There's Darkness in the Distance: The Rising Threat of China's EMP Weapons to U.S. Defenses and Critical Infrastructure
Executive Summary
1. Emerging Technologies in Defense: The amalgamation of AI, big data, cloud computing, and others, is reshaping the military landscape, with EMP weapons standing out as a modern-day countermeasure.
2. China's EMP Developments: China's significant advancements in EMP weaponry portend potential vulnerabilities for U.S. defense mechanisms.
3. Comparative Defense Analysis: Just as Taiwan faces challenges from China's EMP threats, Israel too must strategize against regional adversaries potentially armed with China-sourced EMPs.
4. Patent Analysis Insight: Wang Yongfang's research unearthed key insights into high-power microwave weapon tech using patent analysis.
5. Database & Patent Landscape: The Derwent World Patent Database, housing 337 related patents until October 20, 2018, reveals a dynamic global competitive scene.
6. China's Leadership in Patents: Commencing in 2006, China saw a patent surge after 2012, now boasting 37% of total global applications, illustrating both technological and IP maturity.
7. Focus on Pulse & Microwave Source Technologies: China's patent focus and breakthroughs, particularly from leading institutions, hint at a long-term vision and strategy.
8. Microwave Source Devices: With a vast spectrum including relativistic gyrotrons, these form a bulk of patent applications and depict global competition.
9. Magnetic Pulse Compressor: Research on the magnetic pulse compressor reveals its ability to generate impactful electromagnetic pulses. These pulses can critically hamper intelligent military equipment, marking a significant threat to defense strategies.
10. Silicon Micro-inertial Sensor Vulnerabilities: Demonstrating the susceptibility of such sensors to EMPs, particularly those pivotal in exoskeleton systems, underscores that many advanced weapons may be defenseless against electromagnetic onslaughts.
11. Microwave Active Denial System (ADS): CETC International Co., Ltd. introduced ADS, a non-lethal countermeasure, which, using high-power microwaves, can incapacitate an array of electronic systems, emphasizing the evolution of non-contact warfare techniques.
12. Significance for U.S. & Allies: China's technological strides in EMP weaponry is an alarm for U.S. military and civilian assets, demanding understanding, resilience, and countermeasures.
13. Beyond Taiwan's Defense: The defense parallels between Israel and Taiwan underscore the need for global collaboration and shared insights in EMP defense mechanisms against common threats.
14. Future Trends: China's dedication to lead in high-power microwave weapon tech reveals a broader geopolitical military strategy, signaling shifts in defense paradigms.
15. Conclusion & Recommendation: To maintain global stability, nations under potential threat must be vigilant of these tech shifts, reinvest in defense, and advocate for international collaborative efforts against looming threats.
