Weapons 07/02/20 Photo: us Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ronald GutridgeW76-2: what can the US missiles, designed specifically for “containment of Russia”
recently, the us Pentagon announced the start of equipping submarines with missiles with nuclear warheads W76-2. It is a weapon with a capacity of about five kilotons has been developed on the personal order of the President of Donald trump. As stated by the strategy of the United States, it is designed to effectively “deter Russia”.
“Small” re
the First submarine to adopt W76-2, was submarine SSBN 734 Tennessee, which is of type “Ohio”. It is planned to re-equip almost all the same SSBN – 14 pieces. Earlier on each of the submarines was placed 24 Trident II missiles. Now a small portion of these missiles will carry “low-yield” warheads W76-2. The level of destruction from the explosion of one warhead is about three times less than that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Deputy Minister of defense for political Affairs John Rood explained that the office in 2018, proposed to modify a number of warheads of ballistic missiles for submarines. This decision was then explained by the need to counter potential enemy – Russia. According to officials of the Pentagon, in the case of a “Russian attack” weapon of low power, America has two options – either to hit the Russian strategic multi-ton warhead, triggering a nuclear Armageddon, or to respond to nuclear explosions, conventional weapons.
still from “a little nuclear” weapons, the US had the only hydrogen bombs of the B61 and ALCM cruise missiles with variable power. However, it is more difficult to overcome Russian air defense system than “Tridentum” category out of the water. Trident II missiles capable of reaching Russia from a distance of 7,800 kilometers, i.e., for example, from the Atlantic ocean. Thanks to the installation of tactical nuclear weapons on submarines type “Ohio” America is nearing parity with Russia on small-size nuclear warheads (although our country has as many as 11 of their delivery).
“This additional capacity strengthens deterrence and ensures that the United States operational, more effective strategic weapon of low power,” – said in a statement on the website of the U.S. defense Department.
New “old” threat
At first glance, missiles W76-2 was designed in full swing. In the spring of 2018 Donald trump has set the MIC to create a new weapon, and after a year and a half it had entered the army, and without testing. However, this is not surprising, given that the W76-2 is just a smaller version of the long-known W76 warheads, which had a yield of 100 kilotons. Production of the W76-2 deals with the Pantex plant in Texas. Most likely, we are talking about the alteration lying in the warehouses since the cold war W76 warheads (as was done with the previously developed warheads W76-1).
From the point of view of experts, the Pentagon move could destabilize the strategic situation in the world. No official doctrines of “escalation to de-escalation,” attributed to us by the Americans from Russia. Nuclear doctrine of the Russian Federation States that nuclear attack is our country ready to strike only in response to the attack. And here arises a difficulty, since the launch of the “Trident” with the W76-2 cannot be distinguished from the launch of strategic missiles and it is unclear how to react to it. The exchange of “small” attacks can quickly escalate into full-scale war.
However, there is another threat related to tactical nuclear weapons. In addition to the “containment” of Russia, the administration of Donald trump can deal crushing blows at the non-nuclear countries, thus obtaining a military advantage and away from charges in the total destruction of the enemy (blow after all, “tactical”). So, in the event of a conflict the US with any country, such as Iran, will increase the risk of poverenia the events of August 1945. However, the international reputation of the state, which first to launch a tactical nuclear missile, will be terribly undermined, as early as the 1970s, warned the Italian General Nino Pasti.
Timur Sagdiyev
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© Russian Seven
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