Modern Technologies and Conflicts JAKUB DRMOLA Weapons of Mass Destruction Basic fission Types -gun-type -first, less efficient and simpler design -assembly of 2 subcritical parts -Little Boy (Nagasaki, 6.8. 1945) -implosion -newer, more efficient design -concentional explosion compresses the core -Trinity test (Nevada, 16.7. 1945) -Fat Man (Hirošima, 9.8. 1945) Nuclear fusion -boosted fission -boosting yield of fission bombs by adding helium isotopes (1940s) -thermonuclear/hydrogen bombs -hydrogen core compressed via fission bomb -developed in 50s -Castle Bravo, 1954, 15 MT -Tsar Bomb, 1961, 50 MT -roughly 1000x stronger than WW2 bombs -commonly used today on ballistic missiles Other types -Enhanced Radiation Weapon -optimized for neutron radiation -minimal physical destruction -“kills people, leaves buildings standing” -can be used on tactical or ABM missiles -Electromagnetic Pulse -optimized for gamma and x-ray radiation -overloads and destroys electronics -non-nuclear variant also exist Radiological weapons -so called “dirty bomb” -spreading radiation through conventional explosion -tested as Denial-of-Access weapon -possibly attractive for terrorists -sounds scary but quite impractical -radiation too weak, temporary and can be cleaned up -primary threat is panic, not direct deaths - -2006, Litviněnko assassination Depleted uranium -by-product from uranium enrichment -50% heavier than lead, similar to tungsten -but cheaper and pyrophoric -used in munitions, armoud, shielding, counterweights… -lasting controversy regarding its effect on health and environment - -no nuclear reaction taking place -minimal level of radioactivity (comparable to banana) -but can be quite toxic (similar to other heavy metals) History -nucleus and radioactivity discovered before WW1 (Rutherford, Currie) -first principles developed in 30s (Leo Szilard, Otto Hahn) -1942 project Manhattan started -UK lacked the industrial capacity -Germany focused on rocketry -1945 end of WW2 -USSR (1949), UK (1952), France (1960), China (1964), Israel (196?), India (1974), Pakistan (1998), DPRK (2016?) Current arsenals -permanent members of UN SC -plus India, Pakistan and Israel -ongoing efforts by DPRK and Iran -issue of post-soviet countries -former programs in Libya, Iraq, Syria, South Africa, Brazil, Taiwan, Sout Korea, Yugoslavia, ... -https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/ https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.fas.org/2022/02/24083327/world-nuclear-forces-2022.png Terrorism -ongoing speculations -esp. after collapse of USSR and 9/11 -regular news about efforts of terrorist groups to procure nuclear weapons or dirty bombs, so far without confirmation or results -building a nuclear weapon from scratch impossible -might steal it, buy it or attack a nuclear facility -building dirty bomb is trivial, could be used to spread fear Some notable weapon systems - SLAM (1955-1964) doomsday weapon Image result for slam missile https://www.armytimes.com/resizer/AU4Z4LlPuwezjvCtSxaOjsyZAhc=/1200x0/filters:quality(100)/arc-angl erfish-arc2-prod-mco.s3.amazonaws.com/public/WSXCBIK6OBHCNFRP2YYSX33SHQ.png Related image Types of chemical weapons I. -Nerve agents -block nerve signals > convulsions, paralysis of muscles > asphyxiation or heart failure -sarin, soman, tabun, VX, novichok -Blood agents -absorbed into blood by inhalation or consumption > block oxygen -cyanide, arsenic, oxygen monoxide -Choking agents -stings and destroys cells in lungs and membranes > lungs flood with liquid > asphyxiation -phosgene, chlorine Types of chemical weapons II. -Blistering agents -up to 24 hours after contact, chemical burns for days, extremely painful, necrotic -yperite (mustard gas), lewisite -Psychoactive -temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, hallucinations -LSD-25, BZ, Kolokol-1 -Incapacitating -cause vomiting, burning in eyes, coughing, tears -chloracetophenon, CS, CR, adamsite History I. -use of smoke since time immemorial -da Vinci’s proposal for chemical grenade -boom of chemistry since 19th century -largest use in history during First World War -1914 – tear gas, first use by France, unsuccessful -1915 - chlorine, phosgene -1917 - yperite (mustard gas) -over 1 million soldiers impacted, 100 thousand killed (primarily by phosgene) -all major powers used chemical weapons -nerve gases discovered in Germanny in 1930s History II. -very limited combat use during WW2 – why? -Germany did not know nobody else discovered nerve gas, worried about escalation -used a lot by Japan -planned use for defense of Great Britain -Zyklon B in extermination camps -“gas race” during Cold War -used in smaller conflicts in Middle East, Africa, etc. Technology used -methods of dispersion -wind, artillery, air bombs, spraying, binary munitions -methods of protection -detection by sight and smells, damp cloth over face -later gas masks, continually improved, full suits -neutralizing chemical agents, antidotes, electronic detection Strategic and tactical aspect -highly dependent on weather -temperature, wind and humidity can limit the effect or even hit friendly forces -contamination -quite cheap and simple to produce -very bad for PR -not very effective when the armies are protected -can escalate quickly Terrorism etc. -chemical weapons are relatively easily procurable -sometimes used to enhance conventional attacks -not effective -Aum Shinrikyo -1990-5: 10 attempts for chemical attack -(4x sarin, 4x VX, 1x phosgene and cyanide) -2x successful, 14 killed, 4000 injured -Moscow theater siege, kolokol-1 used by police, 2002 -attacks on chlorine tanks in Iraq, 2007 -use in Syria since 2012, multiple sides -(chlorine, sarin, yperite, tear gas) -assassination of Kim Jong Nam, 13/2/2017, VX -Sainsbury attack on Skripals, 04/04/2018, novichok Some notable weapon systems - scramjet - goal is fastest possible reaction when ballistic missiles cannot be used and cruise missiles are too slow - hypersonic (mach5+) - flight across pacific in 1-2h - theoretical basics known since WW2 - mixed success in tests Image result for scramjet Some notable weapon systems - Mach7+, range up to 200 km - electromagnetic force instead of chemical combustion - small “cheap” munition, less risky to store - purely kinetic energy kill - 11 kilograms @ Mach7 ≈ 87t @ 100 km/h (locomotive) - targets at land, sea and air - first deployments “soon” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2QqOvFMG_A&feature=youtu.be&t=8s - problems: ◦gun wear and durability ◦power demands Image result for railgun