American nuclear weapons. US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and Turkey. Dossier. What did Putin say about nuclear war?
The secret system of the Cold War era, which in the event of a nuclear attack was supposed to automatically launch Soviet missiles in response and was known as the "Dead Hand", is now returning, writes The National Interest. However, now Russia is openly talking about this system, which has become even more deadly, and this gives every reason for concern in the West, the article emphasizes.
Russian "nuclear apocalypse weapon" The Cold War era is back and it could herald a dangerous new nuclear race, warns Michael Peck in The National Interest. If the United States proceeds to deploy medium-range missiles in Europe, Russia may adopt the doctrine of a pre-emptive nuclear strike, the author explains. Today, this is openly discussed in public, so the West has every reason to be concerned, the article notes.
Russia knows how to design and build weapons that "inspires terror": for example, nuclear-powered cruise missiles or unmanned submarines with 100 megaton warheads, writes The National Interest. But "the most terrible", according to the author, was the Cold War system, which in the event of a nuclear attack was supposed to automatically launch rockets in response without human intervention. Now this automated Russian system, known as the "Perimeter" or "Dead Hand", is back in service, and it has become "even more deadly", emphasized in the article.
This is due to the decision of President Donald Trump to announce the US withdrawal from the 1987 INF Treaty, which eliminated the huge arsenals of American and Russian intermediate and shorter-range missiles, the author explains. Trump's claims that Russia "violates" this treaty, developing and adopting new "forbidden" missiles, infuriates Moscow, which seriously fears that America will again begin deploying nuclear missiles in Europe, the article says. After all, if American missiles are deployed, for example, in Germany or Poland, then they are capable of reaching Russian territory, even if they do not belong to the extended range category. While Russia can strike at the continental United States only with the help of intercontinental ballistic missiles due to its geographical position, notes The National Interest.
General Viktor Yesin, who in the 1990s commanded Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, confirmed in a recent interview that the legendary Perimeter system still exists. According to him, if the United States begins to deploy medium-range missiles in Europe and thereby reduce the flight time to the Russian borders to two or three minutes, then Moscow will, in response, consider switching to the doctrine of a preemptive nuclear strike. " The Perimeter system is functioning, it has even been improved. But when it works, we will have few funds left - we will be able to launch only those missiles that survive the first strike of the aggressor., - The National Interest quotes excerpts from Esin's interview.
Although it is not entirely clear what the Russian general meant when he said that the system "functioning" and "improved" noted in the article. According to reports, Perimeter launches modified UR-100 ICBMs, which transmit the command to launch nuclear-armed conventional ICBMs hidden in mines.
David Hoffman, the author of the book dedicated to the Perimeter, who called this system the Dead Hand, describes the mechanism of its action as follows: “In the event of a possible nuclear attack, the political leadership had to give “consent to access”. The officers on duty in this case should have descended into the "balls" (underground bunkers) deep underground. If permission was given in time, if the system received seismic confirmation of nuclear explosions on the ground, and if communication with the center was lost, the bunkers on duty were to launch command missiles. They would take off, relaying the order to the ballistic missiles. And they would have fulfilled the mission of retribution.
Periodically came to light "implicit signs" the fact that the Perimeter system still exists, the article says. “This points to the strangeness of the Soviet government, which kept the existence of the Perimeter a secret even from the American enemy, whom this system was supposed to deter and intimidate,”- notes the author. In his opinion, the main principle of the "Dead Hand" is initially based on fear: “On the fear of an American first strike that will decapitate the Russian leadership before it gives the order to strike back. And also on the fear that some Russian leader will get cold feet and will not give this order.”
But the fact that today in Russia they began to discuss the "Perimeter" openly also gives the West "every reason for concern" concludes The National Interest.
TASS-DOSIER /Vladislav Sorokin/. On August 18, 2016, the European online publication Euractiv reported that the United States began to export nuclear weapons based in Turkey to Romania.
The US Department of Defense declined to comment, the Romanian Foreign Ministry categorically denied this information, and the Turkish side did not react to it.
Currently, US nuclear bombs are deployed on the territory of four EU countries - Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Turkey.
Story
American nuclear weapons (NW) have been stationed in Europe since the mid-1950s. Its possible use in the form of aerial bombs and ammunition for artillery systems and short-range missiles (tactical nuclear weapons) was considered by the leadership of NATO and the United States as an asymmetric response to the event of a large-scale conflict with the countries of the Warsaw Pact, which had an advantage in conventional weapons. In 1954, the corresponding NATO Strategic Concept "Shield and Sword" was adopted.
As a result, tactical nuclear weapons were deployed in the member states of the alliance that were in the path of a likely Soviet offensive: Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. In Turkey, the southern flank of NATO was covered by medium-range missiles (their deployment provoked the Caribbean crisis of 1962), and the possible movement of the Soviet Army and its allies through the Balkans had to be deterred by nuclear forces located in Greece and Italy.
All these countries were given the opportunity to participate in the planning of the use of nuclear weapons, and their military personnel and aviation began to be involved in training in delivering nuclear strikes. The program was called Nuclear sharing - "joint nuclear missions of NATO member countries" (another translation is "sharing of nuclear responsibility").
According to experts, the largest number of American tactical nuclear weapons in Europe was reached by the beginning of the 1970s. In 1971, the number of charges deployed on the continent was about 7,300. In 1983, in response to the deployment of the Soviet Pioneer medium-range missile system, the United States began to deploy its Pershing-2 medium-range missiles and Tomahawk nuclear-powered cruise missiles. warheads in Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Since the late 1980s the number of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe was declining: by 1991, the Soviet-American treaty on the elimination of medium and short-range missiles of 1987 was fulfilled. In 2000, according to the directive of US President Clinton, 480 US nuclear bombs remained in Europe and Turkey, while 300 of them were intended for use by the US Air Force, and 180 - for the Air Force of host countries. In 2001, the administration of George W. Bush began the withdrawal of tactical nuclear weapons from Great Britain and Greece, and in 2004 the arsenal in Germany was reduced (130 nuclear warheads were withdrawn from the Ramstein base).
Number of bombs and their placement
The United States "does not directly confirm or deny" the presence of its tactical nuclear weapons abroad, while official documents mention the storage of "special weapons" at safe facilities in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey.
To date, experts (including those from the Federation of American Scientists, FAS) estimate the number of US nuclear atomic bombs in Europe and Turkey at 150-200. These are B-61 type bombs with a total capacity of 18 megatons. They are located at six air bases: in Germany (Büchel, more than 20 pieces), Italy (Aviano and Gedi, 70-110 pieces), Belgium (Kleine Brogel, 10-20 pieces), the Netherlands (Volkel, 10-20 pieces) and Turkey (Incirlik, 50-90 pieces).
Bombs are in underground storages (more than 80 in total). For their delivery to targets, about 400 aircraft can be used: F-15E fighter-bombers, F-16 multi-role fighters and Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers from the US Air Force, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. There are three levels of readiness of squadrons to perform combat missions in nuclear equipment (up to 35, 160 and 350 days). Since 2000, NATO has spent more than $80 million maintaining the bomb storage infrastructure at these bases.
Modernization
In September 2015, it became known that the United States would deploy its new bombs of the B61-12 type at the Büchel airbase in Germany. This modification is the first nuclear aerial bomb, which has guidance systems with increased hit accuracy, and its mass production will begin in 2020.
According to Aleksey Arbatov, head of the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS, the increased accuracy and variable power of modernized bombs may increase the likelihood that the NATO leadership will decide on a limited nuclear war.
Criticism
The deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in the region was accompanied by protests by the local population and pacifist organizations during the Cold War.
Now nuclear experts in the United States (in particular, Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the University of Monterey) are questioning the wisdom of keeping tactical nuclear weapons in Belgium - because of the threat of terrorism and non-compliance with security requirements - and in Turkey - because of the unstable political situation. after the attempted military coup on July 15, 2016
Russian officials have repeatedly said that the deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and Turkey is a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The era of ballistic missiles began in the middle of the last century. At the end of World War II, the engineers of the Third Reich managed to create carriers that successfully completed the tasks of hitting targets in the UK, starting from the ranges of continental Europe.
Subsequently, the USSR and the USA became leaders in military rocket building. When the leading world powers received ballistic and cruise missiles, this radically changed military doctrines.
The best ballistic missiles in the world - Topol-M
Paradoxically, the best missiles in the world, capable of delivering nuclear warheads anywhere in the world within minutes, were the main factor that prevented the Cold War from escalating into a real clash of superpowers.
Today, ICBMs are equipped with the armies of the USA, Russia, France, Great Britain, China, and, more recently, the DPRK.
According to some reports, cruise and ballistic missiles will soon appear in India, Pakistan and Israel. Various modifications of medium-range ballistic missiles, including Soviet-made ones, are in service with many countries of the world. The article tells about the best rockets in the world that have ever been produced on an industrial scale.
V-2 (V-2)
The first truly long-range ballistic missile was the German V-2, developed by a design bureau headed by Wernher von Braun. It was tested back in 1942, and from the beginning of September 1944, London and its environs were attacked daily by dozens of V-2s.
TTX products FAU-2:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 14x1.65 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 12,5 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 1 | |
| Fuel type | liquid | mixture of liquefied oxygen and ethyl alcohol |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 1450 | |
| 320 | ||
| 5000 | design value within 0.5–1 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 1,0 | |
| Charge type | high-explosive, equivalent to ammotol 800 kg | |
| combat blocks | 1 | inseparable |
| Type of basing | ground | stationary or mobile launcher |
During one of the launches, the V-2 managed to rise 188 km above the ground and make the world's first suborbital flight. On an industrial scale, the product was produced in 1944–1945. In total, about 3.5 thousand V-2s were produced during this time.
Scud B (R-17)
The R-17 missile, developed by SKB-385 and adopted by the USSR Armed Forces in 1962, is still considered the standard for evaluating the effectiveness of anti-missile systems developed in the West. It is an integral part of the 9K72 Elbrus complex or Scud B in NATO terminology.
It proved to be excellent in real combat conditions during the Doomsday War, the Iran-Iraq conflict, was used in the II Chechen campaign and against the Mujahideen in Afghanistan.
TTX products R-17:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 11.16x0.88 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 5,86 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 1 | |
| Fuel type | liquid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 1500 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 300 | with a nuclear warhead 180 |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 450 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 0,985 | |
| Charge type | nuclear 10 Kt, high explosive, chemical | |
| combat blocks | 1 | not separable |
| rocket launcher | mobile | eight-wheel tractor MAZ-543-P |
Various modifications of cruise missiles of Russia and the USSR - R-17 were produced in Votkinsk and Petropavlovsk from 1961 to 1987. As the design life of 22 years expired, the SKAD complexes were removed from service with the RF Armed Forces.
At the same time, almost 200 launchers are still used by the armies of the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Belarus, North Korea, Egypt and 6 other countries of the world.
Trident II
The UGM-133A missile was developed for about 13 years by Lockheed Martin Corporation and was adopted by the US Armed Forces in 1990, and a little later by the UK. Its advantages include high speed and accuracy, which makes it possible to destroy even silo-based ICBM launchers, as well as bunkers located deep underground. Tridents are equipped with American Ohio-class submarines and British Wangard SSBNs.
TTX ICBM Trident II:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 13.42x2.11 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 59,078 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 3 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 6000 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 11300 | 7800 with the maximum number of warheads |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 90–500 | minimum with GPS guidance |
| Warhead mass, t | 2,800 | |
| Charge type | thermonuclear, 475 and 100 Kt | |
| combat blocks | 8 to 14 | split warhead |
| Type of basing | underwater |
The Tridents hold the record for the number of successful launches in a row. Therefore, a reliable missile is expected to be used until 2042. Currently, the US Navy has at least 14 Ohio SSBNs capable of carrying 24 UGM-133A each.
Pershing II ("Pershing-2")
The last US medium-range ballistic missile MGM-31, which entered the Armed Forces in 1983, became a worthy opponent of the Russian RSD-10, the deployment of which in Europe was begun by the Warsaw Pact countries. For its time, the American ballistic missile had excellent performance, including the high accuracy provided by the RADAG guidance system.
TTX BR Pershing II:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 10.6x1.02 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 7,49 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 2 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 2400 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 1770 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 30 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 1,8 | |
| Charge type | high-explosive, nuclear, from 5 to 80 Kt | |
| combat blocks | 1 | inseparable |
| Type of basing | ground |
A total of 384 MGM-31 missiles were fired, which were in service with the US Army until July 1989, when the Russian-American treaty on the reduction of the INF came into force. After that, most of the carriers were disposed of, and nuclear warheads were used to equip aerial bombs.
"Point-U"
Developed by the Kolomna Design Bureau and put into service in 1975, the tactical complex with the 9P129 launcher has long been the basis of the firepower of divisions and brigades of the Russian armed forces.
Its advantages are high mobility, which makes it possible to prepare a rocket for launch in 2 minutes, versatility in the use of various types of ammunition, reliability, and unpretentiousness in operation.
TTX TRK "Tochka-U":
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 6.4x2.32 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 2,01 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 1 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 1100 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 120 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 250 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 0,482 | |
| Charge type | high-explosive, fragmentation, cluster, chemical, nuclear | |
| combat blocks | 1 | inseparable |
| Type of basing | ground | self-propelled launcher |
Russian ballistic missiles "Tochka" proved to be excellent in several local conflicts. In particular, the cruise missiles of Russia and the USSR, which are still Soviet-made, are still used by the Yemeni Houthis, who regularly successfully attack the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces.
At the same time, the missiles easily overcome the air defense systems of the Saudis. Tochka-U is still in service with the armies of Russia, Yemen, Syria and some former Soviet republics.
R-30 Bulava
The need to create a new Russian ballistic missile for the Navy, superior in performance to the American Trident II, arose with the commissioning of the Borei and Akula class strategic submarine missile carriers. It was decided to place Russian 3M30 ballistic missiles, which have been developed since 1998, on them. Since the project is under development, one can judge about the most powerful missiles in Russia only from the information that gets into the press. Without a doubt, this is the best ballistic missile in the world.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 12.1x2 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 36,8 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 3 | |
| Fuel type | mixed | the first two stages on solid fuel, the third on liquid |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 6000 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 9300 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 200 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 1,15 | |
| Charge type | thermonuclear | |
| combat blocks | 6 to 10 | shared |
| Type of basing | underwater |
At present, Russian long-range missiles have been accepted into service conditionally, since some performance characteristics do not fully suit the customer. However, about 50 units of 3M30 have already been produced. Unfortunately, the best rocket in the world is waiting in the wings.
"Topol M"
Tests of the missile system, which became the second in the Topol family, were completed in 1994, and three years later, it was put into service with the Strategic Missile Forces. However, he failed to become one of the main components of the Russian nuclear triad. In 2017, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stopped purchasing the product, opting for the RS-24 Yars.
Modern rocket launcher of Russia "Topol-M" at the parade in Moscow TTX RK strategic purpose "Topol-M":
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 22.55x17.5 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 47,2 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 3 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 7320 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 12000 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 150–200 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 1,2 | |
| Charge type | thermonuclear, 1 Mt | |
| combat blocks | 1 | inseparable |
| Type of basing | ground | in mines or on a tractor base 16x16 |
TOP is a Russian-made rocket. It stands out for its high ability to withstand Western air defense systems, excellent maneuverability, low sensitivity to electromagnetic pulses, radiation, and the effects of laser installations. At the moment, 18 mobile and 60 Topol-M mining complexes are on combat duty.
Minuteman III (LGM-30G)
For many years, the product of the Boeing Company is the only silo-based ICBM in the United States. However, even today, the American Minuteman III ballistic missiles, which entered combat duty as early as 1970, remain a formidable weapon. Thanks to the upgrade, the LGM-30G received more maneuverable Mk21 warheads and an improved sustainer engine.
TTX ICBM Minuteman III:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 18.3x1.67 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 34,5 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 3 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 6700 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 13000 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 210 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 1,15 | |
| Charge type | thermonuclear, from 0.3 to 0.6 Mt | |
| combat blocks | 3 | shared |
| Type of basing | ground | in the mines |
Today, the list of American ballistic missiles is limited to Minutements-3. The US Armed Forces have up to 450 units deployed in mine complexes in the states of North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. Replacing reliable, but obsolete missiles is planned to be carried out no earlier than the beginning of the next decade.
"Iskander"
The Iskander operational-tactical systems, which replaced the Topols, Tochkas and Elbrus (the well-known names of Russian missiles), are the best missiles of the new generation in the world. Super-maneuverable cruise missiles of tactical systems are practically invulnerable to air defense systems of any potential enemy.
At the same time, the OTRK is extremely mobile, deploying in a matter of minutes. Its firepower, even when fired with conventional charges, is comparable in effectiveness to an attack with nuclear weapons.
TTX OTRK "Iskander":
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 7.2x0.92 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 3,8 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 1 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 2100 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | 500 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 5 to 15 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 0,48 | |
| Charge type | cluster and conventional fragmentation, high-explosive, penetrating munitions, nuclear charges | |
| combat blocks | 1 | inseparable |
| Type of basing | ground | 8x8 self-propelled launcher |
Due to its technical excellence, the OTRK, put into service in 2006, will have no analogues for at least another decade. Currently, the RF Armed Forces have at least 120 Iskander mobile launchers.
"Tomahawk"
Tomahawk cruise missiles, developed by General Dynamics in the 1980s, have been among the best in the world for almost two decades due to their versatility, ability to move at ultra-low altitudes, significant combat power and impressive accuracy.
They have been used by the US Army since their adoption in 1983 in many military conflicts. But the most advanced missiles in the world failed the United States during the controversial strike on Syria in 2017.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 6.25x053 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 1500 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 1 | |
| Fuel type | solid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 333 | |
| Maximum flight range, km | from 900 to 2500 | depending on how you start |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | from 5 to 80 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 120 | |
| Charge type | cluster, armor-piercing, nuclear | |
| combat blocks | 1 | not separable |
| Type of basing | universal | land mobile, surface, underwater, aviation |
Various modifications of the Tomahawks are equipped with American submarines of the Ohio and Virginia classes, destroyers, missile cruisers, as well as the British nuclear submarines Trafalgar, Astyut, Swiftshur.
American ballistic missiles, the list of which is not limited to the Tomahawk and Minuteman, are obsolete. BGM-109s are still in production today. The production of only the aviation series has been discontinued.
R-36M "Satan"
Modern Russian SS-18 silo-based ICBMs in various modifications have been and are the basis of Russia's nuclear triad. These best missiles in the world have no analogues: neither in terms of flight range, nor in terms of technological equipment, nor in terms of maximum charge power.
They cannot be effectively countered by modern air defense systems. "Satan" has become the embodiment of the most modern ballistic technology. It destroys all types of targets and entire positional areas, ensures the inevitability of a retaliatory nuclear strike in the event of an attack on the Russian Federation.
TTX ICBM SS-18:
| Name | Meaning | Note |
| Length and diameter, m | 34.3x3 | |
| Takeoff weight, t | 208,3 | |
| Number of steps, pcs | 2 | |
| Fuel type | liquid | |
| Accelerating speed, m/s | 7900 | |
| Maximum range of missiles, km | 16300 | |
| Maximum deviation from the target, m | 500 | |
| Warhead mass, t | 5.7 to 7.8 | |
| Charge type | thermonuclear | |
| combat blocks | 1 to 10 | separable, from 500 kt to 25 Mt |
| Type of basing | ground | mine |
Various modifications of the SS-18 have been in service with the Russian army since 1975. In total, 600 missiles of this type have been produced during this time. Currently, all of them are installed on modern Russian launch vehicles for combat duty. Currently, the planned replacement of the R-36M with a modified version, a more modern Russian R-36M2 Voyevoda missile, is being carried out.
In a recent televised debate, Republican nominee and businessman Donald Trump said Russia is "expanding its nuclear forces, adding that "they have much newer capabilities than we do."
Dr. Geoffrey Lewis, founder of Arms Control Wonk publishing house, refutes this claim - "although Russia has been updating its missiles and warheads lately, such a statement about Russia's capabilities is not true."
On paper, new, more sophisticated and terrifying weapons include Russia's nuclear arsenal. The Russian RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, developed in the mid-2000s, can hit anything in the US, some reports suggest there are ten self-guided nuclear warheads.
Ten of these launched warheads will return to the earth's atmosphere at supersonic speeds, about 5 miles per second. China has developed similar platforms and the US simply does not have the ability to defend against such destructive nuclear weapons.
By comparison, the American Minuteman III ICBM enters the atmosphere at supersonic speeds but carries only one warhead and was produced back in the 1970s. The question of who is better is more philosophical than a direct comparison of possibilities.
Professor Lewis says US Strategic Commanders, who manage the US nuclear arsenal, have been asking for decades if they had a choice between arming the US and Russia, they would choose their own missiles and nuclear weapons each time.
In an interview with Business Insider, Lewis says the US arsenal, while lacking the capacity to devastate an entire continent, is far better suited to US strategic needs.
Russian and American arsenals
"The Russians used a different design solution in the design of ICBMs than we did." says the professor - "Russia has built nuclear weapons with increasing momentum of modernization", or, in other words, these weapons will need to be updated every ten years.
On the other hand, “US nuclear weapons are beautiful, complex and designed for high performance. Experts say that the plutonium core will last for 100 years. Moreover, the US stocks of Minuteman III ICBM, despite their age, are perfect systems.
“Russia’s nuclear weapons are new, but they reflect their design philosophy, which says “there’s no reason to build perfect because we’ll just upgrade in 10 years.”
"The Russians like to mount missiles on trucks," Lewis said, while the US prefers ground-based silos, which give precise targeting and lack of mobility. At the height of the Cold War, the US at some point tried to fit ICBMs onto trucks, but US weapons safety and durability requirements far exceed Russian requirements.
The US can't make systems like the Russians because we're not going to put missiles on a cheap truck,” says Professor Lewis. Russian philosophy relies on tricks to eliminate the threat, trying to invest less.
“The US is investing and developing robust systems that will actually provide protection,” Lewis explained. This is the main difference between American and Russian developments.
“Sergeants are the core of the American army, compared to Russia, where conscripts are still the main forces. The US prefers precision over destructive potential.”
“We love precision,” says Lewis. For the US, the ideal nuclear weapon is a tiny nuclear weapon that will fly right through the window and blow up the building. ‘And the Russians prefer to launch 10 warheads not only on the building, but on the whole city.
A clear example of this is the air campaign in Syria, in consequence of which the Russians were accused of using cluster bombs, incendiary munitions and bombing hospitals and refugee camps. This casual and brutal attitude is a defining feature of Russia's military.
Another example is the Russian Status 6 torpedo, which can travel 100 knots at a distance of 6,200 miles and can not only produce a nuclear explosion, but leave behind a radioactive field for years to come. The US does not welcome this kind of destruction.
How the US plans to keep Russia's nuclear power.
Professor Lewis explained that the US really cannot defend itself against Russia and the most advanced nuclear weapons. Russian nuclear ICBMs will go into orbit, deploy, split into warheads, and detonate individual targets moving at Mach 23. The US simply cannot develop a system that would destroy ten of these nuclear warheads hurtling at incredible speed towards the US.
One possible solution would be to destroy the missiles before they leave the atmosphere, which means shooting them down over Russia, which can also lead to other problems. Another option is to destroy the missiles from satellites in space, but according to Lewis, the US will then have to increase satellite launches 12 times before they have enough space assets to protect the US.
Instead of wasting time, trillions of dollars, and heating up the arms race, the US is looking to the doctrine of mutually assured destruction. Lewis also explained that during the days of John F. Kennedy's presidency, the US was puzzled about how to raise its nuclear arsenal. The Kennedy administration decided to build enough nuclear weapons to destroy the Soviet Union if necessary. The administration called the doctrine "assured destruction," but critics pointed out that a nuclear deal would work both ways, so a better name would be "mutually assured destruction," which was contrary to Kennedy's policies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin once said that Russia could destroy the US in 'half an hour or less,' using its nuclear weapons. But the fact is that Minutemen III missiles will blow up the Kremlin seconds later.
The US believes it is more secure to have a nuclear triad available at any time. Submarines, land-based silos and bombers all have nuclear missiles. No attacks from Russia will be able to neutralize all three types of weapons at the same time.
Accurate, professionally controlled nuclear weapons are a reliable deterrent for the US without endangering billions of lives.
| US nuclear weapons | |
|---|---|
| Story | |
| Beginning of the nuclear program | October 21, 1939 |
| First test | July 16, 1945 |
| First thermonuclear explosion | November 1, 1952 |
| September 23, 1992 | Last test |
| The most powerful explosion | 15 megatons (March 1, 1954) |
| Total tests | 1054 explosions |
| Maximum warheads | 66500 warheads (1967) |
| Current number of warheads | 1350 on 652 deployed carriers. |
| Max. shipping distance | 13,000 km/8100 miles (ICBM) 12,000 km/7,500 miles (SLBM) |
| Member of the NPT | Yes (since 1968, one of 5 parties allowed to possess nuclear weapons) |
Since 1945, the US has produced 66,500 atomic bombs and nuclear warheads. This assessment was made by the director of the nuclear information program at the Federation of American Scientists, Hans Christensen, and his colleague from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Robert Norris, in the Bulletin of The Atomic Scientists in 2009.
In two government laboratories - in Los Alamos and Livermore them. Lawrence - since 1945, a total of about 100 different types of nuclear charges and their modifications have been created.
Story
The very first atomic air bombs, which entered service in the late 40s of the last century, weighed about 9 tons and only heavy bombers could deliver them to potential targets.
By the early 1950s, more compact bombs with a lower weight and diameter were developed in the United States, which made it possible to equip them with US front-line aircraft. Somewhat later, nuclear charges for ballistic missiles, artillery shells and mines entered service with the Ground Forces. The Air Force received warheads for surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. A number of warheads have been created for the Navy and Marine Corps. Naval sabotage units - SEALs received light nuclear mines for special missions.
carriers
The composition of US nuclear weapons carriers and their jurisdiction have changed since the appearance of the first atomic bombs in service with the US Army Aviation. At different times, the Army (intermediate-range ballistic missiles, nuclear artillery and nuclear infantry munitions), the Navy (missile carriers and nuclear submarines carrying cruise and ballistic missiles), the Air Force had their own nuclear arsenal and means of its delivery. forces (intercontinental ballistic missiles of ground, mine and bunker-based, bottom-based, combat railway missile systems, air-launched cruise missiles, guided and unguided aircraft missiles, strategic bombers and missile-carrying aircraft). As of the beginning of 1983, offensive weapons in the US nuclear arsenal were represented by 54 Titan-2 ICBMs, 450 Minuteman-2 ICBMs, 550 Minuteman-3 ICBMs, 100 Peekeper ICBMs, about 350 Stratofortress strategic bombers " and 40 APRK with various types of SLBMs on board.
The Air Force's Air Force Global Strikes Command manages ground and air delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons. Maritime delivery vehicles are operated by the Fleet Forces Command (Navy Kings Bay - 16th Submarine Squadron) and the Pacific Fleet (Naval Kitsap - 17th Submarine Squadron). Collectively, they report to Strategic Command.
Megatonnage
Since 1945, the total yield of nuclear warheads has increased many times and peaked by 1960 - it amounted to over 20 thousand megatons, which is approximately equivalent to the yield of 1.36 million bombs dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945.
The largest number of warheads was in 1967 - about 32 thousand. Subsequently, the Pentagon's arsenal was reduced by almost 30% over the next 20 years.
At the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the US had 22,217 warheads.
Production
Production of new warheads ceased in 1991 although now [ when?] [ ] it is planned to resume. The military continues to modify the existing types of charges [ when?] [ ] .
The US Department of Energy is responsible for the entire production cycle - from the development of fissile weapons materials to the development and production of ammunition and their disposal.
Enterprises are managed