SummerCaps t1_j9fqn8u wrote on February 21, 2023 at 4:30 PM

Reply to comment by ktaphfy in Putin Halts Nuke Pact With US, Vows to Push War in Ukraine by MyCouchPullsOat

Is there any data that shows that the last times we inspected their missles they were in disrepair?

knotacylon t1_j9fz90k wrote on February 21, 2023 at 5:25 PM

The only thing I could find was in a recent NPR article stating that inspections were put on hold back in 2020 due to covid, so probably 2-3 years at the least. However nukes have a lot of finicky components that have to function perfectly within a very narrow time frame in order to achieve critical mass. These components require regular and expensive maintenance. You can't just put them in a hole and forget about them until you need them or they won't work.

TheDevilChicken t1_j9g9dq8 wrote on February 21, 2023 at 6:29 PM

The material in the nukes has a half-life, if that degrades too much then you can't have a proper nuclear explosion.

So nukes have literal timers and best-by dates if left as is.

So at best, if Russia did no maintenance, they have dirty bombs instead of proper nukes.

Can someone say if they can actually inspect that part of the nukes?

ATLien325 t1_j9gaalw wrote on February 21, 2023 at 6:35 PM

If I’m not mistaking a dirty bomb is a conventional explosive with nuclear material attached. I don’t think there’s any convential explosives in nuclear bombs though.

edit - Nevermind I see what you’re saying

batmansthebomb t1_j9i7yoc wrote on February 22, 2023 at 3:44 AM

There's definitely conventional explosives in a nuclear weapon, that's how they get the core to super criticality to begin the nuclear reaction.

ATLien325 t1_j9jhf7j wrote on February 22, 2023 at 12:29 PM

Oh, didn’t realize. Always assumed it was electrical or something.

knotacylon t1_j9gfgir wrote on February 21, 2023 at 7:33 PM

If I recall correctly you have to remove the core, and you essentially have to refine it again, removing all the decay products, and then you have to reshape it because the geometry of the core is super critical, and then you put it back in.

SummerCaps t1_j9fzhjl wrote on February 21, 2023 at 5:27 PM

Are the reports from pre 2020 public knowledge? I guess not… but I wish they were… so interesting

knotacylon t1_j9fzqrc wrote on February 21, 2023 at 5:28 PM

I did a quick Google check and couldn't find anything. Doesn't mean it's not out there though.