Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!amdcad!military
From: deej@nvuxr.UUCP (David G Lewis)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: infrared and interceptors
Message-ID: <26809@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Date: 17 Aug 89 04:39:47 GMT
References: <26689@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Sender: cdr@amdcad.AMD.COM
Organization: Bell Communications Research
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Approved: military@amdcad.amd.com



From: deej@nvuxr.UUCP (David G Lewis)

In article <26689@amdcad.AMD.COM>, welty@lewis.crd.ge.com writes:
> they got obsoleted before our time; but there were a few nuclear
> tipped AAMs; my recollection is that there was an F-101 variant
> specialized to carry such a missle (perhaps named ``Genie''?)

The F-101 Voodoo carried the Genie missile, which was the first
nuclear-armed AAM.  They're no longer in service...

> From: welty@lewis.crd.ge.com (Richard Welty)
> 
> =Using a nuclear device to shoot down an aircraft sounds like a really
> =bad idea.  Consider the EMP effect on your own systems, for one thing.
> 
> this was rather before people comprehended the consequences of
> EMP.
> 
> =Also, it's hard to be the first user of a nuclear device, even as a
> =preemptive event.  These would be tactical weapons and I can't imagine
> =that control would be surrendered to the field, which would be
> =necessary if such a weapons were to be successful.

Note, though, that there are still tactical nuclear weapons in the
arsenals of many militaries, including the US.  The US Army ordinance
roster includes tactical nuclear "devices" ranging from 155mm artillery
shells through SRBMs (short range ballistic missiles) through GLCMs
(ground launched cruise missiles), all of which are tactical in nature. 
The US Navy, I believe, discontinued the "first use" of nuclear depth
charges and nuclear armed torpedoes (both submarine launched and ASROC
launched) some years ago, but I believe the ordinance is still carried
for "deterrence" (if the Russians think we're going to nuke their subs,
they won't nuke our carrier battle groups...)
-- 
David G Lewis				...!bellcore!nvuxr!deej

			"If this is paradise, I wish I had a lawnmower."