The Red Button

Jonny69 · 18-04-2007, 13:48

When I grew up there was always a running joke that somewhere in No.10 there was a red button that would fire off all the nukes in an emergency. What reminded me was I was watching the Ali G film last night on ITV2, reminiscing about old times living in Staines and there's a scene where he asks the Prime Minister to show him. the button and it's hidden in a drawer.

Now, a Foreign Office spokesperson I know denies knowledge of such a device even though I know they know I know they must know whether it exists or not. Can anyone confirm if it is indeed hidden in a drawer somewhere?

Or alternatively if there are any other exciting Doomsday devices like this hidden behind the scenes ready to blow up some poor country that stepped on our toes in the past please feel free to spill the beans right here

Will · 18-04-2007, 13:51

It's absolutely frightening if it's true...

Feek · 18-04-2007, 14:12

Have you not seen 'Flushed Away' ?

Matblack · 18-04-2007, 14:31

My understanding is that there is no button per se and that nukes are operated from their bunkers by a firing team of two people on the issuing of command codes which are then confirmed by the firing team.

Lets face it a button just isn't fail safe is it? Some **** spills his up of tea on the unit and shorts it out thus instigating an extinction level even? With people like Bush in charge of things you don't have anything which is easy to set off or may look like a toy!

MB

Pickers · 18-04-2007, 14:32

I'm sat on one at the moment.. so Pheebs tells me...
its more brown than red though

Pebs · 18-04-2007, 14:34

You should get some wet wipes then you dirty boy!

Dr. Z · 18-04-2007, 19:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matblack

My understanding is that there is no button per se and that nukes are operated from their bunkers by a firing team of two people on the issuing of command codes which are then confirmed by the firing team.

Lets face it a button just isn't fail safe is it? Some **** spills his up of tea on the unit and shorts it out thus instigating an extinction level even? With people like Bush in charge of things you don't have anything which is easy to set off or may look like a toy!

MB

My understanding was that there are no bunkers any more - our entire nuclear arsenal is operated out of Falsane aboard Vanguard-class submarines armed with the Trident D5-IIs...

To actually fire a nuclear weapon takes a ridiculous amount of red tape, checks, counterchecks and whatnot. I used to have a fairly good knowledge of all of this kind of stuff (information from the previous generation of systems, of course) but it all seems to have seeped out of my brain

Mark · 18-04-2007, 19:38

Wikipedia...

Quote:

In contrast with the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the United Kingdom currently operates only a single nuclear deterrent system since decommissioning its tactical WE.177 free-falling nuclear bombs in 1998. The present system consists of four Vanguard class submarines armed with up to 16 Trident missiles, which each carry nuclear warheads in up to 8 MIRVs, performing both strategic and sub-strategic deterrence roles.

Von Smallhausen · 18-04-2007, 20:26

No one person can launch.

In the US military system for example, nuclear weapons cannot be launched without the direct authority of the President and such authorisation is in conjuction with the Joint Chiefs for which access codes are required to be transmitted to a submarine, which has to be done with the commander and his XO.

Mark · 18-04-2007, 20:33

I sincerely hope it's not entirely dependent upon the President. That would be a severe lack of redundancy.

18-04-2007, 13:48	#1
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	The Red Button When I grew up there was always a running joke that somewhere in No.10 there was a red button that would fire off all the nukes in an emergency. What reminded me was I was watching the Ali G film last night on ITV2, reminiscing about old times living in Staines and there's a scene where he asks the Prime Minister to show him. the button and it's hidden in a drawer. Now, a Foreign Office spokesperson I know denies knowledge of such a device even though I know they know I know they must know whether it exists or not. Can anyone confirm if it is indeed hidden in a drawer somewhere? Or alternatively if there are any other exciting Doomsday devices like this hidden behind the scenes ready to blow up some poor country that stepped on our toes in the past please feel free to spill the beans right here __________________

18-04-2007, 13:51	#2
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	It's absolutely frightening if it's true... __________________ *No No!*

18-04-2007, 14:12	#3
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Have you not seen 'Flushed Away' ? __________________

18-04-2007, 14:31	#4
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	My understanding is that there is no button per se and that nukes are operated from their bunkers by a firing team of two people on the issuing of command codes which are then confirmed by the firing team. Lets face it a button just isn't fail safe is it? Some **** spills his up of tea on the unit and shorts it out thus instigating an extinction level even? With people like Bush in charge of things you don't have anything which is easy to set off or may look like a toy! MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

18-04-2007, 14:32	#5
Pickers Absinthe Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2,692	I'm sat on one at the moment.. so Pheebs tells me... its more brown than red though __________________ Pictures

18-04-2007, 14:34	#6
Pebs Easymouth Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 6,716	You should get some wet wipes then you dirty boy! __________________ ...faster you naughty little monkey! Running through hell, heaven can wait!

18-04-2007, 20:26	#9
Von Smallhausen I'm Free Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyneside Posts: 3,061	No one person can launch. In the US military system for example, nuclear weapons cannot be launched without the direct authority of the President and such authorisation is in conjuction with the Joint Chiefs for which access codes are required to be transmitted to a submarine, which has to be done with the commander and his XO. __________________ " Well, old bean, life is really so bloody awful that I feel it’s my absolute duty to be chirpy and try and make everybody else happy too." David Niven, 1910-1983.

18-04-2007, 20:33	#10
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I sincerely hope it's not entirely dependent upon the President. That would be a severe lack of redundancy.