Israel Matzav

'A new era in modern warfare' - Meet the CHAMP

I don't know why, but when I read about the CHAMP (Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project), it made me think about napalm. Napalm, for those of you who are too young to remember Vietnam, is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with petroleum or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, initially against buildings and later primarily as an anti-personnel weapon. "Napalm" is a combination of the names of two of the constituents of the gel: naphthenic acid and palmitic acid.

Colloquially, napalm has been used as the generic name of several flammable liquids used in warfare, often forms of jellied gasoline, such as to be expelled by flamethrowers in infantry and armored warfare.

In 1980, the use of napalm against civilian targets was banned, although its use against military targets is still permitted.

During the Vietnam war, however, there was a perception that napalm destroyed the 'things' but left the people alive, until we saw a photo of a young girl (who survived) fleeing from a napalm attack.

The CHAMP destroys computer electronics while leaving everything else around them intact.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing successfully tested the weapon on a one-hour flight during which it knocked out the computers of an entire military compound in the Utah desert.

It is thought the missile could penetrate the bunkers and caves believed to be hiding Iran’s suspected nuclear facilities. But experts have warned that, in the wrong hands, the technology could be used to bring Western cities such as London to their knees.

During Boeing’s experiment, the missile flew low over the Utah Test and Training Range, discharging  electromagnetic pulses on to seven targets, permanently shutting down their electronics.

Boeing said that the test was so successful even the camera recording it was disabled.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: electromagnetic pulse bomb

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:33 PM