NNSA Dismantles Last Nuclear Artillery Shell; Battefield Weapons Were Retired by George H.W. Bush

releases.usnewswire.com ^

[hchutch]

Besides, SADARM, the CBU-97, and the AGM-154B do almost as much damage.

[Darksheare]

UH oh.

[Hunble]

Are you F*&k*&g insane?

This is how countries can exploit the Gap between conventional bombs and multi-mega-ton nuclear weapons.

If, for instance, a country such as France or Germany used a very low yield nuclear weapon in the 1 kt range, what could the United States do about it?

Use a B-52 and drop 500 lb bombs with minimal effect, or fire off ICBMs and cause a global nuclear war?

America must (MUST) develop tactical nuclear weapons ASAP.

[weaponeer]

We don't have 8-inch artillery, but there are 155mm guns.

That would be a big surprise to the thousands of army and marine artillerymen currently manning the M110A2 in Iraq and other places around the world.

see: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/www/260b.htm

[Frank_Discussion]

"Are you F*&k*&g insane?"

Are you asking me a question, or agreeing with my sentiment?

[Hunble]

Agreeing.

[DeepDish]

Instructions on this shell include "jerk string, get away quick".

[Poohbah]

If, for instance, a country such as France or Germany used a very low yield nuclear weapon in the 1 kt range, what could the United States do about it?

B-2 arrives, deposits a 200kt care package, and leaves. President asks new leadership "Y'all sure you want to play another hand?"

Use a B-52 and drop 500 lb bombs with minimal effect, or fire off ICBMs and cause a global nuclear war?

False dichotomy.

Your enemy has already started a "global nuclear war" by attacking the US with a nuke.

We wouldn't cause it. We would simply end it.

[Frank_Discussion]

Whew. I mean, I'm insane, but I didn't see how that was cogent to the discussion... ;-)

[ZOOKER]

Test of nuclear artillery piece, Nevada test range, 1953

[Hunble]

Actually, as someone in the Field Artillery in Germany during the 1970's, I know all about these.

We trained used a 50 foot lanyard (rope) to fire the Howitzer when loaded with a nuclear shell. You dig a fox-hole to protect yourself first. From that fox-hole, you then pull the lanyard and watch the howitzer destroy itself. The nuclear artillery shell goes down-range, and the tube will exit in the opposite direction.

For obvious reasons, you can only fire one nuclear artillery shell per howitzer.

With 6 Howitzers per Field Artillery Battery, that would make the Russians think twice.

[wideminded]

Video and photos of blast.

http://www.vce.com/grable.html

In many pictures and films of atomic tests there are a series of vertical smoke trails to one side of the blast. These are identified in one of the frames on the page you posted. I assume that these trails are not caused by the blast, but serve some sort of testing function, perhaps to measure some parameters of the shock wave. Anyone know for sure?

[Hunble]

In 1977, I was shot at by a German while guarding (NATO two three) these nuclear weapon artillery shells.

To this day, I will alway remember how important these nuclear artillery shells were in our effort to prevent the Russians from invading West Germany.

To me, this will never be forgotten.

[Frank_Discussion]

East German shooter, I assume?

[U S Army EOD]

The gun you are talking about was the 280mm Atomic Cannon. The Davy Crocket could be fired off the back of a Jeep but the range was less than the secondary damage radis.

[FlyVet]

The declassifed KGB files claim that Cuban commanders on the ground during the Missile Crisis had battlefield nuke shells, and permission to use them if America had invaded to shut down the Russian missile sites. You think we would have "gone nuclear" if one of those babies was fired?

Hmmmmmmmm, I didn't know that. It makes me wonder if that's a possble reason Kennedy abandoned the Cubans at the Bay of Pigs. Maybe he knew Castro would sling a few nukes at them?

[July 4th]

Those, I believe, are smoke rockets sent up so that there is a gauge on the picture taken. Makes it easier to measure effect.

[Hunble]

there are a series of vertical smoke trails to one side of the blast.

In the test and images that you talked about, the military fired rockets into the air to provide smoke trails.

After the nuclear explosion, they were able to measure the displacement of the smoke trails in an effort to understand the effects of the weapon as a function of distance and altitude.

[Hunble]

East German shooter, I assume?

Correct!

Actually, I was rather busy at the time for obvious reasons. After the two Cobra helicopters finished with the idiot, there was not much left of him.

As I was told later, it was an East German shooter responsible.

[July 4th]

The Davy Crockett was one mean bazooka.