If you're not willing to use them, then their deterrence is meaningless, thus placing our nation and our world in a much dangerous place. As Thomas Jefferson said, " Those who beat their swords into plowshares, shall plow for those who did not".
@@donkeyslayer4661 Deterrence, means stopping anything from happening. Nuclear deterrence comes from the fact, if one nation launches a nuke, ALL nations with nuclear weaponry, will launch as well. This is what is called Mutually Assured Destruction. As such, the purpose of nuclear weapons, is to deter the use of nuclear weapons. As such, if a nuclear weapon is launched, then nuclear weapons everywhere has failed their mission. When it comes to nuclear weaponry: Mission Accomplished only comes from 0 nukes being launched. Since every nation with nuclear weapons, is ready in the event of a nuclear launch, means it is 100% impossible for nuclear weaponry to accomplish their mission.
@FusionGamer9600 Both Communist and Capitalist countries have cops killing innocent people. Left Wing Media only focuses on cop killings in the USA, because that's how propaganda works dumbass.
@@lorinatzberger3624 North Korea, where the great leader is never to be questioned. If he managed to tie his shoe laces without help they would announce it with some glorious pomp type of music and ecstatic commentary.
Don't be silly. Not even full scale nuclear war will kill every human on earth, nor will it "end the world". Nuclear winter is horseshit and disproven. It'd be a catastrophe on the order of the Chixulub impact event, but the planet would recover in time.
This is the very first video I've seen anywhere that actually demonstrates the modern (ie. early 1990's onward) launch procedures for Minuteman missiles. Superb find.
@Billy B These systems aren't connected to anything outside of themselves. On top of that, they still require secured authorization in the way of authorization codes. Realistically, the only way to "hack" one would be to get into a command room and force the people in charge to do it for you, somehow. In which case you're not really hacking so much as hijacking. I mean, even if you could magic your way into "hacking" the system, you can't do anything about authorization codes in a safe in an underground bunker that requires two officers to unlock.
@@matchesburn and the NCA authorization code that matches the biscuit in the LCC, only way PAL will allow launch. You need a total of 4 officers to agree on launch orders, 4 sets, not 2 sets of keys and codes are needed to launch 10 birds.
@@matchesburn Wouldn’t you just need to send them (the men in the LCC) the correct signal? The officers receiving the signal have no idea if it actually came from the President or not. If they get the correct code and are told to immediately launch on one of their assigned targets… The Pentagon only has a few minutes to intervene before minutemen missiles are in the air. So hacking involves being in a position to know the code and sending it to the LCC.
@@jastrapper190 "Wouldn’t you just need to send them (the men in the LCC) the correct signal?" ...And how do you do that with a closed system? Like with defense computers being on a secure intranet (their own private internet type of network) with nothing connected to the outside. The only way to interface with it would be to *_physically_* connect with it. The only way you could "hack" into anything is to physically take over a secured location that is defended with very serious people with very serious firepower that very seriously will shoot to defend it. And then, somehow, do that successfully and then commandeer the equipment. It's just not feasible. Even if you could lead such an assault on a communication hub or facility that would allow it, as soon as it's under attack it will just go into lockdown and the installation personnel will likely either destroy the equipment used to communicate or they will alert the Pentagon (probably even automatically with the correct alarms) to disregard any communications from said facility until it's been secured by a QRF. When it comes to hacking, you're just not going to be able to interface with the actual systems unless you do so directly and even then you're going to be surprised by how old some of them are. Unironically, you'd get further by doing social engineering stuff like Kevin Mitnick with just carrying around a clipboard with a uniform in the actual facility itself than trying to do so remotely. Because while you'll still likely get caught, at least you *_could_* do something if you were in the actual facility.
@@matchesburn The team(s) carrying the football(s) have the codes correct? So if they any of them lose their minds what is to prevent them from obtaining those numbers? Or the person who prints or handles the biscuits? The Marines flying Marine Two seize the VP’s football. There must be multiple “footballs” bc if the President is killed the VP needs access to those codes even if he is halfway around the globe. The President himself. Or or or… I’m not here to tell you how it would be done or write a Tom Clancy novel. Just pointing out that when the LCC speakers blare out a message. If it’s correct. The missiles can and will be on their way in minutes. The entire world’s fate lies in a single set of numbers coming through a speaker that the monkeys in the LCC have faith is coming directly from a valid authority (a sane and fit President of the United States). But they have no way of actually knowing that those numbers came from a valid authority. To me that sounds ridiculous. We’ve designed a system that can end the world and it’s contingent on a speaker and some numbers (which I’m sure hundreds of people have access to) never being transmitted by anyone other than the President. I heard a Major speak once. Retired Titan II Officer. He said at one point they had inserted keys before they were told an error had been made and to stand down. He was very specific about that. They had inserted their keys and were awaiting the specific time to turn them. Once turned there is nothing any human can do to stop the missile. If I understand the procedures correctly. That means their speaker blared out some numbers and they didn’t come from a “valid authority” and they were “correct”.
@@haroldanderson7327 actually they have flown. But instead as a weapon of peace. Here is the video from Neil Armstrong's biography that got adapted into a movie. It's called First Man. This is known as project Gemini. This was flown on the top of a Titan-II ua-cam.com/video/Qu1TG7E4dbk/v-deo.html
@@haroldanderson7327 Unfortunately, they will. Excerpt from "Henoch Prophecies" by Billy Eduard Albert Meier, Official Contact Report 215, Saturday, February 28, 1987, 2.09 am: 168. Millions and even billions of people will be killed by acts of terrorism, by wars and civil wars; and finally, in some parts of the world, every third human being, and, in other places, every fourth human being, will lose his or her life. 169. The nations of the East will rise against the nations of the West, the West against the East. 170. Many deaths will be inflicted upon the people by fighter and bomber aircraft, and bombs and rockets will destroy and annihilate smaller and larger villages and cities. 171. The people will be completely powerless against all this and will live through 888 days of Hell on Earth, suffering hunger and plagues which will claim even more lives than the war itself. 172. The time will be severe as never before experienced on Earth. Ultimately, nothing can be bought or sold any longer. 173. All provisions will be rationed; and if a human being steals even a small piece of bread, he/she will have to pay for it with his/her life. 271. But death, destruction and annihilation will not only rage in Europe but also in America, where much suffering will have to be endured and many deaths as well as destruction and annihilation will be. 272. America and Russia will have the most terrible weapons of mass destruction at their disposal-a fact which is already the case to a certain extent today-and will clash with violent force against each other at that time of conflict, whereby Canada will also be dragged into this conflict. 273. The source of this conflict will substantiate the Russian attack on the American State of Alaska and against Canada. 274. This conflict will result in mass killings of human beings (nuclear weapons) as well as devastating destruction, annihilation and epidemics, etc., which mankind of Earth will never have seen and experienced up to that time. 275. Not only nuclear, biological and chemical weapons will be used en masse, but also enormously deadly systems of computer-controlled weapons that are only in the beginning stages of development today, or will be invented and constructed during the third millennium.
It's not as original as your poetry (meaning not original), but the Apocalyptic poem from "The Omen" is fitting as well. "When the Jews return to Zion "And a comet rips the sky "And when the Holy Empire rises "Then you & I must die. "From the Eternal Sea he rises "Creating armies on either shore "Turning Man against his Brother "Until Man exists no more."
@@scotcarr3390 That's cool. Thank you for reminding me this comment I posted more than a year ago, which is not original either. These are lyrics taken from the song Terminus, written by the great British singer and poet Martin Walkyier.
'Megeddo's Gateway.' Hunter of the silent darkness-- Mighty steel leviathan, Rise from your nocturnal vigil-- 'Davey Jones' the time has come. Send spitting fires and roaring thunder--instigate Poseidon's wrath, Unleash the terrors of the deep uncertain of the aftermath. Attack is the best form of defense--fingers on a keyboard play, When genocide's a numbered sequence death is but a breath away. I. I hear sirens screaming-- C. See lightning rip the sky, B. Be afraid my darling-- M. Embrace me as we die. Dark clouds gather (tensions mounting)--current tides are making waves, They navigate a sea of tears--above them storms in tea-cups rage. Only Jonah 'neath the ocean witnesses the damage done, But can't turn back the hands of time--none can unload a smoking gun. I. I hear sirens screaming-- C. See lightning rip the sky, B. Be afraid my darling-- M. Embrace me as we die. The lords of Fleet Street speculate--as noble statesmen mediate, They tread on thin ice cracked by hate--one slip could spell disaster. We gave you power to decide--but now you gamble with our lives, We've all been taken for a ride--next stop the hereafter. These implements of science-friction-- Are the pawns of power play, By splitting hairs and splitting atoms-- They'll kill us all the 'new-clear' way. Entice us through Megeddo's gateway on this final exodus, As flesh is turned to ash and vapour by the fires of 'terminus.'
@@The-Endungeoned I tend to be flippant in the face of absolute darkness so please don't think I'm making fun when I say "well, that cast rather a gloom over the evening!" It's simply nanners when folks think we can but ride out & plan to survive a nuclear war. The horror of a small-scale exchange (artillery nuke munitions, low-yield tactical warheads, "dial a yield" gravity bombs & sub-launched missiles) will likely shock world leaders from crossing the rubicon into an exchange using "zone-killers" strategic missiles, but they also not fool themselves that even the relatively small damage resulting from a "tactical" exchange will not be a cakewalk.
I can't even begin to imagine the psychological implications of a job like this. I can't help but think of the 1983 movie "The Day After" when I see this. I can't help but hear that line "Step 1: Launch Keys Inserted" "Roger"
The son of one of those two launch officers depicted in that movie, Lt. Krause, has commented in threads under this video and elsewhere. That footage was all shot by the military and used by the filmmakers to save the cost of having to stage it themselves. (US govt copyright products go immediately into the public domain.) Those were the real people going through the actual procedure, not actors.
@@beenaplumber8379 thank you for mentioning! It looked like real training footage! Such a heavy heavy responsibility that I can’t even begin to imagine the mental toll it takes on the officer. God bless them for all they do!
@@caddydaddy84 So far we are indeed a failed species. We will be destroyed by our own weapons...or industrialization/pollution. Ironically, we knew the solutions but pretty much ignored them
In the seventies I was part of the USAF Strategic Air Command security team at Minuteman Missile silos in South Dakota....this is accurate and sobering stuff. These missiles were always meant to be a deterrent to war because of MAD...Mutually Assured Destruction.......We lived at these missile alert facilities for several days at a time and were in the field with 10 missiles in each Flight as part of a Squadron. This really is Tip Of The Spear....and God help us they are never launched.
But the moment they fail to do that, civilisation is destroyed. So it's only "mission accomplished" if they're never launched. If they ever *are* launched, then it's "mission failed". The only crumb of comfort is that the fuckers who authorised the missile launches - the world leaders - will probably survive the attacks, but will be condemned to a slow and painful death from radiation sickness, starvation and lack of medical care when they eventually have to leave their bunkers. Or maybe they'll have the decency to kill themselves when finally forced to confront the horrifying reality of what they are responsible for.
+Tom McBride Yes, weather (wind) will be automatically compensated for by the gyros sending signals to the computer, which adjusts the nozzles as needed throughout the flight. Each stage is roughly one minute long with three stages (the video/simulation cuts out some 'boring' time) before thrust termination (the video shows that). Just to give you an idea of how fast it is accelerating, at first stage separation it is moving at over a mile a second.
I wish they still wore the blue fatigues. It just had a unique, squared away look. When I was at NORAD, I used to say it would be cool if we could adopt the blue SAC fatigue in honor of those who were the vanguards of the Cold War defense apparatus.
@@dennissvitak148 Lol. The khakis were terrible. After wearing them for an hour they looked like you'd slept in them. Thank God for permanent pressed uniforms!
Back in the day when I was a project manager pup at a very large machine shop, we made mass simulators of the RV. Even as dummy's, they were spooky. Needle sharp tips.
Behind a concrete door slammed shut, no starlit skies of night, No sun-bleached clouds in azure sky, in which to dance in flight. But certain as the rising sun, these tacit warriors seldom see, They're ever grimly ready, for someone has to be. Beneath it all they're common men, who eat and sleep and dream, But between them is a common bond, of knowledge they're a team. A group of men who love their land, who serve it long and well, Who stand their thankless vigil, on the brink of man-made hell.
Our grim faced lads and lasses With the little brass keys Hopefully they'll never need unlock Pandora's fateful box Stalwart young warriors I pray that you get to leave the little brass keys in the big red box.
That is the sad reality of using these weapons. That's why it's important mutual assured destruction stay in place. If one side thinks they can actually achieve a successful first strike then the odds of using these weapons goes up
Coconuthead city full of human beings like us, who never did a thing to us, destroyed. population mostly vaporized. many left burned and blinded. waiting for fallout to mop up the rest. NOBODY WINS!!
It shows an imaginary dramatization. The screenwriters imagined that scene in their heads. It doesn't show the real job. It shows drama intended to sell their movie.
Sir, did the crew know the intended target of the missile they were launching, or were the coordinates of the target encoded in the launch instruction from the Pentagon?
@@marknguyen8664 I'm a bit late and not the OP but I can answer this: launch crews never know their targets. They get a coded message telling them to select one of a number of predetermined targets and execute the fire mission, nothing else. It helps to dehumanise the process. I believe a number of possible target lists were released or leaked and are available online if you're interested.
Great video. I worked at Whiteman on MMII in the '80's. We were still using the old consoles in the LCC's and not the newer REACT consoles. LF's were pretty much the same though, just slightly different bird. I can guarantee you there were no Lt. Col's in the LCC's. This was in a trainer.
+Ben Bosley Would you trust windows software in an ICBM Silo? Half way through the launch sequence you get an illegal operation pop up and have to restart the computer! LOL I doubt you have enough time before the Russian or Chinese missile hits you first!
+Ben Bosley Nah. The giant floppy disks from the 70's and 80's are used in the communications systems that receive the nuclear launch orders. In contrast, the computers you see in this video that launch the missiles are state-of-the-art early-1990's technology. :)
"Roger understand. Major Reinhardt, we have a massive attack against the USA at this time. ICBMs. Numerous ICBMs. Roger understand. Over 300 missiles inbound now"
Here is true story from 1991. I had just gotten out of Air Force in 9/1991 after having been stop-lossed with the First Gulf War and took an anesthesia job with a Colonel who had been recalled to Wilford Hall from his private group in Waco, TX. That winter the wife attended a concert by a opera singer. He was this big black guy with a great voice and at the party afterward for him in one of the local doctor's house I got to talking with him. I mention how I was new in town having just gotten out of the Air Force and he pipes up that he as well had just gotten out of the Air Force. I asked what did he do and his reply was that he had been a O-4 (Major) Missile Control Launch Officer in some ICBM silo in the midwest. I asked why he got out? And his reply was, "When I realized with the collapse of the Soviet Empire that I probably was not going to get to blow up the world, I decided to chase my dream and sing."
I got to take a tour of the SAC underground command center in Omaha during the 1980's. We were told that deadly force was authorized, and this was EXTREMELY SERIOUS. We were told to put our hands in our pockets AND NOT REMOVE THEM! Then we were led down a long hall that had a serviceman with a 12 ga. pump looking at us through an armored hole in the wall as we moved down the hallway. Next, we noticed our little group had another service man behind us with a 12 ga.. We then entered an elevator for a long ride down to the control room. The serviceman in the elevator told us to keep our mouths SHUT and not to make any sudden moves. The control room was dark with several large screens "supposedly" showing us the current disposition of SAC forces around the world. The funniest thing they told us was - that if a phone in the control room rang, we were not to answer it. I just smiled.
The ICBM program and space program developed side by side and used some of the same launch vehicles. The science and engineering of sending a nuke to the other side of the world and putting satellites and astronauts in orbit are largely the same.
Grew up in the #5 city to be blown up, actually saw the missile targeted at my city as an adult. The Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces Commander said the missile the US commander was seeing was targeted at Cheyenne where I lived...F.E. Warren. Now I'm lucky...I only live 150 miles East from Idaho Nat. Labs., totally safe now. Hell my High School was majority non-windowed interior classrooms in case of nuke war.
Worked 60 years ago on a ranch north of Cheynne. On the rancher's land was Atlas Missile Site One, just west off Atlas Road. It was a quarter mile from I-25. Scary. Yet it had a big billboard on the Interstate identifying itself. Told never to go past the barbed wire separating his land from the site. Only time I saw a rattlesnake, and it was on the other side of the fence.
Upon receipt of the emergency alert, we insert the 5-1/4" floppy disk with instructions into the Commodore PET. We then copy the radio message into a Hilroy notebook using an HB pencil. This is compared to the codes that come via landline from the dot-matrix printer ....
When I was taking classes on a Commodore PET, who knew that we were that close to being able to launch a nuclear attack? (Who am I kidding - we didn't have floppy disks back then. I wonder if you could get instructions off a cassette tape?)
+Michael Davis There was a specific IBM real-time control computer used for this. The same system was used to run part of the control room in some Canadian nuclear power stations. These were a bitch to support as the machines aged. At the end of the cold war a software emulator came on the market and Ontario Hydro bought some. It had been a black program that was declassified. The old computers in launch silos had been replaced with the secret emulator. I had a couple of brothers working in Ontario and heard the story from one.
+John Austin I wonder if the "Integrity" realtime embedded microkernel operating system had its roots with this software, only reason I ask is because Integrity is a true RTOS that is used in defense industries, amongst many, with the source code being classified. Apparently, the U.S. Government, and Military use it, just a thought though, I would really have no way of confirming it either way. It seems Integrity could also be quite useful to power generating stations of all types, because of its many certifications of stability, reliability, and security.
WOW! That LCC (simulator) is PLUSH! I suppose I did my time as a Crew Dog during the "Klingon Era" ('79 - '82). Procedures haven't changed but that hardware certainly is PRETTY. No ECS noise! Alarms are subtle. I'm glad the combat crews have it easy now. (--never did see two O-5s as a crew pair! ;-) )
Ops squadron commanders "keeping their hands in"? At least they can do their own targeting from the capsule. Still have maintainers running around the complex trying to "keep 'em green"! Mostly EMT, MMT, and facilities types. I attended a briefing for the AAFM, and asked how many maintenance officers they had. The colonel looked at me and said, "Oh, about seventeen." I didn't reply, but had to suppress a smile. Back in the late '60's, we had more 2LT Targeting & Alignment team chiefs than that by about twice! When the chill factor is off the chart, try taking a theodolite reading from Station A! :-)
@@mikebeer1567 When a 1 megaton near surface burst pops nearby, shock waves through the launch control center will be a thing. Unrestrained, the combat crew would imitate maraca beans being violently shaken. For what it's worth, we always joked that it wouldn't be the blast or radiation that would kill us -- but the fall would. We were more or less 65 feet below grade. Those Soviet 1 meggers would dig holes 300 feet deep in North Dakota. ;-)
@@jamesbarnard9710 Late, but better than never. My squadron CO was from your era. Good guy. Command Data Buffer was an innovation installed just prior to my time -- no more theodolites. Ring laser gyros arrived around '90. Space Force Major Daughter says they use "solid state gyros" now with star navigation for final orientation. There's an old procedures trainer in the USAF museum now. It's my old simulator. I suppose I'm a certified Geezer now. ;-)
@@mikebeer1567 If a warhead missed you and detonated near your LCC, it kept the shockwave from tossing you out of your seat and incapacitating/injuring you. The LCC is also built on shock absorbers to harden it from shockwave of a nuclear blast.
agreed, in the real situation, your adrenalin is pumping and you are functioning at lightning speed. this video is nothing like the real thing. i think they just wanted to show some basic unclassified procedures so people could get an idea of what it was like.
@@RandomCommentDue not sure how you determined that time frame or where you came up with those numbers but they are not correct, not even close. did you ever work on missile launch crew? i do know exactly how long it takes to execute a launch and that is classified info. i was on Combat Crew at Whiteman AFB from 1980-83. I was a top rated ICBM crewmember and worked at Oscar 01 LCC, Primary Squadron Command Post.
@@chasvicjr53 Okay congrats, but I wasnt talking about how long it'd take to launch. I was saying they have that time because it takes ~30 minutes because of sheer physics for the ICBM launch to occur, to the time of impact, and silos are #1 targets. So from so it's 15-30 minutes for the launch to occur before impact, because, ya know, thats how long theyd have before they themselves exploded.
@@RandomCommentDue when the missile crew turns keys to execute the launch, the missiles will launch immediately (unless there is an equipment break-down failure on a specific missile). once the missile is launched, (Minuteman II) it has a maximum effective range of about 7000+ miles and maximum speed about 17,000 mph (unclassified) therefor its maximum flight time is less than 30 minutes.
I grew up at the end of the Cold War in the '80s. And I was always astonished, and terrified, that all of the world's hopes, dreams and accomplishments could be utterly destroyed in about 30 minutes with the turn of a key.
And nearly were on several occasions. We have a Russian missile tech to thank for refusing to fire during (what turned out to be an errant) launch warning. And I think there was a similar story of a US member in a similar circumstance, but I've forgotten .
I had an Air Force Captain who spent a few years in Minot, North Dakota in a missile silo. He said he was on duty during one of the false alarms. (I don't remember which one.) Some of the people got word out to their families to bug out and head for the hills. Fun times during the Cold War.
The depiction of the procedures is really interesting, but the up beat music is really tone deaf given what a Mission Accomplished here would actually represent
Systems have been upgraded to from the 8 inch floppies to 5 1/4 the via the new field operational upgrade kit Block-C package from TRW for a fixed contract cost of 87 million dollars per drive.
Your statement makes no sense. Why would video of a missile coming out of a tube be classified, or the video of them going through the procedure. And yes, it does just take minutes. What is your point?
Xtreme disappointment trying to launch a nuclear strike and you Windows based system stops operation and demands access to internet to get an update.... 🛠😲🍵
I live in Ireland and always thought that in the event of an East-West nuclear exchange the nukes would pass over my head so I would be spared at least the blast consequences of a detonation. After seeing the quality of Russian arms in Ukraine however I'm pretty sure one of these will end up in my back yard and will probably kill my dog. Or at least flatten my shed.
Why is the YT Algo showing me a kind of advertising for nuclear weapons? Should I be more afraid because of the algo or what the algo thinks I like????
I took the tour of the Minuteman command bunker and silo installation several years ago. It is REALLY worth your while to take the tour. I live in Canada, about 15 miles north of Fort Drum, and I'm directly downwind of three nuclear generation plants along the New York coast of Lake Ontario, and east of a large army base in Kingston, Ontario and a major air base in Trenton, Ontario. I likely wouldn't feel direct effects of a Dong Feng-5 (4Mt), but the radioactivity would kill me in less than a month. That would be from 5 Chinese warheads. Let's hope the CCP stays the Hell out of Taiwan.
Exactly right. This video is purely for people who know nothing about missile operations. You will NEVER see two Lt Cols doing this. Squadron commanders (Lt Cols) and their operations officers (usually a major) are required to be combat ready and go on alerts once a month (usually), but they never go together, but usually with a more seasoned crew member (a captain, or more probably a first or second lieutenant) who do the job frequently, and frankly, are more qualified than the Lt Cols and majors.
@@kw5591 In today's context where Putin has threatened Nuclear War with the West, if the West keeps 'interfering' with his invasion of Ukraine, is this comment still relevant?
The missiles are just the kick-starter, then the strategic bombers and drones continue the bombing for several days until the refuelers run dry. That way, total destruction is assured. And that's just the nukes, or as Dracula stated in the 1931 film "There are far worse things awaiting man than death."
I get extreme stress responses when I watch this stuff, micro panic attacks, yet I am compelled to watch it periodically, or before the internet I would think it out. Psychological framing with sexual sideshow.
As one can see from this video, you can't launch a nuke with just a turn of a key. I worked on other nuke systems and the two man rule applied. There was never a simple task to shoot a nuke.
even if both guys turn their keys, the launch can be remotely blocked by their command and control system. several things have to happen to launch an icbm, not just two guys turning keys. no worries, biden is in charge of our icbm's.
@@daveray44 When the current systems for MMIII went in. Remember, it doesn't take just the two officers in one capsule to command a launch. At least one other capsule crew must also vote to initiate the launch sequence. I don't know about now, but back in MMI & II, a single officer in another capsule could inhibit the launches, and it would take two more votes to override the inhibit command.
@@jamesbarnard9710 Back when I was in, if a singe capsule crew 1st enabled, then issued a launch command, a 24 hour timer was started. If this crew, or one of the other crews did not stop this, they would go. If another command, came in from another LCF, that would start an immediate launch sequence. If there was only one LCF in a squadron, it could actually start an immediate launch. I believe that was called Single flight operations. The requirement was for them to pull their codes so they couldn't launch themselves, unless of course, we are actually at war
The capsule they’re manning rests on springs that dampen out possible vibrations from the missile launches and because their launch sites are primary targets for Russian MIRVs. There will be a whole lotta rockin’ and a shakin’ going on when the Russian nukes arrive.
Remember they would be shooting at us too. The "bunker" they're in is suspended on shock absorbers to help it survive enemy missile attacks. They would get tossed around pretty good in the event of a close impact.
Hello fellow Airman.Jim West. I also was part of the USAF Strategic Air command Security team but I was station in North Dakota. And like yourself it was in the early 70's. I agree with the Mutually Assured Destruction comment. Since are county is a super power it would be " mad" for another country with or without nuclear capability to back the United States into a corner . The Air force Emblem has a picture of a Eagle. which is a bird. Which means the Air force controls the sky. We also refer to missiles as birds " death from the sky." You probably had a top secret clearance like me. it's important that I maintain a status of secrecy pertaining to anything that the Air Force has. And how they go about their Operations .Even though I was debrief before I was discharged from the base
1. The amount of energy from the launched missile that would be imparted into the structure could potentially damage the facility. 2. Nuclear missile launch sites are almost certainly the first targets to be hit by inbound missiles. You don't want your missile operators to be bounced across the room at a critical moment by a close nuclear strike.
3. On the off chance that some rogue officer could devise a way to turn both keys alone after killing his partner, they probably have interlocks so that both operators must be in their seats (weight and body temperature) and buckled in (current path through buckles and proper tension to prove the belts are strapped around the operator) for a minimum amount of time in order for the keys to work.
@@allanrichardson1468 I suspect that it is almost entirely No2. Some bunkers are on spring foundations to dampen ground motions from a nearby nuclear blast. With regard to No 1, the amount of energy from an ICBM being launched would be no doubt impressive, but I suspect it would be more high frequency "vibration" rather than the "knock you out of your seat" type rolling waves from a nuke blast. With regard to No3, I believe that the keys are spring loaded and must be held for a certain amount of time, but they probably don't have any interlocks beyond the two humans. One of the interesting things about nuke weapons is the the military's desire to not have them "fail safe", the mindset is that failsafe features (such as a weight/temp switch on the launchers seat, or an excess of arming failsafe mechanisms on the war head) will increase the probability that a properly authorized and launched nuke might not detonate. This will lessen the deterrence factor of nuke weapons, which actually increases the odds that an enemy may strict first. Sick shit.
It's interesting to see the current version of the launch control panels...I remember watching a circa 1990 documentary about Minuteman crew training, and while the coop/launch turnkey switches are the same, the preparatory enabling controls and status lights have been replaced by keyboards and video monitors. This simulation is quieter as well; when the missiles lifted off in the 90s simulation the call-out went "launch in process...fault, outer security, inner security, eleven's gone!", with alarm bells ringing to indicate (I assume) that the rocket blast set off every intruder sensor around, and with the commander crossing off the launch indicator lights with a grease pencil.
You probably saw a 'before REACT' system. Not all of the missile systems were exactly alike over the years. Each base (Malmstrom and F.E. Warren were exceptions with 1 squadron that was different) were identical throughout but there were differences between many of the bases. We had 1000 missiles at the peak though we have deactivated half of the bases and are now at a 450 missile count after START. Over the years there have been many upgrades and the REACT system was phased in completely in conjunction with some base/missile group closures. Ironically the REACT system would be considered ancient by today's computer standards, but that is necessary to do all the testing to ensure that the equipment meets the rigid standards for nuclear weapon system use.
Yeah well aside for the difficulting in getting parts now and the horror of actually firing the things if it all goes pear shaped, if the system is still working fine why fix it? Waste of money otherwise. Sometimes new isn't good.
In a way I'm glad we haven't been so obsessed with nuclear weapons that we kept the technology to launch it up to date. It shows we do think of them as last resort. (it is also pretty difficult to hack a primitive 80s computer, not connected to the WWW with an iPhone App)
Actually "mission accomplished" with ICBMs is to never (have to) fire any.
peace is our business and business is good.
Rick Timmons peace does sell
If you're not willing to use them, then their deterrence is meaningless, thus placing our nation and our world in a much dangerous place. As Thomas Jefferson said, " Those who beat their swords into plowshares, shall plow for those who did not".
@@donkeyslayer4661 Deterrence, means stopping anything from happening. Nuclear deterrence comes from the fact, if one nation launches a nuke, ALL nations with nuclear weaponry, will launch as well. This is what is called Mutually Assured Destruction.
As such, the purpose of nuclear weapons, is to deter the use of nuclear weapons. As such, if a nuclear weapon is launched, then nuclear weapons everywhere has failed their mission.
When it comes to nuclear weaponry: Mission Accomplished only comes from 0 nukes being launched. Since every nation with nuclear weapons, is ready in the event of a nuclear launch, means it is 100% impossible for nuclear weaponry to accomplish their mission.
@FusionGamer9600 Both Communist and Capitalist countries have cops killing innocent people. Left Wing Media only focuses on cop killings in the USA, because that's how propaganda works dumbass.
Someone once said a strategic nuclear exchange would be like a shootout with flamethrowers in a phonebooth.
Ah, well, that's comforting.
Until someone started losing. Then they would start hitting countervalue targets.
More like two lunatics standing in a puddle of gasoline. One of them has seven matches, the other has five.
that would have to be a fairly large phonebooth. Maybe a studio apartment, that would do just as well.
Seven Seas17-- The best simplistic metaphor that I've ever read regarding nuclear war. Well done!
Once those keys are turned and ELC Message Transmit is complete, there is no turning back.
While I am no pacifist the heroic music accompanying this video is obscene.
They should've played cynical music instead
@@lorinatzberger3624 North Korea, where the great leader is never to be questioned. If he managed to tie his shoe laces without help they would announce it with some glorious pomp type of music and ecstatic commentary.
@@FFFFFFF-FFFFFFFUUUUCCCC Maybe silence would have fitted better.
@@lorinatzberger3624 Have you seen that video that came out of NK the other day of their latest test shot? It was so over the top it was comical.
@@FFFFFFF-FFFFFFFUUUUCCCC Apocalypso!
I love how the music is so buoyant when what's happening there is probably the beginning of the end of the world.
bombs888
I noticed that too. Music to issue Armageddon by 🎵❓☠️
Thought they were gonna shoot the missile into an unlabeled island, but no. Straight into a fucking huge city
Thomas Jordan now I know I'm in first class....
@Bob Loblaw Agreed. It's just propoganda to justify the keep and use of these horrible weapons.
Don't be silly. Not even full scale nuclear war will kill every human on earth, nor will it "end the world". Nuclear winter is horseshit and disproven. It'd be a catastrophe on the order of the Chixulub impact event, but the planet would recover in time.
This is the very first video I've seen anywhere that actually demonstrates the modern (ie. early 1990's onward) launch procedures for Minuteman missiles. Superb find.
@Billy B
These systems aren't connected to anything outside of themselves. On top of that, they still require secured authorization in the way of authorization codes. Realistically, the only way to "hack" one would be to get into a command room and force the people in charge to do it for you, somehow. In which case you're not really hacking so much as hijacking.
I mean, even if you could magic your way into "hacking" the system, you can't do anything about authorization codes in a safe in an underground bunker that requires two officers to unlock.
@@matchesburn and the NCA authorization code that matches the biscuit in the LCC, only way PAL will allow launch. You need a total of 4 officers to agree on launch orders, 4 sets, not 2 sets of keys and codes are needed to launch 10 birds.
@@matchesburn Wouldn’t you just need to send them (the men in the LCC) the correct signal? The officers receiving the signal have no idea if it actually came from the President or not. If they get the correct code and are told to immediately launch on one of their assigned targets… The Pentagon only has a few minutes to intervene before minutemen missiles are in the air. So hacking involves being in a position to know the code and sending it to the LCC.
@@jastrapper190
"Wouldn’t you just need to send them (the men in the LCC) the correct signal?"
...And how do you do that with a closed system? Like with defense computers being on a secure intranet (their own private internet type of network) with nothing connected to the outside. The only way to interface with it would be to *_physically_* connect with it. The only way you could "hack" into anything is to physically take over a secured location that is defended with very serious people with very serious firepower that very seriously will shoot to defend it. And then, somehow, do that successfully and then commandeer the equipment.
It's just not feasible. Even if you could lead such an assault on a communication hub or facility that would allow it, as soon as it's under attack it will just go into lockdown and the installation personnel will likely either destroy the equipment used to communicate or they will alert the Pentagon (probably even automatically with the correct alarms) to disregard any communications from said facility until it's been secured by a QRF.
When it comes to hacking, you're just not going to be able to interface with the actual systems unless you do so directly and even then you're going to be surprised by how old some of them are. Unironically, you'd get further by doing social engineering stuff like Kevin Mitnick with just carrying around a clipboard with a uniform in the actual facility itself than trying to do so remotely. Because while you'll still likely get caught, at least you *_could_* do something if you were in the actual facility.
@@matchesburn The team(s) carrying the football(s) have the codes correct? So if they any of them lose their minds what is to prevent them from obtaining those numbers? Or the person who prints or handles the biscuits? The Marines flying Marine Two seize the VP’s football. There must be multiple “footballs” bc if the President is killed the VP needs access to those codes even if he is halfway around the globe. The President himself. Or or or… I’m not here to tell you how it would be done or write a Tom Clancy novel. Just pointing out that when the LCC speakers blare out a message. If it’s correct. The missiles can and will be on their way in minutes. The entire world’s fate lies in a single set of numbers coming through a speaker that the monkeys in the LCC have faith is coming directly from a valid authority (a sane and fit President of the United States). But they have no way of actually knowing that those numbers came from a valid authority. To me that sounds ridiculous. We’ve designed a system that can end the world and it’s contingent on a speaker and some numbers (which I’m sure hundreds of people have access to) never being transmitted by anyone other than the President. I heard a Major speak once. Retired Titan II Officer. He said at one point they had inserted keys before they were told an error had been made and to stand down. He was very specific about that. They had inserted their keys and were awaiting the specific time to turn them. Once turned there is nothing any human can do to stop the missile. If I understand the procedures correctly. That means their speaker blared out some numbers and they didn’t come from a “valid authority” and they were “correct”.
Anyone in 2024?
It's looking good!!
🤯
Still here!
Mid April
...still here !
😂
@@carlosvasquez9890 still here my bros
I never really realized how these actually worked until now. As scary as this is they are a bundle of amazing technology.
000f0fffffpcpcffcffffffffffffpx0xxc0p
You are right, ICBM’s are amazing Birds, that I hope to God Never Fly. 🙏
@@haroldanderson7327 actually they have flown. But instead as a weapon of peace. Here is the video from Neil Armstrong's biography that got adapted into a movie. It's called First Man. This is known as project Gemini. This was flown on the top of a Titan-II
ua-cam.com/video/Qu1TG7E4dbk/v-deo.html
@@haroldanderson7327 Unfortunately, they will.
Excerpt from "Henoch Prophecies" by Billy Eduard Albert Meier, Official Contact Report 215, Saturday, February 28, 1987, 2.09 am:
168. Millions and even billions of people will be killed by acts of terrorism, by wars and civil wars; and finally, in some parts of the world, every third human being, and, in other places, every fourth human being, will lose his or her life.
169. The nations of the East will rise against the nations of the West, the West against the East.
170. Many deaths will be inflicted upon the people by fighter and bomber aircraft, and bombs and rockets will destroy and annihilate smaller and larger villages and cities.
171. The people will be completely powerless against all this and will live through 888 days of Hell on Earth, suffering hunger and plagues which will claim even more lives than the war itself.
172. The time will be severe as never before experienced on Earth. Ultimately, nothing can be bought or sold any longer.
173. All provisions will be rationed; and if a human being steals even a small piece of bread, he/she will have to pay for it with his/her life.
271. But death, destruction and annihilation will not only rage in Europe but also in America, where much suffering will have to be endured and many deaths as well as destruction and annihilation will be.
272. America and Russia will have the most terrible weapons of mass destruction at their disposal-a fact which is already the case to a certain extent today-and will clash with violent force against each other at that time of conflict, whereby Canada will also be dragged into this conflict.
273. The source of this conflict will substantiate the Russian attack on the American State of Alaska and against Canada.
274. This conflict will result in mass killings of human beings (nuclear weapons) as well as devastating destruction, annihilation and epidemics, etc., which mankind of Earth will never have seen and experienced up to that time.
275. Not only nuclear, biological and chemical weapons will be used en masse, but also enormously deadly systems of computer-controlled weapons that are only in the beginning stages of development today, or will be invented and constructed during the third millennium.
Nuclear weapons are fake.
I love the way this has been categorized as "Comedy"
2 reasons: The soundtrack and the "Mission accomplished" text overlay on a rendering of millions of people being vaporized :P
The comedy is that you have two field grade officers doing it when in reality it would be a pair of CPT's/Lieutenants
There would be nothing left to do but laugh..
A sense of humor is essential for your mental health with this stuff going on! You laugh at how crazy it is to build such a system of destruction!
@@BillKinsman I kinda miss the Cold War and the clarity of Mutually Assured Destruction. Life was simpler then.
I. I hear sirens screaming
C. See lightning rip the sky,
B. Be afraid my darling
M. Embrace me as we die.
It's not as original as your poetry (meaning not original), but the Apocalyptic poem from "The Omen" is fitting as well.
"When the Jews return to Zion
"And a comet rips the sky
"And when the Holy Empire rises
"Then you & I must die.
"From the Eternal Sea he rises
"Creating armies on either shore
"Turning Man against his Brother
"Until Man exists no more."
@@scotcarr3390 That's cool. Thank you for reminding me this comment I posted more than a year ago, which is not original either. These are lyrics taken from the song Terminus, written by the great British singer and poet Martin Walkyier.
'Megeddo's Gateway.'
Hunter of the silent darkness--
Mighty steel leviathan,
Rise from your nocturnal vigil--
'Davey Jones' the time has come.
Send spitting fires and roaring thunder--instigate Poseidon's wrath,
Unleash the terrors of the deep uncertain of the aftermath.
Attack is the best form of defense--fingers on a keyboard play,
When genocide's a numbered sequence death is but a breath away.
I. I hear sirens screaming--
C. See lightning rip the sky,
B. Be afraid my darling--
M. Embrace me as we die.
Dark clouds gather (tensions mounting)--current tides are making waves,
They navigate a sea of tears--above them storms in tea-cups rage.
Only Jonah 'neath the ocean witnesses the damage done,
But can't turn back the hands of time--none can unload a smoking gun.
I. I hear sirens screaming--
C. See lightning rip the sky,
B. Be afraid my darling--
M. Embrace me as we die.
The lords of Fleet Street speculate--as noble statesmen mediate,
They tread on thin ice cracked by hate--one slip could spell disaster.
We gave you power to decide--but now you gamble with our lives,
We've all been taken for a ride--next stop the hereafter.
These implements of science-friction--
Are the pawns of power play,
By splitting hairs and splitting atoms--
They'll kill us all the 'new-clear' way.
Entice us through Megeddo's gateway on this final exodus,
As flesh is turned to ash and vapour by the fires of 'terminus.'
@@The-Endungeoned I tend to be flippant in the face of absolute darkness so please don't think I'm making fun when I say "well, that cast rather a gloom over the evening!"
It's simply nanners when folks think we can but ride out & plan to survive a nuclear war. The horror of a small-scale exchange (artillery nuke munitions, low-yield tactical warheads, "dial a yield" gravity bombs & sub-launched missiles) will likely shock world leaders from crossing the rubicon into an exchange using "zone-killers" strategic missiles, but they also not fool themselves that even the relatively small damage resulting from a "tactical" exchange will not be a cakewalk.
@@scotcarr3390 That's true. Let's just hope that a virus or something won't be able to pre-fulfiill the effects of these events.
3:30 God, that music makes killing millions of innocent civilians sound so exciting and cool! Thanks Northrop Grumman!
Fuck 'em
We had to nuke the planet in order to save it.
That's what China thought when they were firing their missiles on us. How sweet.
@@Walter_E_Kurtz China nuked the USA? Why didn't anybody tell me? It should have at least been on the news or something.
Reminded me of the sountrack from The Peacemaker. You know, this one: ua-cam.com/video/ivNdoaH6zMk/v-deo.html
I can't even begin to imagine the psychological implications of a job like this. I can't help but think of the 1983 movie "The Day After" when I see this. I can't help but hear that line "Step 1: Launch Keys Inserted" "Roger"
The son of one of those two launch officers depicted in that movie, Lt. Krause, has commented in threads under this video and elsewhere. That footage was all shot by the military and used by the filmmakers to save the cost of having to stage it themselves. (US govt copyright products go immediately into the public domain.) Those were the real people going through the actual procedure, not actors.
@@beenaplumber8379 thank you for mentioning! It looked like real training footage! Such a heavy heavy responsibility that I can’t even begin to imagine the mental toll it takes on the officer. God bless them for all they do!
It's not bad because it's all fake.
You can't but help everything
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: Human civilization destroyed.
*Slow claps*
Human civilization is an oxymoron. We basically suck and deserve anything we get
@@caddydaddy84 So far we are indeed a failed species. We will be destroyed by our own weapons...or industrialization/pollution. Ironically, we knew the solutions but pretty much ignored them
Nah... only 2/3 will be destroyed. The sad thing is that this WILL HAPPEN eventually.
@@ggaggagga4 100 nuclear weapons would end civilization as we know it and effectively turning the Earth into a lifeless rock for... ever.
@@Anarchist86ed the world would be fine
In the seventies I was part of the USAF Strategic Air Command security team at Minuteman Missile silos in South Dakota....this is accurate and sobering stuff. These missiles were always meant to be a deterrent to war because of MAD...Mutually Assured Destruction.......We lived at these missile alert facilities for several days at a time and were in the field with 10 missiles in each Flight as part of a Squadron. This really is Tip Of The Spear....and God help us they are never launched.
Just like their predecessors, these missiles have done and continue to do their job, which is *deterrence of aggression.*
But the moment they fail to do that, civilisation is destroyed. So it's only "mission accomplished" if they're never launched. If they ever *are* launched, then it's "mission failed".
The only crumb of comfort is that the fuckers who authorised the missile launches - the world leaders - will probably survive the attacks, but will be condemned to a slow and painful death from radiation sickness, starvation and lack of medical care when they eventually have to leave their bunkers. Or maybe they'll have the decency to kill themselves when finally forced to confront the horrifying reality of what they are responsible for.
Jim West will these missiles fly through a blizzard? The weather can get pretty rough where these missiles are at
+dunebasher1971 wow couldn't have said it better
+Tom McBride Yes, weather (wind) will be automatically compensated for by the gyros sending signals to the computer, which adjusts the nozzles as needed throughout the flight. Each stage is roughly one minute long with three stages (the video/simulation cuts out some 'boring' time) before thrust termination (the video shows that). Just to give you an idea of how fast it is accelerating, at first stage separation it is moving at over a mile a second.
Mind boggling engineering. Really incredible what smart humans are capable of creating.
all just to destroy themselves in the end. We're creators of our own final destruction
We are capable of creating many things, but more capable of destroying everything literally EVERYTHING.
We are the killer ape.
With great creative power comes great destructive capabilities.
Smart... and evil, humans.
I wish they still wore the blue fatigues. It just had a unique, squared away look. When I was at NORAD, I used to say it would be cool if we could adopt the blue SAC fatigue in honor of those who were the vanguards of the Cold War defense apparatus.
even though they were funky & weird, i didn't mind wearing my "crew blues" & ascot.
Me, a millennial:
Blues Crews. Blues Crews.
Hey..I miss the old 1505's. I wore them for a couple of years.
@@dennissvitak148 I’m jealous, they were phased out by the time I was in. They’re definitely squared away. Btw, thank you for your service gents. 🫡
@@dennissvitak148 Lol. The khakis were terrible. After wearing them for an hour they looked like you'd slept in them. Thank God for permanent pressed uniforms!
Mission accomplished, now lets go home.....oh yeah.....
what home?
you don´t have a fucking single home to go stupid morón.
you Vulcan? Obviously don't know about sarcasm.
Real Genius.
Sorry comrade, your home was triple nuked by Russian and Chinese ICBM and subs.....How about a nice game of chess?
Bob I don't remember the launch test Including the roar of a launching ICBM.
Back in the day when I was a project manager pup at a very large machine shop, we made mass simulators of the RV. Even as dummy's, they were spooky. Needle sharp tips.
*Who came to watch this in 2022?* 🙏
Yeah , skynet pushed it as recommended . It knows something :)
Why do I click on YT recommended...
Behind a concrete door slammed shut,
no starlit skies of night,
No sun-bleached clouds in azure sky,
in which to dance in flight.
But certain as the rising sun,
these tacit warriors seldom see,
They're ever grimly ready,
for someone has to be.
Beneath it all they're common men,
who eat and sleep and dream,
But between them is a common bond,
of knowledge they're a team.
A group of men who love their land,
who serve it long and well,
Who stand their thankless vigil,
on the brink of man-made hell.
Here I sit
Broken-hearted
Tried to launch
Engine mis-started
( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
SLMNW Very pretty
Our grim faced lads and lasses
With the little brass keys
Hopefully they'll never need unlock
Pandora's fateful box
Stalwart young warriors
I pray that you get to leave the little brass keys in the big red box.
@@nuthineatholl6434 Saw a similar line on a porter john when I served. "Here I sit, broken hearted, came to shit but only farted."
@@InvictusProductionsX "Here I sit, on the pooper, giving birth to another state trooper." (Truck stop, of course.)
City full of people destroyed: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
ez
That is the sad reality of using these weapons. That's why it's important mutual assured destruction stay in place. If one side thinks they can actually achieve a successful first strike then the odds of using these weapons goes up
Decades of deterrence that prevents cities full of people being destroyed: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
You chose an appropriate screen name.
Missile delivered on-target - mission accomplished.
Coconuthead city full of human beings like us, who never did a thing to us, destroyed. population mostly vaporized. many left burned and blinded. waiting for fallout to mop up the rest. NOBODY WINS!!
Mission accomplished - great job fellas... fellas? Dang, we've all dead...
Just watch the beginning of War Games ... that scene alone shows all this and how difficult a job it is for both soldiers.
It shows an imaginary dramatization. The screenwriters imagined that scene in their heads. It doesn't show the real job. It shows drama intended to sell their movie.
In all my 20+ years working Minuteman missiles I never ever saw two LtCols on alert together.
Majors
Sir, did the crew know the intended target of the missile they were launching, or were the coordinates of the target encoded in the launch instruction from the Pentagon?
@@marknguyen8664 I'm a bit late and not the OP but I can answer this: launch crews never know their targets. They get a coded message telling them to select one of a number of predetermined targets and execute the fire mission, nothing else. It helps to dehumanise the process.
I believe a number of possible target lists were released or leaked and are available online if you're interested.
i agree, this video is totally fake, i was also combat crew and did this job as a 2nd Lt.
🤣🤣🤣 yup
Great video. I worked at Whiteman on MMII in the '80's. We were still using the old consoles in the LCC's and not the newer REACT consoles. LF's were pretty much the same though, just slightly different bird.
I can guarantee you there were no Lt. Col's in the LCC's. This was in a trainer.
Question I have is: What's the career outlook in the AIr Force for those who have spent their junior officer years manning the silos?
I was at Whiteman in 90-95 as a PMT and FMT. What did you do?
I was in EMT shop.
@@wxmyjnsn Gotta Love the Great City of Knob Noster. GO PANTHERS!!!!
@@raymondrodriguez9389 you should see how much bigger it is now.
0:55 I love the good old MS/DOS shell
Front End Engineering is hard
5:30 Love the lovely music and tone as a ICBM crashes into a city killing thousands. It genuinely made me laugh
Millions
Excellent Video. Thanks Air Force For Your Dedication And Commitment .
Interesting! I did not know about the soon stabilizers on the RV. Good video. Thanks.
The ICBM stages in flight reminds me of a Russian nesting doll that keeps getting smaller and smaller.
The missiles that the Russians launch look like actual matroyashka dolls!
Props to the cameraman for going into space and standing in the blast radius for the video
Fortunately the cameraman never dies
ICBM.exe has crashed
+Craig Thomas
...into Russia.
+Craig Thomas LOL. I was wondering about all the fancy ass software they were running there.
+mjl1966y Quasi-fancy. They still use floppy disks down there.
+Ben Bosley Would you trust windows software in an ICBM Silo? Half way through the launch sequence you get an illegal operation pop up and have to restart the computer! LOL I doubt you have enough time before the Russian or Chinese missile hits you first!
+Ben Bosley Nah. The giant floppy disks from the 70's and 80's are used in the communications systems that receive the nuclear launch orders. In contrast, the computers you see in this video that launch the missiles are state-of-the-art early-1990's technology. :)
"Roger understand.
Major Reinhardt, we have a massive attack against the USA at this time. ICBMs. Numerous ICBMs.
Roger understand.
Over 300 missiles inbound now"
+MrJanizPetke PLUS ONE OVER HERE !!!!
+kc8hnz Whoa! You have that line memorized too!?!
I guess they don't have to phone enable command these days.
+kc8hnz Actually in the movie you heard a slip, he actually said: "We have a massive attack at at this time..." A little bit of useless information.
"Is this an exercise?Roger copy this is not an exercise."
Thanks. I found this tutorial very helpful.
Here is true story from 1991. I had just gotten out of Air Force in 9/1991 after having been stop-lossed with the First Gulf War and took an anesthesia job with a Colonel who had been recalled to Wilford Hall from his private group in Waco, TX. That winter the wife attended a concert by a opera singer. He was this big black guy with a great voice and at the party afterward for him in one of the local doctor's house I got to talking with him. I mention how I was new in town having just gotten out of the Air Force and he pipes up that he as well had just gotten out of the Air Force. I asked what did he do and his reply was that he had been a O-4 (Major) Missile Control Launch Officer in some ICBM silo in the midwest. I asked why he got out?
And his reply was, "When I realized with the collapse of the Soviet Empire that I probably was not going to get to blow up the world, I decided to chase my dream and sing."
I don't know exactly how to feel about this.
Thank you for your comment.@@larryclemens1850
"I said 'lunch' not 'launch'!"
"Lunch it!"
Damn what was the name of that show? Played Saturday mornings. Bob Denver's first gig after Gilligan's island
Far out space nuts. What a name. Seemed a lot cooler when I was 10.
Give me a large us first strike special, and a 2-liter nuka cola. And hold the anchovies!
Growing up on the central coast of CA we used to see the test launches of ICBM’s from Vandenberg Launch Facility. Silos.
Came here expecting a bunch of "TURN YOUR KEY" references. Was not disappointed.
I got to take a tour of the SAC underground command center in Omaha during the 1980's. We were told that deadly force was authorized, and this was EXTREMELY SERIOUS. We were told to put our hands in our pockets AND NOT REMOVE THEM! Then we were led down a long hall that had a serviceman with a 12 ga. pump looking at us through an armored hole in the wall as we moved down the hallway. Next, we noticed our little group had another service man behind us with a 12 ga.. We then entered an elevator for a long ride down to the control room. The serviceman in the elevator told us to keep our mouths SHUT and not to make any sudden moves. The control room was dark with several large screens "supposedly" showing us the current disposition of SAC forces around the world. The funniest thing they told us was - that if a phone in the control room rang, we were not to answer it. I just smiled.
Step 21: Crap pants.
awesome launch sequence, had the makings of hollywood blockbuster all over it.
It's all fake anyway it might as well be a Hollywood movie
Great video! Thank you!
Lt Colonels doing what we did as Lieutenants ... boy were we all underpaid! LOL
Obviously it’s a video demo. They r running the checklist slower than I ever saw it run. I ordered food faster.
MMII mechanic here, those things built in the 50's work
Ok, I thought the entire missile exploded; didn’t know it broke up in stages like a rocket. Very informative.
most early rocket designs, and some current ones started as ICBMs
The final bus also carries decoys to confuse tracking radar inflatable copy of the rv same radar cross section
@@kylematlock7499 Von Braun had worked on the V2, an "INBM"
As far as I can tell all of our Minutemen ll missiles are MIRVed meaning multiple re-entry vehicles with up to 10 nuclear warheads per missile
The ICBM program and space program developed side by side and used some of the same launch vehicles. The science and engineering of sending a nuke to the other side of the world and putting satellites and astronauts in orbit are largely the same.
Grew up in the #5 city to be blown up, actually saw the missile targeted at my city as an adult. The Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces Commander said the missile the US commander was seeing was targeted at Cheyenne where I lived...F.E. Warren. Now I'm lucky...I only live 150 miles East from Idaho Nat. Labs., totally safe now. Hell my High School was majority non-windowed interior classrooms in case of nuke war.
Worked 60 years ago on a ranch north of Cheynne. On the rancher's land was Atlas Missile Site One, just west off Atlas Road. It was a quarter mile from I-25. Scary. Yet it had a big billboard on the Interstate identifying itself. Told never to go past the barbed wire separating his land from the site. Only time I saw a rattlesnake, and it was on the other side of the fence.
Upon receipt of the emergency alert, we insert the 5-1/4" floppy disk with instructions into the Commodore PET. We then copy the radio message into a Hilroy notebook using an HB pencil. This is compared to the codes that come via landline from the dot-matrix printer ....
When I was taking classes on a Commodore PET, who knew that we were that close to being able to launch a nuclear attack? (Who am I kidding - we didn't have floppy disks back then. I wonder if you could get instructions off a cassette tape?)
@@Emophiliac2 Load 1, 1
Gonna say this right now: would suck SO MUCH to get a BSOD right now.....
+Richiezhang880 And they're all still running DOS
+Michael Davis There was a specific IBM real-time control computer used for this. The same system was used to run part of the control room in some Canadian nuclear power stations. These were a bitch to support as the machines aged. At the end of the cold war a software emulator came on the market and Ontario Hydro bought some. It had been a black program that was declassified. The old computers in launch silos had been replaced with the secret emulator. I had a couple of brothers working in Ontario and heard the story from one.
+Horizon585 no its apple
+John Austin I wonder if the "Integrity" realtime embedded microkernel operating system had its roots with this software, only reason I ask is because Integrity is a true RTOS that is used in defense industries, amongst many, with the source code being classified. Apparently, the U.S. Government, and Military use it, just a thought though, I would really have no way of confirming it either way. It seems Integrity could also be quite useful to power generating stations of all types, because of its many certifications of stability, reliability, and security.
WOW! That LCC (simulator) is PLUSH! I suppose I did my time as a Crew Dog during the "Klingon Era" ('79 - '82). Procedures haven't changed but that hardware certainly is PRETTY. No ECS noise! Alarms are subtle. I'm glad the combat crews have it easy now. (--never did see two O-5s as a crew pair! ;-) )
Ops squadron commanders "keeping their hands in"? At least they can do their own targeting from the capsule. Still have maintainers running around the complex trying to "keep 'em green"! Mostly EMT, MMT, and facilities types. I attended a briefing for the AAFM, and asked how many maintenance officers they had. The colonel looked at me and said, "Oh, about seventeen." I didn't reply, but had to suppress a smile. Back in the late '60's, we had more 2LT Targeting & Alignment team chiefs than that by about twice! When the chill factor is off the chart, try taking a theodolite reading from Station A! :-)
I'm hoping you can answer this, the seatbelts, why ??
@@mikebeer1567 When a 1 megaton near surface burst pops nearby, shock waves through the launch control center will be a thing. Unrestrained, the combat crew would imitate maraca beans being violently shaken.
For what it's worth, we always joked that it wouldn't be the blast or radiation that would kill us -- but the fall would. We were more or less 65 feet below grade. Those Soviet 1 meggers would dig holes 300 feet deep in North Dakota. ;-)
@@jamesbarnard9710 Late, but better than never. My squadron CO was from your era. Good guy. Command Data Buffer was an innovation installed just prior to my time -- no more theodolites. Ring laser gyros arrived around '90. Space Force Major Daughter says they use "solid state gyros" now with star navigation for final orientation. There's an old procedures trainer in the USAF museum now. It's my old simulator. I suppose I'm a certified Geezer now. ;-)
@@mikebeer1567 If a warhead missed you and detonated near your LCC, it kept the shockwave from tossing you out of your seat and incapacitating/injuring you. The LCC is also built on shock absorbers to harden it from shockwave of a nuclear blast.
There would NEVER be two 0-5s in the silo! LOL!!!!
They’re in a trainer making a demo video
With time being of the essence, this seems like a very protracted launch procedure.
agreed, in the real situation, your adrenalin is pumping and you are functioning at lightning speed. this video is nothing like the real thing. i think they just wanted to show some basic unclassified procedures so people could get an idea of what it was like.
Theyd have 15-30 min roughly to launch.
@@RandomCommentDue not sure how you determined that time frame or where you came up with those numbers but they are not correct, not even close. did you ever work on missile launch crew? i do know exactly how long it takes to execute a launch and that is classified info. i was on Combat Crew at Whiteman AFB from 1980-83. I was a top rated ICBM crewmember and worked at Oscar 01 LCC, Primary Squadron Command Post.
@@chasvicjr53 Okay congrats, but I wasnt talking about how long it'd take to launch. I was saying they have that time because it takes ~30 minutes because of sheer physics for the ICBM launch to occur, to the time of impact, and silos are #1 targets. So from so it's 15-30 minutes for the launch to occur before impact, because, ya know, thats how long theyd have before they themselves exploded.
@@RandomCommentDue when the missile crew turns keys to execute the launch, the missiles will launch immediately (unless there is an equipment break-down failure on a specific missile). once the missile is launched, (Minuteman II) it has a maximum effective range of about 7000+ miles and maximum speed about 17,000 mph (unclassified) therefor its maximum flight time is less than 30 minutes.
Oh hi UA-cam recommendations. I'm not sure this is what we need right now.
Indeed.
The music for the missile flight is like “YAY FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS!!” 😂😂😂
The dramatic music is a really nice accompaniment to the end of the human race…well done!!!
that choice of music really gives off that 'end of civilization as we know it' vibe
I grew up at the end of the Cold War in the '80s. And I was always astonished, and terrified, that all of the world's hopes, dreams and accomplishments could be utterly destroyed in about 30 minutes with the turn of a key.
And nearly were on several occasions.
We have a Russian missile tech to thank for refusing to fire during (what turned out to be an errant) launch warning.
And I think there was a similar story of a US member in a similar circumstance, but I've forgotten .
Nah just North Korea’s,and Russia’s
I had an Air Force Captain who spent a few years in Minot, North Dakota in a missile silo. He said he was on duty during one of the false alarms. (I don't remember which one.) Some of the people got word out to their families to bug out and head for the hills. Fun times during the Cold War.
So sad man ..
Great upload. Thanks for sharing.
The depiction of the procedures is really interesting, but the up beat music is really tone deaf given what a Mission Accomplished here would actually represent
Love how they strap themselves in as if they're going with the ICBM
It's so they don't get jostled out of their chairs by incoming nukes.
Chilling!
TWO Lt Cols in this video? Lol. They must’ve wanted to be in the video as usually they are captains & lieutenants.
It,s of course a scary moment that hopefully will newer come.But the video is very good and the music gives me goosebumps.
Systems have been upgraded to from the 8 inch floppies to 5 1/4 the via the new field operational upgrade kit Block-C package from TRW for a fixed contract cost of 87 million dollars per drive.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT SEEING THE REAL LAUNCH WAS TOTALLY CLASSIFIED BUT IT TAKES JUST MINUTES TO DESTROY ANY CITY ON EARTH AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE???!!!
Your statement makes no sense. Why would video of a missile coming out of a tube be classified, or the video of them going through the procedure.
And yes, it does just take minutes.
What is your point?
Half an hour
Okayy, I agree.
Launching a nuclear weapon is much more complicated than installing Windows 11.
The music....my god, this is not a Call of Duty video game. This is Armageddon.
I love that User Interface. It's very basic, but well structured.
It should just be one big red button that says yolo on it
The term "User Interface" and the study of the importance behind it came from the military.
Xtreme disappointment trying to launch a nuclear strike and you Windows based system stops operation and demands access to internet to get an update....
🛠😲🍵
I liked the the screens did not look to be Windows based software. Imagine your ec
I live in Ireland and always thought that in the event of an East-West nuclear exchange the nukes would pass over my head so I would be spared at least the blast consequences of a detonation. After seeing the quality of Russian arms in Ukraine however I'm pretty sure one of these will end up in my back yard and will probably kill my dog. Or at least flatten my shed.
Thanks for the dark laugh.
Have you seen the price of sheds these days though? It could turn out to be a bit of disaster…
Praying for your shed from America 🇺🇸
The nukes will not pass over your head in Ireland. The shortest path between USA and Russia is over the North Pole.
Most Russian missiles would fall apart like paper airplanes in a rain storm.
In the early 90s I was a missile maint tech and I don't remember seeing Lt Col in the capsule. Mostly Capt and majors.
Why is the YT Algo showing me a kind of advertising for nuclear weapons? Should I be more afraid because of the algo or what the algo thinks I like????
Was wondering the same
I took the tour of the Minuteman command bunker and silo installation several years ago. It is REALLY worth your while to take the tour. I live in Canada, about 15 miles north of Fort Drum, and I'm directly downwind of three nuclear generation plants along the New York coast of Lake Ontario, and east of a large army base in Kingston, Ontario and a major air base in Trenton, Ontario. I likely wouldn't feel direct effects of a Dong Feng-5 (4Mt), but the radioactivity would kill me in less than a month. That would be from 5 Chinese warheads.
Let's hope the CCP stays the Hell out of Taiwan.
If they work. Never a good underestimate your enemy, but have you ever been to Harbor freight tools?
When the youtube algorithm starts to scare you
'Sir, launch indicators for all missiles, logging deterrent mission failure at this time. I has been nice working with you sir".
Wow amazing this is a job to be really proud of...........
2:55 “They are typically company-grade officers...”
But those are both LtCol's...field-grade officers.
Exactly right. This video is purely for people who know nothing about missile operations. You will NEVER see two Lt Cols doing this. Squadron commanders (Lt Cols) and their operations officers (usually a major) are required to be combat ready and go on alerts once a month (usually), but they never go together, but usually with a more seasoned crew member (a captain, or more probably a first or second lieutenant) who do the job frequently, and frankly, are more qualified than the Lt Cols and majors.
LtCol's are senior officers, Majors are field grade officers, Captains are company officers.
Forecast for a city near you.. High wind cloudy and 10000 degrees
"Anyone not wearing two-million sunblock is going to have a real bad day."
God love the Air Force, but that music was horrifically inappropriate.
Unintentionally hilarious.
'This is it boys--toe to toe nuclear battle with the ruskies!"
I've been to 1 world fair, a picnic , and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come across a set of earphones!
@@kw5591 In today's context where Putin has threatened Nuclear War with the West, if the West keeps 'interfering' with his invasion of Ukraine, is this comment still relevant?
The missiles are just the kick-starter, then the strategic bombers and drones continue the bombing for several days until the refuelers run dry. That way, total destruction is assured. And that's just the nukes, or as Dracula stated in the 1931 film "There are far worse things awaiting man than death."
TO: dalethorn
RE: ". . . and drones . . ."
I don't think drones are rated for carrying nuclear ordnance.
I get extreme stress responses when I watch this stuff, micro panic attacks, yet I am compelled to watch it periodically, or before the internet I would think it out. Psychological framing with sexual sideshow.
1:15 This isn't survival, it's destruction.
It's actually all fake
If you forget your combination to the lock box, is there a janitor that comes and opens it for you?
Just shim it.
Pair of hands comes into view, "This is the Lockpicking Lawyer..."
@@charlielear5465 Outstanding.
3:30 felt like a turn-based JRPG special move or something :D
Two lieutenant colonels sitting alert - not! Too clean, had to be a training simulator on base.
Obviously
As one can see from this video, you can't launch a nuke with just a turn of a key. I worked on other nuke systems and the two man rule applied. There was never a simple task to shoot a nuke.
When did the capsule crew go to side by side? Or, is this just a Vandyland thing?
even if both guys turn their keys, the launch can be remotely blocked by their command and control system. several things have to happen to launch an icbm, not just two guys turning keys. no worries, biden is in charge of our icbm's.
@@daveray44 When the current systems for MMIII went in. Remember, it doesn't take just the two officers in one capsule to command a launch. At least one other capsule crew must also vote to initiate the launch sequence. I don't know about now, but back in MMI & II, a single officer in another capsule could inhibit the launches, and it would take two more votes to override the inhibit command.
@@jamesbarnard9710 Back when I was in, if a singe capsule crew 1st enabled, then issued a launch command, a 24 hour timer was started. If this crew, or one of the other crews did not stop this, they would go. If another command, came in from another LCF, that would start an immediate launch sequence. If there was only one LCF in a squadron, it could actually start an immediate launch. I believe that was called Single flight operations. The requirement was for them to pull their codes so they couldn't launch themselves, unless of course, we are actually at war
Oh Shit, this is my car's keys... so the nuke keys... OH NOOO!!!
Now I know how to launch the missile. All I need now is the combination to that damn padlock.
::turns launch switch, ground starts shaking:: "Bob, did you forget to remove the fuse?" Bob- "What can I say, I switched to decaff" "JAJAJAJA"
Why do they strap into their seat when they're in a stationary underground bunker?
The capsule they’re manning rests on springs that dampen out possible vibrations from the missile launches and because their launch sites are primary targets for Russian MIRVs. There will be a whole lotta rockin’ and a shakin’ going on when the Russian nukes arrive.
Remember they would be shooting at us too. The "bunker" they're in is suspended on shock absorbers to help it survive enemy missile attacks. They would get tossed around pretty good in the event of a close impact.
wow that was a strange choice in music for that last bit
I thought it was uplifting. =)
The music while the missile launchs though 💀
😂
Hello fellow Airman.Jim West. I also was part of the USAF Strategic Air command Security team but I was station in North Dakota. And like yourself it was in the early 70's. I agree with the Mutually Assured Destruction comment. Since are county is a super power it would be " mad" for another country with or without nuclear capability to back the United States into a corner
. The Air force Emblem
has a picture of a Eagle. which is a bird. Which means the Air force controls the sky. We also refer to missiles as birds " death from the sky." You probably had a top secret clearance like me. it's important that I maintain a status of secrecy pertaining to anything that the Air Force has. And how they go about their Operations .Even though I was debrief before I was discharged from the base
Strapping in yourself into the office chair..?
Must be REALLY be bad foundations in that bunker....
1. The amount of energy from the launched missile that would be imparted into the structure could potentially damage the facility.
2. Nuclear missile launch sites are almost certainly the first targets to be hit by inbound missiles. You don't want your missile operators to be bounced across the room at a critical moment by a close nuclear strike.
3. On the off chance that some rogue officer could devise a way to turn both keys alone after killing his partner, they probably have interlocks so that both operators must be in their seats (weight and body temperature) and buckled in (current path through buckles and proper tension to prove the belts are strapped around the operator) for a minimum amount of time in order for the keys to work.
@@allanrichardson1468 I suspect that it is almost entirely No2. Some bunkers are on spring foundations to dampen ground motions from a nearby nuclear blast. With regard to No 1, the amount of energy from an ICBM being launched would be no doubt impressive, but I suspect it would be more high frequency "vibration" rather than the "knock you out of your seat" type rolling waves from a nuke blast. With regard to No3, I believe that the keys are spring loaded and must be held for a certain amount of time, but they probably don't have any interlocks beyond the two humans. One of the interesting things about nuke weapons is the the military's desire to not have them "fail safe", the mindset is that failsafe features (such as a weight/temp switch on the launchers seat, or an excess of arming failsafe mechanisms on the war head) will increase the probability that a properly authorized and launched nuke might not detonate. This will lessen the deterrence factor of nuke weapons, which actually increases the odds that an enemy may strict first. Sick shit.
It's interesting to see the current version of the launch control panels...I remember watching a circa 1990 documentary about Minuteman crew training, and while the coop/launch turnkey switches are the same, the preparatory enabling controls and status lights have been replaced by keyboards and video monitors. This simulation is quieter as well; when the missiles lifted off in the 90s simulation the call-out went "launch in process...fault, outer security, inner security, eleven's gone!", with alarm bells ringing to indicate (I assume) that the rocket blast set off every intruder sensor around, and with the commander crossing off the launch indicator lights with a grease pencil.
You probably saw a 'before REACT' system. Not all of the missile systems were exactly alike over the years. Each base (Malmstrom and F.E. Warren were exceptions with 1 squadron that was different) were identical throughout but there were differences between many of the bases. We had 1000 missiles at the peak though we have deactivated half of the bases and are now at a 450 missile count after START. Over the years there have been many upgrades and the REACT system was phased in completely in conjunction with some base/missile group closures. Ironically the REACT system would be considered ancient by today's computer standards, but that is necessary to do all the testing to ensure that the equipment meets the rigid standards for nuclear weapon system use.
Yeah well aside for the difficulting in getting parts now and the horror of actually firing the things if it all goes pear shaped, if the system is still working fine why fix it? Waste of money otherwise. Sometimes new isn't good.
Awesome bit of kit
TURN YOUR KEY, SIR!
In a way I'm glad we haven't been so obsessed with nuclear weapons that we kept the technology to launch it up to date. It shows we do think of them as last resort.
(it is also pretty difficult to hack a primitive 80s computer, not connected to the WWW with an iPhone App)
Why be obsessed over something that isn't even real?