Submitted by satans_toast t3_124aka0 in explainlikeimfive
restricteddata t1_je3jmfy wrote
Reply to comment by mmmmmmBacon12345 in ELI5: Only Airburst Nuclear Explosions Cause EMP? by satans_toast
> All nukes are meant to be set as airburst, it increases their effectiveness significantly
This is not quite right. It depends on the target you are trying to destroy. An airburst is good for maximizing the distance of medium or low levels of damage. A ground burst is for maximizing the intensity of the damage at the expense of range.
So if your nuke is aimed at a "soft" target like a city, an airburst makes more sense. If it is aimed at a "hard" target like a missile silo, you need to use a ground burst.
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