Is the US Military Ready for an Alien Invasion?

[JuanBolio]

If an invading alien race really wanted to exterminate humans it would be ridiculously easy.

Just wait in the outer solar system, then accelerate a multiton piece of matter, 50 tons would do easily, up to one third the speed of light and aim it at Earth.

The impact would devastate half the planet. Another such projectile 12 hours later would devastate the other half.

That's exactly what my quote was all about.

 

[RJDiogenes]

However, it is possible to imagine a scenario of an alien invasion that is fightable and winnable. If a generational ship arrived expecting an uninhabited world to settle and found it occupied, they could conceivably have a leadership or culture that would (or feel desperate enough to) want to conquer or destroy us. Since they would have limited resources and be without a dedicated military, they would have to improvise. This would be an interesting scenario for a novel.

Closest thing to that I've seen done so far is the Scrin storyline in Command & Conquer 3.

Well, it sounds like they just underestimated the tech level, like in the Turtledove books. I'm talking about a one-way generational ship that gets here expecting to find a vacant piece of real estate-- instead they find six billion people. What do they do? They can't go back home. If they decide to exterminate us and take the planet, their superior technology will make them a threat, but their small numbers and limited resources will keep the odds even.

 

[Takeru]

Maybe other successful lifeforms evolved a run away as fast as you can defense mechanism, in which case they might have developed speed for their craft instead of weapons. A stretch I know.

Maybe, but in that case they're probably really good at dodging every attack and we're still toast.

 

[QuasarVM]

The first thing I'd do as an alien invading Earth is to knock out all the power using some kind of EMP weapon.

After that...it's easy.

 

[Lindley]

However, it is possible to imagine a scenario of an alien invasion that is fightable and winnable. If a generational ship arrived expecting an uninhabited world to settle and found it occupied, they could conceivably have a leadership or culture that would (or feel desperate enough to) want to conquer or destroy us. Since they would have limited resources and be without a dedicated military, they would have to improvise. This would be an interesting scenario for a novel.

Closest thing to that I've seen done so far is the Scrin storyline in Command & Conquer 3.

Well, it sounds like they just underestimated the tech level, like in the Turtledove books. I'm talking about a one-way generational ship that gets here expecting to find a vacant piece of real estate-- instead they find six billion people. What do they do? They can't go back home. If they decide to exterminate us and take the planet, their superior technology will make them a threat, but their small numbers and limited resources will keep the odds even.

In the game it was a matter of premature arrival. The aliens had figured that Tiberium would have wiped out most resistance, but Kain set of the detonation signal attracting them too soon. Basically the aliens tried invading anyway, quickly realized it wasn't working, and focused their efforts on completing one of the structures required to wormhole their mothership the heck out of there.

 

[Maestro]

I'm not sure how I feel about the assumption that if they have FTL, they'll have superior weapons. I think such a general assumption demonstrates how little about physics we humans actually know.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I'm not sure how I feel about the assumption that if they have FTL, they'll have superior weapons. I think such a general assumption demonstrates how little about physics we humans actually know.

well gravity and space time manipulation would make for a pretty good weapon. Even if their laser technology is a few decades beyond ours they could shoot our missiles out of the sky.

 

[Maestro]

I guess I'm struggling with the assumption that beam weapons like those seen in Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. will ever be possible. What if they're not? Our understanding of physics is so limited that we might not know.

BSG doesn't employ beam weapons. Who's to say that they're possible? Gene Roddenberry? George Lucas? They don't have degrees in physics.

 

[Brent]

^ Wouldn't a laser be a beam weapon?

We can already produce lasers with destructive power. They are just big right now. In time their size will be reduced to possibly hand held. At any rate, if we really put some money behind it we could equip a space shuttle right now with a laser weapon in its cargo bay.

If an Alien ship didn't have "shields" as we know them, it might do a wee bit of damage maybe.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

If an Alien ship didn't have "shields" as we know them, it might do a wee bit of damage maybe.

At our current Laser tech?

 

[Maestro]

That's just it ... how effective will the laws of physics allow lasers weapons to be?

 

[Guartho]

Frankly I'm more concerned about whether or not the US armed forces have a sufficiently thorough zombie plan.

 

[RJDiogenes]

In the game it was a matter of premature arrival. The aliens had figured that Tiberium would have wiped out most resistance, but Kain set of the detonation signal attracting them too soon. Basically the aliens tried invading anyway, quickly realized it wasn't working, and focused their efforts on completing one of the structures required to wormhole their mothership the heck out of there.

Nice. If we ever get invaded, I hope it's by aliens smart enough to know when they screwed up.

 

[Kommander]

Frankly I'm more concerned about whether or not the US armed forces have a sufficiently thorough zombie plan.

And the machine uprising!

The iPods like whipping.

 

[Maestro]

Frakkin' Cylons are going to nuke us all!

 

[The Borg Queen]

When the two beams cross they become a new type of beam. You wouldn't understand, it's top secret, this kind of technology and science isn't known to scientists outside of area 51.

Um, I'm guessing you don't understand physics, because what you said is complete rubbish.

Maybe you're confusing it with an episode of Star Trek?

Look, i've just told you clearly that your understanding and the understanding by scientists of the laws of physics isn't up to date. The scientists at area 51 however have gained this knowledge and developed this weapon.

And I'm telling you, clearly, that your understanding of the laws of physics is pseudoscientific at best, conspiracy-theory nonsense at worst.

And don't tell me that my "understanding and the understanding by scientists of the laws of physics isn't up to date" because I work in that field.

What field of science do you work in, or even understand?

 

[Meredith]

any FTL system is a WMD anyway. just plough a ship into the planet and then wait for the dust to settle...

Depends if the ship slips into hyper space then it is not in our universe and will just fly through other objects in this universe with no harm.

If the FTL includes keeping part of it in this universe then maybe BOOM

 

[MANT!]

Discussion of potential spacecraft weapons and the physics involved can be found at the following..

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3x.html


there are weapons in development that could constitute an effective defense against invaders..depending upon the level of alien technology involved. However, one tactician often described the potential defense of Earth like a human vs. a wasp nest...the wasps probably wouldn't kill you..but you really leave the nest alone if you have any other alternative..


Of course if they get too bothersome, you just pay the $10.00 for a can of Raid...