Game Changer: India Tests K-15 SLBM From Bay Of Bengal

[zraver]

There is no such thing as launch on warning. That was fiction used by the anti-nuclear people to scare the populace into demanding unilateral disarmament. It has been always launch on impact.

Absolutely dissagree. The Soviets were launch on warning as proven by the Norwegian Rocket scare with Russia. As soon as the sounding rocket launch was detected and thought to be a US Trident the Russian SRF went into action. It was called off by Yeltsin, not initiated by him...

LoW is the only way MAD works as it prevents the possibility of a decapitating first strike. Pulling missiles out of Cuba and Turkey and keeping the boomers more than 500 miles from each others coasts was all done to prevent true surprise attacks. Its also why the Soviets got so bent over star wars and stealth as it upset that balance.

[Officer of Engineers]

Absolutely dissagree. The Soviets were launch on warning as proven by the Norwegian Rocket scare with Russia. As soon as the sounding rocket launch was detected and thought to be a US Trident the Russian SRF went into action. It was called off by Yeltsin, not initiated by him...

LoW is the only way MAD works as it prevents the possibility of a decapitating first strike. Pulling missiles out of Cuba and Turkey and keeping the boomers more than 500 miles from each others coasts was all done to prevent true surprise attacks. Its also why the Soviets got so bent over star wars and stealth as it upset that balance.

Jason. That is a myth. Yeltsin would have had less than a minute to call it off. Do a bit of research out there. Launch on Warning is fiction. Launch on Impact is policy. I am being dead serious here. I used to believe in Launch on Warning also but I was told to take a hike by those (including Stuart Slade) in the know.

Also, the SRF is on an 80% stand down with only 20% stand to. There was no way for the SRF to get all their rockets ready in such a short time.

[Officer of Engineers]

Here is the incident in question

Norwegian rocket incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Taking the timeline, if it were an actual TRIDENT attack, it would have impacted before Yeltsin could release his nukes.

[zraver]

Sir, I disagree, though it may be a middle ground- launch on confirmed trajectory. Waiting for impact puts to many eggs in to too few baskets if the response framework is not already responding.

[Officer of Engineers]

Sir, I disagree, though it may be a middle ground- launch on confirmed trajectory. Waiting for impact puts to many eggs in to too few baskets if the response framework is not already responding.

The trajectory was confirmed in this incident (or rather erroneously confirmed). This and way, way, way too many other incidents put launch on warning an unacceptable risk. At best, readied on confirmed trajectory, as in this case, the warning order was issued to Soviet boomers, though after supposed impact time.

Launch on Warning is really an unacceptable risk for accidental nuclear war. That's why it was never policy.

[Officer of Engineers]

And here is a link for 20 false alarms

20 Mishaps that Might Have Started Accidental Nuclear War, by Alan F. Phillips, M.D., January, 1998

The theory of having to launch before suffering a devastating attack is more than offset by the reality of false alarms.

As such, no, the Soviets did not need to tell the Americans in case of an accidental American response. The Soviets had to tell the Americans to learn if there would be a deliberate response.

[Defcon5]

And here is a link for 20 false alarms

20 Mishaps that Might Have Started Accidental Nuclear War, by Alan F. Phillips, M.D., January, 1998

The theory of having to launch before suffering a devastating attack is more than offset by the reality of false alarms.

As such, no, the Soviets did not need to tell the Americans in case of an accidental American response. The Soviets had to tell the Americans to learn if there would be a deliberate response.

Colonel,

I have been reading this thread and the other documents of Stuart Slade put by Doktor.

Are you trying to say, that every country who has taken up the risk and responsibility to be a nuclear power, has taken the conscious decision to get hit, rather than launch on warning ( peace time, no impending war gloom), this could prevent a nuclear war in case of a error or false alaram etc, also by a rogue one off attack by some elements in the US or Soviets (I know that is not really possible)?

[Officer of Engineers]

You have 20 examples where launch on warning was not executed. China, India, Pakistan, and Israel have recessed arsenals (ie, warheads not mated to delivery vehicles). France and the UK have large portions of their nukes on boomers, not vulnerable to a first strike.

The facts speak for themselves.

[Deltacamelately]

You have 20 examples where launch on warning was not executed. China, India, Pakistan, and Israel have recessed arsenals (ie, warheads not mated to delivery vehicles). France and the UK have large portions of their nukes on boomers, not vulnerable to a first strike.The facts speak for themselves.

Sir,

Aren't the British and French Boomers vulnerable to Russian ASW assets? Having said that, won't the same logic also make the Indian and Chinese Boomers invulnerable to a first strike? Or is that location specific, invulnerable while in port while vulnerable while on patrol?

[Officer of Engineers]

Aren't the British and French Boomers vulnerable to Russian ASW assets?

No, namely because the Russian Navy doesn't have the money to deploy en mass.

Having said that, won't the same logic also make the Indian and Chinese Boomers invulnerable to a first strike? Or is that location specific, invulnerable while in port while vulnerable while on patrol?

Chinese and Indian boomers are invulnerable behind Chinese and Indian naval screens and Chinese and Indian air cover. Until such screens and air cover are blasted away, Chinese and Indian boomers can launch at will.

[Doktor]

I thought the Chinese boomers are in port without (mated) nukes. Why would they be prime targets?

[Officer of Engineers]

I thought the Chinese boomers are in port without (mated) nukes. Why would they be prime targets?

Even without nukes, boomers are nuclear command authorities.

[Defcon5]

You have 20 examples where launch on warning was not executed. China, India, Pakistan, and Israel have recessed arsenals (ie, warheads not mated to delivery vehicles). France and the UK have large portions of their nukes on boomers, not vulnerable to a first strike.

The facts speak for themselves.

Colonel,

World War 3 of epic nuclear proportions is not going to happen if a Rouge General from USA (just a role reversal and not plausible I know) launches a solitary nuke at Moscow.

How will Moscow react to a unauthorized Nuclear detonation by rogue element of the US Armed Forces?

So again in the real world sanity prevails, maybe not in Hollywood.

[Officer of Engineers]

Grab a hold of a movie called FAIL SAFE (1964). I think you can watch it online.

[Double Edge]

Grab a hold of a movie called FAIL SAFE (1964). I think you can watch it online.

wow, that's an 8/10 ratings movie