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Subject: The Soviet SS-N-18 SATAN
Kalashnikov    4/5/2003 2:45:24 PM
During the Cold War, The Soviet Union was in possession of over 30,000 nuclear weapons, including the world's most powerful nuke: The SS-N-18, codenamed "SATAN". It contains 10 MIRVs (Multiple Independant Reentry Vehicles), each with a 750kt warhead. One SS-18 could level Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle and numerous other cities. Consider the fact that dozens were built.. In a first-strike attack, the USSR could wipe out each and every American Minuteman silo and every major American city. If my info is correct, the USSR had enough strategic nukes to strike every city in North America 11 times. It is easy to see why the American presidents were terrified of this weapon and the "window of vulnerability" it created. Any thoughts or opinions? Just making a point.
 
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11b10    RE:Kalashnikov   5/25/2003 9:11:04 PM
There was no way for the preparations of an allout nuclear attack by the Soviets,not to be detected by the US.The US would be alerted and Launch On Warning.MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction!Weapon systems on both sides would be effective enough to destroy completely the other.The last forces capable of engaging would be Naval.The last naval forces standing would be US,but that would be meaningless they would have nowhere to go back to.
 
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red star    RE:Kalashnikov   5/26/2003 1:53:59 PM
And thats the bleak truth 11b10. It doesnt matter who has the better nukes and subs, as if u have enough of them (even if they have a CEP of 3 km) the whole world would go up in a nice little bang!
 
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megaton    RE:SS-N-18 IS NOT SATAN   5/27/2003 6:32:46 AM
Let's not confuse the ICBM R-36 (NATO Code SS-18) and the SLBM R-29 (NATO Code SS-N-18).I am not sure it's possible to call it the "best" ICBM/SLBM.MX, Trident II and SS-24 are superior in terms of accuracy..
 
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Kalashnikov    RE:SS-N-18 IS NOT SATAN   5/27/2003 12:33:31 PM
Although not the most accurate of missiles, it was the largest and was quite accurate for it's time (Pinpoint accuracy wouldn't neccesarily be required in nuclear warfare anyway. That isen't to say that a nuke could be a hundred miles off, though) and also provided an excellent deterrant and terror weapon.
 
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Red Star v.2    RE:SS-N-18 IS NOT SATAN   7/9/2003 10:47:26 AM
Its accuracy was enough to destroy the Peacekeaper silos, mainly due to low hardening (compared to the 425kg psi that the SS-18 silos can withstand)
 
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joe6pack    RE:SS-N-18    7/14/2003 10:44:22 AM
This is an interesting topic - although I've always thought the targeting silos was a waste of time.. Short of the "Stealth" bomber approach I'd always figured that the other side would have sufficient warning to at least make sure the majority of his silos were empty before the other guys missiles started landing on them. Allthough I suppose subs parked close to the coast might cut down on response time... I also wonder about the value of accuracy - Sure it might be helpful for the first wave of missles.. but when you start air bursting nuclear weapons in any sort of quantity.. I've always wondered what that would do to the guidence / control systems on follow up missiles.. I'm sure there have been studies done.. but no one seems to mention the results..
 
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Heorot    RE:The Soviet SS-N-18 SATAN   7/14/2003 2:51:51 PM
Yeah. See my post on nukes on the Weapons of the World board.
 
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Kodiak    RE:The Soviet SS-N-18 SATAN   7/16/2003 6:03:12 PM
65-80% destruction of US silos? No, not even close. 95% of US missles would already be on their way in response, and the Ohios will launch, and the B-52's and B-1's w/ multiple bombs that we always had flying on alert at the edge of russian airspace 24/7, and US surface ships w/ nuke tipped tomahawks, etc etc. Anyone to thinks that the soviets could just catch the US "off guard" with ICBM's and destroy the majority of american stockpiles needs to get serious.
 
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11b10    RE:The Soviet SS-N-18 SATAN-Kodiak   7/16/2003 8:21:23 PM
Clinton ordered The Nukes off of all Naval Ships in the 90s and The Pershings IIs are gone.ALso I don't believe the SAC bomber force is even close to what it once was.
 
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Kodiak    RE:The Soviet SS-N-18 SATAN-Kodiak   7/17/2003 8:47:06 AM
True, but I was referring to the cold war era.
 
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