B-53 retired

[Ripsnort]

"The United States will soon begin to dismantle the 35 remaining B-53s, the most powerful thermonuclear bombs it ever built, 40 years after the weapons first became operational and five years after they were withdrawn from active service, according to Energy Department officials.

With a yield of 9 megatons (the equivalent of 9 million tons of TNT), each B-53 has the power of more than 400 Hiroshima atomic bombs. The weapon was originally designed to destroy the Soviet Union's deeply buried bunkers built during the Cold War to protect top Communist Party leaders and Moscow's military command posts.

[/i]

MORE...

[fdiron]

That bomb is miniscule compared to some of the monsters the Soviets built.  The Soviets once detonated a 100 Megaton bomb and it left a crater 7 miles wide.

[Jochen]

Yeah, soviets had 50 megaton device that was tested by airdrop. They had also plans for 100 megaton device but it was never constructed.

9 megaton... Bah!

[fdiron]

Jochen, I did some research, and the 7 mile crater was made by the 50 megaton bomb.  The simply put less nuclear material in the 100 megaton bomb which reduced the power to a mere 57 MEGATONS.

I have a feeling the Soviets would have destroyed the entire U.S. in a matter of minutes had war broken out.

[Holden McGroin]

Good thing we had the missle subs of the US Navy that would have returned the favor.  Perhaps deterrance was (is) a good policy after all. (-; (raised eyebrow)

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by fdiron

I have a feeling the Soviets would have destroyed the entire U.S. in a matter of minutes had war broken out.

Well, it would have been done with smaller bombs, and the destruction would certainly have been mutual.

"it (Tsar Bomb) would have been  detected crossing the North American early warning line and then been over US and Canadian territory for 8 hours - ample time for jet fighters to intercept and shoot it down "[/i]



Ref: http://nuketesting.enviroweb.org/hew/Russia/TsarBomba.html

[fdiron]

What if the Soviet bomber had flown low-level over the pacific, flew down to California, and popped up for a few minutes to gain altitude for release?  Thats not so improbable.

If I remember correctly, the B1 bomber was designed for low level strikes into the Soviet Union.

[GRUNHERZ]

How bout we retire them in Iraq?

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by fdiron
What if the Soviet bomber had flown low-level over the pacific, flew down to California, and popped up for a few minutes to gain altitude for release?  Thats not so improbable.

If I remember correctly, the B1 bomber was designed for low level strikes into the Soviet Union.

I'm assuming that would have been the longest route, shortest route from Russia to California would be over the artic circle

"Even if the Tu-95 were able to reach Chicago, the closest plausible US target, (which is doubtful given the enormous payload, far in excess of normal for long-range missions, the added drag from the belly bulge required to house the bomb)"

[Animal]

Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
How bout we retire them in Iraq?

Genocide is the wet dream of the zealots

[GRUNHERZ]

Oh you didnt think I meant we detonate them there?  Oh no thats not what I meant, that would be terrible.

[wulfie]

Here's an interesting fact dug up since 1989:

3 targets for 50 MT warheads in the San Francisco Bay Area (among others):

1. NAS Moffet field, center of runway network.
2. Onazuka AFB (i.e. the 'cube' right next to NAS Moffet field).
3. The junction of Stevens Creek Blvd. and 280.

For those that know the Bay Area...talk about overkill eh? 150 MT within 7 miles of each other. 8)

Mike/wulfie

[Greese]

Two lines of movies I enjoy...

"There's no defense, like a GOOD offense..."

and

"A weapon unused, is a useless weapon..."

[GRUNHERZ]

Wulfie where did you get this information?

[fdiron]

Disregard-forgot that the Tu-95 Bear was turbo-prop.