Hi Everyone!
Has anyone heard any news of Pakistan’s successful firing of a nuclear-capable medium-range missile?
I sincerely hope that’s not true!
If it is, should we add this to our list of worries???
You don’t need to be personally worried about this unless continental drift brings Washington within 700 km of Pakistan.
As the article notes, both India and Pakistan routinely carry out missile launches, and several of the missiles are nuclear-capable. This is just one more of those.
Pakistan has 60+ nuclear weapons, and has had delivery systems for them for years.
Should you be worried? Hell yes. Pakistan is one of the biggest threats to world security there is.
Exactly what features distinguish a missile or other delivery system as “nuclear capable”? I’ve asked this before and no one could tell me.
It has to be large enough to carry the weapon, mainly. Most crude nuclear devices such as what Pakistan would have are large and heavy.
I suppose there are other requirements we’re not privy to - some rockets vibrate like mad, and maybe that would screw up the delicate construction of a nuke. I don’t really know. But usually, ‘nuclear capable’ just means it’s big enough to carry a nuke and get it to its destination.
Deduct the mass of a nuclear warhead, given the country’s technology and abilities. Will the missile carry it? Perform the same calculation given the approximate size of said nuclear warhead. If both are true, the delivery system is nuclear capable.