability,21 but these can be expected to be overcome in the future. Reports indicate that research is well advanced with EMP warheads recently being fitted on USAF air launched cruise missiles.22 EMP weapons are less discriminatory than HERF guns and could be used to shut down a general area rather than a specific system. Again, with the exception of screening techniques such as Gaussian shielding, defensive measures are not common. Other Information Weapons 23 There are several weapons which are currently being developed which do not fit in the HERF or EMP categories. Some already are in service with various military forces, others remain on the drawing board. The following weapons are described in a variety of freely available publications and give an indication of the technologies being developed and the possible capabilities which may result. Low Energy Lasers. These lasers can be used to damage the optical systems of sensors (including data collection devices), thus attacking the information systems at the data collection level. Low energy lasers have already been fitted on rifles and armoured vehicles and were deployed during the Gulf War. A number of systems are reported to be under further development in the US and UK.24 Electrical Power Disruption Technologies. An electric power disruption munition was first used during the Gulf War in 1991. The technology originated after an accident on the US West Coast when chaff cut power supplies to the city of San Diego in 1985. The weapon uses light, conductive, carbon fibres which wrap around transmission lines and distribution points to cause a massive short circuit. Even when power is restored the fibres must be removed because any breeze can result in another short circuit.25 This weapon can be delivered by cruise missiles, as was the case in the Gulf War, or from manned aircraft. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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