45 minutes to nuclear winter. How could the US respond to a nuclear attack on its own territory

In a hypothetical scenario in which the US would be attacked with nuclear weapons, it would have a response window for less than 20 minutes, Washington Post reports. The nuclear response protocol is classified, but documents and declassified reports have revealed some details. An overall image can be outlined following the testimonies of Bruce Blair, former missile launch officer and nuclear security expert, respectively William J. Perry, former US Defense Secretary.

A nuclear attack would kill millions of shutterstock photo people

Somewhere on the other side of the globe, an opponent launches an rocket dam with nuclear foci on the United States. The only countries that currently own intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) with nuclear foscos that can reach continental (apart from allies such as the United Kingdom and France) are Russia and China.

Almost instantly, American satellites detect the launch of an ICBM.

Radares detects missing rockets

Just one minute after launching rockets, terrestrial systems transmit data on what satellites have detected to the Air Force Space Command and the North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) command in Colorado Springs, USA Strategic Command (Stratcom) and National Military Order Center (NMCC).

Early warning systems

About 3-4 minutes after launching the missile, the early warning team at the Stratcom underground command center, at the base of the Omaha offutt air forces reports to the Stratcom commander.

At the same time, it reports the teams from Norad – an aerospace warning for the common defense of the United States and Canada.

Groups offer an initial assessment of trust (lack of confidence, medium confidence or high confidence) based on available data.

But it is too early to evaluate rocket targets at a high level of confidence.

The president is notified

Five minutes after launch, the president of the US, who in this hypothetical scenario is in the air, in Air Force One, is called on a secure telephone line by the Stratcom commander.

A military counselor runs the president in the operating room on board Air Force One.

Nuclear suitcase

The military counselor brings the nuclear briefcase, which contains everything the president needs to make a decision, including the so-called black book of attack options.

From a bunker in Omaha, the commander Stratcom initiates a video emergency conference with the president and begins to inform him about the situation and the current evaluation of threats, as other high-level counselors, such as the Secretary of Defense, the President of the General Staff and others join the appeal.

The threat is confirmed

Ten minutes after launch, terrestrial radars detect intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

After comparing data from several independent sources, Norad's integrated warning and assessment system confirms that intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) come from an opposing country head to the United States and will hit the US territory in 12 to 15 minutes. Impact areas cannot be determined with certainty, but computer systems permanently update predictions based on new data.

The president is informed and consults with counselors to make a decision.

The national security counselor tells the president that they have not been able to contact the leader of the enemy country.

The chief of the General Staff suggests the hitting of the headquarters and central control and control headquarters of the opponent with intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The Stratcom commander claims that it is crucial to target ballistic missiles, bombing bases and submarine bases to prevent another attack.

The secretary of the defense intervenes, urging the president to make a decision in the next two minutes, otherwise he risks losing the ability to respond. Enemy missiles probably target the three ICBM silos in the Western US, to prevent a massive reprisal attack by the United States, but other missiles could target Washington or other important control centers.

America responds

About 18 minutes after the satellites detected the first launch of an intercontinental missile, the president makes a decision.

The president may order an attack even if all the councilors in the room object. Using a secure phone, it gives the order: launch of 300 intercontinental ballistic missiles, bombing preparation and preparation of submarines for launch. NMCC asks the president to confirm his identity, and he gets out of his pocket a small, thick piece of paper, which resembles a business card: “biscuit”.

The president reads the codes on the biscuit in the phone and, just one minute after sending the order, NMCC sends it to the crews selected through the emergency action messages. ICBM crews quickly authenticate the order and prepare the missiles for the chosen target plan. About 20 minutes after launching enemy missiles, American ICBMs are out of silos.

Enemy rockets hit the American territory

10 minutes later, a rescue of intercontinental ballistic missiles hits the three fields of silo in the United States. Silos are empty, but the inhabitants of North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska are killed on the spot.

A large -scale attack would probably include high -level targets in the Washington area, such as Pentagon, White House, Congress, State Department and Emergency Management Agency.

At the time of detonation, a hot fire ball than the surface of the Sun would vaporize concrete buildings, trees, vehicles, people and anything else in several hundred meters from the explosion places.

A blinding and warmth of light and heat would light fires and cause three -degree burns to the direct weapons, a few kilometers away.

It would follow a strong wave of strong explosion, causing proportions.

Over half a million people would die in place. Hurricane and fire winds would spread to the region, causing even more death and destruction.

Large -scale contamination

Within 6 to 8 minutes after the explosion, clouds of dust and radioactive residues, fungus type, would amount to about 12,000 meters in the atmosphere. That material would begin to fall on the ground, contaminating everything in a distance of hundreds of kilometers.

1 million people could die because of exposure to these radioactive materials.

Large parts of Maryland, Delaware and northern Virginia would become non-contagent areas, and the effects could be felt until New York.

Riposta USA

45 minutes after enemy nuclear attack, American intercontinental ballistic missiles begin to hit enemy territory.

A large -scale attack between any of the major nuclear players would kill millions of people and contaminate vast portions of the planet. It could follow nuclear winter, in which smoke and soot block the sunlight.