Orbital bombardment
Orbital bombardment is the act of attacking targets on a
planet,
moon or other such
object from
orbit around the object, rather than from an
aircraft or a platform beyond orbit. It is most often encountered in
fiction, but has been proposed as a means of attack for several real-world weapons systems concepts, including
kinetic bombardment and as a nuclear delivery system.
The
Soviet Union deployed a
Fractional Orbital Bombardment System from 1968-1983. Using this system, a nuclear warhead could be placed in
low Earth orbit, and later de-orbited to hit any location on the Earth's surface. While the Soviet Union deployed a working version of the system, they were forbidden by the
Outer Space Treaty to place live warheads in space. The fractional orbital bombardment system was phased out in January 1983 in compliance with the
SALT II treaty of 1979, which, among other things, prohibited the deployment of systems capable of placing
weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
Orbital bombardment systems with conventional warheads are permitted under the terms of SALT II. Most such proposed systems rely on long rods dropped from orbit and depend on kinetic energy, rather than explosives, for their destructive power.
Orbital bombardment systems occasionally feature in speculation and
science fiction, and are in fact better known than their real-world counterparts. Typically, the assault is conducted by
spacecraft as a part of interplanetary, rather than intraplanetary,
warfare. Such a feat would require
technology far surpassing modern capabilities.
An effective orbital bombardment is regarded as one of the most devastating forms of attack, surpassed only by destruction of planetary bodies or other astronomical objects.
Examples of orbital bombardments in science fiction
* In the Star Wars
Expanded Universe, the Imperial Navy issues a
base delta zero order when an orbital bombardment is deemed necessary to subdue a rebellious planet. During a base delta zero operation, a planet's upper crust is reduced to molten slag, killing all but the most deeply sheltered life on the planet. This concept was first used by the
Sith during the
Jedi Civil War. The actual order was first adapted by
Old Republic generals during the
Clone Wars, and later by the
Empire. There is some confusion, however, over the method with which such an operation was implemented, with some sources claiming that a single
Star Destroyer was capable of carrying out a base delta zero order (which is plausible, as a low-power, point defense shot from one turbolaser on a Star Destroyer has a blast similar to that of the
Little Boy bomb dropped on Japan in
World War II).
* In the
Babylon 5 series, the
Centauri employed orbital bombardment against the
Narn homeworld.
* In the
Battletech universe, the city of Edo on the
Draconis Combine planet of Turtle Bay is destroyed from orbit by invading
Clan Smoke Jaguar forces in retaliation for resistance to their occupation.
* In the computer/video game
Halo universe,
the Covenant bombarded countless human worlds from orbit, turning the planets' surface into glass with their ships' plasma weapons. UNSC (
United Nations Space Command) ships are often equipped with 'Archer pods', small nuclear weapons which can be used either against land targets or other spaceships.
*In the fictional
Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Imperium of Man makes extensive use of orbital bombardments, both tactical and strategic. The ultimate Imperial sanction against a world is that of
Exterminatus, whereby a planet is "cleansed" - all life on it is annihilated. This tactic is most often used against worlds that are deemed to be past salvation, such as those irreversibly tainted by the supernatural powers of
Chaos, or infected by the alien
Tyranids. The
Adeptus Astartes (or "Space Marines") also regularly make use of smaller scale orbital bombardments before launching the planetary assaults in which they specialize. Recorded methods of Exterminatus include repeated bombardment with ship-bourne plasma lances and the igniting of the atmosphere, thereby destroying all life on the surface. A more extreme method is to destabilise the planet's core and cause the planet itself to be destroyed. This is normally only used if the planet is playing host to an enemy deemed to be a threat to the Imperium which cannot be defeated, such as a world on which a
Necron stasis-tomb is built.
* In the
Star Trek television franchise which includes the computer games
Star Trek: Armada II and
Star Trek Elite Force II, orbital bombardment is sometimes used to support ground operations.
* In the novel
Dragon's fury, Orbital projectiles made with metal found in the
asteroid belt were used to destroy several
chinese bunkers.
* In the
Command & Conquer series of games, the
Global Defense Initiative's
ion cannon is used for the orbital bombardment of installations belonging to the
Brotherhood of Nod.
*
Kinetic bombardment*
Orbital weaponry*
Relativistic kill vehicle*
Space warfare*
Space weapon*
Mass drivers
