Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!ginosko!ctrsol!sdsu!usc!polyslo!decwrl!amdcad!military
From: edw@zehntel.com (Ed Wright)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: infrared and interceptors
Message-ID: <26729@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Date: 12 Aug 89 07:36:53 GMT
Sender: cdr@amdcad.AMD.COM
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Approved: military@amdcad.amd.com



From: edw@zehntel.com (Ed Wright)

The Nike series in particular the Herc carried either a large HE
warhead or could be fitted with one of three tac nuke warheads.  The
idea was that the concussion and emp would knock the bomber out of the
sky. From about three miles away.

When (some years back as a new member of HQ 45 ADA Bde)) I asked about
the rationale of popping nukes the reply was better xKT over Evanston
than 12MT over the loop.

To a degree that makes sense, (or does it?)

Not too long ago I looked at some footage of Eisenhower and JFK
essentially  telling the world (about nukes) we got 'em, and if need be
we'll use 'em, we're ready !  I had forgotten just how close we were to
world war back then, and then I remembered all the weeks at defcon 3,
the days at defcon 2 and a few bad times at defcon 1.

Ed Wright