From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Wed Jul 26 2000 - 12:47:21 MDT
John Clark wrote:
>
> Charlie Stross <charlie@antipope.org> Wrote:
>
> > neutron bombs delivered into the flight path of the incoming RV's
> > by bad-ass boosters. [...] Why on _earth_ isn't the US government
> >resurrecting this system, if they genuinely want an ABM system that
> >works rather than the pork barrel to end all pork barrels?
>
> Because the EMP and plasma cloud produced by a nuclear explosion
> would blind you so you'd have no idea what was coming next and because
> the idea of exploding neutron bombs (slightly modified H bombs) over your
> own cities does not strike people as much fun.
As I recall, the intercepts would occur over northern Canada and out over the
ocean. Beyond that, radar systems can be set up to 'blink' to avoid the 'glare',
and most military systems are set up to be well shielded against EMP already.
What would get fried are civilian electronics, which would in itself be quite a
serious economic blow (then again, maybe not, it would definitely increase
business for the computer and eletronics industries after the 'war'.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:30:10 MST