CHAMP, the flying blackout
Finally, let's look at the Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP), or what we like to call Boeing's flying blackout. The missile is designed to fly over a target -- be it a building or a neighborhood -- and rather than blow it to smithereens it temporarily knocks out all electronics nearby. Boeing and the U.S. Air Force test flew CHAMP in October over the Utah desert. The missile flew an hour-long circuit over a building filled with computers. Their screens all went black as CHAMP flew over while emitting a blast of high-power microwaves. You can imagine how useful such a weapon would be in taking out an enemy's air defense radars, communications systems, or anything else requiring power. It will be interesting to see whether the Air Force continues to invest in CHAMP given that its capabilities seem to mimic what we're constantly being told can be accomplished with a keystrokes by a skilled cyberwarrior operating from the comfort of the NSA's Maryland headquarters.
Boeing
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