If a nuclear weapon was to be used in war today, what kind would be used?

Question

If a bomb was to be dropped in war today, what kind would be used and why?

Answer 1

A scenario really needs using here - if it was as a response to the use of WMD against the west - i.e. the US, UK, France or Russia, then the response would probably be a few nuclear missiles being launched - these are strategic weapons designed to blow the smeg out of nigh on anything.

The Russian weapons are not great but they'll kill cities and they've enough to throw at smaller installations that they'll kill it eventually.

Trident and the French system are good enough to hit 'hard' targets, like command and control systems (Trident is technically a first strike weapon). The US mounts multiple warheads on its missiles, the UK and France only one a piece, so the response here would be a lot less "showy" than the Russian but still just as, if not more, effective.

That would be in the event of an overt act of war as a response to the use of WMD.

For a prevention role or first strike against a small nuclear power (like north korea) the most likely scenario is the use of a W83 warhead delivered by stealth bombers - that way there is no in-bound ballistic trail to detect and so the launch orders are not issued before the bombs hit and disable them.

Ultimately its horses for courses. If you're after annhilation, its missiles - smaller targets require smaller bombs.

Answer 2

Probably something along the lines of the Tomahawk cruise missile, it can use either thermonuclear or conventional warheads, has a range of around 1500 miles so can be launched safely from a distance.

Nuclear warhead would be around 250 kiloton which is more than ten times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Tomahawk is designed to fly through a one meter square window on earth at a predesignated time.

Rather than using a thermonuclear warhead, the Tomahawk will most likely be armed with the newest U.S. warheads the EMG Explosive Magnetocumulative Generator or the HPM or High Power Microwave warhead. These special energy "non lethal" weapons are designed to attack computer, radar, and communications electronics systems.

Answer 3

The use of nuclear weapons in warfare would be used as a last resort, they vary so much however that they can be used for various tactical purposes.
A neutron bomb for example is perfect for kiling troops but still leave buildings intact. An atmospheric detonation leaves no fallout (the most dangerous after- effect of nukes) but creates an Electro-magnetic pulse taking out comunication etc.
Also a pinpoint tactical nuke is ideal for destroying fleets at sea or a force on a battlefield.
Bombs are very rarely "dropped" nowadays, they are delivered by pinpoint means, causing maximum damage to enemy forces.

Answer 4

It depends on who uses it. General Colin Powell wrote in his autobiography "My American Journey" that he was asked about the advisability of deploying low-yield "tactical" nuclear weapons against the Iraqi army when Saddam attacked Kuwait and threatened Saudi Arabia. Bear in mind that Iraq then had the world's fourth largest standing army and large known stocks of chemical and biological weapons. Powell's answer, from a purely military standpoint (his place was not to comment on "morality" or political repercussions) said that tactical nukes would not be sufficiently more effective than conventional weapons in desert warfare and the matter was dropped.

Answer 5

if nuclear war started, the united states would launch missiles from submarines. these missiles have 8 separate, smaller missiles w/nuclear warheads. each of these smaller ones can go to different targets. i believe the warheads are in the smaller category. 5-6 of these should put down most threats to us in the U.S.A. these type of missiles would be used first. hopefully, the big ones dropped from planes would not have to be used.

Answer 6

A Teller-Ulam Fusion Bomb
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb1.htm
(bottom of page)

Why? It's the best we can do! This thing is pretty tiny, considering that it has the explosive power of 13.5 megatons of dynamite!

Trivia: The explosions shown are not of the real bombs, but an underwater
bomb, Baker

Interested in bombs? Check out this movie:http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0114728/

Answer 7

A "pinpoint" nuke launched off an F-4, F-111, or F-16 in a missile.

Answer 8

long range tactical missile with every kind of guidance equipment available, even tho nukes are out dated and a bio bomb would be more likely

Answer 9

Nuclear fusion wiping out an entire civilization without damaging the buildings, all biologial lifeforms will be killed instantly well at least we wont suffer he?

Answer 10

it would be a tacticle nuke may be hyrogen bomb if used by uk/us but if used by other countries with no respect for innocent life it would most probbable be a neutron bomb or something as drastic as that and it most certainly wouldnt be dropped it would be launced