Ecological weapons or biosphere weapons are one of the varieties of geophysical weapons , the striking factor of which is the infliction of large-scale chemical, biological, thermal or mechanical damage to critical elements of the enemy’s environment [1] .
Content
Description and General Provisions
From the point of view of Western military experts, the enemy’s habitat should be considered in the aggregate of its fundamental components, which are the biosphere , technosphere and infosphere [2] . Ecological weapons were originally conceived to strike at key segments of the biosphere, whose resources are limited, not always renewable, and are of critical importance for the survival of humans as a biological species [2] . In this regard, environmental weapons fall into the category of global destruction weapons and are often considered as one of the most dangerous types of weapons [2] .
Involvement of environmental weapons can give the result in the form of damage to cultivated areas, pastures, forests, pollution of the atmosphere, water bodies and soils [1] . As delivery vehicles for chemical and biological agents (for example, phytotoxicants ), spraying units can be used on aviation or ground platforms, thermal means - incendiary weapons , mechanical means - engineering equipment, high-explosive ammunition, etc. [1] .
The consequences of using environmental weapons can take on an irreversible character: due to the destruction of forests, flora and fauna become poorer, the water regime changes, erosion processes in fertile soils intensify, which ultimately can lead to unfavorable local climate change [1] [3] [4] .
The American armed forces became the pioneers in the development and use of environmental weapons during the fighting in Southeast Asia in the 60s of the XX century [1] , which waged an environmental war in Vietnam [5] . According to many experts in Vietnam , about half of all forests and arable land were adversely affected by herbicides sprayed by Americans, defoliants and desiccants [1] . The result was waterlogging of agricultural land and deforestation of vast areas, which made the local climate drier due to disruption of the natural balance of ecosystems [6] . The damage inflicted affected not only the country's agriculture and forestry, but also the health of the local population [1] .
Subsequently, the NATO coalition forces actively used environmental weapons in Afghanistan under the pretext of destroying opium poppy plantations [6] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Environmental weapons // Military Encyclopedia / P. Grachev . - Moscow: Military Publishing House, 2004. - T. 8. - S. 485-486. - ISBN 5-203-01875-8 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 FitzGerald MC Weapons based on new physical principles // Managing the Revolution in Military Affairs / Matthews R., Treddenick J. .. - Springer, 2001 .-- P. 232. - 273 p. - ISBN 9780230294189 .
- ↑ Antonenchik N. N. Weapons on new physical principles // Interexpo Geo-Siberia: journal. - 2012. - February ( t. 5 ).
- ↑ Chernykh G.S., Starostin A.S. Weapons on new physical principles, problems of protecting the population and territories from its damaging factors (Russian) // Civil protection strategy: problems and research: journal. - 2015. - T. 5 , No. 2 . - S. 22-37 . - ISSN 2224-8617 .
- ↑ Military Encyclopedic Dictionary // In 2 volumes. Volume 2. - Editorial: A.P. Gorkin, V.A. Zolotarev, V.M. Karev et al. - M.: Big Russian Encyclopedia, RIPPOL CLASSIC, 2001. 816 p. C. 775 (Ecological warfare). ISBN 5-7905-0996-7
- ↑ 1 2 Polikarpov V. Economic, trade and food wars // Wars of the future. From the Sarmat rocket to the virtual confrontation / Polikarpov V., Polikarpova E. .. - TD Algorithm, 2015. - 368 p. - ISBN 978-5-906798-52-7 .
Further reading
- Rogozin D. Ecological struggle in the war . Dictionary dictionary “War and peace in terms and definitions” . Information site voina-i-mir.ru . Date of treatment November 25, 2016.
- Lisichkin V.A., Shelepin L.A. Ecological weapons // Global Evil Empire. New geopolitical balance of power. . - Moscow: Krymsky bridge-9D, 2001 .-- 445 p. - (Great confrontation).
- Machlis GE, Hanson T. Warfare Ecology (English) // BioScience: Journal. - 2008. - T. 58 , No. 8 . - S. 729-736 . - DOI : 10.1641 / B580809 .
See also
- Agent Orange
- Weapons on new physical principles
- Ecocide
- US Environmental War against Vietnam
Links
- Ecological weapons . Encyclopedia The official website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Date of treatment November 25, 2016.