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A “Golden Dome” missile defense shield designed to detect, track and intercept incoming ballistic weapons would offer the United States the best protection possible against advanced missile threats, including electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons, explains William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., widely recognized as a leading authority on EMP technology and its potential consequences.
“The Golden Dome is our only hope against the existential threat of an EMP attack,” Forstchen said. “Every day we go without such a defense is yet another day when we are vulnerable to an EMP attack that could destroy America's electrical and electronic infrastructure, setting our 21st-century society back to the 19th century or even earlier. Within a year, the majority of Americans would perish.”
Forstchen has provided guidance to federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations, on the potential widespread impact of an EMP event. A sought-after speaker, Forstchen has shared his expertise at conferences across the United States, educating audiences on the critical need for preparedness.
Citing the country’s already vulnerable energy grid, Forstchen said an EMP attack would wipe out power and set off a cascade of deadly events. The first necessity people would lose is water, followed by food supply and medication. Then, disease would set in. Long-term survival, he added, would depend on being in the right place at the right time with the right food supply.
“I believe the threat of America being hit by an EMP weapon is the single greatest danger to our survival,” Forstchen said. “Electricity is the fundamental building block of our society. Everything is predicated on electrification.”
An EMP causes widespread cataclysmic damage to power grids due to what’s called the Compton effect, he explained.
“An electromagnetic pulse is the byproduct of detonating a nuclear weapon. When a nuclear weapon is detonated 200 to 250 miles above the earth, the gamma ray burst when it hits the upper atmosphere sets off the Compton effect. In essence, a giant electrostatic discharge hits the earth’s surface and wipes out electronic devices as well as entire power grids, leaving affected areas in the dark,” he said.
Forstchen has written extensively about the devastating impact of EMP strikes, beginning with his New York Times bestseller, One Second After, which offers a realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. One Second After spawned three sequels, each of which is a fictional exploration rooted in the cold, solid facts of how an EMP strike above U.S. soil would impact society.
More About William R. Forstchen
William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and a Professor of History at Montreat College, in Montreat, North Carolina. He holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is the author of more than 50 books.
A noted expert historian and public speaker, he has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN and many others on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.
For more information, please visit https://www.onesecondafter.com/.