What is the procedure to launch Trident SLBMs from an Ohio class submarine?

moonshot925 · July 3, 2012, 3:45am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1053KGyc1w#t=35m25s

Is this accurate?

Here are some of the terms I have heard used:

•Emergency Action Message (EAM)
•Missile Key
•Sealed Authenticator System (SAS)
•Nuclear Control Order
•National Military Command Center (NMCC)
•1-SQ

How is the targeting done?

How many missile keys are there and who has them?

gaffa · July 3, 2012, 4:28am

…need answer fast.

Duckster · July 3, 2012, 5:45am

Do you honestly believe you will ever receive an honest answer in a public forum?

astro · July 3, 2012, 8:16am

Previous thread kinda-sorta on this topic-

Re the accuracy question from that thread -

I served on a ballistic missile submarine. No one person, including the CO, can initiate a launch. It’s an intentionally redundant, complicated procedure that requires the cooperation of the whole crew.

That being said, there is little discretion given to the CO, the officers, or the crew. If a launch order validated to be authentic is received, the launch proceeds. Period. It’s very simple and binary. Go or no go. There is no provision for retraction of a launch order. Also, a partial launch order is not a valid launch order.

IIRC, the premise of the movie was that a valid launch order was received, and then a partial launch order retraction was received. This makes no sense at all. If such a system were in place, potential enemies could nullify our strategic deterrent system by following up any encrypted valid launch orders with fake invalid launch order retractions, hoping to confuse our forces.

In short, the whole premise of the movie was a load of crap.

Shosy · July 3, 2012, 8:31am

From…our news sources, always indicated that while ICBMs and bombers needed direct communications from the president to go nuclear, that subs, because of the flaky state of communication with them when they are submerged at patrol depth, while having some safe guards, could launch without any codes at all.

moonshot925 · July 3, 2012, 8:56am

This video shows some of the procedure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIuDGrhkEY

Philliam · July 4, 2012, 5:57pm

Too complicated - I thought they just pushed the “Hey, Cap’n, what’s this big red button do?”

ducati · July 5, 2012, 2:29am

Excuse me, can you tell me where are the nuclear wessels?