How to fight a nuclear war!

Push the button!There really is not a button, that is just in the movies!

Why do you fight a nuclear war?To kill the enemy!!

Who is the enemy?

What do you use to deliver a nuclear bomb?

Bombers

ICBM

Submarines…none in 1962

This is called the Nuclear Triad….this is very important

B-52

Minuteman

Typhoon missile sub

WHAT IS A NUCLEAR BOMB?

Atomic bombs (also known as A-bombs or fission bombs) produce their explosive energy purely through nuclear fission reaction. Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Hydrogen bombs (also known as H-bombs, thermonuclear bombs or fusion bombs) produce energy through nuclear fusion reactions, and can be over a thousand times more powerful than fission bombs. In a similar process to the sun, they work by using fission energy to compress and heat fusion fuel.

The destructive power of a nuclear explosion is measured in kilotonnes (which are equivalent to thousands of tonnes of TNT) and megatonnes (equivalent to millions of tonnes).

Minuteman-III MIRV launch sequence: 1. The missile launches out of its silo by firing its 1st stage boost motor (A).2. About 60 seconds after launch, the 1st stage drops off and the 2nd stage motor (B) ignites. The missile shroud (E) is ejected.).3. About 120 seconds after launch, the 3rd stage motor (C) ignites and separates from the 2nd stage.).4. About 180 seconds after launch, 3rd stage thrust terminates and the Post-Boost Vehicle (D) separates from the rocket.).5. The Post-Boost Vehicle maneuvers itself and prepares for re-entry vehicle (RV) deployment.).6. The RVs, as well as decoys and chaff, are deployed during backaway.).7. The RVs and chaff re-enter the atmosphere at high speeds and are armed in flight.).8. The nuclear warheads detonate, either as air bursts or ground bursts.

How does an ICBM work?

Effects of a Nuclear ExplosionTypical distribution of energy released

• Thermal radiation (including light) (35%)

• Blast (pressure shock wave) (50%)

• Nuclear radiation (prompt and delayed) also called Fallout (15%)

• EMP

Thermal radiation

The fireball shortly after detonation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IKqXu-5jw60

The fireball starts to form in less than a millionth of a second after explosionseveral tens of million of degrees: transformation of all matter into gas/plasmathermal radiation as x-rays, absorbed by the surrounding atmosphere

Fireball

Dirt cloud

Blast http://www.carloslabs.com/node/16

Fallout

EMP pulse

Fries all electrical circuits

How do you win a nuclear war?

1. Shoot down their bombers before they get to your country

2. Blow up their missiles before they launch theirs

3. Really, you should shoot first!!!!!

Shooting first and winning a nuclear war has a couple of problems. What are they?

1. You might not shoot down all of their bombers

2. You might miss blowing up all the ICBMs

3. Accuracy….you have to be accurate…..shooting a missile from the US to the USSR takes lots, and lots of accuracy, and if you miss, because you are not accurate, well, then you are toast….literally!!!

So, what should you do???????

You keep the other guy from launching a nuclear first strike.How do you keep the other guy for launching a first strike?

1. Have more bombers and ICBMs than he can blow up

2. Hide your nuclear ICBMs in ‘hardened silos’

3. Make your ICBMs mobile

4. Use submarines!!!!!

MADMutually Assured Destruction

You might blow me up, but I have enough weapons to blow you up also!