this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2024
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NonCredibleDefense

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[–] Lumisal -2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Shooting down a nuclear icbm doesn't really help as much as you think, if it catches it.

Not to mention the atmosphere lighting up wouldn't be much better

[–] Madison420 10 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

You know they don't go critical when you shoot them right?

[–] Lumisal -1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Doesn't that depend on how they're set up? I'd imagine in the 50+ years since they've been invented they would have designed it so it could, specifically because modern anti missile defenses exist.

I mean, I know world governments can be dumb, but I would imagine they're not that dumb as to bother maintaining a key super weapon just to not upgrade it / design it so that it won't work if used.

[–] Madison420 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Maybe but no not really the triggering process is extremely fast but kinda fragile because everything needs to be compressed just so.

They upgrade them, it's public knowledge for the budget. Usually it's faster smaller or different form factor plus renewal programs.

[–] Lumisal 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

But any knowledge on how modern triggering works on them I'd imagine would be kept a state secret wouldn't it? I don't think it's something you'd want others to know.

[–] ricdeh 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Someone has to know because scientists and engineers are educated in universities and not in military boot camps. Universities are the origin of all scientific expertise in a nation, including the nation's military.

[–] Lumisal 1 points 51 minutes ago

They hid the Manhattan project really really well, if you've ever looked into the history.