Nuclear Bombs- How are they armed?

We all know that all nuclear weapons, from B-61 nuclear bombs, to Minute Man ICBM's require a secret code to arm them for use! I read that during the Cold War, they used to have bombers armed with nukes on airborne alert. Unless I misunderstoode, the bombs were not armed, which is why a B-52 crash at an air base in Greenland didn't cause a nuclear explosion. Here is my question:

If they would have recieved the "Go Codes" while they were airborne, How could they have Armed the nukes without landing?

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

Radio wave + the bombs have to fall from a set height:

www.fas.org...
www.prop1.org...
www.sandia.gov...='arming%20a%20nuclear%20weapon%20b2'

Those might help.

Not all nukes need a 'code'.

Any howitzer fired nuke, (M454, Old 8", ) need no code to arm. The fuses are stored seperately from the projectile themsleves. As soon as an artillery battery gets the order, they 'nuke-load' the projectile.

Same goes for tactical nuke missiles, (Lance, Pershing II). The warhead assembly is stored seperately from the propulsion unit. There is no code to fire.

The only code a person would need is to A.) the bunker they are stored in. This requires 2 people with 2 seperate keys to open, and B) howitzer fired nukes have a combination lock on the nose cone.

By the way... the information by FAS is wrong half of the time.

PAL devices.
Permissive Action Link.

Originally posted by nathraq
Not all nukes need a 'code'.

Any howitzer fired nuke, (M454, Old 8", ) need no code to arm. The fuses are stored seperately from the projectile themsleves. As soon as an artillery battery gets the order, they 'nuke-load' the projectile.

Same goes for tactical nuke missiles, (Lance, Pershing II). The warhead assembly is stored seperately from the propulsion unit. There is no code to fire.

The only code a person would need is to A.) the bunker they are stored in. This requires 2 people with 2 seperate keys to open, and B) howitzer fired nukes have a combination lock on the nose cone.

By the way... the information by FAS is wrong half of the time.

you are right, same for nuke arty of german cold war armed forces, and for the nuclear bombs on the Tornados of Jagdbomberstaffel 33

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
PAL devices.
Permissive Action Link.

TC, remember the "WADS" System?

This was for bunker security. Razor wire was on the ceiling of the bunker. In the event of a breach, an MP in the control room could release the razore wire, pinning whoever was inside to the ground.

I'm unfamiliar with that system; it wan't used at California when I was there. Also, I howled like a little puppy whenever faced with working in the control room. Boring. I preferred being outside on patrol. Besides, you can't rabbit-hunt from the control room!

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
I'm unfamiliar with that system; it wan't used at California when I was there. Also, I howled like a little puppy whenever faced with working in the control room. Boring. I preferred being outside on patrol. Besides, you can't rabbit-hunt from the control room!

Not unless you can sneak a rabbit in anyways.

Ok. Who told you? You weren't in California in '82-'84 time frame, were you?

As a matter of fact I was born in Palm Springs, California in 1983. One of my earliest memories is hearing that some nutjob had been sneaking rabbits into the control room at our nuclear facilities.

Besides, I used to be a rental cop. I never could get my hands on a rabbit, so i went fly hunting mostly. I dang near wore the swatter out.


Are you really well informed on the workings of nukes? I've heard something about a "salted bomb" using gold, with which the fallout would only last for a couple of days. Can we really do that?