Defence Cuts

[Mups]

I don't see Putin deploying a nuclear attack on any Western countries, but if he did choose the UK I imagine it would be a limited strike on London, which has everything else so why not the nukes.

There's no kudos in striking North Lincolnshire.

How far does nuclear poison (can't think of the proper word)  spread?
For example,  would one nuclear bomb in central England affect the entire country?

[klondike]

Probably because the silly sods would send a load of them right back. Well if the submarine was working anyway.

[Alex]

I think when we hear nuclear bomb the image of Nagasaki or Hiroshima comes to mind, but these bombs (I'm told) are nothing like those used in WWII. 

[Mups]

I would still be interested to know how far the fall-out from just one bomb could cover?

[JBR]

I don't see Putin deploying a nuclear attack on any Western countries, but if he did choose the UK I imagine it would be a limited strike on London, which has everything else so why not the nukes.

There's no kudos in striking North Lincolnshire.

If Putin did send a single nuke to obliterate London (I can think of worse places to suffer!), we would probably retaliate with a single nuke on to Moscow.
In the full knowledge that any such single nuclear attack anywhere would be likely to result in a retaliatory attack on an equivalent location, Putin would probably choose a more logical target. 

We could play a mind game (using Putin's mind) to choose which place in NATO he would choose and which place in Russia would suffer the consequences!

In reality, I doubt that Putin or anyone of logical mind would do such a thing.  The inevitable consequences are quite clear.

November 21, 2024, 09:03:26 PM

I would still be interested to know how far the fall-out from just one bomb could cover?

https://outrider.org/nuclear-weapons/interactive/bomb-blast?airburst=false&bomb=0&lat=51.5073&location=London%2C%20Greater%20London%2C%20England%2C%20United%20Kingdom&long=-0.127647

You'll need to make a choice of what size of bomb.
You can also choose any location... even your own house!

If a 200kt bomb went off in the middle of Manchester, I might just about survive though radiation from fallout would see me off before long.

[klondike]

It makes no sense to launch one nuke because you know at least one is coming back and probably more. Were it not for the subs the sensible option would be a massive first strike taking out all the opposing launch sites. Because of the subs that can't be done. The only sensible option is to leave the bloody things in their bunkers.

Modern nukes are orders of magnitude more powerful than the WW2 bombs. There will be all sorts of information on the web about the effects of a nuke. Pretty pointless information imo because there will either be none or an absolute shit load in an attempt to block launch authorisation getting through for the retaliation.

[dextrous63]

I thought Russia had a cunning plan to let a nuke off in the Irish Sea, and the tsunami would flood a lot of our land.  Obviously sea water damage would make it somewhat hard to grow crops, but luckily Labour has an equally cunning plan of eliminating farms anyway😬

[Scrumpy]

It makes no sense to launch one nuke because you know at least one is coming back and probably more. Were it not for the subs the sensible option would be a massive first strike taking out all the opposing launch sites. Because of the subs that can't be done. The only sensible option is to leave the bloody things in their bunkers.

I agree... Even Putin is not mad enough to launch a nuclear attack.. 
It takes more than one person to press THAT button..

Can you imagine the horror of it all...
'I'm sending you a Nuke'  Russia
'Ok... Happy returns'        UK
'Here's one from me too'   China
'If they are at it.. we might as well join in'   Pakistan
'I've got a bigga nuke then you'...      USA
'prove it'    Putin             
Threats from other countries would spread like wildfire..

[ansu]

An expert on German TV once said that there are nuclear bombs of different sizes and with different effects. However, think of Tchernobyl or Fukushima -  the effects on humans and nature are/were disastrous.
I, too, hope that Putin will never use a nuclear bomb, but with him, no one knows and the Russians are supporting his war. 

[Ashy]

These days it's not necessary to use a massive bomb, these days it's an accurate and fast bomb, coupled with accurate intelligence, that wins wars. Russia has got the most accurate and fastest missiles, We have no defence against them. 

[dextrous63]

I can't help but feel that it's inexorable that nuclear bombs are going to be used within the not too distant future.

What a genius species we are.

[Ashy]

So long as it's a green bomb our government won't mind. 

[JBR]

An expert on German TV once said that there are nuclear bombs of different sizes and with different effects. However, think of Tchernobyl or Fukushima -  the effects on humans and nature are/were disastrous.
I, too, hope that Putin will never use a nuclear bomb, but with him, no one knows and the Russians are supporting his war.

You are absolutely correct.
I believe that small-yield nuclear weapons are, in some ways, more useful that the big ones.
For example, one could use a single small one on a single particular location.  Because it may not involve anyone except for one small area or country, allies of that country might decide it is not worth joining in, regardless of any agreements they have had!

[klondike]

believe that small-yield nuclear weapons are, in some ways, more useful that the big ones.

I believe they are all useless. Anybody using one, even a low yield tactical one, risks WW3 and the total annihilation of their country and probably most of the world

[Scrumpy]

I believe they are all useless. Anybody using one, even a low yield tactical one, risks WW3 and the total annihilation of their country and probably most of the world

Completely agree..