One of the nation’s leading experts on electromagnetic pulses warned that an EMP blast is the biggest danger to the United States because it could disable the entire electrical grid.
Renowned author and military historian William Forstchen told the Washington Examiner in a recent interview that the blast from an EMP would devastate the U.S. because America’s electrical infrastructure is outdated and ill-equipped to handle the sudden loss of electricity caused by the blast.
DRY RUN: BALLOONS CALLED TOP ‘DELIVERY PLATFORM’ FOR NUCLEAR EMP ATTACK
“We're very vulnerable to this type of attack,” Forstchen warned. “Increased tensions with China is a very worrisome thing. It would not necessarily be China that would do it, but if three of these were delivered over the United States by ballistic missile and detonated 200 miles above the Earth's atmosphere, they would short out our entire power grid and take us offline. According to congressional studies, upwards of 90% of all Americans would perish within a year. It is a very real and serious threat. Our entire infrastructure is antiquated. We must modernize it.”
An EMP, caused by the detonation of a nuclear weapon, would cause chaos in the country because of the pivotal role that electricity plays in everyday life, Forstchen said.
“Once we lose that basic fundamental building block of our society, electricity, where do you get your water?” Forstchen asked. “Where do you get your medication? Where do you get your food? How do you refill your car? How do you control populations that might turn to crime? We're just not prepared.”
Forstchen, who has written multiple books on EMPs, urged people to pressure lawmakers and officials to update the U.S.’s infrastructure. People should also stock up on approximately two months of emergency supplies, including food and water, he said.
Although the technology for an EMP has been around for decades, Forstchen claimed it only takes one detonation of a nuclear weapon to give U.S. enemies with nuclear capabilities the ability to attack the country. The only real way to avoid such an attack would be to update the U.S.’s infrastructure and warn enemies that the destruction of America would cause irreparable damage on a global level, according to Forstchen.
“We need to say to opponents like China, out in the open, if you're thinking of EMP, don't do it because you'll suffer as well,” Forstchen said.
Tensions with China have increased recently after Chinese spy balloons were discovered in U.S. airspace in early February.
China claimed the balloon was a weather balloon and not a danger to the U.S., but defense officials said they believe the balloon is a form of Chinese spycraft. Although Forstchen said he does not believe the balloons are a risk by themselves, other security experts have warned that countries could smuggle a small nuclear bomb on one of the balloons.
“Using a balloon as a WMD/WME platform could provide adversaries with a pallet of altitudes and payload options with which to maximize offensive effects against the U.S.,” Air Force Maj. David Stuckenberg said in a 2015 defense report.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“A high altitude balloon could be designed, created, and launched in a matter of months. There is nothing to prevent several hundred pounds of weapons material from being delivered to altitude,” Stuckenberg said.
Forstchen concluded that Congress has come close to passing EMP-related legislation, but the legislation eventually dies in a committee. Forstchen urged the Biden administration not to let that happen again.