International Nuclear Watch & Discussion
Russian Nuclear Missile Submarine Patrols Decrease Again
The number of deterrence patrols conducted by Russia’s 11 nuclear-powered ballistic missiles submarines (SSBNs) decreased to only three in 2007 from five in 2006, according to our latest Nuclear Notebook published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Interesting:
My estimate fo A3-SL on Agni page indicates:Each Borey-class submarine will be
equipped with 16 Bulava SLBMs, which
are not operational but will have a range
of 8,000–9,000 kilometers (5,000–5,600
miles) and are declared by Russia under
START to carry six warheads.
Ability to carry 2-3 medium weight warhead to similar range.Agni-3SL Configuration:
Agni-3A consisting of A2FS(S27), A3CUS(S7), A3SUM(120-14) and MIRV-Mk4 payload.
Height: 12.2 m.
Mass: 38 ton
Performance: 5,200Km (1,400Kg), 7,200Km (1,050Kg), 11,600Km(700kg)
One can see that if warhead mass is made small and yield/Kg (i.e. bang/kg mass) increased the performance will be comparable to the quoted Russian missile range with 6 warheads.
So type of warhead determines its yield/kg, which when coupled with the delivery system makes a usable weapon, and the weapons' performance determines the deterrence it poses in the eye of the beholder.
Also from the above report:
[quote]Nonstrategic weapons. Russia has a large inventory of shorter-range nonstrategic (tactical) nuclear weapons that the military says will be retained for two primary reasons: various nuclear powers on Russia’s southern border, and U.S. nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Moreover, a recent assessment by the U.S. intelligence community indicates that Russia “will continue to maintain a relatively large stockpile of nonstrategic nuclear warheads.â€
[quote]Nonstrategic weapons. Russia has a large inventory of shorter-range nonstrategic (tactical) nuclear weapons that the military says will be retained for two primary reasons: various nuclear powers on Russia’s southern border, and U.S. nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Moreover, a recent assessment by the U.S. intelligence community indicates that Russia “will continue to maintain a relatively large stockpile of nonstrategic nuclear warheads.â€
-
ranganathan
- BRFite
- Posts: 276
- Joined: 06 Feb 2008 23:14
This item is more political than technical. Should be in the Indian interests thread.Acharya wrote:PM treating N-deal issue as 'personal prestige': BJP
Thanks, ramana
First superheavy element found in nature
The news today is that a group led by Amnon Marinov at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found the first naturally occuring superheavy nuclei by sifting through a large pile of the heavy metal thorium.
-
vina
- BRF Oldie
- Posts: 6046
- Joined: 11 May 2005 06:56
- Location: Doing Nijikaran, Udharikaran and Baazarikaran to Commies and Assorted Leftists
Public Tour of Secret Iranian Nuke Site (slide show)
Ahmedjanijad walking past rows of P1 (Pakistani 1) designs got from Xerox Khan.. Evidently, Iran didnt make P2 (the supersonic ones with maraging steel), but has made better ones from carbon fiber.
From New York Times.
Parts of New Centrifuge
Ahmedjanijad walking past rows of P1 (Pakistani 1) designs got from Xerox Khan.. Evidently, Iran didnt make P2 (the supersonic ones with maraging steel), but has made better ones from carbon fiber.
From New York Times.
Parts of New Centrifuge
This is a tremendous development!Vick wrote:First superheavy element found in natureThe news today is that a group led by Amnon Marinov at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found the first naturally occuring superheavy nuclei by sifting through a large pile of the heavy metal thorium.
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl? ... 28/1253247
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352980,00.html
What useful properties would it have, and what new technological applications could it enable?
Heh, but on a lighter note, here's a funny joke from that link:
Wow, Indians may have discovered this element already.Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction normally taking less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years. It does not decay, but undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes, not to mention multiple oxymorons.
This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. That hypothetical quantity might normally be called 'critical mass' but, in this unique case it is known as 'critical mess'.
When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium (Am), another just-discovered element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
He [Dr Anil Kakodkar] told NDTV: ''You know something? After it went critical I am coming here for the first time so I have to first, I had talked to him on telephone but now need to shake hands with all of them. The level at which criticality was reached was so close to the prediction it was embarrassingly close.''
-
S.Abhisheik
- BRFite -Trainee
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 10 Apr 2008 22:17
The worker in slide no.7 looks like a sub continental.Are Pakis still working with Iran?vina wrote:Public Tour of Secret Iranian Nuke Site (slide show)
Ahmedjanijad walking past rows of P1 (Pakistani 1) designs got from Xerox Khan.. Evidently, Iran didnt make P2 (the supersonic ones with maraging steel), but has made better ones from carbon fiber.
From New York Times.
Parts of New Centrifuge
Yes but CTBT also gives the P-5 the right to withdraw on supreme national interests. So it isnt worth much to claim that they all are bound by it whether they ratified or not. Besides of the P-5 only three:US, Russia and PRC have national testing rounds. THe other two do not have nay test sites thoguth UK might be allowed in US due to special relationship. And there are data sharing agreements between some of them for the sub-critical tests that US conducts periodically.vsudhir wrote:N-testing: experts say Advani all wrong on facts
So the diplomats and offcials statements are politicial in nature and dont tell the whole technical story.
1) Signing without ratification is useless. Sometimes even ratification is useless as seen in the ABM treaty.
2) The other nations have already tested a lot of nukes and don't need to test anymore. India has one questionable h-bomb test with many wondering if it failed. No country can deploy a credible deterrent based on failed tests.
3) China, US and others have been transferring nuke weapon technology behind the scenes anyway. So India should not lock itself into any such restrictive treaty or even any implied treaty.
2) The other nations have already tested a lot of nukes and don't need to test anymore. India has one questionable h-bomb test with many wondering if it failed. No country can deploy a credible deterrent based on failed tests.
3) China, US and others have been transferring nuke weapon technology behind the scenes anyway. So India should not lock itself into any such restrictive treaty or even any implied treaty.
Obliteration and Obligation: The Nuclear Defense of Israel
Though the details of its nuclear force are understandably secret, Israel is reported to possess an arsenal of some 200 nuclear weapons, capable of being launched from land, air and sea (via three submarines).
N. Korea Agrees to Blow Up Tower at Its Nuclear Facility
North Korea has agreed to blow up the cooling tower attached to its Yongbyon nuclear facility within 24 hours of being removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism
US considered China nuclear strike
The US air force considered a plan to drop nuclear bombs on China during a confrontation over Taiwan in 1958, but was overruled by Dwight Eisenhower, the then-US president, declassified documents have shown.
Expert suggests US to have nuclear cooperation with India
Siegfried Hecker, the Co Director for the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, told a Senate Sub Committee on Appropriations dealing with Energy that "India does not view itself as a proliferator but as a legitimate nuclear weapons state." "I don't think our sanctions have particularly stopped its (India) nuclear weapons programme. What our sanctions have done is slow down their nuclear energy programmes," he said.
"In turn, they have made the Indians actually significantly more capable in nuclear energy technology to where today it may actually -- and I believe be much in our benefit to have nuclear cooperation for nuclear energy with India," .
Go-betweens push ideas at 'lifeless' atom pact meet
A coalition of seven countries hopes to breathe new life into efforts to save the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Siegfried S. Hecker
Hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
April 30, 2008
I have said this plenty of times. India needs to wait it out. The benefits would be far greater:
Very unfortunately this 123 "deal" will sell fuel to support western technologies and will starve Indian technologies in the long run.
Plain and simple India needs Uranium. Not even reactors, which may help .... but only under Indian direction.
I think this is the last nail in MMS's coffin .... so to speak.
JMTs.
Hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
April 30, 2008
I have said this plenty of times. India needs to wait it out. The benefits would be far greater:
So, the issue is NOT technologies, the 123 deal should sell fuel to support Indian technologies.I found that whereas sanctions slowed progress in nuclear energy, they made India self-sufficient in nuclear technologies and world leaders in fast reactor technologies, while much of the world!s approach to India has been to limit its access to nuclear technology, it may well be that today we limit ourselves by not having full access to India!s nuclear technology developments.
Very unfortunately this 123 "deal" will sell fuel to support western technologies and will starve Indian technologies in the long run.
Plain and simple India needs Uranium. Not even reactors, which may help .... but only under Indian direction.
I think this is the last nail in MMS's coffin .... so to speak.
JMTs.
Joint Fatwa from Grand Ayatollah Henry Sokolski and Ayatollah Gary Schmitt
Advice for the Nuclear Abolitionists
Advice for the Nuclear Abolitionists
A paramount goal of the U.S. government should be to see that our allies (and as much of the world as is possible) begin to interpret the Non-Proliferation Treaty correctly. Most nations, and unfortunately our own State Department, mistakenly interpret the NPT as recognizing and protecting a country's right to acquire all the technology and materials related to a nuclear energy program so long as it is declared to be for civilian use only and is open to monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
establishing a more sensible and coherent reading of the nuclear proliferation rules
several of the proposals put forward by Nunn and company--the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the fissile material cutoff treaty, for two examples--are difficult if not impossible to verify
Ronald Reagan was a "strict constructionist" when it came to legal obligations. If there were two ways to interpret an international law and one provided for greater protection of U.S. interests and international security than the other, he would certainly favor the former.
Last edited by Gerard on 03 May 2008 18:39, edited 1 time in total.
Nuclear-armed states must report to IAEA: Iran
Soltanieh also called for reviewing and amending article six of the NPT document on dismantling nuclear weapons since it has not set any deadline for scrapping the weapons.
N-E to get N-plant before uranium mining
The frontier state of Meghalaya has proposed the setting up of a nuclear power plant either in that state or any part of the Northeast as a pre-condition for uranium mining, provided there is no health or environment hazard because of the proposed mining.
The Union minister, however, clarified: "Uranium mining in Meghalaya is a matter of life and death for India’s nuclear programme.
Fatwa from Ayatollah Leonard Spector
Cloak and stagger
Cloak and stagger
After overestimating the Iraq threat, U.S. intelligence agencies are now dangerously underestimating Syria and Iran.