Friday, April 13, 2007

NUKE 'EM!

The Bush administration selected a design recently for a new generation of atomic warheads, taking a major step toward building the first new nuclear weapon since the end of the Cold War two decades ago.

The military and the Energy Department selected a design developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California over a competing design by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, according to government sources.

The decision to move ahead with the warhead, which eventually would replace the existing arsenal of weapons, has been criticized as sending the wrong signal to the world at a time when the United States is assailing attempts at nuclear weapons development in North Korea and Iran and striving to contain it.

It has been argued that today's aging warheads are harder to maintain and as they age it will become more difficult to ensure their reliability. The new design is advertised as being more robust with additional features to safeguard them against possible theft or misuse.

The administration also argues that a phasing out of current warheads with the more modern design will allow additional reductions in the number of warheads that will be needed. Once developed, it would be used in the Trident missiles on submarines and eventually would replace warheads on the Air Force's missile arsenal.

It has not been determined how much the program will cost. The administration asked Congress for $119 million for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 to push ahead with further design work. Advocates for the warhead say it would give military commanders greater assurance of reliability and could speed the reduction of the deployed number of nuclear warheads from 6,000 to fewer than 2,000 by 2012.

UNETIDA Special Operations Commander, Lt. Colonel "Whopper" Creedon said: "I'm pleased with the new safeguards that will come as standard. If I had a cent for every Broken Arrow or Rogue Spear I've had to deal with in my career I'd be able to buy you all a shot of Jack".

Source: Military.com

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

If I had a cent for every Broken Arrow or Rogue Spear I've had to deal with in my career I'd be able to buy you all a shot of Jack".

Two things, firstly, thats a lot of "incidents" that you must have experienced.

Secondly, how many of these "incidents" occurred because of your fondness for Jack

Major General Creedon said...

a) You think?

b) Between 15 & 20%

Anonymous said...

a) I know!

b) Be Honest.

Major General Creedon said...

You know Jack Shit!

30 tops! That's all I'm prepared to say.

Anonymous said...

But not all I'm prepared to say. Where would you like me to begin?