[Strategerist]

Actually a Russian SSBN just out of port in the Barents Sea or the Sea of Okhotsk can turn all American cities into rubble, and have been able to since the 70s. They don’t need to patrol near the US.

[tanknetter]

Actually a Russian SSBN just out of port in the Barents Sea or the Sea of Okhotsk can turn all American cities into rubble, and have been able to since the 70s. They don’t need to patrol near the US.

Depressed trajectory shot. Assuming the President and senior civilian and military leadership are all in Washington, there'd be no time for them to react. US launch authority would devolve to somewhere else, probably to the senior officer aboard an E-6B.

[Mr. Silverback]

True, and these movements probably aren’t a real threat. Still, if they wanted to decapitate our government and make a retaliatory strike much less likely, a launch from right off the coast would be the way to go.