Surprise: 100 U.S. nukes based in Istanbul with double-key security system

Surprise: 100 U.S. nukes based in Istanbul with double-key security system

www.worldtribune.com

A former Turkish ambassador said the United States has deployed dozens of tactical nuclear weapons in Istanbul. Taner Baytok, who also had been a consultant to the Turkish Defense Ministry, said the weapons were under the protection of a double-key system to prevent unauthorized firing.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Interesting news. I mean Turkey is a NATO country so its not unfathomable that they may be hosting nukes from another country but is pretty intersting nonetheless. Its quite a large number for one and they have been there for quite some time. Its just weird that one set of keys is in Turkey and another in the US. In time of crisis that is quite a distance to have to go to deliver a set of keys. I'd think they would be located on a ship or sub somehwere close by and could be delivered pretty quickly.l

www.worldtribune.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Im # sure there are loads of US nukes in Northern Canada.....

reply to post by CanadianDream420


Canada has a no-go policy for nuclear arms of any sort. That's why ours are dismantled and the bases at Comox & Cold Lake have been largely turned over to air force or navy use.

reply to post by princeofpeace


It is no surprise, I have known about that for a long time and I am just some podunk from New Mexico.

Maybe Israel should behave, so they don't get glass parkinglotted.

Turkey is a NATO member. They actually have an F-16 FACTORY. They build block 50 falcons. They have about 240 of them. They are going to be purchasing about 150 f-35's pretty soon, and they have plans to build f-35's in country as well.

They have KC-135's. AWACS, and a pretty serious airlift capability.

The double-key security system is not what keeps the nukes safe. Anything can be "hot wired" if you know what you are doing. What keeps the nukes safe is all the locked doors and the guys with big guns at those doors.

I wouldn't doubt it if the double key system is a false flag meant to keep from drawing attention to the possibility that the 100 nukes in Turkey are capable of being detonated by remote control anytime the CIA desires. I say this because the fact that there are so many and having just one key in Turkey and the other in the USA just does not pass the makes sense test when it comes time to use them in the event of some emergency. In such an emergency, being able to use them would be stifled until both keys were present.

As such, other possibilities lead me to consider that the double key system is a deception on Turkey and those that would not approve of having so many nukes with the ability to go off whenever someone in the CIA activates them to suit the needs of those in the CIA. In fact because they know where they are, if one ever got out of control, it could be set off to create the cover story that it was set off by Muslim terrorist from a deep, deep cave in Afghanistan with no electricity.

Thanks for the posting.

Oh wow....double key is great security....find both keys is now an objective for the enemy....seriously double key means nothing....it means you can find two good lock smiths and start a nuclear war...

The article doesn't actually say whether these 'keys' are physical keys or electronic keys.

My guess is that they refer to electronic keys using Key splitting, transfered over a satelite connection.

Is the article/post about the nukes or the security system.

If it is about the security thing, I want to ask those that that have so quaintly blown off the security to prove they can just easily break the system.

If it is about the nukes....is this really a surprise? We have been wheeling and dealing with Turkey since the 80s.

The "Key System" is found in the "Football Briefcase” that follows the president wherever he goes. They are daily refreshed "Codes" that need to be authorised and used by the president, and the secretary of Defence.

"There are four things in the Football. The Black Book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the Emergency Broadcast System, and a three-by-five inch card with authentication codes."

USA Today

This is just "Spin" trying to make these weapons look more secure than normal ones.

All Nuclear weapons from the USA need this double "Key/Lock System" no matter where they are. Once the authorisation is allowed, just the same as on Nuclear Subs, there is then the need for more authentications, as in Subs the Captain and WEPS as only the weps has the memorised safe codes to access the authentication codes, and access the Trigger. Of course before that both the Captain and his Second in Command must verify and turn Both Keys simultaneously, before even getting to Weps codes and access to the "Trigger"

These double and treble safeguards are in all nuclear capable platforms.

The same would be true in turkey. All this means is that like the Subs if the authorisation comes from the "Keys" in the US from the football, then the commanding officer and his Weapons guys in turkey would have to go through the same procedure as on the subs, double confirmation of correct codes, then access the safe with the final "Codes/Key" or trigger.

Same as on B52 bombers, the actual codes reach the plane, Captain and Weapons confirm, a safe has to be opened to check the codes given against what’s in the safe before the bombs can be armed.

Story about nothing, except so many of these weapons is in turkey. Wherever in the world, no matter what platform the procedure is the same.

The football has to be the most expensive briefcase in history, and also the most important.

Further info:
Wiki
Global Security


Kind Regards,

Elf

Oh this was announced back in 08'

The move at Lakenheath coincides with similar reductions at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in 2005 and Greece in 2001, and reduces the total number of U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe to between 150 to 240, Kristensen said. The remaining B-61 bombs are at Aviano Air Base in Italy and Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, as well at other bases in Italy, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

www.stripes.com...

Also a link worth its weight for information.
www.nrdc.org...

double key security system?

What about strapping a bunch of high explosives to one?

won't that set it off?

or does it need a certain amount of pressure to set it off? even if it does, im sure theres enough explosive experts there to set one up if needed.

reply to post by MR BOB


It's pretty hard to set them off properly, if it was that easy the Manhattan project and all it's equivalents around the world wouldn't of been such a massive effort.

Although I believe most types of nukes are booby trapped in a way where some of the high explosives will go off in your face if do the wrong thing.



The brit nuke ICBM's on the subs apparently had a really simple system to launch, no codes just keys that were as simple as bike lock keys held in a locked box that could be opened with a screwdriver... The idea was a sub is already the safest place to have them and every member of the crew could be trusted... When the Americans found out about that one their jaws hit the floor!!! They insisted on a 'better' system.

Originally posted by Now_Then
The brit nuke ICBM's on the subs apparently had a really simple system to launch, no codes just keys that were as simple as bike lock keys held in a locked box that could be opened with a screwdriver... The idea was a sub is already the safest place to have them and every member of the crew could be trusted... When the Americans found out about that one their jaws hit the floor!!! They insisted on a 'better' system.

You might like to try and source that.

Firstly Britain cannot, and has not had the ability to launch any of Its Nuclear trident missiles without a "GO code" like the briefcase, from the USA. This due to the fact that both Polaris and Trident were bought from the Americans, the missiles, launchers, bombs and also the firing and aiming systems. They are exactly the same on both the American and British boats (thereby the similarity ends).

In addition Britain has its own "Code" system, which has to be even if authorised by the Prime Minister, be accepted by a man in a bunker who is the "Watch" commander for all British nuclear forces. He has in that room at all times two fully armed Marines standing by a safe. he has to open the safe, accept the "Go codes" from the prime minister and then agree and make an judgement that in fact the "prime Minister" is sane or not compromised in that decision. He can actually call of any such use of the weapons if in his opinion it is not in the interests of the defence of the nation.

If he does so the bombs can’t be armed as he has the codes to transmit the "Arming order".

On British subs (metal box with a screwdriver, omg what comic did you read that in?) like all subs, ships etc the captain has his KEY locked in a safe in his cabin. Only he knows the memorised number to open.

Again in the firing station there is a second safe, which only the weps or second in command knows the memorised code to. This has to be opened, and both codes must match each other. This is done by the concurrence of "No 1" on the boat watching both the Captain and the weapons firer. In the new subs the actual trigger is kept, the button in the weps safe.

The Weps safe is always 24/7 guarded by an fully armed Marine, to stop any crazy weps, or mutiny gaining access to the trigger. The armed marine watches over the whole process carefully ensuring the captain, "no1" and weps are not under any duress, force and sane at the time.

It goes like this, and always has:

PM authorises. Go Code goes to Bunker on land with "over watch" nuclear commander. He receives the code, confirms its genuine, from the PM. Goes to the safe marines draw arms, secure room. Safe is opened to access the key and snap codes. Key put into console, codes entered. Codes transmitted to Sub ELF or satellite if on surface. Comms receives message priority flash go codes (which can’t launch the weapons). Captain and Comms confirms it is a genuine authorisation traffic. It is read over twice by both, and comms has the acceptance codes for that day.

Captain calls "no 1" and marine at arms who then follows him through the entire process through the ship. Captain instructs No 1 to ready the boat (depth speed etc) goes to his cabin (marine waits out side armed) opens his safe, gets his snap card and key.

Go to Weapons Captain reads the go code which is authorised by the "no 1" who has to concur it all matches and genuine. Weps then opens his safe, takes out his codes which must concur with the snap card in the captain’s hand. This is checked twice again. Captain and No1 (on later boats non early ones then have to insert there keys and turn at same time to allow the weapons to be turned on and armed. It only then flies when the weps pulls the trigger which is attached by an lead into the safe. It is a different trigger to all other weapons on the boat.

Urban Myth im afraid or some propaganda. The Polaris and Trident systems are actually fitted to the UK boats in America to include the above things, that is a separate trigger.

With the recent upgrade of the trident from Polaris on the boats the US also have built in an ability so that even if the UK wanted to launch the Bombs, an authorisation data code would have to come from the US anyway otherwise they wont spin up. This really really caused an scandal when it was leaked, as Britain cant use its Submarine Nukes without the USA agreeing. This probably happened though after Thatcher threatened to Nuke Beunous Airies in the Falkland war if the fleet was lost.

Steel box and screwdriver omg lol. No before it is fired 1 safe on land, two on the boat, armed marines watching every bit of it, double concurrence of authenticity at every stage of the process, to includes the "PM" sane or not.

Elf


Elf.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by MischeviousElf]

Originally posted by MischeviousElf

You might like to try and source that.

................

On British subs (metal box with a screwdriver, omg what comic did you read that in?) like all subs, ships etc the captain has his KEY locked in a safe in his cabin. Only he knows the memorised number to open.

...............

Urban Myth im afraid or some propaganda. The Polaris and Trident systems are actually fitted to the UK boats in America to include the above things, that is a separate trigger.

British nukes were protected by bike locks

Newsnight has discovered that until the early days of the Blair government the RAF's nuclear bombs were armed by turning a bicycle lock key.

There was no other security on the Bomb itself.

While American and Russian weapons were protected by tamper-proof combination locks which could only be released if the correct code was transmitted, Britain relied on a simpler technology.

With the help of Brian Burnell - a researcher into the history of the British nuclear weapons programme who once designed bomb casings for atom bombs - Newsnight tracked down a training version of the WE 177 nuclear bomb at the Bristol Aero collection at Kemble.

Tornado and earlier V-bomber crews trained with these, which were identical in every way to the live bombs except for the nuclear warhead.

To arm the weapons you just open a panel held by two captive screws - like a battery cover on a radio - using a thumbnail or a coin.

Inside are the arming switch and a series of dials which you can turn with an Allen key to select high yield or low yield, air burst or groundburst and other parameters.

The Bomb is actually armed by inserting a bicycle lock key into the arming switch and turning it through 90 degrees. There is no code which needs to be entered or dual key system to prevent a rogue individual from arming the Bomb.

From the BBC... Yhea I realise it's a bit flippant to make such a strange sounding comment and not back it up with a reference - in my defence I did use my magic word 'apparently'!!

Madness right!?

edit screwed up formatting ...another edit... ahh whatever it's all there, can't figure out what I've done to the bbcode on this one


[edit on 7/4/2010 by Now_Then]

[edit on 7/4/2010 by Now_Then]

Too funny.

Turkey has hosted US nukes since the Cuban Missile crises. [Research It] I find it funny that people are surprised.


Now about the double key.

FAIL.

reply to post by Now_Then


Wow that is interesting indeed.

However it is the RAF and not Trident and Polaris.

The usa as said fitted those systems just the same as their own boats, and have since with trident stopped the UK firing their own weapons without authorisation.

I have known people who have worked on those boats. That is always the way it has been, as we only have ever had US ICBM's mnever made our own.

I am very suprised the safe system was not in place on the planes, that is insane.

However I do kow since the day that Britain first had Polaris this Overwatch bunker was in place, and the way of it working is as I describe. Thsi was shown in a recent History Channel documentary, talking to people who had to first brief the incoming new prime ministers on britains actual capability, the protocols, whats happens etc, it is the first briefing they have.

Apparently Wilson during the briefing when told the actual capability, and his responsibility and the war plans, at hearing the death numbers if things went tits up with the Russians dropped his crystal glass of scotch on the floor, sat down and didnt speak for at least 5 mins. Thats waht the Docu said. It also included the description and reanactment of the "Overwatch" bunker, which imformed me, which I never knew till then that the guy giving the codes to go could if he deemed it not in Briatains best ineterst or defense, or the PM was mad or drunk not send the orders.

I am shocked by the arming process for the RAF bombs many flights fullly laden were carried out for years around Russia. OMg how mad is taht.

I am sorry for doubting what you said, but it seesm so incredulous, and knowing about the "overwatch" bunker and the Polaris/Trident situation I assumed it would be the same on the Birds as well.

I know ther is an innacuracy in the report on the Navy situation, as I know people who have been on them. And researched much when it came out about the USA being able to stop us using Trident or Polaris originally.

Thank god those RAF ones are no longer used or flying. Bicycle keys for gods sake, what would have happened if a plane crashed or forced landed somewhere in the middle east, it beggers belief.

Kind Regards,

Elf

reply to post by MischeviousElf

Neither the Navy nor the RAF installed PAL protection on their nuclear weapons.

Well it's a little unclear, but what nukes did the navy have other than the Polaris?

The only front line aircraft they operate are the harrier and the helicopters... I'm pretty sure Nimrods are operated by the RAF... Ergo I make the assumption they mean the Polaris... I've not got the time to look it up right now tho,

Makes you think!

edit... my bbcode is wonkey to day!

[edit on 7/4/2010 by Now_Then]

reply to post by SLAYER69


I have to point out the fact that you are 100% right.

People, there are 1000's of nuked in the U.S. and abroad, all most likely operate on a "double key" system. That's just one of the many lines of defense/security that have to be crossed to authorize the deployment of these weapons. The large security structures, armed guards, more security doors, more armed guards and satelites monitoring every facility/icbm is also handy in preventing the unauthorized use of these weapons. No bigger deal than it has been for decades. Sucks none-the-less, but it seems someone was stretching for news.