A burst of microwaves could disrupt computers without a nuclear blast. Turning it into a compact, practical weapon is another matter.
A military document reviewed a weapon that uses microwave pulses to disrupt computers. It cited a test in which navigation devices were reportedly disrupted, but offered no evidence that the weapon became a practical system.
The burst can disrupt the electrical signals inside it. The device may stop working properly and can sometimes be damaged.
The document does not say. It describes the challenges of building a compact, effective system.
The document reports that the devices were disabled, but does not explain what happened to them.
In 2010, a military document reviewed a weapon designed to attack computers from a distance. It uses a brief, powerful burst of microwaves, not a nuclear explosion.
The burst can disrupt a computer or damage its internal components. The concept sounds simple, but building a compact, effective system that can operate in the field is difficult. The document also mentions a test in which a burst disrupted navigation devices used to guide commercial aircraft during landing.
Microwaves are energy waves, like the ones used in microwave ovens. A powerful burst can penetrate a device and disrupt its electrical signals. A computer or communications system may stop working properly, and its components can sometimes be damaged.
The military was interested in the technology because it could target computers and communications systems without sending troops to the site. Sometimes, a brief disruption to the flow of information is enough. In other cases, the aim is to damage the components themselves.
The document also describes a separate event that demonstrated how far such a burst can reach. In 1962, a high-altitude nuclear explosion over the Pacific Ocean disrupted radio stations and electronic equipment in Hawaii, about 1,300 kilometers away. The weapon discussed in the document was designed to produce a similar effect without a nuclear explosion.
In 2001, a military helicopter was reported to have generated a weak energy burst during a test. The burst disrupted navigation devices used to guide commercial aircraft during landing in Albany, New York. These devices help guide aircraft as they land.
To generate and transmit the burst, the system must handle heat and high electrical loads. Its antenna must be small yet distribute the energy effectively. These constraints make it difficult to build a compact, effective weapon suited to field use.
The document reviews existing knowledge; it is not original research. It does not show whether the weapon became a system that could be used in practice, or specify exactly what went wrong with the navigation devices in Albany. The general explanation is that a powerful burst of energy can disrupt electronic equipment.
An aircraft is coming in to land when its navigation device suddenly stops working. Even a brief burst can be enough.