EMP Proofing HMMWV

[TOBASH]

An EMP event in itself would not be harmful to humans, it could be done in the atmosphere, EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse, it is only harmful to the microscopic connections inside semiconductor devices, well I guess it could blow out someones pacemaker or knock out medical devices which are keeping someone alive but not directly harmful.

Currently EMP is a side effect of thermonuclear reactions. Whereas the EMP would not likely result in morbidity and mortality, the accompanying ionizing radiation would be. The light would be blinding and burning. The gamma radiation would be lethal. The concussive wave and rebound wave would be crippling and deafening and deadly. The flying debris would be lethal.

 

[rjf189]

For those who are inclined to read outside the TMs, this is a good book about an EMP event: One Second After

 

[98G]

Currently EMP is a side effect of thermonuclear reactions. Whereas the EMP would not likely result in morbidity and mortality, the accompanying ionizing radiation would be. The light would be blinding and burning. The gamma radiation would be lethal. The concussive wave and rebound wave would be crippling and deafening and deadly. The flying debris would be lethal.

One version of an EMP attack is to detonate the device outside of the atmosphere. The blast and thermal effects are nil. Gamma radiation is greatly attenuated, and fallout is minimal.

This also gives the largest area exposed to the EMP effects, and would be used when the EMP is the primary desired attack.

I find it unlikely that this would be done. Much more likely that an airburst would be the method of using such a weapon in order to maximize thermal and shock effects, and EMP would be simply a side effect.

If EMP resistance is your vehicle selection criterion, an hmmwv is not your first choice. If EMP-proofing your hmmwv is something you feel obligated to do, the most effective and easiest solution is to store it inside a robust Faraday cage.

 

[frank8003]

EMP power reversed....And what was a flux capacitor all about.... All that energy...

Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NNEMP)
Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NNEMP) is a weapon-generated electromagnetic pulse without use of nuclear technology. Devices that can achieve this objective include a large low-inductance capacitor bank discharged into a single-loop antenna, a microwave generator, and an explosively pumped flux compression generator. To achieve the frequency characteristics of the pulse needed for optimal coupling into the target, wave-shaping circuits or microwave generators are added between the pulse source and the antenna.
Vircators are vacuum tubes that are particularly suitable for microwave conversion of high-energy pulses.[9]

NNEMP generators can be carried as a payload of bombs, cruise missiles (such as the CHAMP missile) and drones, with diminished mechanical, thermal and ionizing radiation effects, but without the consequences of deploying nuclear weapons.

The range of NNEMP weapons is much less than nuclear EMP. Nearly all NNEMP devices used as weapons require chemical explosives as their initial energy source, producing only 10−6 (one millionth) the energy of nuclear explosives of similar weight.[10] The electromagnetic pulse from NNEMP weapons must come from within the weapon, while nuclear weapons generate EMP as a secondary effect.[11] These facts limit the range of NNEMP weapons, but allow finer target discrimination. The effect of small e-bombs has proven to be sufficient for certain terrorist or military operations.[citation needed] Examples of such operations include the destruction of electronic control systems critical to the operation of many ground vehicles and aircraft.[12][additional citation(s) needed]

The concept of the explosively pumped flux compression generator for generating a non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse was conceived as early as 1951 by Andrei Sakharov in the Soviet Union,[13] but nations kept work on non-nuclear EMP classified until similar ideas emerged in other nations.

A vircator (VIRtual CAthode oscillaTOR) is a microwave generator that is capable of generating brief pulses of tunable, narrow band microwaves at very high power levels. Its application is mainly in the area of electronic warfare, by way of interfering with electronic equipment such as radars or radio equipment.

............and a Deuce is built with much aluminum wires.

 

[Action]

You should armor your humvee before an EMP. If you have the only working vehicle, everyone will want it. Like in "War of the Worlds".

 

[Mogman]

Currently EMP is a side effect of thermonuclear reactions. Whereas the EMP would not likely result in morbidity and mortality, the accompanying ionizing radiation would be. The light would be blinding and burning. The gamma radiation would be lethal. The concussive wave and rebound wave would be crippling and deafening and deadly. The flying debris would be lethal.

You are talking about direct contact with a nuclear explosion in one form or another, So called experts say a very small device could be exploded way up in the atmosphere, small enough that there would be no or little effect other than the EMP event, the EMP event travels much farther than direct influence of the explosion, you are thinking of nuclear hardening, like a tank that could supposedly survive a small explosion nearby, not the same animal as an EMP event

 

[M1165A1]

If EMP is your concern, then ground the HMMWV when parked (a simple 12 or 14 gauge cord from the body to the floor) and the body will act as the Faraday cage to shield the interior components.

 

[Mogman]

If EMP is your concern, then ground the HMMWV when parked (a simple 12 or 14 gauge cord from the body to the floor) and the body will act as the Faraday cage to shield the interior components.

Well that is just not true, the wavelength of an EMP attack is so small it can get through very small openings, it is claimed an ammo can if tight enough can be used for EMP protection, it can resonate through the wiring into any device unless fully shielded, we are talking about a wavelength as small as a junction in a semiconductor, in fact that is how it works, it resonates the junction in the semiconductor and it shatters, think Ella Fitzgerald and a wine glass, if you are old enough to remember that.

 

[Madball90]

lol. Cant test it. And agreed about potentially frying the smart box. Also if shtf or whatever you would probably be a lot better off in a lower profile vehicle. EMP attacks would be much less effective and more logistically difficult than biological warfare on a civilian population IMO as demonstrated by covid. Imagine something with higher mortality that spreads as easily. Not too far fetched given what we have seen so far about gain of function research funded by our government.

The EMP stuff is more of a fun thought experiment for me. If it isnt harmful to the vehicle why not? I am suprised that the military hasn’t effectively adressed it for conventional warfare with near peers. As you advance upon the enemy with ground forces an EMP would be logistically devastating.

All military equipment is tested and is EMP proof. This includes tanks, trucks, comm equipment and such.

 

[frauhansen]

That is definitely not true. An MBT usually is. But even then, the expense is gigantic. An armored infantry fighting vehicle, the current one might be. Transport vehicles usually not. The cost is too high.
I know from my own experience that the first EMP-proof Russian tanks contained several kilograms of gold.
And the HMMWV definitely did not. It sometimes grills its own electronics by itself
The transmission control unit, the voltage controller, the start box... all that is toast in the case of an EMP.
Take a look at an EMP-safe radio compared to a normal one. The EMP safe one weighs twice as much. The inside is often lined with gold foil. Electrical groups are partly protected by optical couplers against overvoltage from other components.
In the event of an EMP, each conductor acts like a large antenna that collects energy. The energy has to get around the circuit board.
And this funny battery adapter won't help either. Except money into the pockets of the seller.

 

[Guyfang]

All military equipment is tested and is EMP proof. This includes tanks, trucks, comm equipment and such.


This is simply not true. Not even close. All equipment is somewhat protected. But EMP proof? Not in this day and age. It is true, that ALL equipment is tested. Its done at WSMR, White Sands Missile Range. The results are NOT published. The tests prove, that most equipment, is to some degree, more or less, protected. I just spoke with someone who has all the tests results for the MEP, Mobile Electric Power equipment. The above statements, are almost word for word from him.

 

[frauhansen]

I suspect that the person who claims something is EMP solid has never seen an EMP proof component. Otherwise the difference would be clear to him.

 

[incorporatedbyinference]

If EMP is your concern, then ground the HMMWV when parked (a simple 12 or 14 gauge cord from the body to the floor) and the body will act as the Faraday cage to shield the interior components.

I saw a photo of nato vehicles parked. I can’t remember where the photo was from. The picture had each vehicle grounded to what appeared to be a driven ground rod and a grounding cable on the left rear side of each vehicle.

 

[Coug]

I saw a photo of nato vehicles parked. I can’t remember where the photo was from. The picture had each vehicle grounded to what appeared to be a driven ground rod and a grounding cable on the left rear side of each vehicle.

The only vehicles I saw in the military that were grounded when parked were fuel trucks.

 

[TOBASH]

Anyone experiencing EMP will also experience significant irradiation and will be dead within 4 days.

I don’t understand the logic behind this thread. EMP protection is to allow warriors a few more hours to fight before they die.

EMP protection on a civilian operated vehicle is about as useful as tits on a fish.

IMHO

 

[98G]

Anyone experiencing EMP will also experience significant irradiation and will be dead within 4 days.

I don’t understand the logic behind this thread. EMP protection is to allow warriors a few more hours to fight before they die.

EMP protection on a civilian operated vehicle is about as useful as tits on a fish.

IMHO

Your assertion conflicts with USNI

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/february/emp-or-solar-incident-could-result-blackout-wa

That said, I don't really think hardening our vehicles against EMP is of much value either.

 

[Coug]

There was a study in 2004 about the effects of EMP on civilian vehicles. I believe it was by the EMP comission.
Of 37 vehicles tested, only a few died while running when hit by EMP.
Of those few, only one failed to restart.

As others have said, if you're close enough to the source of the EMP that it completely kills your vehicle, then you likely have other things to worry about, or won't be living long enough for it to make much of a difference.

 

[TOBASH]

Your assertion conflicts with USNI

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/february/emp-or-solar-incident-could-result-blackout-wa

That said, I don't really think hardening our vehicles against EMP is of much value either.

If youre affected BY EMP, it also means you were within line-of-sight of a thermonuclear event/explosion. The EMP is harmless to humans. The radiation and heat will be the killer.

EMP = Neutral BUT radiation = deadly

 

[FlameRed]

FWIW, I recall watching a "science" show on TV some years ago showing a Cold War EMP testing site. It was a wooden bridge that was built off a cliff, and had all kinds of massive electronic gizmos surrounding it that could generate a EMP. They would test large things, whole airplanes, tanks, etc. They would drive / pull the test out off onto the wooden bridge and load it up with sensors. They did not want airplanes falling out of the sky.

The site was retired for decades. I do not recall if they said why the site was retired. I do not remember where is was located, but it was desert/arid. The person narrating it was one of the scientist that designed, built and operated it at the time.

 

[TNDRIVER]

FWIW, I recall watching a "science" show on TV some years ago showing a Cold War EMP testing site. It was a wooden bridge that was built off a cliff, and had all kinds of massive electronic gizmos surrounding it that could generate a EMP. They would test large things, whole airplanes, tanks, etc. They would drive / pull the test out off onto the wooden bridge and load it up with sensors. They did not want airplanes falling out of the sky.

The site was retired for decades. I do not recall if they said why the site was retired. I do not remember where is was located, but it was desert/arid. The person narrating it was one of the scientist that designed, built and operated it at the time.

Kirtland.............