Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ktaphfy t1_j9fgwkm wrote

Putin will not allow inspections bc all his devices are falling apart in disfunction. Heads I'm right tails Russias rusted out. Ballets ensue

23

SummerCaps t1_j9fqn8u wrote

Is there any data that shows that the last times we inspected their missles they were in disrepair?

15

knotacylon t1_j9fz90k wrote

The only thing I could find was in a recent NPR article stating that inspections were put on hold back in 2020 due to covid, so probably 2-3 years at the least. However nukes have a lot of finicky components that have to function perfectly within a very narrow time frame in order to achieve critical mass. These components require regular and expensive maintenance. You can't just put them in a hole and forget about them until you need them or they won't work.

6

TheDevilChicken t1_j9g9dq8 wrote

The material in the nukes has a half-life, if that degrades too much then you can't have a proper nuclear explosion.

So nukes have literal timers and best-by dates if left as is.

So at best, if Russia did no maintenance, they have dirty bombs instead of proper nukes.

Can someone say if they can actually inspect that part of the nukes?

8

ATLien325 t1_j9gaalw wrote

If I’m not mistaking a dirty bomb is a conventional explosive with nuclear material attached. I don’t think there’s any convential explosives in nuclear bombs though.

edit - Nevermind I see what you’re saying

6

batmansthebomb t1_j9i7yoc wrote

There's definitely conventional explosives in a nuclear weapon, that's how they get the core to super criticality to begin the nuclear reaction.

3

ATLien325 t1_j9jhf7j wrote

Oh, didn’t realize. Always assumed it was electrical or something.

2

knotacylon t1_j9gfgir wrote

If I recall correctly you have to remove the core, and you essentially have to refine it again, removing all the decay products, and then you have to reshape it because the geometry of the core is super critical, and then you put it back in.

4

SummerCaps t1_j9fzhjl wrote

Are the reports from pre 2020 public knowledge? I guess not… but I wish they were… so interesting

6

knotacylon t1_j9fzqrc wrote

I did a quick Google check and couldn't find anything. Doesn't mean it's not out there though.

4