An existential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat is posed by a natural event (a massive solar emission that is infrequent but certain to occur—the only question is when) or a manmade event produced by a high altitude nuclear explosion that could be executed by a number of nation states or even terrorists. Recent events suggest a growing appreciation of the seriousness of these threats and possibly the initiation of helpful countermeasures. But will they be in time? Read Full Story
Assuming that key provisions of the Senate Armed Services Committee recommended National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2014 becomes law, there will be an opportunity for a Report to Congress to address serious gaps in our defenses against nuclear armed ballistic missiles that could attack us from vessels off our coasts -especially from the Gulf of Mexico-and from nuclear armed satellites – especially those that come toward the U.S. from over the South Pole. Hopefully, a thorough examination and appropriate actions will be in time to counter a potential existential threat. Read Full Story
Given last Friday’s Ground Based Interceptor test failure and while that system is being improved, it is now even more important to assure that the Navy’s Aegis BMD system is made fully capable to defend the American homeland against long range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attack. It can rapidly provide a relatively inexpensive back-up capability—and with relatively inexpensive improvements can become a major adjunct defense of Americans at home as well as our overseas troops, friends and allies. Read Full Story
Space based interceptors are potentially the most cost-effective way to defend against ballistic missiles of all ranges more than a few hundred miles—and over twenty years ago the technology was sufficiently mature to build such a system within five years of a decision to do so. But the pathway to such cost-effective defenses is blocked by ideological concerns that masquerade behind phony arguments, such as about costs—and contrary to findings 20 years ago that have been forgotten, after the key programs were canceled in 1993. How can we go back to the future? Read Full Story
There is a good news from Capitol Hill to add to Last Friday’s message of hope that the 113th Congress will take up legislation to protect the electric power grid—without which the electromagnetic pulse from a natural or manmade event could lead to the death of several hundred million Americans. The SASC version of the National Defense Authorization Act provides hope that two major High Frontier concerns will be addressed in a Defense Department study that will consider how best to counter ballistic missiles launched from vessels off our coasts and nuclear-armed satellites that approach the U.S. from over the South Pole. Stay tuned for the rest of the debate! Read Full Story
Netanyahu’s Red Line challenge issued last September is approaching. He anticipated that, without a change, it might be reached by mid-2013—and we just passed the summer solstice. Iran’s policies are unchanged by the recent election and anticipated softer line from Iran’s new president. We should be hard-nosed diplomatically while standing with Israel (as we have promised) and building our defenses against the growing possibility of a nuclear armed Iran. But the administration’s policies do not offer much promise for a change in dangerous realities that pose a serious threat to all we hold dear. In particular, we remain defenseless against Iranian ballistic missile and related EMP attacks from our south. Help! Read Full Story
Iran has a new President, but the supreme leader and his policies remain in place. These policies call for destroying the “little Satan” Israel and the “great Satan” America. Expect a softer diplomatic approach from Hassan Rouhani than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s bombastic pronouncements, but no different bottom lines. We should be hard-nosed diplomatically while standing with Israel and building our defenses against the growing possibility of a nuclear armed Iran. Read Full Story
Congratulations to Maine State Representative Andrea Boland (D-Sanford) and all who supported her initiative: Act LD-131, now the law in Maine. Hopefully, representatives in other states will follow with similar initiatives—and Washington’s “powers that be” will implement recommendations of the 2004 and 2008 reports from the congressionally mandated EMP Commission with initiatives to end America’s vulnerability to the existential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat! Read Full Story
The 1998 Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat warned that sea-launched short range ballistic missiles are a shortcut to attacking the United States. Defenses have been developed to protect the U.S. against Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), but nothing has been, or is being, done to defend against this sea-launched threat to the U.S.—nor to defend against a plausible attack from over the South Pole. Our vulnerability to such plausible attacks from North Korea and/or Iran can be addressed, but there appears to be no plan to do so. This should change! Read Full Story
Congratulations to Maine State Representative Andrea Boland (D-Sanford) and all who supported her initiative—Act LD-131 became law on the 69th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy invasion that was the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime in World War II. May June 6, 2013 be remembered as the beginning of the end of America’s vulnerability to the existential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat! Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.