You won’t believe why some think China’s smog is a good thing
It's not news that Chinese megacities are suffering from some pretty terrible smog, such as Beijing, pictured above as early as 2008.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) raised it as one of their concerns for the 2008 games. Since then, it's been getting much worse, and many are worried about the health impacts.
But it has huge advantages – according to reports from China's official Global Times. That haze will apparently help to defend against military attacks.
Here's a rough translation from an article posted today:
It will make a lot of surveillance equipment, the effect of greatly reduced, but also make some of the sights are not allowed to target missiles for the air force is dependent on the weather, haze and more is the enemy.
However, on the battlefield, but also conducive to haze the defensive side of military operations.
Apparently the haze will stop the US military being able to see anything on the ground. It's certainly true that satellite images of China are obscured by clouds of smog.
(NOAA)
Apparently that thick haze is the perfect defence against US reconnaissance:
It is said that the United States "Scan Eagle" UAV can see the smoke on the ground coffee cup heat. However, in the presence of haze, will all these reconnaissance equipment failure, when the haze caused visibility to 1,000 meters, most of the visible light reconnaissance loses its meaning. The visibility of tens of meters currently frequent haze, it is so visible photographic reconnaissance all the failures.
As well as cruise missiles:
Cruise operations may also be affected by haze. Early adoption terrain matching plus the end of the cruise scene matching guidance system. Terrain matching performed using radio, so little effect.
But when the final blow to implement precise, the need for the target to take pictures, then the bomb and the target satellite photos stored comparison, matching, if for haze enveloped target, it may cause not found, identify the target resulting fall short.
Of course, this is a good thing for the defense side. Kosovo war, the Yugoslav army artificial haze by burning scrap tires and other ways to avoid the NATO bombing.