This is a bit unsettling, not least the thought of whether or not I should be writing this. Anyway, I was reading New Scientist magazine yesterday and there was an interesting article about e-Bombs. What’s an e-Bomb? Well essentially it’s an electromagnetic pulse weapon that can, in theory, ‘fry’ the electronics of modern aircraft if they are not suitably shielded.
The technology was first developed by the US and Russia in the form of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads, which were capable of burning out nearby electrical systems such as those fitted to aircraft and vehicles.
But that’s not the bad news. The really alarming thing is that EMP weapons are “not technically challenging to build” according to Yael Shahar, director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Israel. Moreover, the increased use of carbon-fibre reinforced composite materials in civilian aircraft theoretically increases the threat of terrorists using EMP weapons.
