Putin told to fire nuclear missile at largest US weapon range as a 'warning'

The thing with plutonium from spent fuel rods is, that it has a high rate of spontaneous fission. This might lead to premajure detonation and lower the yield. Not like detonating just like "puff" anytime but during ignition phase it might lead to the core being blowed apart. Weapons grade plutonium is around 93% and indeed needs to be enriched.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

You are right about the fact that the longer fuel remains in reactor the more undesirable plutonium isotopes it picks up
especially Pu 241

PU 241 has a high rate of spontaneous fission, emitting large numbers of neutrons, becoming a significant issue

That is why the neutron flux is carefully monitored to prevent the Plutonium from picking up undesirable isotopes

That said in 1962 US used reactor grade Plutonium to make a weapon as a test - yield was under 20 kilotons

Y'all need to think more futuristic when it comes to defense. My mom's husband actually works at the Nevada test site and my mother is employed with the D.O.E. The technology the US has is unmatched. It doesn't help Los Alamos Laboratory keeps hiring foreigners who steal technology though. If it were a real threat, this place would be on high alert, the town would be shut down and every mother and child would be evacuated by now. Stop the fear mongering and get right with God.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
Yeah but his point still stands if there are nuclear armed torpedoes that can takeout entire port cities. And if I am not mistaken, I believe they have had those for while now, no?

I dunno ... it's debatable.

Supposedly Russia has developed three things that are 'unstoppable':
1) The Dead Hand launch. If their strategic launch system doesn't detect a designated signal ... everything fires.
2) Some magic cobalt bomb that makes the Earth uninhabitable
3) Coastal City Killer (am guessing that's what you're referring to). This one is more like a submarine that supposedly hovers outside the 12 mile zone. Listens for an ELF signal. Creeps in to its target location and detonates, creating either a Tsunami or obliterates directly.

Great campfire stories all. I think they'll also have Red Matter before the end of the month.

I have heard that Russia has secret energy weapons beamed from a satellite that had destroyed secret US nuclear submarines that were deployed near it's borders. That was backed in the 70s or 80s btw.

a reply to: fantasyland

You've heard male cow feces.

a reply to: JIMC5499

As I understand it, SOP for those tracking subs is two hot in the tubes with tracking constantly upgraded. Flooding of the launch bays would result, I'm guessing, in instant response from said sub.

As I understand it...I may be mistaken.

a reply to: JIMC5499

I would assume if we werent actively tracking Russian subs, we are making every effort to donso now.

I used to think there would be no way Putin would launch a nuclear war, not anymore.