LGM-35A Sentinel - Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program

[Scott Kenny]

Right, but that's a different conversation. You're suggesting to use multiple warheads when one could be enough to get the job done. In my opinion we don't have enough to have the luxury of using multiple warheads on a soft target when one bigger one would do.

But the US doesn't have any megaton-class nukes in reentry bodies.

The biggest ones we have are the W88s, and they're Navy not USAF. W87s are only ~330kt instead of 475kt.

 

[Sferrin]

But the US doesn't have any megaton-class nukes in reentry bodies.

The biggest ones we have are the W88s, and they're Navy not USAF. W87s are only ~330kt instead of 475kt.

Could always repackage the B83 warhead. They keep saying they want to retire those bombs anyway. (More proof you can't fix stupid.) Also, the W87 could be bumped to 475kt with a relatively simple mod. (Well, it USED to be. Probably impossible now.)

 

[Forest Green]

But the US doesn't have any megaton-class nukes in reentry bodies.

The biggest ones we have are the W88s, and they're Navy not USAF. W87s are only ~330kt instead of 475kt.

W87s are 300kt, the old W78s are 335kt. The 400 MMIIIs currently carry a 200+200 split of both but the 200 MMIIIs carrying W78 could be uploaded to 3 warheads each from stockpile.

 

[bobbymike]

There's tons of old warheads still around and plenty of nuclear material. W93 will be new, but W80-5 will likely reuse old warheads.

Read my comment above yours. Doesn’t matter if there’s not enough or no one to work on them or regulations/environmental or otherwise prevents the refurbishment.

Look at my garage full of 1970s cars, do they run? Nope no one able to work on them.

 

[Desertfox]

Read my comment above yours. Doesn’t matter if there’s not enough or no one to work on them or regulations/environmental or otherwise prevents the refurbishment.

Look at my garage full of 1970s cars, do they run? Nope no one able to work on them.

There's plenty of people capable and in the process of refurbishing them. W80-4/5 are doing exactly that.

 

[Desertfox]

Could always repackage the B83 warhead. They keep saying they want to retire those bombs anyway. (More proof you can't fix stupid.) Also, the W87 could be bumped to 475kt with a relatively simple mod. (Well, it USED to be. Probably impossible now.)

Yeah... you can't just do that. Its easier to recycle the material in B83 into a new warhead than to convert the B83s into RV warheads.