# Nuclear capable catapults? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810 "2011-10-26T02:22:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![code\_grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@code\_grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/code_grey)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/21 "2011-10-26T19:55:00Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > When I first read this, I thought perhaps it was an air-dropped or rocket-launched torpedo, but a quick glance at wikipedia notes that the Mk 45 nuclear-armed torpedo was intended to be submarine-launched: > > [Mark 45 torpedo - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_45_torpedo) > > What were they thinking? perhaps they counted on finding a way to scale down blast radius later on by using a better miniaturized bomb? ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/22 "2011-10-26T20:05:43Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > On TV I’ve seen “trebs” that chunk small cars a decent distance. Take “decent distance” and multiply by weight of small car divided by 50 lbs and there is your ballpark answer right there. If you go to about 3:00 minutes on [this clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwIbpVkxLKc) you’ll see a very unusual Top Gear review. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/23 "2011-10-28T13:41:49Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > While we’re on the subject of silly nuclear weapons, the British considered deploying a nuclear mine with a [chicken](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Peacock) inside it. Damn thats funny. It may replace the bat bomb for my favorite crazy idea that would probably work. Here’s a bat bomb link (safe for work) > **[Bat bomb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_bomb)** > > Bat bombs were an experimental World War II weapon developed by the United States. The bomb consisted of a bomb-shaped casing with over a thousand compartments, each containing a hibernating Mexican free-tailed bat with a small, timed incendiary bomb attached. Dropped from a bomber at dawn, the casings would deploy a parachute in mid-flight and open to release the bats, which would then disperse and roost in eaves and attics in a 20–40-mile radius (32–64 km). The incendiaries, which were set o... ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/24 "2011-10-28T19:46:09Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > When I first read this, I thought perhaps it was an air-dropped or rocket-launched torpedo, but a quick glance at wikipedia notes that the Mk 45 nuclear-armed torpedo was intended to be submarine-launched: > > [Mark 45 torpedo - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_45_torpedo) > > What were they thinking? From the link: “There was absolutely no danger that the small nuclear warhead would damage the launching sub, even at less than half the normal range.” Maybe it was updated, but it doesnt seem to support the claim made. Otara ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/25 "2011-10-28T23:27:31Z")
> [@Otara](#): > > From the link: > > “There was absolutely no danger that the small nuclear warhead would damage the launching sub, even at less than half the normal range.” > > Maybe it was updated, but it doesnt seem to support the claim made. > > Otara Yup - checking the [edit history](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_45_torpedo&action=historysubmit&diff=457608186&oldid=457607298), the phrase you quote was added on the evening of October 26th, several hours after I posted. Unfortunately, it’s not sourced. I went ahead and added “citation needed” tags. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/26 "2011-10-28T23:31:14Z")
And looking at the citation history, the “kill probability of 2 (Him and Me)” is sourced to Preston, Anthony _Submarine Warfare: An Illustrated History_, page 86. I’m not going to look up the _Submarine Warfare_ book, but it’s possible that the uncited reference to it being a joke might be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/27 "2011-11-19T01:21:34Z")
Hoping to finally get an answer on the nuclear torpedo issue, I posted on Wikipedia asking for clarification on the assertion that it would damage the launching submarine. According to [this source](http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTUS_PostWWII.htm), the Mark 45 nuclear torpedo had a range of about 15,000 yards and carried a warhead of 20 kilotons. From the [Baker tests](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crossroads) of atomic bombs at Bikini, a 21 or 23 kiloton bomb was detonated underwater, depending on which source to believe. Submarines within about 1,000 yards of the detonation sank, but those outside the 1,000 yard circle seem to have escaped major damage, and fared better than surface ships outside the 1,000 yard circle, of which some sank, and the others were deluged with radioactive water and debris, making decontamination impossible for many. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crossroads#Baker_target_array) So it seems the “kill probability of 2” thing is indeed only a joke and not a real consequence of the Mark 45 torpedo. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810/28 "2011-11-19T02:41:22Z")
I have a plan that seems (on the surface) to be less than optimal, which is why you probably shouldn’t think about it too much. You can get away with a smaller trebuchet for you nuke if you have some other trebuchets for… your crew. You have your crew trebuchets facing the opposite direction as the weapon one. You fire the weapon, and then you fire the crew away to… uh… safety! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-capable-catapults/600810.md?page=1)