Is the Nuclear Arms Race Making a Comeback?

[Bandersnatch]

I think the answer to your question is yes, the top photo suggests a better future.

The top photo depicts MIRVs from a Peacekeeper ICBM during testing at Kwajalein atoll. It's neither better nor a future.

 

[1oldman2]

The top photo depicts MIRVs from a Peacekeeper ICBM during testing at Kwajalein atoll. It's neither better nor a future.

Your absolutely correct on all counts, I posted the wrong image by mistake and didn't edit it in time. (The second image isn't the Tsar Bomba, I'm pretty sure that was a French, South Sea test).

 

[zoobyshoe]

The top photo depicts MIRVs from a Peacekeeper ICBM during testing at Kwajalein atoll. It's neither better nor a future.

Yes, and, to be explicit, each of those 'rays' represents a potential atomic warhead descending from the sky. The single missile that is launched breaks into eight independently guided parts in flight, each of which is guided to a separate target, for example: eight different cities. The Russians now have, or are claiming they have, a missile that breaks into ten (not just eight) separate parts, which is what's behind their claim they have one missile that can destroy a whole country (France-sized).

 

[mfb]

Reference for the MIRV image

I don't know where the other image comes from, probably not from wikimedia.

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

The top photo depicts MIRVs from a Peacekeeper ICBM during testing at Kwajalein atoll. It's neither better nor a future.

I had no idea what is was, but it suggested to me something good, namely a simultaneous neutralization of all nuclear assets all over the globe. A sort of first strike for peace. It's just a fantasy for now. But perhaps a qualitative jump in technology could allow this to become reality. I really don't know, it's just a science fiction scenario. What would it really look like? Perhaps it would be invisible.

 

[Bandersnatch]

The Russians now have, or are claiming they have, a missile that breaks into ten (not just eight) separate parts,

Same with Peacekeeper - it was a 10-warhead missile. The picture either didn't catch all, or the test used a limited setup.

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

Reference for the MIRV image

I don't know where the other image comes from, probably not from wikimedia.

Maybe this...
View attachment 110966
Is better than this...
View attachment 110967
Just a thought.

So what exactly are you asking? Which is better, MIRV vs single detonation? Or is the point that both are undesirable?

 

[mfb]

There is a non-serious proposal to disarm nuclear weapons. The downside: you need an absurdly powerful particle accelerator, and you also disarm everything around them.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Same with Peacekeeper - it was a 10-warhead missile. The picture either didn't catch all, or the test used a limited setup.

Yes, you're right:

The Peacekeeper was a MIRV missile that could carry up to 10 re-entry vehicles, each armed with a 300-kiloton W87 warhead in a Mk.21 reentry vehicle (RV). A total of 50 missiles were deployed starting in 1986, after a long and contentious development program that traced its roots into the 1960s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGM-118_Peacekeeper

And the new Russian missile doesn't actually represent an improvement in 'firepower,' so to speak, the improvement is:

But with the introduction of the Satan 2, the electronics, targeting, and reliability will noticeably improve over that of the older missile.

http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-nuclear-missile-satan-2-2016-10

edit:

Its large payload would allow for up to 10 heavy warheads or 15 lighter ones or up to 24 hypersonic glide vehicles Yu-71,[4][5] or a combination of warheads and massive amounts of countermeasures designed to defeat anti-missile systems;[6][7] it was heralded by the Russian military as a response to the U.S. Prompt Global Strike.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-28_Sarmat

 

[Bebop Speaks]

What I think Presidents Trump and Putin both want is to keep their populations poor and scared. Buy more bombs and make U.S./U.S.S.R. great again is what they are saying, but what they mean is "Buy more bombs and make my corrupt friends even richer."

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

I don't know if this thread is one of the banned threads that will soon be closed. Is this politics?

In any case, once we put aside some rather silly fantasies, including my own science-fiction scenario, the reality is that we are living on borrowed time, until the leaders of all the nuclear powers get together and agree on total nuclear disarmament. Our tech people are working on missile defense. But it seems that could be overcome by building enough missiles to overwhelm the defense. Putin made that point years ago.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I don't know if this thread is one of the banned threads that will soon be closed. Is this politics?

Yes

 

[Stavros Kiri]

In general, politicians make statements for various reasons. I don't think any of the two economies is ready for another cold war.

 

[rootone]

politicians make statements for various reasons.

That's what politicians do, it's a requirement for the job.