Viral Jammer

The RISC Viral Jammer is an experimental electronic warfare equipment created by the Republic of the Sphere.

Description[edit]

RISC's viral jammers might have been the ultimate weapon in electronic warfare, could they be made more stable and reliable in the field. Effectively devised as a kind of smart "hacking" software - at least distantly related to the first Star League's Centurion Weapon System - these systems produce a massive barrage of almost-randomly generated code that could interfere with hostile sensors and networking systems. The effect could overload enemy systems with indecipherable "junk data", creating a far more persistent effect than standard ECM fields alone.

The transmitter system and the purpose-built computers used to make these viral jammers work, however, proved to be volatile. With modern sensor arrays and electronics warfare equipment fairly well hardened against external interference, these jammers had to be purpose built to defeat particular electronics system types, and burned out quickly in the effort to overpower these systems' inherent safeguards against interference.

This was particularly exacerbated by the fact that viral jammers were literally "fire and forget" technology, incapable of shutting down once engaged, and so aggressive in countering foreign signals that they could potentially interfere with friendly and hostile EW systems alike. Although RISC's specialists were reportedly able to program the jammers to synchronize with friendly electronic, improper coordination protocols or a flaw in the jammers design often saw the system cause havoc to friend and foe alike.

Bibliography[edit]