Thread: Power outages
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Old 12-06-2006, 10:23 AM   #6
spence
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Mom View Post
I recently heard that if another country detonated a nuke at a high enough altitude above this country something about the energy waves it would create (or something to that effect) would take out all the ability to produce electricity in this country.....
The Electro Magnetic Pulse.

I think most first strike nuclear war scenarios with the USSR began with a high altitude blast over the USA to shut down unprotected command and control electronics. Like, how much canned tuna do you have under your bed?

I'm not sure if any nation outside of Russia would have the ability to do this today. It's not very easy to get a powerful nuke up that high.

But if you bank on MAD it's pretty moot anyway. A launch like that would almost have to come from a nation state, in which case we would turn them into glass within the hour.

-spence
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