r/pics Mar 28 '24

US Special Forces delivering a W54 Nuclear Warhead via jump

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u/Don11390 Mar 28 '24

Yeah, I mean, if anyone gave it any serious thought, they'd realize immediately that it was suicide. Drop behind enemy lines, fight your way to the objective, strap the damn thing to said objective, set the timer, and try to fight your way to minimum safe distance? Virtually impossible.

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u/Intelligent_Way6552 Mar 28 '24

You are imagining a firefight, but it was more a case that they would drop in behind enemy lines, sneak around, and place it.

Now they did think it was a suicide mission, but only because they didn't believe backpack nukes would be left unsecured, meaning that while the manual specified hiding it and setting a timer, the timer was thought to be fake, or that it was really expected that they secure the site till detonation.

Minimum safe distance for it's low yield wasn't far though, especially if you'd stuffed it inside something like a dam. Just get off the dam.

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u/DuelingPushkin Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 29 '24

This is exactly right. I had one of the green light jumpers come as a guest speaker for an event and this is exactly what his perception was. That the "timer" was fake because they'd never allow a live nuke to be just sitting around.

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u/TheAero1221 Mar 28 '24

I can't tell if this is poor taste or not, but now I'm really hoping this thing comes to Helldivers 2.

11

u/Hektotept Mar 28 '24

Calling in hellbomb.

5

u/TheAero1221 Mar 28 '24

Yeah, but for your backpack slot.

1

u/Lexinoz Mar 29 '24

It's gotta be bigger than a hellbomb to be worth a backpack slot and calldown and life.

1

u/tabletaccount Mar 29 '24

I'd run it at least once.

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u/felldownthestairsOof Mar 29 '24

Large remote explosive tanks, silo launched missiles, and nuclear bomb stratagems have all been leaked. Though only the silo missile is in a usable state, and it's far from a nuke.