The Nuclear Football

Check this out:
story.news.yahoo.com.../nm/20040604/od_uk_nm/oukoe_pope_bush_football

Wow, I'm out of the loop. I had never heard of the "Nuclear Football" before this story. Let's hope we never "fumble" it like Bush Sr.'s people almost did.

There was an article about "things we didn't know" about the president and white house in FHM magazine this month. The football was mentioned.

The military official who carries the "football" is always tailing the president. I just find it odd that the decision will be made right there and then when/if the time comes. You would think a simple phone call is all it would take. Nothing like expecting the worst!

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by SupaFly]

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by SupaFly]

Before this I thought only the Russians had something like this. Says on this site that inside it is a President's Decision Book - the nuclear playbook that the President would rely on if he would ever have to decide to use nuclear weapons.

www.globalsecurity.org...

Apparently when Reagan got shot, the nuclear football was misplaced somewhere in the hospital.

NORAD won't sit still and wait on launch authorization for a defensive strike due to an incoming threat.

Nuke ball for premptive or offensive strikes.


[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

So if I'm not mistaken the President never reviews the information contained in the football, but realies on a soldier to tell him what is what? Personally, if I was Pres then that would be the first thing I would open and read just to make sure I'm following everything.

Originally posted by RegenmacherNuke ball only for premptive offensive strikes.
[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

No it's not. The football has a playbook with a lot of pages. Some "plays" are responsive in nature.

The "Black Book" is said to contain 75 pages of options, to be used against these four primary groups. The options are further devided into:

Major Attack Options, (MAO's)
Selected Attack Options, (SAO's)
Limited Attack Options (LAO's)
The SIOP also allows the President to select Regional Nuclear Options (RNO's) for use against enemy forces leading a conventional attack against US forces. These plans allow the President to execute the SIOP during an attack. He may decide to activate Launch on Warning (LOW) or Launch under Attack (LUA) plans in the event an actual nuclear attack.

LOW or LUA are responsive measures. I believe the authority to launch has always resided with the CINC who is the President or his replacement. That's just part of the important of the line of succession.

Repeat: NORAD does not need to wait on Presidential authorization for a defensive strike from an attacking nation and the military is capable of changing the launch codes at any given time. The football's plans are not geared in defensive reactionary measures. They are offensive plans that are for second strike strategic launches. First wave is presumed to be ridden out then the playbook is used.

If Russia launches it all in one sweep the playbook is useless garbage.


Btw, nice trout...is that a mackinaw or rainbow?

Every new president is given a misleading briefing on the nuclear "football," writes Bruce G. Blair, a former nuclear launch control officer. "From the time of this highly classified orientation briefing given immediately upon his assumption of the presidency through the end of his tenure, a president is made to believe that he is the nuclear quarterback in control of the nuclear football and would call the shots in the event of a nuclear showdown or enemy missile attack. . . .

"What is misleading about the briefing is that the president's supporting command system is not actually geared to withhold retaliation in the event of enemy missile attack, real or apparent. . . .

"The bias in favor of launch on electronic warning is so powerful that it would take enormously more presidential will to withhold an attack than to authorize it. The option to 'ride out' the onslaught and then take stock of the proper course of action exists only on paper."

www.thebulletin.org...


[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by Regenmacher]

Ignore this post.
Sorry Hyperen, I missed your link.
Sanc'.

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by sanctum]

The Russians lack the ability to launch in one big sweep, they simply do not have enough silos for all their nuclear missiles.

it rested on the shiny marble floor between the firm legs of Major Paul Montanus of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Did we really need a description like this??

Y'know, after last July, I was hoping I wouldn't hear the football term again.

This is creepy.

Fox News just reported that president Bush had this "nuclear football" with the launch codes with him while meeting with the Pope. and it was between them!

Damned scarey.. what if the Pope had hung his head over this brief case or "football" while drooling on it and it shorted the circuits out in it? .. OMG! damned scary if you ask me.

Gazz

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Wait no one knew there even was such a thing? All world leadres who have nuclear weapons have this thing....

Originally posted by AD5673
Wait no one knew there even was such a thing? All world leadres who have nuclear weapons have this thing....

Uhm alot of people have knowledge of the football, ever see the movie Deterence with Kevin Pollack? It's a great movie, I higly recommend it. There is a rather realistic scene regarding the use of the football from a small diner a few miles away from NORAD.

check out the novel (area 7) for all the area 51 and nuclear football fans....great stuff

The football is absolutely no secret whatsoever. Anyone read Deriliction of Duty? President Bush (sr.) trip away from the football pales in comparison with Clinton several "fumbles".

And BTW - Not only does the NORAD commander not have the authority to use nuclear weapons - he is NOWHERE in the command and control system from the president down to implement them. Other (military) people could concievably be in charge (if enough other people die) - but certainly not the NORAD staff.

WHY are the nuclear launch codes static?! Even some networks have passwords that change every minute or so based on an algorithm synchoronized to a small handheld device that displays the current password.

My question is WHY THE HECK are the nuclear launch codes static. Major security risk if you ask me.

AD5673 wrote

All world leadres who have nuclear weapons have this thing....

The UK doesn't. It was proposed by Mountbatten in the 1960s but was rejected.
If there is a "bolt fron the blue" attack which annihilates the Prime Minister or his Deputy, (not necessarily the Deputy Prime Minister) the UK Trident submarine captains rely on the Prime Ministers instructions contained in a sealed envelope which is kept in the Captains safe.

zero lift

Originally posted by intrigue
WHY are the nuclear launch codes static?! Even some networks have passwords that change every minute or so based on an algorithm synchoronized to a small handheld device that displays the current password.

My question is WHY THE HECK are the nuclear launch codes static. Major security risk if you ask me.

Launch codes are not "static" They change regularly, however the process is intentionally devoid of computers to ensure that if there ever is reason to launch there is no software bug to get in the way, and to reduce the number of people with access to the codes (or more realisticaly, access to how the codes are generated).

There is no other known code system that is as reliable and secure as the US Nuclear control system. Encryption and rapidly changing codes are great if you have large numbers of people who require access (and therefore the risk of compromise is great) - but simple, easily sealed code systems are best when you absolutely must ensure secrecy and operational readiness at any time.

I ask you this... How often do those "state of the art" systems fail (not allow access)? Perhaps .1% of the time? That level of risk would be absolutely unacceptable for nuclear control codes.