CHAMPS

Courtesy Google Images

I missed this … it’s an item from October 2012. Boeing and the USAF are developing a missile that will disable all the electronic circuits in a building. The CHAMP (Counter-electronics High-powered Advanced Missile Project) emits a microwave pulse that causes electronics to stop working.

DVICE reports that CHAMP was test flown over a building chock full of electronic equipment at a Utah testing range. The missile fired a microwave beam at the structure and disabled all the electronics in the building, including the cameras monitoring the test.

Courtesy Google Images

It’s intriguing to think the military has the ability to disable an enemy’s response capability without a loss of life or destruction of a building’s infrastructure. It certainly seems much cleaner than say a bunker buster.

The U.S has always had the ability to jam an enemy’s electronic equipment. When I was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point my A4 squadron, VMA-223, was situated next to an EA-6B Prowler squadron. According to joebaugher.com Marines flew the Northrop Grumman A6 Intruder in Vietnam. The Intruder Association states the A6 was developed to meet the Navy’s need for an all-weather aircraft that could attack land and sea targets.

Courtesy Google Images

The EA-6B was the electronic jamming counterpart to the Intruder. Instead of a bevy of bombs, it carried an array of electronic jamming equipment. Many of us in VMA-223 were led to believe (but I had no way of confirming) that it was capable of causing a blackout in New York City.

I think if the U.S. is able to deploy this technology it could be a huge game changer for the U.S. in terms of how our country conducts combat operations. Assume an enemy doesn’t figure out how to defend against the CHAMP, then anything they have that uses electronics could be rendered useless leaving them virtually defenseless.

Does anyone else think CHAMP will have a profound effect on modern warfare?

Please follow the link to view a simulation on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=O-BukbpkOd8

A Circle of Life

You know how when you’re contemplating purchasing a new vehicle, or you’ve just bought that new car and every other car on the road seems to be that car? Well, that’s akin to the situation my wife and I find ourselves.

My 94-year-old mother lives with us (she’s currently in rehab after taking a fall before Christmas). Roughly three years ago, we entered a fall down/rehab cycle with her. She gets sick, doesn’t tell us she’s not feeling well, she falls, gets transported to the ER, and enters rehab.

It’s been stressful. Caring for an elder is almost like having a child with a couple notable exceptions. When your child doesn’t do what you tell them you can send them to their room. Try doing that with a recalcitrant elder. Also, most kids will learn which behaviors are acceptable verses unacceptable. Elders (at least in our case) don’t – they’ve been doing it (whatever “it” may be) for “this” long; why should they change?

I’ve learned over the past year that our situation is not unique. I’ve lost count of the number of friends and acquaintances that are in a similar boat. As we grow older, so do our parents, and there comes a time when we have to do for them what they once did for us, as our children will probably have to do for us (Are you listening, boys?).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining; someone needs to do it and my mother was always there to help us when we needed her, so I’m happy that we can reciprocate at this stage of her life. What makes me sad is to witness her regression from good health. It doesn’t seem like the decline was gradual in comparison to the rest of her life; more like a precipitous drop off a cliff.

And … I suppose it’s a bit unnerving to realize there may be a time when I might not be able to care for myself. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to require help for life’s basic needs like bathing and bathroom, especially when for nearly 90 years it wasn’t an issue.

But (I’m shrugging), so it goes. I guess it doesn’t help to dwell on what-might-be.

If anyone would like to share an elder care tale, please comment below.

Robo Sally

According to IMDB, 1986’s Short Circuit is a movie about a robot, Number 5 (Johnny Five), that is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes. I thought it was a cute movie. I also think its physical appearance is eerily similar to Robo Sally.

Robo Sally is a robot designed by Applied Physics Laboratory at John Hopkins University in Maryland. Its creators believe the robot will enable technicians to perform a variety of jobs remotely, such as disarming bombs. Its design allows the dexterity needed to finish complex tasks that require fine motor skills.

According to 60 Minutes, by tasking Robo Sally with dangerous missions, like diffusing bombs or manning checkpoints, soldiers can operate her remotely from a position of safety—which could, one day, dramatically decrease the numbers of soldiers who suffer devastating limb injuries and amputations.

In the movie, Johnny Five was being developed for use by the United States military. Funding for Robo Sally is courtesy of the United States Defense Department. Does anyone else think that science fiction is becoming science fact?