You’re Gonna Love This…
The Pentagon announced Tuesday it mistakenly shipped part of the triggering mechanism for four nuclear warheads to Taiwan a year and a half ago, and only realized the mistake last week and recovered the material “in recent days.” “BUT”, they say, “the missile nosecones contained only electrical components and had no nuclear material. ”
OH, no NUCLEAR material. No kidding? Thanks for the misdirection and spin doctoring, fellas. Nuclear warhead triggering mechanisms never had any nuclear material to begin with. The bombs are triggered with high explosives. Jeez…
How fortunate that this screwup went to one of our allies. This is very high technology stuff! WARHEAD TRIGGERS FOR MISSILES! Can you imagine the pile-up tumult of glee the Iranians would be in right now if this had been sent to them instead?
The Defense Department says they shipped four nosecones for Minuteman nuclear missiles to Taiwan in late 2006, containing batteries and electrical fuses that sense proximity to the ground and initiate the missiles’ triggering sequence. They say the actual triggers were not shipped. Of course not. The actual triggers would be shaped explosive charges that are built into the bomb itself. So if you had the bombs, then here’s 4 nice complete nosecone firing mechanisms for you, all ready to go, batteries included. Presto! Four completed nuclear bombs, ready to be dropped.
They say the missile fuses and battery systems were specifically designed for Minuteman missiles in the 1960s, are outdated and could not be used to help trigger any other weapon. I think otherwise. Outdated for our technology, perhaps, but not for those just now getting into the game. The trigger itself, by the way, is merely an electric pulse that sets off a chemical explosive, which then forces two chunks of fissionable material together into a critical mass which then goes Boom.
Remember the Air Force bomber that was flying around the United States with six nuclear-armed missiles last August? Come on, you flyboys. Wake up!
Tags: nuclear
March 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
It does sound like guff. Obviously they would not directly fit another missile but one would imagine that any developed technology in this area would provide some useful pointers to those new to the game.
PS Can they send me a missile or two to deal with MR PIKEY SCUM?