Trigger Mike Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 watched Dr Strangelove again tonight. liked it for years. 1. do we still keep an airborne alert like we did back then? 2. do they rally keep survival kits with gold etc like in the movie? 3. did they rotate which base was on airborne alert and thus send all planes from one base to stop at failsafe all around russia or did several bases have separate sectors to approach russia from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I lived in Rome, NY, in 1975-6. B52s took off every day at, I think it was, 2PM. I was told how the decision to launch ICBMs was (rather, "would have been") made in the USSR during my Chernobyl tour, but since I have no confirmation, I did not repeat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Air Force 65 to 72...I worked on B-52s...Took care of the main radar, low flying, navigation and bombing computers...The bases I was at, if they had alert planes they were alway on alert...Crews and planes might change but always ready...Anytime I had to work on them there was always two of us in eye sight of each other...Never alone.... Got out of it and went into secure communication...More world wide service.... Texas Lizard Mito takeoffs were fun to watch....One bomber off the ground every 15 seconds..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorty Jack Hammer Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 USAF 1982-2003 I have only one word OPSEC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 USAF 1982-2003 I have only one word OPSEC +100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 All of the information you seek is readily available on the internet, courtesy of Google, LOL. We no longer have airborne alerts and our readiness posture is the lowest it has ever been. Airborne alerts stopped right after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Ground alerts, except for ADIZ are no longer. That tip of the nuclear triad has been blunted. Nuclear duty in the armed forces isn't a joy. PRP, no lone zones, constant security checks and.....use of deadly force is authorized. I wouldn't know about gold in Air Force survival kits, I was in the Army and we didn't have no gold...LOL. We still have land based missiles, all are on 24/565 alert of course. We still have our nuclear submarines. Somewhere around 14 depending on who's figures you believe. Who knows how many are on patrol at any given time but they run with two crews to maximize the time spent at sea. 24 trident missiles apiece, each with up to 8 warheads but I think they're limited to three on each. Used to be the captain, weapons officer and exec had independent launch capability under very narrow circumstances. That all changed during Clinton. (Seems da hag didn't like it not being under her absolute control...LOL) Have they changed proceedures? I don't know. Been out of that for a long time. At one time with a Strategic Air Command run by Gen Curtis LeMay, no one dared attack us. Now? Not so much. I do believe that we are vulnerable to a first strike because of some of these current policies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 watched Dr Strangelove again tonight. liked it for years. 1. do we still keep an airborne alert like we did back then? 2. do they rally keep survival kits with gold etc like in the movie? 3. did they rotate which base was on airborne alert and thus send all planes from one base to stop at failsafe all around russia or did several bases have separate sectors to approach russia from? "Chrome Dome" (24 hour airborne alert) is no longer in effect. There are ramp alert aircraft at various bases, depending on the global situation. This is complicated by conventional mission requirements around the world. We still maintain the Triad of nuclear-capable bombers, land-based ICBM's and SLBM's (submarines). Although they do need updating, they are still the most capable strategic deterrent force on the planet. The growing problem is that there are individuals and cultures striving to achieve nuclear capabilities for whom martyrdom or megalomania could make them more of a threat than some of our former adversaries. Hopefully, foreign policies decisions will be able to neutralize these threats without resorting to the use of our strategic capabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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