BETATRON SOFT KILL DEVICE

A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS PROPOSED ON A NOVEL CONCEPT FOR DESIGN OF AN ELECTRONIC KILL (SOFT KILL) DEVICE. THE CONCEPT UTILIZES CONVENTIONALMEANS TO DELIVER A HIGH ENERGY RADIATION PRODUCING DEVICE (A "BETATRON") IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THREAT WEAPON SYSTEMS, THEREBY DESTROYING ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INTEGRATED INTO, OR IN SUPPORT OF, THREAT WEAPON SYSTEMS. AS THE BETATRON COLLAPSES UNDER PRESSURE FROM HIGH EXPLOSIVES CONTAINED IN THE DELIVERY SYSTEM, IT FORWARD SCATTERS HIGH ENERGY GAMMA RADIATION IN A CONE-LIKE GEOMETRY, PRODUCING A HIGH PROBABILITY OF PERMANENT DAMAGE TO ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITHIN THE CONE OF RADIATION. PREVIOUS RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORY UNDER THE CODE NAME "DELPHI", FOR THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC DEFENSE; AND BETATRON RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY BOTH U.S. AND SOVIET SOURCES SUPPORTS THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS DEVICE.