[precisionshootist]

I read it put some 3-4 hundred street lights out in HI. In reality it had no significant effect. Also keep in mind the bomb used was nearly 1.5 megaton yield. I don't think NK has anywhere near the technology to duplicate even this test much less take out the grid in the entire US.

I feel pretty certain the true nuclear powers (US Included) have long since abandoned the idea of using EMP as an effective weapon.

[dangus]

The good news: North Korea’s bombs would probably be smaller, perhaps much smaller, than Hiroshima’s. That bomb was 1% the size of the one which affected Hawaii.

The bad news: payload has little to do with the effect of an EMP, beyond making its reach arithmetically wider. And duplicating that test WOULD have taken out the grid in the entire U.S had it been over the middle of the U.S. Even a Hiroshima-sized bomb would’ve done very bad things, if launched high in the atmosphere.

The not-so-bad news: We’re better prepared than we were.

The still better news: Getting their missile up high enough to have the maximum EMP effect would also require that their missile expend all of its energy on height, so that it could never reach the mainland.

Why we need to act: They’re getting better and better missiles all the time.