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The existential threat to the USA - QuestionSocratic - 08-13-2014 10:15 AM
Arguably the most dangerous threat to US existence is the detonation of a nuclear device above the North America.
A congressional committee, in 2008, concluded:
Quote:Rogue nations such as North Korea (and possibly Iran) will soon match Russia and China and have the primary ingredients for an EMP attack: simple ballistic missiles such as Scuds that could be launched from a freighter near our shores; space-launch vehicles able to loft low-earth-orbit satellites; and simple low-yield nuclear weapons that can generate gamma rays and fireballs.
The damage? They estimated:
Quote:that within 12 months of a nationwide blackout, up to 90% of the U.S. population could possibly perish from starvation, disease and societal breakdown.
The cost t0 protect against an attack:
Quote:..Surge arrestors, faraday cages and other devices that prevent EMP from damaging electronics, as well micro-grids that are inherently less susceptible to EMP....would be about $2 billion...
Although $2 billion sounds a bit low to protect the entire system, would even $20 billion be too much.
EMP Threat
RE: The existential threat to the USA - mlb - 08-13-2014 10:17 AM
This is something that should have been done years ago not just due to EMP but also due to solar storms.
RE: The existential threat to the USA - 49RFootballNow - 08-13-2014 10:34 AM
This is actually a really big potential problem that has a few relatively cheap solutions. The nation is currently divided into 3 power grids (east, west, Texas) but it really needs to be divided into much more. That plus the suggestions in the article should be implemented ASAP.