Posted on 12/09/2021 9:52:00 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Blast yield Believed to be either 0.3–340 kt[3] or 0.3–400 kt[4] in the weapon’s various mods.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb
Even in an era of nuclear tipped missiles of global range, the seemingly humble nuclear gravity bomb retains an important deterrent role in that it can be carried by a wide range of aircraft that have routine non-nuclear missions. Thus no-goodniks like China or Iran, for example, have to wonder just what a handful of B-2s deployed to Diego Garcia might be up to. When a US general or diplomat warns that the US is “prepared for all eventualities” it means that conventional and nuclear options are available to the US without risking a general nuclear war by launching land of seaborne ICBMs.
I’m very sure that using a nuclear bomb on China or Russia in any capacity would escalate into a full exchange pretty quick.
Someday it will....with certainty.
A gravity bomb today is of questionable survivability against modern air defenses. An airplane overflying it’s target is not going to survive against a Russian S-400 SAM, and even stealth has it’s limits.
Don’t nuke me, bro!
“We’ll meet again...”
Notably, Russian doctrine considers battlefield use of nuclear weapons as plausible and potentially advantageous without necessarily leading to a full nuclear exchange. Thus Russia might be tempted to use one or more small nuclear weapons to break the Ukrainian army without causing major civilian casualties while declaring that they do not intend a wider nuclear attack on the US or Europe.
Yet Russia would be much less inclined to try that if the US (or Britain) could swiftly counter with an equivalent small, limited nuclear attack on Russian forces in the field. Remarkably, US and Russian military strategists know well enough how each other think that there is a high degree of confidence in these calculations.
In our era of large and highly capable nuclear weapons stockpiles, a stable nuclear standoff between Russia and the US is essential to keeping the peace. It also helps dissuade more European countries like Poland, Italy, and Ukraine from developing nuclear weapons for their own sake.
Similarly, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia refrain from developing nuclear weapons to counter China and North Korea because the US has that covered, more or less.
A stick for whacking hornets nests.
“An airplane overflying it’s target is not going to survive against a Russian S-400 SAM, and even stealth has it’s limits.”
My first thought too. Good luck against their S-400’s!!!
The oldest pawn strategy.. just keep flying or walking or sailing into the kill zone until someone gets lucky. After all.. how many Congress critters have skin in the military game.
Before the release of each & every bomb from the airplane, there will be a required congressional commission established to review the mission reasons and the environmental and cultural impact of the explosion...
By order of the WH, the delay in the bomb's release can last no longer than 15-days in order to assure expeditious completion of the bombing mission...
Too late for Ukraine; however, there are drones (left).
Any attack would have that effect. China and Russia are prepared to use a Samson option. It’s their only hope.
More evidence that Biden wants to SkyNet us.
“... don’t know where, don’t know when ...”
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