The United States may be preparing alternative military options for dealing with North Korea.
Secretary Mattis hinted at kinetic technology on Tuesday while discussing the North Korea problem.
Boeing has been working on electromagnetic pulse attack technology for several years.
Business Insider reported:
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis hinted that the United States still had military options left for dealing with North Korea, but did not elaborate when asked for details Monday.
Most experts think a military strike on North Korea would invite a devastating response from Pyongyang. The city of Seoul, South Korea, home to 25 million, is well within artillery range of the North, which would most likely use conventional artillery munitions and chemical weapons.
But according to Mattis, the Pentagon has a few tricks up its sleeve that wouldn’t involve the decimation of Seoul.
When asked whether there was “any military option the US can take with North Korea that would not put Seoul at grave risk,” Mattis responded, “Yes, there are, but I will not go into details.”
Previously, Mattis said a war with North Korea would “involve the massive shelling of an ally’s capital, which is one of the most densely packed cities on earth,” referring to Seoul…
…So what does Mattis have in mind? He wouldn’t say, but he did let slip one interesting comment.
“Just to clarify, you said that there were possible military options that would not create a grave risk to Seoul,” a reporter said later. “Are we talking kinetic options as well?”
“Yes, I don’t want to go into that,” Mattis said, agreeing that his closely held military option involved kinetic action, a euphemism to describe lethal military force.
In 2015 Boeing announced development of a electromagnetic pulse weapon capable of targeting and destroying electrical systems without the collateral damage often associated with traditional firepower.
Theoretically, the new missile system would pinpoint buildings and knock out their electrical grids, plunging the target into darkness and general disconnectedness.
The electromagnetic pulse weapon can destroy electronic systems in a specific location.