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From: jlg@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: X-29 vs EMP
Message-ID: <19100@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 15:58:05 EST
Article-I.D.: lanl.19100
Posted: Tue Jan  8 15:58:05 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 00:22:02 EST
References: <3230@alice.UUCP>
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Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lines: 23

> Well, the X-29 is NOT a "small, self-contained piece of circuitry",
> nor is its electronics.  The fly-by-wire control system, of necessity, 
> extends throughout the aircraft.  Additional EMP softness derives from
> the presence of many radar, communication, and navigation antennae.


In terms of EMP, a single aircraft (even a 747) is NOT an extended target.
An extended target is something that is (say) half a mile across, made
of conducting materials, and using electronics which are sensitive to
transients (the bigger the collecting surface, the larger the transients
will be so that even pretty stable components can be effected if they
are hooked to a power grid or something).

Of course, radio and radar equipment have to be especially hardened since
their function is to detect and amplify small radio frequency signals. I'm
not fully aware of work being done in this area, but I wouldn't be suprised
to discover that such devices could be made to survive.

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The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something
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                                              James Giles