U.S. dismantling its most powerful nuke - Polidicks

[URL=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-20125136/u.s-dismantling-its-most-powerful-nuke]CBS[/url] [IMG]http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltn4ivaTcB1qztsh3o1_500.jpg[/IMG] [release](AP) AMARILLO, Texas - The last of the United States' most powerful nuclear bombs — a weapon hundreds of times stronger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima — is being disassembled nearly half a century after it was put into service at the height of the Cold War. The final components of the B53 bomb will be broken down Tuesday at the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, the nation's only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility. The completion of the dismantling program is a year ahead of schedule, according to the [URL="http://nnsa.energy.gov/"]U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration[/URL], and aligns with President Barack Obama's goal of reducing the number of nuclear weapons. Thomas D'Agostino, the nuclear administration's chief, called the bomb's elimination a "significant milestone."First put into service in 1962, when Cold War tensions peaked during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the B53 weighed 10,000 pounds and was the size of a minivan. According to the American Federation of Scientists, it was 600 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of World War II.The B53 was designed to destroy facilities deep underground, and it was carried by B-52 bombers. Since it was made using older technology by engineers who have since retired or died, developing a disassembly process took time. Engineers had to develop complex tools and new procedures to ensure safety. "We knew going in that this was going to be a challenging project, and we put together an outstanding team with all of our partners to develop a way to achieve this objective safely and efficiently," said John Woolery, the plant's general manager. Many of the B53s were disassembled in the 1980s, but a significant number remained in the U.S. arsenal until they were retired from the stockpile in 1997. Pantex spokesman Greg Cunningham said he couldn't comment on how many of the bombs have been disassembled at the Texas plant. The weapon is considered dismantled when the roughly 300 pounds of high explosives inside are separated from the special nuclear material, known as the pit. The uranium pits from bombs dismantled at Pantex will be stored on an interim basis at the plant, Cunningham said.[/release]

This is what should happen to all nuclear bombs.

Nukes are useful for keeping enemies at bay/war at rest, but it's nice to see some of them being dismantled.

god damn that thing is intimidatingly huge

[QUOTE=SockFC;32963170]Nukes are useful for keeping enemies at bay/war at rest, but it's nice to see some of them being dismantled.[/QUOTE] There are other weapons that achieve the same effect while not causing thousands of years of irradiated earth.

it looks just like my [I]COCK![/I]

[QUOTE=Kalibos;32963278]it looks just like my [I]COCK![/I][/QUOTE] I'd go a see a doctor if I were you.

thats a p fat cock then maybe even a chode

It looks like a pill, which is fitting since it would have been used TO CURE COMMUNISM!

I really don't see there ever being a viable reason to use a bomb of that magnitude. Honestly. The social and ecological repercussions alone are enough to make me not want to use that.

I would shit myself taking that thing apart. [QUOTE=Kalibos;32963278]it looks just like my [I]COCK![/I][/QUOTE] You know Ron Whites cheese wheel penis joke? Do you have a penis like his? [editline]25th October 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=PrusseluskenV2;32963443]Hundred of times stronger than Hiroshima? Wow. Like really. It's absurd to think of.[/QUOTE] Tsar Bomba, google it.

They should just make fake bombs and threaten other countries with them. After all, that's the only good use for them.

Honesty it's small compared to the power.

And the Earth breathes a sigh of relief.

[quote]a weapon hundreds of times stronger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima[/quote] Why are the strengths of really powerful weapons [B]always[/B] measured in Hiroshimas?!

The bomb had a 9 megaton yield. [quote]Why are the strengths of really powerful weapons [B]always[/B] measured in Hiroshimas?![/quote] The destruction is familiar to many people, and allows one to scale up the level of human loss. It's frankly the only thing we have to compare it to.

That can't be the last of them. With countries knowing we don't have them, they could go batshit on us for no reason.

[QUOTE=leontodd;32963545]They should just make fake bombs and threaten other countries with them. After all, that's the only good use for them.[/QUOTE] Make fake bombs, threaten people with it once the other country gets annoyed enough and uses their real bombs. OH HEY WE HAVE NOTHING TO USE.

[QUOTE=GameDev;32963640]That can't be the last of them. With countries knowing we don't have them, they could go batshit on us for no reason.[/QUOTE] We still have submarine launched nuclear missiles. This is just a bomb. Something we'd probably never use given that it's easier to launch a missile than to fly a bomber in.

How many megatons is it? The article only states it was '600 times larger than hiroshimas bomb'. While it's nice to get rid of such dangerous weapons, I'd love to have that as a mantlepiece.

Yay, I guess. These probably wouldn't have ever been used (unless the world was REALLY fucked), but I think it's a nice symbolic gesture.

[QUOTE=Sir Gangster;32963168]This is what should happen to all nuclear bombs.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately, all owners of nuclear weapons are locked in a permanent state of "I will if you will". All countries with nukes want to dismantle them, they just want the other countries with nukes to do it first.

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;32964028]How many megatons is it? The article only states it was '600 times larger than hiroshimas bomb'. While it's nice to get rid of such dangerous weapons, I'd love to have that as a mantlepiece.[/QUOTE] 9 Megatons apparantley. And if you think thats big, the of the Tsar Bomb which was 5 times more powerful than that.

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;32964028]How many megatons is it? The article only states it was '600 times larger than hiroshimas bomb'. While it's nice to get rid of such dangerous weapons, I'd love to have that as a mantlepiece.[/QUOTE] Yeah, seriously. I know they have to communicate this to a general audience but '600 times larger than X' is not an accurate measure of TNT equivalent.

[QUOTE=The golden;32964289]Something tells me that even with 100% cooperation, the US still wouldn't get rid of their nuclear weapons.[/QUOTE] Neither would any other country.

[QUOTE=RayvenQ;32964235]9 Megatons apparantley. And if you think thats big, the of the Tsar Bomb which was 5 times more powerful than that.[/QUOTE] Oh yeah? You should see my friend's drama queen girlfriend explode.

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;32963412]Goddamn... They said it was put into service during the Cold War... Wouldn't be surprised if they intended for that thing to take out half of Russia... (They said it was hundreds of times stronger than Hiroshima bomb.)[/QUOTE] 600 times stronger doesn't mean 600 times bigger, just so you know.

[QUOTE=SockFC;32963170]Nukes are useful for keeping enemies at bay/war at rest, but it's nice to see some of them being dismantled.[/QUOTE] That's how far the deterrence theory goes. But one day they will be our end.

[QUOTE=AltFanatic;32963409]thats a p fat cock then maybe even a chode[/QUOTE] He is John Goodman after all.

one down.... 1,949 to go. This is fucking pointless. They could still destroy the world more than once with the remaining nukes, what difference does this make? [editline]25th October 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=J!NX;32963652]Make fake bombs, threaten people with it once the other country gets annoyed enough and uses their real bombs. OH HEY WE HAVE NOTHING TO USE.[/QUOTE] Then don't be a dick and threaten other countries?