You are the commander of a SSBN and you get the command from the pentagon under Trump's administration to launch nukes, what will you do?

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Will you launch?

  • Yes, Always obey the chain of command

    Votes: 10 38.5%
  • No,. Go Rogue

    Votes: 16 61.5%

  • Total voters
    26

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,999
1,520
136
I actually worked with nuclear weapons when I was in the Navy during the late 60's, as at the time aircraft carriers carried hundreds of tactical nukes from 20 Kilotons to multiple megaton yields. Clinton removed all nukes from surface ships in 91.

My take away is if WWIII is fought with nukes, WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones. I would absolutely refuse to launch a first strike.
Even if that first strike were to prevent or minimize an imminent full scale nuclear attack on the US?
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
Even if that first strike were to prevent or minimize an imminent full scale nuclear attack on the US?
Oh, you mean like the WMD's that were "supposed" to be in Iraq, or the 4 embassy attacks that were supposed to be coming?

Presidents have been known to lie about such things..... ya know!
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,999
1,520
136
Oh, you mean like the WMD's that were "supposed" to be in Iraq, or the 4 embassy attacks that were supposed to be coming?

Presidents have been known to lie about such things..... ya know!
Well, that is the crux of the problem isnt it? It *could* be a valid order, although if it came from Trump, I would be very hesitant. Just saying I would not categorically say the order should be ignored, because it depends on the situation.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
Well, that is the crux of the problem isnt it? It *could* be a valid order, although if it came from Trump, I would be very hesitant. Just saying I would not categorically say the order should be ignored, because it depends on the situation.
If it a 'first strike' the situation is clear. The fact the current CIC is mentally unstable is also a situation.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,764
2,279
126
Wrong coordinates to DC...I mean an accident...
interesting question there; i always thought the ICBMs had the coordinates already set internally?
As in, the launch crew on LAUNCHES, they do not plot the target. The ICBM has a set ot sensors, such as accelerometers, that tells it where it is travelling to. You would likely need to program these to hit a specific geolocation, and while i am sure this can be done on-the-fly with relatively modern equipment, isn't that just an additional step that does not need to be there? SO, each specific ICMB already has its one-or-more targets set, and when you want to hit a specific target, you launch that specific ICBM.
 
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BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,208
12,528
136
First strike? Fake a nuclear accident, put the crew in life oats, scuttle the boat.


oh wait. That's been done.
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,636
8,522
136
interesting question there; i always thought the ICBMs had the coordinates already set internally?
As in, the launch crew on LAUNCHES, they do not plot the target. The ICBM has a set ot sensors, such as accelerometers, that tells it where it is travelling to. You would likely need to program these to hit a specific geolocation, and while i am sure this can be done on-the-fly with relatively modern equipment, isn't that just an additional step that does not need to be there? SO, each specific ICMB already has its one-or-more targets set, and when you want to hit a specific target, you launch that specific ICBM.


Put them out to tender - whoever offers the highest bid gets to pick the target. It's the free-market way. Milo Minderbender rules. Everybody gets a share.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,764
2,279
126
Put them out to tender - whoever offers the highest bid gets to pick the target. It's the free-market way. Milo Minderbender rules. Everybody gets a share.
Or as i proposed previously, make a Twitter poll. GUARANTEED Trump winds up nuking Puerto Rico first.
 

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,986
3,320
126
Depends on who is giving the order and if the order has been vetted by my chain of command.....not just one person!
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,636
8,522
136
Or as i proposed previously, make a Twitter poll. GUARANTEED Trump winds up nuking Puerto Rico first.

I fear a Twitter poll would likely lead to targetting either a fictional country, or a typographical error.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
31,441
9,343
136
Depends on who is giving the order and if the order has been vetted by my chain of command.....not just one person!
Yeah but there has to be that one person in the chain of command that goes "fuck that", the question the op was asking was if that was going to be you or not.
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,868
1,516
126
I wonder what the chances of someone who is an 'independent thinker' and only follows the orders they like making it to a sub captain are anyway...
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,419
5,852
136
My take away is if WWIII is fought with nukes, WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones. I would absolutely refuse to launch a first strike.

same

really glad that stanislav petrov ignored the false nuke launch detection back in 1983, otherwise we'd be living in mad max right now
 
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balloonshark

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2008
6,580
3,059
136
"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?" - Joshua

If I learned anything in the 80's it's that you can't win a nuclear war. Plus I don't want to be the asshole who kills millions because of a Tweet.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,764
2,279
126
since now this has become a SERIOUS thread (with even a poll), i would launch. Two reasons;
1. realistically, if you are given the launch key, you are already known to be a follows-orders kinda guy. Psych assessments n' all.
2. it's etter to obey the order and to be the guy who ends civilization, than to be the guy who disobeys, makes a mistake, and winds up causing us to all die because of it.

Also, consider that it's not *one* ICBM to get launched.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
16,094
8,109
136
Let's see, it my job, I’ve been chosen based on my psychological profile, I’ve trained a hundred times to to click through the checklist. The nukes would fly. Goodbye to the developed world.
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
Orders from the cic are absolute. Lite the match and watch it burn.
 

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
18,600
11,288
136
If the premier wants to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike, here's my solution:

He gets to ride it, Dr Strangelove style.
 

local

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2011
1,851
515
136
Isn't getting orders and turning the key part of training anyway? Seems like it would make sense that you would never actually know if it was real or not until you felt the launch.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,210
28,915
136
Isn't getting orders and turning the key part of training anyway? Seems like it would make sense that you would never actually know if it was real or not until you felt the launch.
I asked a missileer this very question. He said that the crew would know that it was a real launch while doing it.
 

local

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2011
1,851
515
136
I asked a missileer this very question. He said that the crew would know that it was a real launch while doing it.

Yeah, probably don't want to flood the tubes unless it was an actual launch I guess. And there is probably some kind of warm up for the missiles or something. In other words things you wouldn't miss happening on the same boat as you.

Then again these are the same people that had the land based launch codes set at all zero's during the cold war so we probably wouldn't want there to be any "oops we picked the wrong training code and nuked Fiji by accident" scenarios.
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,868
1,516
126
Isn't getting orders and turning the key part of training anyway? Seems like it would make sense that you would never actually know if it was real or not until you felt the launch.

Would do they really say "THIS IS NOT A DRILL...REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL' like they do in the movies if it was real launch?
 

local

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2011
1,851
515
136
Would do they really say "THIS IS NOT A DRILL...REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL' like they do in the movies if it was real launch?

Sure, why not? Apparently the Navy is full of stupid ass snowflakes that can't do anything without someone holding their hand, or at least that is what the old Navy guy down the hall says.

I thought the "THIS IS NOT A DRILL" message was for being attacked though not when you are doing the attacking?