Uh; Boss...
I tink dat de MISSLE!!!
From Quora:
POTUS has a card, commonly called the “biscuit,” with the nuclear launch codes on it. He also has a briefcase, nicknamed the “football,” carried by a military aide who is never more than about 15 seconds away from the President, with the equipment and the information needed to launch a nuclear strike. The National Command Authority (NCA), POTUS with the consideration of the SecDef who must agree, can do the first step. Should the SecDef NOT agree POTUS can simply fire the SecDef on the spot and replace him through a pre-determined “line of succession” UNTIL he gets a SecDef that agrees with the decision. While possible not too probable because “tick-tock” the clock is running. Could the POTUS just command the military aide to pass the “football” and let the POTUS launch on his own authority? NO, because that would be an unlawful order that the military aide would not have to obey and without his compliance the “football” would not open so the POTUS’s “biscuit” would be nothing more than a plastic card. The military aide is the first line of defense in the process.
The second line of defense is that should the VP among others have concerns about the decision they have the right to enact Section 4 of the 25th Amendment and have the President declared “disabled” (unable to perform his duties) and then if all the principles are in agreement REPLACE the sitting POTUS with the VP becoming the new POTUS. Remember: tick-tock!
Keep in mind that most (but not all) countries that possess nuclear devices AND delivery systems (missiles or aircraft) subscribe to the theory that the very idea of of “global nuclear destruction” is the real deterrent, not the actual launching of the missiles or aircraft.
The reason for the urgency in this process though is that any retaliatory launch must come within ten minutes or less (closer to six and becoming less every year or so) IF there is to be any hope for the launch to be completed before incoming bombers or missiles start to arrive on the continental U.S.
The command of the NCA goes to NORAD, where the command is verified by checking the code sent by the “football” is current AND correct. Third line of defense in the process.
Launch commands are then sent via coded and secure radios on a variety of modulated bands, again for security. As you might imagine, land lines do not go everywhere the commands are being sent, AND they are not as secure as telemetry. Fourth line of defense.
Then there is the security involved by the missile crews, the submarine crews and the aircraft crews, each of which verifies the codes sent and once verified by at least TWO members of each crew that the crew’s specific orders are “opened” and again verified by the two crew members who must agree. (Hint and reminder: Tick-tock!) Fifth and Sixth layers of defense against accidents and a takeover of the command chain at ANY single level.
Then following procedures for each crew the missions will commence and that will generally lead to target input for fixed site missiles, transfer movement to a launch position for subs or cruise missile surface ships, or penetration of enemy airspace and payload launch or drop on targets.
Any attempt at this point to stop the launches or the airspace penetrations after reaching this point would be impossible. Layers of defense have consequences in that once they are all passed there is no stopping the events.
Thanks for posting that detailed extract on the process. I was one of those at the very tail end of the described process and it was good to know that all that took place before I would receive an order.
Uh; Boss...
I tink dat de MISSLE!!!