I think I also read somewhere that a lot of our nuclear stockpile has decayed to subcritical levels and can’t actually detonate anymore and we’re not sure how much of it is in that state
EDIT: No single source, on further research it appears that the cores decay in unpredictable ways that can affect how they explode, and the program for recycling them isn’t running properly and we can’t do underground nuclear testing anymore to check samples of stockpiles so they’re kind of in the dark on which ones need recycling. If anything it’s the hardware in the warheads themselves that will break down faster over time and since it’s the United States of America maintaining the warheads they’re overbudget and behind schedule and not even sure which warheads need maintaining first.
Regardless the technology for shooting down missiles has improved a lot since the end of the Cold War so hopefully if anyone is insane enough to actually launch missiles they’ll be destroyed before they can cause any damage
I hate that it’s important to maintain a “everyone dies” card, seeing as the only country we’d use nukes against would be a country powerful enough to have their own nukes, and these are getting fired for the sole purpose of ensuring that literally everyone goes out with us. I get that they’re also deterrents, but the deterrent here is that this is our “everyone dies” card; I genuinely doubt any other nation would be the first to fire a nuke.
I think I also read somewhere that a lot of our nuclear stockpile has decayed to subcritical levels and can’t actually detonate anymore and we’re not sure how much of it is in that state
EDIT: No single source, on further research it appears that the cores decay in unpredictable ways that can affect how they explode, and the program for recycling them isn’t running properly and we can’t do underground nuclear testing anymore to check samples of stockpiles so they’re kind of in the dark on which ones need recycling. If anything it’s the hardware in the warheads themselves that will break down faster over time and since it’s the United States of America maintaining the warheads they’re overbudget and behind schedule and not even sure which warheads need maintaining first.
Regardless the technology for shooting down missiles has improved a lot since the end of the Cold War so hopefully if anyone is insane enough to actually launch missiles they’ll be destroyed before they can cause any damage
Please find this source, I need a little hope.
:bloomer:
I should’ve guessed that “Russia’s nukes are probably all old and falling apart anyway” was yet more projection
Oh I’m sure theirs are too. The problem is that there is no profitable way to maintain a nuclear arsenal
I hate that it’s important to maintain a “everyone dies” card, seeing as the only country we’d use nukes against would be a country powerful enough to have their own nukes, and these are getting fired for the sole purpose of ensuring that literally everyone goes out with us. I get that they’re also deterrents, but the deterrent here is that this is our “everyone dies” card; I genuinely doubt any other nation would be the first to fire a nuke.