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The E-bomb - A Weapon of Electrical Mass Destruction

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Presented By
SRI RAGHAVA

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The Author Of Ebomb:
Carlo Kopp is a Computer Scientist, Electrical and Systems Engineer, Defence Analyst and Trade Journalist
Introduction:
Desert Storm Counter-C3 operations relied on air power and precision guided munitions
Future campaigns will require more suitable weapons to achieve shock effect over large target sets with small attacking forces
Electromagnetic bombs (E-bombs) can perform such a role
E-bomb Technology Base:
Power source - explosively pumped Flux Compression Generator (FCG)
FCG pioneered by Los Alamos Labs during the 1950s
FCG can produce tens of MegaJoules in tens to hundreds of microseconds
Peak current of an FCG is 1000 X that of a typical lightning stroke
The Physics of the FCG:
Fast explosive compresses a magnetic field
Compression transfers mechanical energy into the magnetic field
Peak currents of MegaAmperes demonstrated in many experiments
FCG start current is provided by an external source:
capacitor bank
small FCG
MHD device
homopolar generator
FCG Internals:
Armature - copper tube / fast explosive
Stator - helical heavy wire coil
Initiator - plane wave explosive lense
Jacket - prevents disintegration due magnetic forces
FCG Operation:
External power source pumps FCG winding with start current
When start current peaks, explosive lense fired to initiate explosive burn
Explosive pressure expands armature and creates moving short
Moving armature compresses magnetic field
High Power Microwave (HPM) Sources:
Higher lethality than low frequency FCG fields, many device types:
Relativistic Klystrons
Magnetrons
Slow Wave Devices
Reflex Triodes
Virtual Cathode Oscillators (vircators)
Vircator Physics:
Relativistic electron beam punches through foil or mesh anode
Virtual cathode formed by space charge bubble behind anode
Peak power of tens of GW for 100s of nsec
Anode typically melts in about 1 usec
Cheap and simple to manufacture
Wide bandwidth allows chirping of oscillation
Lethality Issues in E-bomb Warheads:
Diversity of target set makes prediction of lethality difficult
Different implementations of like equipment have differing hardness
Coupling efficiency is critical to lethality
Coupling Modes:
Front Door Coupling through antennas.
Destroys RF semiconductor devices in transmitters and receivers
Back Door Coupling through power/data cabling, telephone wiring
Destroys exposed semiconductor devices
Punches through isolation transformers.
Semiconductor Vulnerability:
Semiconductor components using CMOS, RF Bipolar, RF GaAs, NMOS DRAM processes are destroyed by exposure to volts to tens of volts of electrical voltage
High speed - high density semiconductors are highly vulnerable due small junction sizes and low breakdown voltages
Damage Mechanisms:
Low frequency pulses produced by FCG create high voltage spikes on fixed wiring infrastructure
Microwave radiation from HPM devices creates high voltage standing waves on fixed wiring infrastructure
Microwave radiation from HPM devices can couple directly through ventilation grilles, gaps between panels, poor interface shielding - producing a spatial standing wave inside the equipment cavity
Example Scenario:
10 GigaWatt 5 GHz HPM E-bomb initiated at several hundred metres altitude
Footprint has diameter of 400 - 500 metres with field strengths of kiloVolts/metre
Maximising Bomb Lethality:
Lethality is maximised by maximising the power coupled into the target set
maximise peak power and duration of warhead emission (large FCG/Vircator)
maximise efficiency of internal power transfer in weapon
maximise coupling efficiency into target set
HPM E-bomb Lethality:
Microwave bombs are potentially more lethal due better coupling and more focussed effects
chirping allows weapon to couple into any in-band resonances
circular polarisation of antenna allows coupling with any aperture orientation
reducing detonation altitude increases field strength at the expense of footprint size
Targeting E-bombs:
fixed installations (buildings, radar and comms sites ) - conventional methods
radiating mobile / hidden targets (ships, mobile SAMs) - use ESM or ELS
non radiating mobile / hidden targets - use Unintentional Emissions (UE)
UE results from Van Eck radiation and LAN/comms wiring emissions, Characteristic signatures allow identification of target type and location
Delivery of E-bombs:
Warhead comprises priming current source, FCG (cascade) and Vircator tube
Missile installations must supply 100% of weapon priming energy from own supply
Bomb installations - weapon can be precharged before release from aircraft
A free fall E-bomb is more lethal than a missile borne HPM warhead as a larger proportion of the weapon is the warhead
Delivery Options:
dumb bombs have a CEP of 100 - 1000 ft
(free fall delivery)
GPS aided bombs have a CEP of 40 ft
(free fall but guided)
Standoff missiles have a CEP of 40 ft
(GPS inertial with propulsion)
Cruise Missiles have a CEP 10-40 ft
(eg USAF AGM-86 derivative)
Defences Against E-bombs:
Destroy the delivery vehicle or launch platform
Electromagnetically harden important assets
Hide important assets
Vulnerability Reduction (Hardening):
convert computer rooms in to Faraday cages
use optical fibres for data
isolate power feeds with transient arrestors
use non-electrical power feed schemes
use electromagnetic air lock
shielding must be comprehensive
Susceptibility Reduction (Preventing Attack):
redundant topology
UE reduction - stringent electromagnetic control regime
Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) Comms and Radar
decoy emitters
Proliferation:
E-bombs use non-strategic materials and manufacturing
US and CIS capable of deploying E-bombs in next half decade
possession of drawings and samples would allow Third World manufacture of E-bombs
USAF estimated US$1,000-2,000 per round for FCG manufacture at US labour rates
Counterproliferation regimes will be ineffective
Military Applications of the
E-bomb
Doctrine and Strategy
1.Electronic Combat
The objective is to paralyse the opponentâ„¢s C3I and IADS as quickly as possible
The E-bomb enables rapid attrition of enemy electronic assets over large areas
The E-bomb offers important force multiplication effects compared to the use of conventional weapons
The E-bomb is a Weapon of Electrical Mass Destruction
2.Strategic Warfare
The Warden Five Rings model was tested and proven during Desert Storm:
Leadership and C3 targets highly vulnerable
Economic vitals - finance, stock markets, manufacturing, petroleum, oil/gas are highly vulnerable
Transport infrastructure - signalling, navaids, vehicle ignition systems vulnerable
Population - radio and TV receivers
Military forces in the field - eqpt vulnerable
E-bomb Advantages in Strategic Warfare
Not lethal to humans
Negligible collateral damage
High tempo campaigns possible due the powerful shock effect of using a WEMD
No mass media coverage of bombing casualties (broadcast eqpt destroyed) will reduce the threshold for the use of strategic air power and missile forces
3.Theatre Warfare
Offensive Counter Air operations - disable aircraft in flight, on the ground and destroy their supporting infrastructure
Sea Control - disable surface combatants prior to attack with conventional weapons
Battlefield Interdiction - disable mobile C3I and concentrations of tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters
4.Punitive Missions
The E-bomb is a useful punitive weapon as it can cause much economic and military damage with no loss of civilian life
E-bombs could be profitably used against countries which sponsor terrorism and info-terrorism
Conclusions:
E-bomb is a WEMD
High payoff in using E-bombs against fundamental infrastructure, resulting in substantial paralysis
E-bombs will become a decisive capability in Strategic Warfare and Electronic Combat
E-bombs are a non-lethal weapon
The critical issues for the next decade are the deployment of E-bombs and the hardening of fundamental infrastructure