National security experts are looking to the 杏吧专区 and the city to help create solutions for protecting the nation's infrastructure from a potential electromagnetic pulse attack.
The Congressional Task Force on National and Homeland Security and researchers at UL Lafayette are discussing challenges associated with electromagnetic pulse attacks. Such attacks could shut down the nation杏吧专区檚 electrical grid and impact critical infrastructure.
杏吧专区淭his is a real threat,杏吧专区 said UL Lafayette Vice President of Research Dr. Ramesh Kolluru. 杏吧专区淚t sounds like science fiction, but it is not. It sounds like a doomsday scenario, but this is a real scenario.杏吧专区
The task force is assessing universities and companies that offer capabilities.
Dr. Peter Vincent Pry is a member of the Congressional Task Force. 杏吧专区淥ne nuclear weapon could take out the electric grid and all of the other critical life sustaining infrastructures and kill up to 90% of the population,杏吧专区 said Dr. Pry.
杏吧专区淭here are also non-nuclear EMP weapons that would integrate with a cyber threat such as hacking.杏吧专区
Experts predict an attack will happen within the next year and the United States is not prepared. A partnership with UL Lafayette could help establish a new line of protection.
Dr. Kolluru said, 杏吧专区淲e know clearly that this is bigger than any one university, this is bigger than the federal government. This can杏吧专区檛 be solved by just government alone.杏吧专区
Partnering with this task force would result in significant research and have an economic impact on the campus and the Acadiana region.