Boeing Tests A Missile That Knocks Out A Building's Power [Video]

As a pacifist I really like this idea, in theory at least. However I do see a very big potential for misuse (I know its a missile, theres no good use), what happens when a target is next to a hospital and the power gets shut off for life support systems, or maybe a power plant that then in turn shuts off power for the entire region. I like the inclusion of more non-lethal weapons and hope to see great strides in ending wars with as little to no casualties as possible.

It's a cool idea, but its uses would be quite limited. The vast majority of the time we strike a target, we need confirmation that it has been destroyed.

Consider this. You're in a helicopter on the way into Baghdad. Up ahead is an air defense station. Would you feel comfortable flying over it after a small missile simply flew past, leaving everything intact...or would you feel better if the entire station was smoldering rubble?

Yea, I'd pick rubble too.

This is the case with most everything. Any time the military strikes a target, they ask for confirmation that the target has been destroyed. You can not confirm anything with the above system. We have had technologies that allow us to protect electronics from such systems for decades now. NTM even in the test shown, at least one of the computers was functional. Far right, the screen flickered on for a bit while all of the others were off...and the image was the same, meaning the computer itself was not affected. An automated anti air system could thus still be capable of taking out your helicopter if it was active at the time.

Colin Lecher: You should probably clarify this statement:

". In the first test, the missile sailed over a two-story building, then let loose microwaves to shut down a very '90s-looking room full of computers. The TV cameras set up to record the test got knocked out, too, and six more were hit by missiles during the one-hour test."

The cameras were not knocked out during the first test. Hence the video of the 90s looking room full of computers showing the screens turning off. The second sentence should probably be something like: "In the second test, the TV cameras set up to record the test got knocked out, too, and six more were hit by missiles during the one-hour test."

Pacemakers

Was waiting for EMP weapons to become the norm. The reality is this will put war back into the WWII era as all sides employ it.

@zechio, I don't think you would use this for that type of activity. Anti-aircraft weapons would be better to just be blown up. However, if we were invading a country like we did in Iraq and wanted to take down something like the information ministry, a government TV station, or a power station, this would be much better than blowing them up. After the invasion is over, you would want all of those things to still be there so you don't have to rebuild them. I could see where this would be a better option.

I would assume the system has some sort of lens/iris setup to be able to aim the beam. There likely is a way to disable a building without hitting things nearby or perhaps even a single room or floor.

Regardless of whether or not it does disable pacemakers and other medical equipment, this is still better than a conventional missile. Kill one elderly person with a pacemaker in an adjacent building versus annihilate the entire block and dozens of people are pulped. Ideal? No. But it's still way better.

Knew something like this would come about as the battlefield gets more high tech. Non-nuclear EMPs do not have much range so I doubt it would bring down a passanger plane.

All's fair in love and war

Ummm.... EMP anyone?

D13, yes it would be cheaper just to rebuild the building, and no matter what you'll have collateral damage, you'll have collateral with active denial systems dude.

But this would be perfect in a more drone centered age, and hacker deterrent... dash annihilation of their more sensitive files.

Against a city like Pyongyang, you'd get nothing. But against Beijing or so, you could level their technological power. On a conventional battlefield, this would wipe comms better than a Growler could.

Albeit we'd have to pay for the net to go back up... oh well.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
Mark Twain

yep totally non lethal for meat bags... but bionics will love it in few decades ^^

and yeah, looks like refined version of targeted EMPs...

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(Type 0.72) = We are still just cleaver monkeys!

Where's Robot to comment on this? Shouldn't he be screami ng bloody murder?

Wow, someone makes a non lethal weapon and the first thing an certain individual commenter is worried about is how it will affect bugs :P

But what if the enemy covers their building in popcorn bags?

I am assuming that this can be defeated by a Faraday cage. So, it won't be useful against critical military targets, since they will undoubtedly be properly shielded. More likely, it will be used against non critical military and civilian networks to create confusion and slow the enemy's ability to respond to threats.

Also, just because this weapon system is non-lethal, doesn't mean that people cannot die as a result of its use. Sewage, fresh water, food distribution networks, etc. can all disrupted indefinably by disabling computer and power networks. In a densely populated area, misuse of this weapon could potentially cause more deaths than a bomb or missile. Military planners will still need to use it with great caution.

It is a good tool for a military to have in their tool belt, but not a game changer.

(1) democedes is correct - any Faraday cage would protect the electronics (including a high-rebar bunker).

(2) The goal would be to knock out tracking radar in advance of a traditional strike or a tactical insertion.

(3) This poses more risk for an advanced army - serving as a limiter on unmitigated technological advance - however, is likely only able to be fielded by technologically advanced militaries. In other words, more of a stalemate weapon than a victory weapon.

(4) Like nukes, this weapon, by its nature, calls for first strike measures against equal foes. Thus, it is more destabalizing than stabalizing.

For many years I've suspected that EMP weapons may have been involved in the crash of Senator Paul Wellstone's plane in 2002.

@Bagpipes100

i trolled him out ^^

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(Type 0.72) = We are still just cleaver monkeys!

Bagpipes100,
This device would not have an effect on me or my maker. He wears a tin-foil hat to keep the aliens at bay and I was programmed to be morally correct, shield from life’s events and highly grounded, lol.

I think this technology is great in some ways, but like medicine, everything has a side effect and consequences happen when to much is taken.

what robot tries to say to all of us is that nowadays even a bum have internet connection lol... *effin snort*

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(Type 0.72) = We are still just cleaver monkeys!

@robot

"I think this technology is great in some ways, but like medicine, everything has a side effect and consequences happen when to much is taken."

good point... *not bad meme*

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(Type 0.72) = We are still just cleaver monkeys!

who says there's no violence? 0:42 one of the computers is shooting a cd... :)

Millions Spent and the secret is also released, it would be now a matter of changing the burnt fuse by the enemy.

It is hard to beleive

@LiveBetter

It's change the solenoid, haven't you seen War of the World?

lol, check out the computer in the back. When they do the test the cd tray opens and the cd pops out.