# What is the procedure to launch Trident SLBMs from an Ohio class submarine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062 "2012-07-03T03:45:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/1 "2012-07-03T03:45:57Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1053KGyc1w) 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? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/2 "2012-07-03T04:28:48Z")
…need answer fast. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/3 "2012-07-03T05:45:03Z")
Do you honestly believe you will ever receive an honest answer in a public forum? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/4 "2012-07-03T08:16:06Z")
Previous thread kinda-sorta on this topic- > **[Regarding Crimson Tide](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=372351)** > > In this Great Debates post, Bryan Ekers mentions that the premise of the movie Crimson Tide was that the captain of a nuclear submarine can casually launch nuclear weapons. Not wanting to hijack that thread I brought the question here. This is not... 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. ---
**Author:** ![Shosy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Shosy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shosy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/5 "2012-07-03T08:31:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/6 "2012-07-03T08:56:52Z")
This video shows some of the procedure. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oVIuDGrhkEY/hqdefault.jpg "Trident II D-5 Missile Launch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIuDGrhkEY) ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/7 "2012-07-04T17:57:11Z")
Too complicated - I thought they just pushed the “Hey, Cap’n, what’s this big red button do?” ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-procedure-to-launch-trident-slbms-from-an-ohio-class-submarine/627062/8 "2012-07-05T02:29:15Z")
Excuse me, can you tell me where are the nuclear wessels?