A report by military analysts reveals that China is making progress in developing EMP weapons.
NEWS AND ANALYSIS:
According to a report from three open-source intelligence analysts, Chinese military researchers have achieved notable progress in the development and experimentation of strategic electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons. These weapons have the capability to render electronics on U.S. warplanes and even entire military bases inoperable.
According to a recent report on the matter, Chinese EMP weapons could potentially pose a significant risk to electronic controls in vital U.S. infrastructure, such as the electric grid. This vulnerability could lead to severe and devastating consequences.
The report states that China’s rapid progress in EMP weaponry is causing significant worry for global security, especially regarding the vulnerabilities of both U.S. military and civilian operations.
The report, “There’s Darkness in the Distance: The Rising Threat of China’s EMP Weapons to U.S. Defenses and Critical Infrastructure,” was published Wednesday by military and intelligence analysts L.J. Eads, Ryan Clarke and Xiaoxu Sean Lin. The three researchers specialize in studying Chinese military and arms programs as part of a program called the Chinese Communist Party BioThreats Initiative.
An electromagnetic pulse is radiating energy first discovered during nuclear detonations. The pulses can destroy or damage electronic systems over wide areas.
According to the report, a 2020 military report states that China has a device called a high-powered magnetic pulse compressor that generates strong EMP pulses that can damage sensitive electronics.
The report stated that the device presents a significant danger to advanced military technology. The report also included a picture of the device.
A weaponized EMP machine like the compressor could disable electronic equipment, neutralize defense systems and cripple communications. China also could employ EMP attacks against Taiwan in the first stage of a military assault against the island, the report said.
In 2020, another military research report from China disclosed that Beijing effectively eliminated micro inertial sensors utilized in advanced weaponry and civilian systems employing micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). These MEMS consist of miniature microchips that play a crucial role in powering numerous smart devices. The study demonstrated that a pulse with a voltage of 780 and pulse amplitude of 4.23 amperes was capable of causing damage to the sensor microchip components.
The report stated that this threshold signifies the susceptibility of the sensor to electromagnetic pulses during warfare situations.
The EMP weapon has the potential to cause extensive damage to various systems found in the Pentagon’s F-35 and F-22 jets, as well as the upcoming B-21 strategic bomber. These systems heavily depend on MEMS technology, which encompasses navigation systems, weapons systems, and flight safety systems.
According to the report, Chinese EMP weaponry could potentially target the radar systems on the warplanes.
China has reportedly created a portable directed energy weapon, which is the size of a suitcase. The microwave active denial system was developed by CETC International Co. Ltd., a Chinese company that was sanctioned by the Biden administration for its involvement in the Chinese military’s balloon surveillance program.
The report cautioned that China may potentially employ its fleet of balloons in the future to carry out strategic EMP attacks on the United States, which could result in significant damage to the nation’s crucial infrastructures and defense preparedness. The electronic denial system has the capability to disrupt military systems by interfering with or disabling important communications utilized for coordination with allies. Additionally, it can disable electronic surveillance and security systems at military bases before commando operations.
For civilian targeting, the electronic denial system can be used to disable vital infrastructure networks, “including power grids, transportation hubs, and communication networks,” the report said.
The electronic denial system also could be used as part of what the report calls China’s “neurostrike” weaponry – brain warfare attacks on people and entire populations. The authors of the paper stated in an earlier study that China’s military is a global leader in developing brain warfare technology.
Beijing has submitted numerous patent applications worldwide for high-power pulsed power sources and high-power microwave source technologies, as revealed by a comprehensive analysis of China’s global patent filings.
International airfields, both military and civilian, are critical transportation nodes and are vulnerable to EMP attacks. Small weapons like China’s microwave active denial system thus pose a significant potential threat.
The report stated that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack directed at an airfield could have wide-ranging consequences that reach well beyond the surrounding area.
EMP weapons can target various systems such as air traffic control, instrument landing and navigation, and communications systems.
Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities also make EMP attacks on electric grids and communications networks attractive targets in a conflict. Power plants, substations and high-voltage lines could be hit with EMP and cause widespread blackouts. Electronic systems that control the electric grid are also vulnerable to EMP, which could cause overloads and produce equipment failures.
Cell towers, data centers and satellites also can be attacked electronically causing massive disruptions.
Transportation networks are susceptible as well. A strike of EMP could disturb the flow of trains, communication systems of airlines, and traffic management on roads. Furthermore, EMP attacks have the potential to inflict financial harm by targeting the stock market or ATM machines.
“The potential impact of an EMP attack on critical infrastructure in the United States is significant,” stated the report. “The interconnectedness of these systems implies that the failure of one could have a domino effect on others.”
China is actively working on developing countermeasures against EMPs, suggesting that their military believes electromagnetic weapons will play a role in future warfare.
The report advises the swift development of strategies and countermeasures by the military and the U.S. government to effectively address the threat of Chinese EMP.
The report asserts that despite the significant threat of EMP, the U.S. can strengthen its defenses through the use of advanced materials science, innovative circuitry, and thorough intelligence efforts. This will guarantee the ability to operate effectively even in the event of EMP challenges.
Robert McCreight, a former special operations officer and former State Department treaty negotiator, said the report reveals continuing challenges along the electromagnetic spectrum.
He informed Inside the Ring that this is a matter of concern that requires immediate attention from the U.S. government.
The military will conduct research on land forces in Asia.
The Army has recently revealed its intentions to establish a new center called the China Landpower Studies Center at the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa. This center stands out because, up until now, research and strategic planning regarding potential conflicts with China have primarily concentrated on areas of warfare that do not involve territorial disputes, such as the Navy and Air Force.
The new Army center will be similar to other niche military study centers at institutions like the National Defense University, Air University and the Naval War College.
The newly established Army center will analyze the People’s Liberation Army and the ground forces that constitute the central aspect of the military’s endeavors to enhance collaborative combat capabilities. Additionally, the center will examine Chinese national policy and strategy, aiding Army leaders in gaining a deeper comprehension of America’s primary opponent.
In the past, the U.S. military did not focus on studying the possibility of a land war with China. However, the establishment of the new center is anticipated to add complexity to Chinese military strategizing concerning a potential invasion of Taiwan.
The PLA needs to consider that any attack on the island democracy will not only involve naval and air counterattacks from U.S. forces. The Army may also have a significant role in deploying ground forces to the island.
— Contact Bill Gertz on X at @BillGertz.
