Alpha1
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Concievable roles of Tactical/Non strategic Nuclear Weapons
Bunker buster or earth penetration weapons
The logic behind tactical nuclear weapons is that low-yield earth penetrating nuclear weapon would "limit collateral damage" and therefore be relatively safe to use.
while the fact is that is that B61 mod 11 introduced by United states in 1997 only penetrates the earth about only 20 feet or so into dry earth when dropped from an altitude of 40,000 feet from a B2 Spirit. B 61 mod 11's yeid varies from 10kt [can be lower] to 300kt[1]Is 20 feet enough to contain a nuclear detonation of the most trivial yeids? NO
Underground nuclear tests must be buried at large depths and carefully sealed in order to fully contain the explosion. Shallower bursts produce large craters and intense local fallout. The situation shown here is for an explosion with a 1 KT yield and the depths shown are in feet. Even a 0.1 KT burst must be buried at a depth of approximately 230 feet to be fully contained. (Adapted from Terry Wallace, with permission.) [2]
This video explains why EPWs are impractical
Robert W. Nelson, at Princeton University, states that:
"A one kiloton earth-penetrating 'mininuke' used in a typical third-world urban environment would spread a lethal dose of radioactive fallout over several square kilometers, resulting in tens of thousands of civilian fatalities."
He adds that:
earth-penetrating weapons "cannot penetrate deeply enough to contain the nuclear explosion and will necessarily produce an especially intense and deadly radioactive fallout." [3]
This makes EPW impractical as it raises ethical and diplomatic issues.
In its July 1996 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) formally concluded that "the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict." In its analysis, the ICJ stated that "the use of such weapons [low yeild Earth-penetrating Nuclear weapons] in fact seems scarcely reconcilable with respect for … requirements" of humanitarian law including that prohibiting methods and means of warfare "which would preclude any distinction between civilian and military targets." [4]
Tactical nuclear weapons in the battlefield
simulation: 2kt airburst at the altitude of 230m
The idea of a tactical nuclear war is impractical if the theatre is Populated; irrigated areas as the resulting fallout and collateral damage will make it indistinguishable from a strategic nuclear war to the local population.
As NATO found out during the wargames of 1956 ; Operation Carte Blanche which simulated The future conflict with the Warsaw Pact army involving tactical nuclear The simulation predicted 5 to 6 Million civilian casualties [5] and 355 nuclear detonations [6]
Tactical nuclear weapons can be used in desert/ wasteland which has little or no population without the fear of collateral damage. for example a 2kt of TNT detonation at the height of 230m will produce negligible local fallout but maximising Airblast radius, and an area of 0.39km sq comes under 20 psi range 20 PSI is enough to demolish heavily built concrete buildings and fatalities approach 100% [7]
The number of missiles which can be generated by the blast winds depends to some extent upon the environment. Certain terrain, such as desert, is particularly susceptible to missile forming effects of winds. [8]
A nuclear air burst can cause considerable blast damage; however thermal radiation can result in serious additional damage by igniting combustible material.[9]
The thermal radiation enough to cause 3rd degree burns covers an area of 1.93km sq in case of the detonation under discussion.
500 rem Ionization radiation dosage delivered uniformly to the whole body may cause death while a dose of 500 rem delivered to the skin will only cause hair loss and skin reddening.
and in this detonation it will cover an area of 2.64 km sq
Effect of Nuclear blast on vehicles
Heavily armoured vehicles and Modern MBTs are resisitant towards blast effects like airblast , thermal radiation and Ionization radiation although 30PSI is enough to destroy all types of vehicles vehicles
,The overpressure may overturn many Armoured vehicles and destroy the Sights and sensors mounted on the tank or armoured vehicles.
Effect of over pressure on some vehicles:
Do nuclear weapons have any concievable battlefield use?
Refrences:
[1] http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/B61.html
[2http://Federation of American Scientists :: FAS Public Interest Report - Low-Yield Earth-Penetrating Nuclear Weapons
[3]Center for Nonproliferation Studies
[4]LCNP.org - World Court Project
[5]Lakeland Ledger - Sep 17, 1983 pg 55 No carte blanch for nukes ; Tom wicker
[6]Tactical nuclear weapons: The Debate within NATO by Brain Burton
[7]Explosions and Refuge Chambers by R. Karl Zipf, Jr., Ph.D., ; P.E. Kenneth L. Cashdollar page 1
[8] NATO HANDBOOK ON THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF NBC DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS AMedP6(B) CH# 4 BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION SECTION I .404.
[9]http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/effects/eonw_7.pdf THERMAL RADIATION AND ITS EFFECTS pg 1 para 7.02
[10]Open Source Radiation Safety Training Module 3: Biological Effects Princeton university
to be continued............
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