RE: [DS] Minefield clearing pondering

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joseph Arnold [SMTP:jdarnold@siu.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 9:50 PM
> To:	gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
> Subject:	Re: [DS] Minefield clearing pondering
> 
> My comments between tildes.
> ~~~~~
> Like this.
> ~~~~~
> > ***
> > Can we say "Electro-Magnetic Pulse?"
> > ***
> >
> > Don't you know that all logic in the future will be fluid? ;->= Ok,
you
> CAN
> > harden against EMP also, but I don't think it's easy on bouncing
> betty's.
> > However, that's only one 'ecm' available. U(ltra)S(ound)P and simple
> radio
> > jamming are possibilities.
> ~~~~~
> EMP hardening is too heavy, too hard and too expensive to put on
something
> that has to be light, relatively simple and cheap.
> ~~~~~
> > As for the self-painting targets, don't forget the commo could be
> > uni-directional. That would tend to help somewhat.
> > Also since the signals would at most have to go about 20 meters, the
> signal
> > strength could be so low as to be semi safe. Just a thought.
> > ***
> >
> > These babies are in a swarm, moving back and forth to keep a certain
> > density. I'm assuming the air is going to be humming as you
approach.
> ~~~~~
> Keep in mind, it may be humming, but it will be low, barely audible
hum.
> Kinda like a bunch of gamers grumbling about the technicalities of
things
> they do not necessarily understand...    ;P
> ~~~~~
> > However, as even my simple high school physics and engineering are
> decades
> > old, I'll hush and let a real scientist/engineer speak. ;->=
> >
> > The_Beast (who's breaking out his zimmer-frame)
> >
> > -Douglas J. Evans, curmudgeon
> >
> > One World, one Web, one Program - Microsoft promotional ad
> > Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer - Adolf Hitler
> > 
------------End Original Message-----------

EMP also sounds like a dangerous proposition on the future battlefield
unless all of your equipment is EMP hardened. This would make the
Personal
Battle System each soldier carries (comm gear, GPS, computer link to
command, multi-spectrum sensors, targeting link to weapon, etc.) quite
heavy
and/or expensive. OR inexpensive/light weight EMP protection will make
the
clearing method ineffective.

As for the minefield being self-painting... Yes and no. I would think
that
the minefield would be set to communicate with micro burst, channel
hopping,
low power communication and would only bother to communication if its
sensors detected certain conditions (EMP, pressure wave, IR signature,
etc.)
or at long intervals (8 hours). 
Also, don't forget that mine fields are meant to delay or channel the
enemy.
So if the "buzzing" of a minefield would slow the enemy (so that they
clear
the minefield) or encourage them to take a different route, then the
minefield has done its job. Also, you could then place "fake" minefields
much cheaper that mimics the radio traffic of the real minefields. Or
better
yet, mix fake mines and real mines to increase the area of the minefield
cheaply and keep the enemy guessing as to how strong is a particular
minefield.

---
Brian Bell
http://www.ftsr.org/

	The king of Israel answered, "Tell him: `One who puts on his
armor
should not boast like one who takes it off.'"
      -- I Kings:20
---