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158862324 t1_ixuge0p wrote

Reply to comment by Superpolsen91 in Britain says Russia likely removing nuclear warheads from missiles and firing at Ukraine by Koeny1

Nuclear warheads vary widely in size, but I’d guess it’d be about the same as a tomahawk cruise missile. Like 500-1,000 lbs of TNT. Approximately 1/5 the force used in the Oklahoma City Bombing.

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Todesfaelle t1_ixvumfo wrote

That's a impressive comparison I've never considered since I didn't think there was that much ordnance used in the bombing.

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158862324 t1_ixw9hg8 wrote

As an American I feel it’s my patriotic duty to avoid metric.

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LevHB t1_ixwp75u wrote

Huh? Where are you getting this number from?

This missile wasn't just a nuclear-capable missile with a normal warhead. This missile had no warhead, unless you count a lump of concrete ballast as a warhead. That's what made this so weird, Russia either launched a Kh-55 as a kinetic missile (+ whatever fuel is left behind), which would be really pathetic if true. Or they launched it as a test for how an actual nuclear armed one might go.

Or what I think might be most likely, perhaps this was a training exercise for the pilot, and they thought "why not fire it at Ukraine anyway". Which is still dangerous because they still got the data.

Or it's a pathetic feint. Or I've also heard it suggested that perhaps it was a distraction attempt, only problem is they barely launched much of an attack on that night.

So I don't know where you're getting the 500-1000lbs of TNT from?

Edit: the actual warheads are:

Nuclear: 5 to 150 kilotonnes of TNT

Conventional: 1000lbs HE (nice guess), or a few cluster bomb variants

Again so the Kh-55 can take a conventional warhead. So why the hell was a dummy nuke launched?

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crazedizzled t1_ixum0m8 wrote

What would be the point of a nuke if it's the same yield as a tomahawk missile? That's just nonsense. Those warheads are likely 5-20KT, the typical yield of a tactical nuclear warhead.

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ElevatorRideWithNeal t1_ixuni5g wrote

I think he was saying if the nuc payload was replaced with TNT, the yield would be greatly reduced, and would only be a fraction of the capabilities of a Tomahawk.

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crazedizzled t1_ixuobfl wrote

It was worded pretty weirdly if that is the case. But yes, the yield would be whatever conventional payload they have around that the missile can carry.

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darthmater t1_iy170k7 wrote

Must be their interpretation again, huh? Not you having two brain cells. It must be others that struggle, not you.

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crazedizzled t1_iy192gv wrote

Lol are you stalking me now? Don't you have a dictionary to read or something?

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darthmater t1_iy1gxxp wrote

I demanded an apology but I had not heard from you. So I looked if you were active, and laughed because you are suffering from the same fallacy here as you did with me.

So now I know you suffer from some sort of disability and will take the high road. I no longer request an apology from you.

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crazedizzled t1_iy1pyux wrote

You're the one that sounds damaged. Take care friend

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