Inside the Apocalyptic Soviet Doomsday Machine

2009-09-21 | Nicholas Thompson

[justlurking]

Link only, due to Wired's copyright complaints.

Inside the Apocalyptic Soviet Doomsday Machine

I'm posting this without any text, because I think it's important.

The "Doomsday" machine is apparently real, and still operational. Read the article for more details.

[Gator113]

Marked for later read... that’s long.

[rlmorel]

First in!

[hc87]

Now then, Dmitri, you know how we’ve always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the bomb. [pause] The BOMB, Dmitri! Well now, what happened is, uh, one of our base commanders, he had a sort of, well, he went a little funny in the head. You know. Just a little...funny. And uh, he went and did a silly thing. Well, I’ll tell you what he did, he ordered his planes...to attack your country

[Michael Barnes]

Its a good read; picked it up from /. earlier today.

[fishtank]

It would still have to be maintained.

Not a small order.

[webstersII]

Balthorium-G

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

WE MUST NOT ALLOW A MINESHAFT GAP!

[Pontiac]

The technical name was Perimeter, but some called it Mertvaya Ruka, or Dead Hand. It was built 25 years ago and remained a closely guarded secret.

Like Dr. Strangelove said in the movie. The entire purpose of the Dooms Day Machine is to instill the fear to attack; “Why didn’t you tell the world”

[Windcatcher]

Don’t you mean Cobalt-Thorium-G?

Yes, I have no life...

[Palin Republic]

The secret Closed Cities still operate in Russia.

The Yamantau Mountain complex continues to expand, using the money we send Russia to disarm.

[justlurking]

An interesting choice of images, because the article discusses Dr. Strangelove.

As you may remember, the attack by the rogue US general is expected to set off a Soviet doomsday machine. It results in the following conversation:

Dr. Strangelove: Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?

Ambassador de Sadesky: It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, the Premier loves surprises.

The KGB Colonel in this article claims that althought it was kept a secret, it actually calmed down the Soviet leadership -- because they no longer felt they needed to "launch on warning", as long as they thought this system would exact revenge.

[driftdiver]

In their heyday only about 80% of Soviet missiles would launch on the first attempt. I’d imagine its much much lower now.

[skeptoid]

Who ya gonna call??

Col. Kong is no longer available.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Are these for REAL? I have a close friend who was in the Gulf War who said he actually saw these. Is this BS?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Interesting. I wonder if the Russians have kept what would have to be a large number of computers, radio systems, and missiles maintained to the point that they would still work today.

[justlurking]

It would still have to be maintained.

According to the article, it is still maintained.

It's not so much a "device", as a command-and-control system that will survive any attack. What makes it a "dead hand" system is procedures that activate if certain conditions are met... one of which is the cut-off of communications with the General Staff.

The US has a similar system: the Looking Glass that was airborne 24 hours/day until 1990. But, while it is still on continuous alert, it is no longer constantly airborne. And it doesn't simply grant command authority to someone that is expected to push the button without question.

[rlmorel]

LOL, of course, that was why I posted it! NO FIGHTING IN THE WAR ROOM!

[NonValueAdded]

Oh wow, Dr. Strangelove was on last night.

[Palin Republic]

All too real.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_city

“There are currently 42 publicly-acknowledged closed cities in Russia with a total population of about 1.5 million people. 75% are administered by the Russian Ministry of Defence, with the rest being administered by the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency, formerly the Ministry for Atomic Energy (Minatom).[2] Another 15 or so closed cities are believed to exist, but their names and locations have not been publicly disclosed by the Russian government.”

http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/the-rebirth-of-russias-closed-cities

“With Russian coffers swollen in recent years with profits from the country’s high-priced natural gas and oil reserves, however, the closed cities have begun to see their federal funding return and their agendas fill with new civilian scientific missions—especially in support of Moscow’s aggressive plans to become a major builder and exporter of nuclear energy-related technologies.”

[mkjessup]

All jokes aside (and they are funny jokes), I gleaned this detail from the article:

"...in 1962, Robert McNamara ordered every nuclear weapon locked with numerical codes. Effect: None. Irritated by the restriction, Strategic Air Command set all the codes to strings of zeros. The Defense Department didn't learn of the subterfuge until 1977."

I find this enormously reassuring. If SAC was able to outmaneuver that Communist useful idiot McNamara, at some point an even greater Communist stooge will be unceremoniously outmaneuvered and removed from Office to prevent any further treason against the United States.

[Moe Tzadik]

Ahem, MAJOR Kong.

Plan “R” ?!?!?!

Yes sir, “R” for Romeo.

[Moe Tzadik]

Much nicer and more effective in the original B/W.

[Rebelbase]

15 Area 51’s?

[Tublecane]

“...in 1962, Robert McNamara ordered every nuclear weapon locked with numerical codes. Effect: None. Irritated by the restriction, Strategic Air Command set all the codes to strings of zeros. The Defense Department didn’t learn of the subterfuge until 1977.”

That’s funny, and somewhat disturbing. But also reassuring.

I remember reading somewhere that the Soviets armed FROG artillery missles with nuclear warheads in the event of a U.S. landing in Cuba in ‘62. Man, that was stupid. Tactical nukes scare me more than the big boys.

[a fool in paradise]

Morther Russia has closed the Doomsday Machine gap.

And Brak Brak is reducing our nuclear arsenal.

It was the Soviet Communists who almost launched a Mutually Assured Destruction nuclear launch back in 1983 all because of faulty equipment on their end.

No Nukes was always about stifling the US. They have been silent on Iran.

[a fool in paradise]

The KGB Colonel in this article claims that althought it was kept a secret, it actually calmed down the Soviet leadership -- because they no longer felt they needed to "launch on warning", as long as they thought this system would exact revenge.

September 26th, 1983, the Commies almost DID launch on warning.

And they punished the man who refused the order to launch.

[a fool in paradise]

especially in support of Moscow’s aggressive plans to become a major builder and exporter of nuclear energy-related technologies.”

The communist sympathizers in the anti-nuke movement are going to cry. Not.

[Frantzie]

Someone posted a picture of that rat McNamara and LBJ pointing out their scheming to lose the Vietnam War and compared it to Hussein in Afghanistan.

What sucks in the Islamo-marxist is worse than those two.

All LBJ cared about was lining his pockets. At least he was not VC/jihadist like the islamist is.

[Karliner]

Какие Bullshit, но смешно....JMHO. Too bad no more SAC command( allegedly) since Clintoon closed it's mighty doors...wonder what zero will do, a boy and his football, a boy and his football.....

[SuperLuminal]

Old news.....Didn't leaks on this occur just before the Ex-Soviets relocked all their files...To protect klintoon...

[sonofstrangelove]

Its a fact. Dead Hand is a reality. A real “doomsday machine” would be an antimatter bomb big enough to destroy an entire country or continent. The USAF has been working on this for many years.

[sonofstrangelove]

[mkjessup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aYPEV7mk0w&feature=related

[sonofstrangelove]

the good old 280 mm “Atomic Annie” Operation Upshot Knothole/Shot Grable. It produced a double fireball. Fantastic weapon. I have the entire history on my I-POD.

[sonofstrangelove]

An rather interesting feature of the blast was the formation of a precursor, a second shock front ahead of the incident wave. This precursor was formed when the shock wave reflected off the ground.

[mkjessup]

The Atomic Annie was an amazing weapon, although I have to say that the
Davy Crockett Atomic Rifle was something to behold:

"I am firmly convinced that the Davy Crockett Atomic Rifle is a weapon which is certainly protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and requires no more restriction than regulated, fully automatic weapons as defined by the United States Treasury"
- Congressman Samuel Nortolcyc (D) - Illinois, 1963

[Bender2]

Bump for later read

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Thanks! I’ll read up on it more.

[stevie_d_64]

Ok, who’s the wiseguy!!!

I said HE, not Nuke!!!

[stevie_d_64]

You know, a guy could have a great time in New Orleans with one of those Air Force bomber crew survival kits!!!

[justlurking]

September 26th, 1983, the Commies almost DID launch on warning.

Yes, and this reportedly went operational in 1985.

[KarlInOhio]

Tactical nukes scare me more than the big boys.

To follow the Dr. Strangelove meme: And I got a fair idea of the kind of personal emotions that some of you fella's may be thinking. Heck, I reckon you wouldn't even be human beings if you didn't have some pretty strong personal feelings about nuclear combat.

[BBell]

Catastrophe ping

[darth]

The article faithfully regurgitates some commie propaganda points. For example, the Russkies said that Star Wars (SDI) would only be useful to defend against a Russian counterstrike after America launched a first strike. WRONG! Our SDI analysts showed how even a modest counter-missile capability would totally disrupt a Russian first strike. We could selectively defend missile bases, subs in port, etc. and insure that a Russian first strike would NOT SUCCEED.

The entire article makes me highly suspicious. Suppose the Russkies fake a terrorist nuke attack on their own soil, launch using Perimeter, and beg Bambi not to retaliate “becuase it was an accident”. What would Bambi do?

I’m not paranoid...I am experienced.

[Tublecane]

“’I am firmly convinced that the Davy Crockett Atomic Rifle is a weapon which is certainly protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and requires no more restriction than regulated, fully automatic weapons as defined by the United States Treasury’
- Congressman Samuel Nortolcyc (D) - Illinois, 1963”

Democrats were a little different back then.

[sonofstrangelove]

It had a very low yield warhead. Even at a low yield setting, the Davy Crokett would produce an almost instantly lethal radiation dosage (in excess of 10,000 rem) within 500 feet.

[a fool in paradise]

The entire article makes me highly suspicious. Suppose the Russkies fake a terrorist nuke attack on their own soil, launch using Perimeter, and beg Bambi not to retaliate “becuase it was an accident”. What would Bambi do?

Along those same lines, "what if" the Iranian nutjob launches a missile or two into Mother Russia. It's already being discussed how his missiles might be able to hit Eastern Europe.

Since the Communists' concern was a Western missile attack, the automated return volley would be against the West, not the Middle East.

[The Comedian]

Yo man, whatever it takes to bring on the Zombie Apocalypse, I'm for it...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.