• hexaflexagonbear [he/him]
    hexagon
    ·
    3 years ago

    The premise of MAD is that while ICBMs are essentially unstoppable, they can usually be detected early enough for a counterattack to occur. So with or without the world ending it guaranteed that USA and USSR would've been wiped out.

    • plov_mix [comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Thanks! And said detection, could it tell whether the ICBM for sure carries a nuke?

      • hexaflexagonbear [he/him]
        hexagon
        ·
        edit-2
        3 years ago

        Idk, but unlike other ballistic missiles I don't think anyone bothers doing a non nuclear weapon because you'll probably be annihilated if you launch an icbm at a populated target.

        • zifnab25 [he/him, any]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Ballistic Missiles as a conventional bombardment method exist.

          But there are easier ways to get missiles to their target than launching out of a silo on the opposite side of the world.

      • Tapirs10 [undecided,she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        So some icbms have mirv rockets which means it carries multiple warheads. Some of those could be decoys so the anti missile system shoot down the one with out the nuke in it.

        • plov_mix [comrade/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Thanks! And I assume the hypersonic missles are even better at evading the anti missle system?

          • Tapirs10 [undecided,she/her]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Yeah icbms go up high into space and then come down. The hypersonic missiles have a much lower trajectory so there is less time to react for countermeasures or retaliation.