Live data from Hacker News

Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

military.com

111–120 of 231 posts

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#111

This isn't exactly a secret or new information... it was pretty well known when I lived on the peninsula 10+ years ago (thus the username, Poulsbohemian...). There's a state park right near the Hood Canal bridge where it isn't uncommon to watch the submarines come and go in and out of the canal. Always a bit surreal to push your kids on the swings while watching a first strike weapon capable of destroying the world p…

No doubt surreal, but a single sub destroy the world? That piqued my interest so took a quick look and found an article [1]. This article states that "even a single vessel [submarine] could reduce as many as 288 city-sized targets into radioactive ash in less than 30 minutes." Later in the article they say that the Ohio class is capable of carrying up to 24 UGM-133 Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles.…

Not that it entirely matters but the most likely scenario for a nuclear exchange would probably have most nukes used on hardened military targets. This is the main reason why MIRV weapons were invented.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targeta...

Civilian infrastructure (like your house) is readily flattened by nuclear explosions but if you want to destroy nuclear launch silos, hardened command centers, tanks, etc you need to hit them pretty much head on. It's then a lot more productive to have many independently targetable warheads to hit enemy silos in a first strike or enemy conventional forces in a tactical exchange.

In practice, you'd still get massive civilian casualties given how many bases are built right next to cities. Also, submarines are second-strike weapons so they might go for "countervalue" (your house).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countervalue

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#112

This isn't exactly a secret or new information... it was pretty well known when I lived on the peninsula 10+ years ago (thus the username, Poulsbohemian...). There's a state park right near the Hood Canal bridge where it isn't uncommon to watch the submarines come and go in and out of the canal. Always a bit surreal to push your kids on the swings while watching a first strike weapon capable of destroying the world p…

No doubt surreal, but a single sub destroy the world? That piqued my interest so took a quick look and found an article [1]. This article states that "even a single vessel [submarine] could reduce as many as 288 city-sized targets into radioactive ash in less than 30 minutes." Later in the article they say that the Ohio class is capable of carrying up to 24 UGM-133 Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles.…

    > irreversibly poisoned
Is this the case? While nuclear weapons are, obviously, beyond horrific… I’m not sure that the radioactive fallout is a permanent problem. As a rule of thumb, the more intense the radiation, the shorter the half-life.

In the cases of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, only a small portion of the deaths were due to radiation poisoning, and the cities were thriving on their former sites within decades.

(I don’t mean to minimize the magnitude of the death and destruction; I’m just focusing on the “irreversible poisoning” aspect)

Of course, there are a myriad of other potentially civilization-destroying outcomes of any nuclear exchange.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No doubt surreal, but a single sub destroy the world? That piqued my interest so took a quick look and found an article [1]. This article states that "even a single vessel [submarine] could reduce as many as 288 city-sized targets into radioactive ash in less than 30 minutes." Later in the article they say that the Ohio class is capable of carrying up to 24 UGM-133 Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles.…

> irreversibly poisoned Is this the case? While nuclear weapons are, obviously, beyond horrific… I’m not sure that the radioactive fallout is a permanent problem. As a rule of thumb, the more intense the radiation, the shorter the half-life. In the cases of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, only a small portion of the deaths were due to radiation poisoning, and the cities were thriving on their former sites within decades. (I…

The bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were also very rudimentary compared to a modern nuclear arsenal.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#114

This isn't exactly a secret or new information... it was pretty well known when I lived on the peninsula 10+ years ago (thus the username, Poulsbohemian...). There's a state park right near the Hood Canal bridge where it isn't uncommon to watch the submarines come and go in and out of the canal. Always a bit surreal to push your kids on the swings while watching a first strike weapon capable of destroying the world p…

No doubt surreal, but a single sub destroy the world? That piqued my interest so took a quick look and found an article [1]. This article states that "even a single vessel [submarine] could reduce as many as 288 city-sized targets into radioactive ash in less than 30 minutes." Later in the article they say that the Ohio class is capable of carrying up to 24 UGM-133 Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles.…

I don’t think they meant literally destroy the Earth. Nothing we have could possibly do that. But it could easily destroy our world here on Earth. I have to imagine the world as we know it would cease to exist after such an attack. Everything we take for granted today would probably be gone pretty quickly, the collapse of civilization in much of the world.

It’s a fun bit of research you did, but I think it’s disingenuous to interpret the comment so literally.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#115

"For protection against enemy divers, dolphins will swim up to the infiltrator, bump into them and place a buoy device on their back or a limb using their mouth. The buoy then drags the outed diver to the surface for easy capture." I mean come on, "enemy divers" will just kill the dolphins or avoid contact with them..

What they didn't tell you in the article is that there are militarized sharks with frickin' laser beams on their heads that protect the dolphins from enemy divers.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#116
post #81

This, together the news that North Korea also has weaponized marine mammals, makes me more saddened than from the usual dismal news we hear. Even the primal innocent are being roped into our primate rivalries. It gets even worse, as each side in such an umderwater war will blast away every cetacean it detects, just in case.

[deleted]

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No doubt surreal, but a single sub destroy the world? That piqued my interest so took a quick look and found an article [1]. This article states that "even a single vessel [submarine] could reduce as many as 288 city-sized targets into radioactive ash in less than 30 minutes." Later in the article they say that the Ohio class is capable of carrying up to 24 UGM-133 Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles.…

Not that it entirely matters but the most likely scenario for a nuclear exchange would probably have most nukes used on hardened military targets. This is the main reason why MIRV weapons were invented. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targeta... Civilian infrastructure (like your house) is readily flattened by nuclear explosions but if you want to destroy nuclear launch silos, hardened command ce…

It is very hard to imagine a war where nukes are used on enemy homeland and likely on yours that does not become a total war. In such a war, the goal is not merely to secure an advantageous peace treaty, it is a struggle for survival.

I can't foresee a war starting with tactical strikes that doesn't also see further use of nuclear weapons against the population.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#118

"For protection against enemy divers, dolphins will swim up to the infiltrator, bump into them and place a buoy device on their back or a limb using their mouth. The buoy then drags the outed diver to the surface for easy capture." I mean come on, "enemy divers" will just kill the dolphins or avoid contact with them..

Dolphins can and do ram sharks to death. "Bump into" might be a euphemism here.

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#119
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I can believe most but that part is really weird: > For protection against enemy divers, dolphins will swim up to the infiltrator, bump into them and place a buoy device on their back or a limb using their mouth. The buoy then drags the outed diver to the surface for easy capture. When trained sea lions perform the same maneuver, they use a kind of handcuff with their mouths to attach the buoy Imagine if we d…

We might never know what is currently in use, but I'm convinced that any wild and wacky idea has been tried by somebody. Some fun ones off the top of my head: - Meet Wojtek the bear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_(bear) - AT-Dogs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-tank_dog - Ships made of ice and saw dust: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk - Funny tanks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobart%27s_F…

Psychic spies: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargate_Project

"The Men Who Stare At Goats" is a delightful book that was made into a film about the subject.

More practically, bouncing bomb: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncing_bomb

Re: Militarized Dolphins Protect Almost a Quarter of the US Nuclear Stockpile

#120
post #81

This, together the news that North Korea also has weaponized marine mammals, makes me more saddened than from the usual dismal news we hear. Even the primal innocent are being roped into our primate rivalries. It gets even worse, as each side in such an umderwater war will blast away every cetacean it detects, just in case.

No post body was provided.
Post reply on HN