The Bunker Nightmare goes Nuclear

Popular Science ^ | Andrew Koch

[machman]

Interesting. Anybody got any more pictures??

[Naplm]

search FR, was posted last week with pics

[Vidalia]

One would think that during the last 40+ years at least one young enthusiastic bright scientist would have run hundreds/thousands of simulations in regards to this very problem.

You'd think that this would even be a research project at one of our "prestigious" Institutes of Technology...

[Naplm]

sorry, after reading further, it was an article about mini nukes I was refering too, , sorry. This is a good read.

[shadowman99]

...B61-11 was never viewed as a viable weapon because it performed poorly during earth- penetration trials. The Clinton Administration showed little interest in it and instead expressed support for international agreements that outlawed further development..."

So if the Clinton administration had given the green light to building a working version of this weapon, OBL would have died at Tora Bora (beyond a shadow of doubt).

[machman]

Yeah, I did a search, didn't see it posted before. Not that I have ever posted anything here that has already been posted. ;^)

[jae471]

The B61-11:

The B61 has four major sections:
* Nose Subassembly: contains a dual-channel radar airburst fuze and two piezoelectric crystal impact fuzes, and shock mitigating material for laydown delivery.
* Center Warhead Subassembly: "hard case" containing the actual thermonuclear warhead, sealed and desiccated with polyurethane spacers to support warhead and provide shock isolation. Also contains thermal batteries, safeties, and firing circuits.
* Rear Subassembly: Preflight arming controls, fuzing option switches, safe separation setting dials, and spin rockets for free fall weapon stabilization.
* Tail Subassembly: consists of bomb fins, afterbody structure, parachute with associated deployment and release mechanisms. Complete parachute assembly weighs 115 lb.

Mod 11: Tactical or strategic bomb with multiple yield options presumably ranging from 10 Kt (and possibly lower yields) to 340 Kt. This is a modified Mod 7 with a one-piece case hardened steel center case, and a new nose piece and rear subassembly to provide ground penetration capability for defeating buried targets. The parachute assembly has also been removed, and new aerodynamic fins added for high-velocity, accurate delivery. The B61-11 buries itself 3-6 meters underground before detonation, transfering a much higher proportion of the explosion energy to ground shock, compared to surface bursts. The actual warhead itself is identical to the Mod 7. This is the first new model of a U.S. warhead to go into service.

Delivery Systems: B-52, B-1,B-2B, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, A-6, AV-8A, Tornado

A B-2 can carry 16 of these, and a B-52 can carry 8.

[demlosers]

The NPR's endorsement could be an important step toward convincing Congress to fund the design and development of the mini-nuke.

The NPR endorsement??
Congress needs Nina Totenburg and Daniel Schorr to say yes? Baah!

[Naplm]

Drell cites data from a 1962 nuclear test called Sedan at the Nevada Test Site that involved a 104-kiloton explosion 635 feet below ground. Despite the depth of the weapon, 12 million tons of radioactive earth and debris were propelled into the atmosphere. The crater it left was 1,280 feet in diameter and 320 feet deep.

That is a BIG hole. Wonder if there are pics of these holes in public domain?

I think the other article on the mini nukes might have been a Popular Mechanics article.

[The Electrician]

I don't even pretend to be a weapons designer... But one would think that there might be better ways to attack these bunkers than simply blasting away at them with more and more force. Nanites, anyone?

[sigSEGV]

Or burrowing spikes that emit a super powerful EM pulse strong enough to melt aluminum. Ever put a CD in a microwave :)?

[demlosers]

A B-61 stored in a WS3 vault that is in the access position inside a hardened A/C shelter (HAS). WS3 vaults can hold 4 tactical nukes. This picture was probably taken at some airbase in Europe.

[ffrancone]

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[AFreeBird]

B-61? Sure looks like an F-16 to me.

[MediaMole]

sedan crater...

[demlosers]

I'm talking about the silver bomb in the foreground not the F-16.

[mikegi]

I think this would be a better weapon against a tunnel.

[Cobra Scott]

One cool thing about this is that it uses current adjustable-yield warheads in stock, thereby not violating the NPR (non proliferation resolution).

The drawback is that it blasts a whole lot of radioactive dust into the air, and not at a very high altitude.

A much larger, say 15-20 megaton warhead, would throw the dust much higher, making it much safer for the Saud...er, the neutral neighbors who wouldn't dream of interfering...

In the case of nuclear bombs, the larger the warhead, the more humane the carnage. Thus we need to develop bigger and better weapons if we are to maintain a humanitarian mindset. Besides, a ground blast crater from a 20MT would make one heck of a cool historical marker for a mosque.

[11B3]

How about using super high energy ultrasonics at one of the resonant frequencies of the target area soil/rock to liquefy the impact area? Maybe by placing the transmitter assembly as an addition to the nosecone of the explosive or as a completely separate burrowing device with the explosive device following it? Kind of a one-two punch.

But then again, optimally we'd advance the current state of quantum transport and just have the explosive materialize inside the bunker.

[11B3]

I was just going through a list of the underground tests in Nevada and ran into one everyone should appreciate:
Test Name: Clymer, depth of blast 390 ft., yield <20 kt