A hijacked ICBM?

[Beiruty]

It is not certain what it was, but the rumors is that it was an ICBM launched from a sub some 35 miles west of CA coast.

Now if it is truely an ICBM, the questions:
1) Who hijacked said ICBM and launched with no authorization?
2) Is the DoD silent to buy sometime to recover the warheads?
3) How secure are the Nukes?

http://www.wfaa.com/news/national/Penta ... 99819.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/ ... -contrail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am speculating at this time. It could be worst case scenario, but who is going to admit that an ICBM was launched with no authorization?
The story sound like James bond Movie, a Nuclear Missile was launched, landed in somewhere in the ocean and the warheads were recovered by the bad guys.

My eyes does not believe it was an airplane wake. It was ascending fast and glowing.

[Dave2]

There are rumors of a actual unauthorized launch? Where?

Edit: Oh, nevermind. I just looked at the foxnews link.

[WildBill]

These are just rumors. The latest explanation is that it was actually a jet rather than a missile.

[ELB]

It's glowing because the Sun is behind it. LA gets some beautiful sunsets when the Santa Anna winds blow the smog and clouds out over the far Pacific and the Sun sets behind it -- the particles of water and crud catch the light and come up with some awesome colors. In this case the sky was clear, but a contrail is basically a cloud, so....

Also:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11 ... bly-a-jet/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“The aircraft is flying towards the observer; the air over the Pacific is clear, so the contrail is visible all the way to the horizon. This creates the optical illusion of a rocket flying up, rather than the actual situation of an airplane flying horizontally,” [GlobalSecurity.org director John] Pike tells Danger Room.

“The object generating the contrail is moving too slowly to be a rocket; the contrail is not expanding as the ‘rocket’ gains ‘altitude’ — which would be the case as the exhaust plume expanding into less dense high altitude air.”

“The short explanation is that we don’t see a lot of jet contrails head-on, especially from the vantage point of a helicopter. So, it looks like a missile to everyone else,” writes Danger Room alum (and New America Foundation analyst) Jeffrey Lewis. “But it probably isn’t.”

He adds, “That would explain why no one else in L.A. saw a missile launch other than the helicopter crew — or, rather, why everyone else from every other angle saw a typical jet contrail — and why [America's missile-warning system] didn’t light up like a Christmas Tree.”

Also:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1 ... xpert.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Beiruty]

another story report: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/ ... 6716.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Annoyed Man]

I would add that, as a long time L.A. residents, we were very used to actual rocket launches from Vandenburg, and they don't look anything like either this video or the still photos. Rockets haul major league butt, and one of them can cross the entire visible arc of the sky in less than a minute before it disappears into space (where it ceases to generate a contrail). Furthermore, the rocket contrail tends to look very twisted, almost corkscrew-like, as winds blowing in opposing directions at different altitudes have their effect on the vertical contrail. Add to that the fact that a rocket that remains visible for that long will usually also manifest a separation of stages, which is quite spectacular and unmistakeable.

[anygunanywhere]

Actually, if it was from a submarine, it should not be called an ICBM. The proper term is SLBM for submarine launched ballistic missile. Been there, done that (three times actually), had the t-shirt, but I would have to kill you if you saw it.

A ballistic missile boat cannot inadvertently launch a missile without proper command authority.

For a missile launch to happen, it takes the whole submarine crew to do so.

The submarine receives a radio message from the proper command authority to launch the weapon. Of course you did know that the POTUS is not the only one who can do this. In the case of a missile with exercise warheads, POTUS does not initiate the launch command. Yes, the submarines can receive radio messages while submerged. We will not go there.

The message is decoded and authenticated even if it is an exercise launch. Two officers other than the skipper authenticate the message. The authentication codes are in a safe with two access doors. One officer opens the outer door, one the inner door. The authentication codes are inside the second chamber.

Once the code is verified authentic, the skipper orders the submarine to battle stations missile. In order for the sub to launch, it must stop forward movement and hover. Special support systems - depth control - stabilize the submarine at launch depth.

The missile weaponeers, fire control, and navigation all prepare for launch. The missile tube is pressurized to sea pressure. Missile safety locks on the missile launch support systems are unlocked. The fire control obtains the submarine position from navigation and enters the data into the warheads. The warheads and missile have inertial guidance systems the same as the sub only on a smaller scale. The fire control also inserts the warhead target data before launch.

Once the missile and warheads are "spun up" and ready, the skipper must give permission to fire. He has a key and inserts it into his box on the conn in the sub control roo. The weapons officer in the missile control center has to open the safe with the firing trigger. The missile panel in the missile compartment has a permissioin key as well.

BTW - the missile control center is guarded 24/7/365 by armed guard with M16s these days as I understand it.

Once permission is given, the countdown is initiated and the missile is fired. How does the missile leave the boat?

The hatch locking ring is rolled and the hatch opens. There is a plastic dome over the missile tube preventing sea water from entering the tube. There is a small rocket motor at the base of the tube mounted over a container of pure water - roughly about 55 gallons. There are rupture plates between the rocket motor/water and water/tube. When the trigger is pressed the rocket motor ignites vaporizing the water to steam. The steam enters the tube at the base pushing the missile up out of the tube. When a mechanical switch senses the missile movement, an explosive charge detonates the dome into pieces. The missile leaves the tube in a bubble of air and steam. Physics is cool. The missile travels up through the water in the bubble and never gets wet. The missile must travel a certain distance, achieve one g of acceleration, and be within a certain attitude towards vertical by the time it breaks the surface before the main engine will ignite. Once it ignites, bye bye missile. It cannot be stopped.

Once the missile is away, tons and tons of sea water are pouring into the tube. The hatch is quickly closed and a ball valve on the bottom of the tubes rolls open. Air is blown into the tube to pressurize the water out the bottom.

When I was riding boomers, from the time we received the message until ready to launch was <15 minutes.

We could ripple fire 16 missiles 15 seconds apart.

Each missile had 10 MIRVs - multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles - warheads. Each warhead could hit a different target, or we could hit a target with multiple warheads. The warheads could be set for air or ground burst.

The launch was not an unauthorized launch from a submarine.

The only thing a submarine commander could do with a missile without permission was jettison a defective missile.Since the missile motor fuel contained its own oxidizer it did not need air to light off. The missile temperatures were alwatys monitored. If a missile fuel went unstable it would have been jettisoned, but since it woul have no navigation or target data in the guidance system it would not fly a normal trajectory. It would fly like a baloon you release with an open end - only more spectacular and probably deadly for the boat. The nuclear reactor was not the most dangerous part of a ballistic missile submarine ride.

The Navy launches SLBMs all the time. There are multiple test ranges in both oceans. When the missiles get old they are mainly used to allow the boats to train with the real thing - try training with snap caps all of the time. The real warheads are removed and exercise warheads are installed. There are even missile tracking ships that track the missiles. Transponders are installed on the missiles to allow this.

Transponders are on the ocean floor at the warhead impact point to judge accuracy, and the boats are graded on the accuracy.

The boat I was on hit the transponders from 1.500 nautical miles away in 1976.

The first generation of subs and missiles (Polaris A-1, A-2, A-3) could hit any city block from the launch point at maximum range.

The second generation of missiles (Poseidon C-3) could hit any building in any city block from maximum range.

The current missiles (Trident D-3) can put a nuclear warhead in any window in any building in any city block anywhere on the face of the earth from any ocean in the world.

Anygunanywhere

[Beiruty]

The other plausible explanstion: a super secret stealth inter continontal delivery system being tested

[ELB]

This guy nails it:

http://blog.bahneman.com/content/it-was ... flight-808" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Annoyed Man]

This guy nails it:

http://blog.bahneman.com/content/it-was ... flight-808" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is what I'm saying...

There is no way this was a missile contrail. Once you've seen the real thing, you'll never mistake a jet contrail for a rocket/missile contrail - and I've seen the real thing dozens of times. They are VERY different.

[The Annoyed Man]

The other plausible explanstion: a super secret stealth inter continontal delivery system being tested

Not really plausible.

[Purplehood]

Actually, if it was from a submarine, it should not be called an ICBM. The proper term is SLBM for submarine launched ballistic missile. Been there, done that (three times actually), had the t-shirt, but I would have to kill you if you saw it.

A ballistic missile boat cannot inadvertently launch a missile without proper command authority.

For a missile launch to happen, it takes the whole submarine crew to do so.

The submarine receives a radio message from the proper command authority to launch the weapon. Of course you did know that the POTUS is not the only one who can do this. In the case of a missile with exercise warheads, POTUS does not initiate the launch command. Yes, the submarines can receive radio messages while submerged. We will not go there.

The message is decoded and authenticated even if it is an exercise launch. Two officers other than the skipper authenticate the message. The authentication codes are in a safe with two access doors. One officer opens the outer door, one the inner door. The authentication codes are inside the second chamber.

Once the code is verified authentic, the skipper orders the submarine to battle stations missile. In order for the sub to launch, it must stop forward movement and hover. Special support systems - depth control - stabilize the submarine at launch depth.

The missile weaponeers, fire control, and navigation all prepare for launch. The missile tube is pressurized to sea pressure. Missile safety locks on the missile launch support systems are unlocked. The fire control obtains the submarine position from navigation and enters the data into the warheads. The warheads and missile have inertial guidance systems the same as the sub only on a smaller scale. The fire control also inserts the warhead target data before launch.

Once the missile and warheads are "spun up" and ready, the skipper must give permission to fire. He has a key and inserts it into his box on the conn in the sub control roo. The weapons officer in the missile control center has to open the safe with the firing trigger. The missile panel in the missile compartment has a permissioin key as well.

BTW - the missile control center is guarded 24/7/365 by armed guard with M16s these days as I understand it.

Once permission is given, the countdown is initiated and the missile is fired. How does the missile leave the boat?

The hatch locking ring is rolled and the hatch opens. There is a plastic dome over the missile tube preventing sea water from entering the tube. There is a small rocket motor at the base of the tube mounted over a container of pure water - roughly about 55 gallons. There are rupture plates between the rocket motor/water and water/tube. When the trigger is pressed the rocket motor ignites vaporizing the water to steam. The steam enters the tube at the base pushing the missile up out of the tube. When a mechanical switch senses the missile movement, an explosive charge detonates the dome into pieces. The missile leaves the tube in a bubble of air and steam. Physics is cool. The missile travels up through the water in the bubble and never gets wet. The missile must travel a certain distance, achieve one g of acceleration, and be within a certain attitude towards vertical by the time it breaks the surface before the main engine will ignite. Once it ignites, bye bye missile. It cannot be stopped.

Once the missile is away, tons and tons of sea water are pouring into the tube. The hatch is quickly closed and a ball valve on the bottom of the tubes rolls open. Air is blown into the tube to pressurize the water out the bottom.

When I was riding boomers, from the time we received the message until ready to launch was <15 minutes.

We could ripple fire 16 missiles 15 seconds apart.

Each missile had 10 MIRVs - multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles - warheads. Each warhead could hit a different target, or we could hit a target with multiple warheads. The warheads could be set for air or ground burst.

The launch was not an unauthorized launch from a submarine.

The only thing a submarine commander could do with a missile without permission was jettison a defective missile.Since the missile motor fuel contained its own oxidizer it did not need air to light off. The missile temperatures were alwatys monitored. If a missile fuel went unstable it would have been jettisoned, but since it woul have no navigation or target data in the guidance system it would not fly a normal trajectory. It would fly like a baloon you release with an open end - only more spectacular and probably deadly for the boat. The nuclear reactor was not the most dangerous part of a ballistic missile submarine ride.

The Navy launches SLBMs all the time. There are multiple test ranges in both oceans. When the missiles get old they are mainly used to allow the boats to train with the real thing - try training with snap caps all of the time. The real warheads are removed and exercise warheads are installed. There are even missile tracking ships that track the missiles. Transponders are installed on the missiles to allow this.

Transponders are on the ocean floor at the warhead impact point to judge accuracy, and the boats are graded on the accuracy.

The boat I was on hit the transponders from 1.500 nautical miles away in 1976.

The first generation of subs and missiles (Polaris A-1, A-2, A-3) could hit any city block from the launch point at maximum range.

The second generation of missiles (Poseidon C-3) could hit any building in any city block from maximum range.

The current missiles (Trident D-3) can put a nuclear warhead in any window in any building in any city block anywhere on the face of the earth from any ocean in the world.

Anygunanywhere

ELF

[philip964]

This is the same as the Ufo videos. There is no video of movement or it streaking up in the
sky.

It's to far away to see what it is. So with out
real movement shown, it's a jet contrail.

[PBratton]

We had a bunch of paniced folks in the Houston/Galveston area a few weeks back when there were contrails in a racetrack patterns overhead in various areas.

The story was that NASA was collecting air samples and weather data with their WB-57.

Some filks get upset over the smallest of things... Personally, I'd be upset if I saw a single contrail approaching then suddenly reversing course.

I witnessed this once, before they shut down the Austin air base, I saw several contrails approaching Houston from the west, then breaking off to the east. Seems we'd been attacked, (simulated, of course), by the Austin group.

[G26ster]

Some folks really want to spoil a potential conspiracy theory. Where will people like Jessy Ventura get new material if we squelch perfectly good fodder. C'mon, get with the crowd.