In compliance with the most recent nuclear treaties with the Russians the U.S. is in the process of reducing its Minuteman III ICBMs from 450 to 400. The current number in silos is 406 and the remaining six are to be pulled and put into storage shortly. Also 41 B-52s (almost all remaining) are being converted to nonnuclear configuration. As a hedge against possible cheating by the Russians, the 50 missiles are being placed in storage and their launch silos preserved rather than being demolished. The Minuteman III is a 50 year old design though their warheads are of a far more recent type that used to be deployed on the M-X Peacekeepers before their decommissioning. Each Minuteman III is armed with a single 300 kiloton nuclear warhead. Personally, I think the U.S. could make do with only 200 ICBMs as long as they have a mobile basing system (revival of one of the M-X mobile proposals). Of course we need newer, more advanced missiles with more flexibility. Able to be retargeted while in flight. Perhaps capable of carrying up to 10 warheads though deployment would be initially with a single warhead.
The same article talked about allegations of Russian cheating. Though to be reasonable, I have doubts that the Russians could cheat enough to actually alter the balance of power anyway.
There have been proposals for years to put highly accurate conventional warheads on American ICBMs for use against high priority targets in a conventional war but the idea has been squashed due to concerns that in a wartime situation it might be seen as a possible nuclear attack. Also, there are some reports that some Russian ICBMs were (or still armed) with simply radioactive dust (dirty bomb) due to availability problems in the old Soviet Union. Unconfirmed of course. But I mainly put "nuclear missile" in the title because there are some members who do not know precisely what an ICBM is.
They cheated enough to get the cheeto as president. If trump was not such a fuck up I would say that is a pretty big tip in the balance of power to have a president of he us completely loyal to Putin.
Juvenile insults of the president says a great deal about you. None of it positive. Interesting how President Trump is supposedly loyal to Putin whom he has NEVER EVEN MET!!
Why do you consider the term "novelty president" a juvenile insult? By the way, technically President Trump would be considered (given his background) a "novelty president" as well and I have no problem with anyone using that term.
They may all be nuclear, but there is nothing that says they have to be. It stands for intercontinental ballistic missile. Ballistic is only a reference to the trajectory. Nothing says nuclear though we may not have any conventional warheads on them. The news is probably about just the nuclear ones even if there are others.
True, but not many armies would want to send anything less than nuclear half-way around the world. Granted it would be awesome to send a missile that far, have it get through all the defenses, then have it open up with a flag that says "BANG!" on it!
Certainly, if you are going to go through the expense of rocket technology and accuracy like that you are going to want to deliver the best payload. Plus you can save on accuracy with a higher explosive yield.
I don't think people should belittle our novelty president as a "cheeto" or make other insulting references to his appearance.
Donald Trump is a "novelty president" based on his background prior to being elected. For example, IIANM, Trump is the first president ever elected who had not been in an elected office before OR a career military officer. That is the only presidents elected before who had not held some kind of elected office were people like Dwight D. Eisenhower.