Authorizing the launch of nuclear weapons!

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
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Has anyone seen the key they use or better yet held one in their hand?
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
No...but sometimes I go through the whole sequence from Crimson Tide when I know I'm about to launch a ballistic missile.
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,299
740
126
I saw Santa last year, there was a key hanging on his belt, does it look like that?
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
No, but when negotiating with other leaders i toss in "OUR WORDS ARE BACKED BY NUCLEAR WEAPONS".
 

tboo

Diamond Member
Jun 25, 2000
7,626
1
81
I saw the old ones they used to use at the Missle Silo Museum in Green Valley, AZ.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
This thread has gone marvelously sideways.

You guys know what the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman is?

Do ya??






Snow balls!
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
This thread has gone marvelously sideways.

You guys know what the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman is?

Do ya??






Snow balls!

Snow kidding!

A black president passed me the nuclear football.

He still walks around with that man purse? :p

Silly folk think they are crunching/folding to find ET or a cure for cancer but workunits are actually cracking the nuke codes for skynet. :p
 
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gaidensensei

Banned
May 31, 2003
2,851
2
81
avatar105721_4.gif

:eek:

Who are you nuking, Ruby?
 

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
...

I don't feel comfortable with the idea of you having any of this knowledge.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,381
4,999
136
Has anyone seen the key they use or better yet held one in their hand?

I have seen them on SSBN Submarines. You have the Keys ( several all controlled by different people ) that are required to launch. These look just like regular old keys ...

The launch trigger that is actually used to initiate the launch sequence looks like the hand grip of a revolver pistol with a trigger and guard, but no barrel or cylinder and a wire comming out the bottom of the hand grip wired into the fire control console. When everything is ready you just pull the trigger.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
I have seen them on SSBN Submarines. You have the Keys ( several all controlled by different people ) that are required to launch. These look just like regular old keys ...

The launch trigger that is actually used to initiate the launch sequence looks like the hand grip of a revolver pistol with a trigger and guard, but no barrel or cylinder and a wire comming out the bottom of the hand grip wired into the fire control console. When everything is ready you just pull the trigger.


Neat - so the they are just key switches. You have to wonder how well the wiring is shielded and how good the fail safe timing is to catch tampering with wiring, etc. :eek:
 

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,511
136
106
Since you asked..........................

I was in the Air Force, have been in the launch capsule for ICBMs (Minuteman Missiles), held a key, even did practice launches in training. No big deal. More exciting (at first) to install the code plug into the live warhead then that becomes routine like everything else.

I was an electronics specialist but cant tell you much else as most of the electronics were in sealed modules that were mostly just swapped.

minuteman-silo.jpg
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Awesome - exactly what I was after. Submarines are meh but silos OTOH... :D

Since you asked..........................

I was in the Air Force, have been in the launch capsule for ICBMs (Minuteman Missiles), held a key, even did practice launches in training. No big deal. More exciting (at first) to install the code plug into the live warhead then that becomes routine like everything else.

I was an electronics specialist but cant tell you much else as most of the electronics were in sealed modules that were mostly just swapped.
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
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I believe the president has to dry hump the machine in order to launch any nuclear weapons.
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
Here's my launch button. I only press it after I launch a nuke.

mudflap-girl-handle.jpg


Yes, thats a toilet flush handle shaped like a playboy model.
 

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,511
136
106
I worked in Minuteman LFs (silos) and LCFs (launch control facilities) for 4 years. It was all classified of course so we werent allowed to take any pics or even talk about the shape of the warheads. Then we saw pics like that one plastered all over news mags.

Ruby, Id be glad to answer any legitimate questions you might have that I can. Got to hit the gym first. Be back in a few hours.