Could The Moskva Have Been Carrying Nuclear Weapons? Possibly.

 

Could The Moskva Have Been Carrying Nuclear Weapons? Possibly.

Copyright 17 April 2022 by Michael H. Maggelet

  The recent sinking of the Russian Federation Navy flagship Moskva (formerly the “Slava”, i.e. Glory in Russian) has brought concerns by some in the media that the warship may have been carrying nuclear weapons.

  The possibility exists that the ship may have been carrying nuclear weapons, however there are no public announcements made by NATO countries, which likely have surveyed the area of Moskva’s sinking in the Black Sea.

  Aerial sniffer aircraft, such as the USAF WC-135W, are equipped to monitor the atmosphere for radionuclides, and media claims of Turkish and Romanian rescue ships rescuing at least 50 Russian naval personnel have yet to be verified. Losses on the Moskva may number in the hundreds. 

  At this time, there is no evidence that the Moskva used her defensive systems (flares, chaff) and anti-aircraft missiles and guns. Also, note that apparently two missiles hit the ship; more than two may have been fired in order to overwhelm defenses (along with other measures). 

Project 1164 "Atlant" and NATO "Slava" class, now known as the "Moskva" class (source-RussianShips.info)

  The location of the attack was near 45 deg 10 min N, 30 deg 55 min E. At the time of this writing, several Russian ships were in the vicinity of the sinking (as reported by naval blogger H.I. Sutton). The depth of the sinking is around 50 meters (164 feet). 

  It should be noted that US and NATO surface vessels do not carry nuclear weapons, while the Russian Federation still retains at least 1800 tactical nuclear weapons in its arsenal.

  Given the fact the Moskva was heavily armed with sixteen liquid fueled surface to surface missiles, sixty-four surface to air missiles, RPK-6 anti-submarine rockets, dozens of RBU-6000 anti-submarine rockets, and possibly depth bombs (not to mention CIWS and cannon), a hull penetrating hit by ordnance such as the R-360 Neptune with a 330 pound warhead could have been initially catastrophic.

  Additionally, Russian nuclear weapons are undoubtably one point safe, meaning a one point detonation of the warhead high explosive will not produce a nuclear yield.

  The Moskva could carry the following Russian nuclear weapon systems-

P-1000 Vulkan (SS-N-12 Sandbox)- 350 Kt.

RPK-6 Vodopod (SS-N-16 Stallion)- 200 Kt.

Nuclear depth bombs for the Ka-27 helicopter.

(Source for ordnance- militaryrussia.ru)

  Attacks on warships using artillery and iron bombs were not uncommon during the Cold War era. During the Viet Nam war, several US warships were hit by North Vietnamese MiG-17s and shore artillery batteries, at some times leading to extensive damage and fatalities.

  One case was the USS Ozbourn (DD-846), patrolling off the DMZ Viet Nam on 25 March 1967. The ship was stationary in the fog, and as morning light highlighted the ships mast, North Vietnamese shore batteries opened fire hitting the ship twice. At least one round hit the ASROC storage compartment, seriously damaging several conventional and nuclear armed ASROCs.

The most serious nuclear weapons accidents to date at sea include the loss of the USS Scorpion in 1968, loss of the Soviet submarine K-129 in 1968, K-8 submarine in 1970, K-219 in 1986, and K-278 in 1989. These accidents are covered in detail in "Broken Arrow, Volume II" by yours truly and the late James C. Oskins.

Air Force to Change Nuclear Weapons Terms and Glossary

Air Force to Change Nuclear Weapons Terms and Glossary

(1 April 2022, Albuquerque, NM).

  In keeping with other branches of the US military, the Air Force recently announced changes to the nomenclature for nuclear weapons materials and components.
  “This is a practice that is long overdue, and we need change” stated Colonel Rike Moades, noting that in the early days of the nuclear weapons field, weapon components were known by their drawing number and a long name. For instance, the H-12 Handtruck, first developed and used in 1950 with the Mark 4 bomb as the “Cartridge Dolly”, continues to be used with the B83 bomb.
“It's probably a good idea to change uniforms, rank insignia, awards and decorations, etc., well, just because”. Moades cited the exemplary leadership of retired Air Force general Merrill McPeak for his redesign of the US Air Force “dress blues”, changes to regulations as “instructions”, and US Army general Eric Shinseki's brave decision to make every soldier “elite” with black berets. Moades also noted that such a move will also likely confuse adversary nations and anti-nuclear groups, who along with active duty and retired airmen, can't figure out how munitions squadrons fall under "logistics".
  As an example, the B61 bomb would be renamed the AGM-61 BWPABFABMC, or “Bomb Which Produces A Big Fireball And Big Mushroom Cloud”.

  Some components and terms would remain the same, since no one can figure out the history of them anyway, and outsiders are unaware of certain terms, Moades stated. This includes the terms “Group X Kit”, “interlocking slide fastener”, “zipper”, and “fuze”.

  Technical orders would also undergo a fundamental change, combining all the service branch nomenclature into one TO. For example, TP-35-51 would not be referred to as the “Bible” of the 2W2/463 career field, but the “Codex Maximus” and TMSWOPTO 35-51.
  Weapons related tech orders would also undergo a significant change, being referred to as “The Book of Armaments” technical series.

    AGM-61 and AGM-83 BWPABFABMC test units are secured to a flatbed trailer under new recently approved castoring and tiedown procedures (Photo SNL). 

Germany To Start Rationing Beer

 Germany To Start Rationing Beer

(Berlin, 1 April 2022)- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that German breweries are overwhelmed by the increased arrival of US ("Ami") and other NATO military personnel to help defend NATO. 

  Starting next week, German citizens will have to obtain ration cards to buy beer produced in German breweries, and will be limited to purchasing only ten cases a month. However, they have the option of consuming foreign beers deemed not on par with German beer, such as Stella Artois.  

 There would be a penalty however, as the Polizei have been given authority to ticket anyone consuming American beer such as Budweiser, Miller, and Coors off US bases

and posts, and imprison those who drink “offensive” wine coolers and “hard seltzer's” 

such as White Claw in violation of the 1516 “Rheinheitsgebot”.

                  League of German Brewers protest pending legislation to ration beer. 

Canadian Forces will rely on old standby's. 

Russian Jets Don't Appear To Be Carrying Nuclear Weapons

Russian Jets Don't Appear To Be Carrying Nuclear Weapons. 

30 March 2022 by Michael H. Maggelet

  A recent headline from the UK Daily Mail, US Daily Mail, and TV broadcast from 
TV4 Sweden proclaims that Russian aircraft flying over the Baltic near Gotland were
equipped with nuclear weapons-

"Two Russian fighter jets that violated Swedish airspace earlier this month 'were equipped with NUKES with the aim of scaring Stockholm' after Putin had threatened military action if Sweden or Finland joined NATO".

  However, there aren't any close ups of the aircraft, and video is also shot from

a distance. Enhancement of the photo's and video on the websites do not show 

any known Russian nuclear weapons, only external fuel tanks on the Su-24's.

 Until close-up's of the Su-24's are shown, we can call this report "fake news". 

Enhanced photo does not show any external ordnance. 

Michael H. Maggelet is a U.S. Air Force retiree who worked in the nuclear weapons career field for 15 years. He is the author of two books on nuclear weapons accidents with James C. Oskins- "Broken Arrow, The Declassified History of US Nuclear Weapons Accidents", and "Broken Arrow, Volume II- A Disclosure of Significant US, British, and Soviet Nuclear Weapon Accidents and Incidents, 1945-2008". 

Contact- mhmaggelet "at" gmail.com

- - - - 

No, The First M16 Maintenance Manual Was Not A Comic Book. 

Copyright 2022 by Michael H. Maggelet

  Despite claims appearing on several websites ("The Original M16 Manual Was a Vietnam War Comic Book"), the first maintenance manual for the M-16 was not a comic book.    The Colt Model 01 (Model 601) was tested during Project Agile in Vietnam in 1962, and gave excellent performance with South Vietnamese Special Forces, ARVN Ranger units, and US advisors.  Several reports stated that the .223 Remington round produced horrendous wounds on Viet Cong troops, later disproven. These forces also tested the Energa rifle grenade with the Model 601 with excellent results. 
 These troops gave excellent marks to the select fire AR-15 for its handling, with Colt noting the troops kept the rifles clean. Such was not the case in later years, with many older, worn out early M16 rifles without chrome plating in the chamber or barrel still in theater. It should be noted that the military issue Colt AR-15/M16 was a select fire weapon, while the commercial Colt AR-15 SP1 Sporter (Model 6000 and subsequent versions) was a civilian legal single shot rifle with parts in the fire control group and a lower receiver that were not interchangeable with the full automatic version. It was first offered for commercial sale in 1964 for $189.50 (about $1690.76 in 2021 dollars). 
    Regardless, General Curtis LeMay finally succeeded in ordering 19,000 AR-15 rifles in 1962, which were supplied to U.S. Air Force units worldwide to replace worn out M-1 and M-2 Carbines (the USAF was still using WWII era small arms). Navy SEAL teams also obtained around 100 rifles when they were first formed in 1962. 

  Early USAF maintenance manuals included Technical Order 11W3-5-5-1 dated February 1960, and Air Force Manual 50-12 dated August 1963.
  The procurement of the M16 was finalized on 4 November 1963 when SECDEF signed Contract 508 for 104,000 XM-16E1's with the forward assist (for the Army), and 19,000 M16's (for the USAF). The maintenance manual was produced for all the services by at least 15 June 1964 under Army TM 9-1005-249-14, USAF TO 11W3-5-5-1, and NAVWEP O.P. 3333.  
  In our armory in West Germany during the late '80's, we had a good quantity of Model 601's (with black painted furniture), in addition to 602's and 604's. 

             Screenshot of TM 9-1005-249-14 dated 15 June 1964 (source- AR15.com website). 

  The maintenance manual for the XM-16E1 was US Army Technical Manual 23-9, dated  January 1965, and the "M16A1" nomenclature was officially adopted by 28 February 1967 as noted in Army correspondance (it is referred to as the M16 in previous ordnance correspondance).   In August 1967, a playing card sized "maintenance card" GTA 21-1-3 was issued. 
  It wasn't until June 1968 that the "comic book" style Army pamphlet 750-30 was issued. We had the Air Force technical manual for the M16 in our armory, along with several copies of Army pamphlet 750-30.
  For a detailed history on the development of the M16 rifle, I'd recommend "The Black Rifle- M16 Retrospective" by R. Blake Stevens and Edward Clinton Ezell, along with tons of historical documentation on the "Small Arms Review" website and the "AR15.com" forum.  
Timeline of Maintenance Manual issuance-
February 1960- USAF TO 11W3-5-5-1.
August 1963- AFM 50-12.15 June 1964- XM16E1 and M16 maintenance manual under Army TM 9-1005-249-14, USAF TO 11W3-5-5-1, and NAVWEP O.P. 3333.
January 1965- TM 23-9. 
August 1967- Maintenance card GTA 21-1-3 issued. February 1968- Change 1 to FM 23-9. 
June 1968- Army pamphlet 750-30 "comic book" issued. 
Additional reading-

"The Black Rifle- M16 Retrospective" by R. Blake Stevens and Edward Clinton Ezell. Collector Grade Publications, 1992. May be out of print. 
AR15.com forum archives. 

Interview with Eugene Stoner by Edward Clinton Ezell on the development of the M16 rifle-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIU0nCxwGg

The Coconut Rifle
https://smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=254

Like

Comment

Share

No US Nuclear Missiles in Europe, Vladimir.

No US Nuclear Missiles in Europe, Vladimir.

Copyright 2022 by Michael H. Maggelet

  One outlandish claim circulating in Russian state media and among its Western lackeys are statements that the US and NATO have “missiles in Europe that can hit Moscow in minutes”. Seriously?

  During the 1990’s, I was one of several USAF enlisted liaison’s working with the US Army during Operation Silent Echo from 1990 to 1992. The US Army withdrew all of its tactical nuclear weapons from NATO during that time, and retired and dismantled all of the nuclear warheads. The only nuclear deterrent remaining in USAFE are air delivered bombs (declassified per DOE Office of Classification, WNP-137, 24 March 2011).

  However, Kremlin apologists and Putin’s western lapdogs continue to claim that “US missiles” in eastern Europe are capable of hitting Moscow. This is not true, since the only missile systems deployed in Poland and Romania are short range SM-2 and THAAD anti-ballistic missiles, etc., with conventional warheads. Of course, Comrade Putin is well aware of the capabilities and order of battle of every NATO country via open sources and GRU espionage, but he chooses to ignore the facts when pushing his Chekist/KGB vision of a Nazi style “anschluss” (going so far as to proclaim that the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has Jewish ancestry) and his countrymen are "nazi's". 

 In 2008, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced the deployment to Kaliningrad of Iskander surface to surface missiles, in response to the US ballistic missile defense program (while conveniently ignoring their own tactical and strategic ABM capabilities). 

  Russian forces currently have approximately 1800 tactical nuclear weapons to include surface to surface rockets, short range ballistic missiles, ground launched cruise missiles, tactical nuclear bombs, nuclear depth bombs, nuclear torpedoes, nuclear armed anti-submarine rockets, surface to air missiles, and air to surface missiles operationally deployed on Russian soil, in Kaliningrad, and on warships in the Northern and Pacific fleets (the US has no nuclear weapons on surface ships).

  What Vladimir Putin has guaranteed is a future re-deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons systems to NATO.

Suggested reading-

"NATO Says Russian Missile Deployment Threatens Arms-Control Efforts" by Ahto Lobjakas, 6 November 2008. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

https://www.rferl.org/a/NATO_Says_Russian_Missile_Deployment_Threatens_ArmsControl_Efforts/1339015.html

Missile Defense Agency countries, radars, systems, and deployment-

https://mda.mil/system/international_cooperation.html

Background information on BMD systems-

https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/system_type/intercept-missile-defense/

"Russia’s Nuclear Weapons: Doctrine, Forces, and Modernization" Updated January 2, 2020 by Congressional Research Service. Links to pdf.

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6598970/Russia-s-Nuclear-Weapons-Doctrine-Forces-and.pdf