Failures of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Attack Warning System

Failures of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Attack Warning System PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Legislation and National Security Subcommittee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Air defenses
Languages : en
Pages : 476

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Failures of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Attack Warning System

Failures of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Attack Warning System PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Legislation and National Security Subcommittee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Air defenses
Languages : en
Pages : 476

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A Brief History of Norad

A Brief History of Norad PDF Author: North American Aerospace Defense Command
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781505238013
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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With the beginning of the Cold War, American defense experts and political leaders began planning and implementing a defensive air shield, which they believed was necessary to defend against a possible attack by long-range, manned Soviet bombers. By the time of its creation in 1947, as a separate service, it was widely acknowledged the Air Force would be the center point of this defensive effort. Under the auspices of the Air Defense Command (ADC), first created in 1948, and reconstituted in 1951 at Ent AFB, Colorado, subordinate Air Force commands were given responsibility to protect the various regions of the United States. By 1954, as concerns about Soviet capabilities became more grave, a multi-service unified command was created, involving Naval, Army, and Air Force units-the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD). Air Force leaders, most notably Generals Benjamin Chidlaw and Earle Partridge, guided the planning and programs during the mid 1950s. The Air Force provided the interceptor aircraft and planned the upgrades needed over the years. The Air Force also developed and operated the extensive early warning radar sites and systems which acted as "trip wire" against air attack. The advance warning systems and communication requirements to provide the alert time needed, as well as command and control of forces, became primarily an Air Force contribution, a trend which continued into the future as the nation's aerospace defense matured.

The Emerging Shield

The Emerging Shield PDF Author: Kenneth Schaffel
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Atomic Audit

Atomic Audit PDF Author: Stephen I. Schwartz
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
ISBN: 9780815722946
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 750

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Since 1945, the United States has manufactured and deployed more than 70,000 nuclear weapons to deter and if necessary fight a nuclear war. Some observers believe the absence of a third world war confirms that these weapons were a prudent and cost-effective response to the uncertainty and fear surrounding the Soviet Union's military and political ambitions during the cold war. As early as 1950, nuclear weapons were considered relatively inexpensive— providing "a bigger bang for a buck"—and were thoroughly integrated into U.S. forces on that basis. Yet this assumption was never validated. Indeed, for more than fifty years scant attention has been paid to the enormous costs of this effort—more than $5 trillion thus far—and its short and long-term consequences for the nation. Based on four years of extensive research, Atomic Audit is the first book to document the comprehensive costs of U.S. nuclear weapons, assembling for the first time anywhere the actual and estimated expenditures for the program since its creation in 1940. The authors provide a unique perspective on U.S. nuclear policy and nuclear weapons, tracking their development from the Manhattan Project of World War II to the present day and assessing each aspect of the program, including research, development, testing, and production; deployment; command, control, communications, and intelligence; and defensive measures. They also examine the costs of dismantling nuclear weapons, the management and disposal of large quantities of toxic and radioactive wastes left over from their production, compensation for persons harmed by nuclear weapons activities, nuclear secrecy, and the economic implications of nuclear deterrence. Utilizing archival and newly declassified government documents and data, this richly documented book demonstrates how a variety of factors—the open-ended nature of nuclear deterrence, faulty assumptions about the cost-effectiveness of nuclear weapons, regular misrepresentation of and overreaction to the Soviet threat, the desire to maintain nuclear superiority, bureaucratic and often arbitrary decisions, pork barrel politics, and excessive secrecy—all drove the acquisition of an arsenal far larger than what many contemporary civilian and military leaders deemed necessary. Atomic Audit concludes with recommendations for strengthening atomic accountability and fostering greater public understanding of nuclear weapons programs and policies.

The Limits of Safety

The Limits of Safety PDF Author: Scott Douglas Sagan
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691213062
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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Environmental tragedies such as Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez remind us that catastrophic accidents are always possible in a world full of hazardous technologies. Yet, the apparently excellent safety record with nuclear weapons has led scholars, policy-makers, and the public alike to believe that nuclear arsenals can serve as a secure deterrent for the foreseeable future. In this provocative book, Scott Sagan challenges such optimism. Sagan's research into formerly classified archives penetrates the veil of safety that has surrounded U.S. nuclear weapons and reveals a hidden history of frightening "close calls" to disaster.

Interim Report of the Activities of the House Committee on Government Operations

Interim Report of the Activities of the House Committee on Government Operations PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Moving Targets

Moving Targets PDF Author: Scott Douglas Sagan
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691221758
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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In what Stanley Hoffmann, writing in The New York Review of Books, has called a "fine analysis and critique of American targeting policies," Sagan looks more at the operational side of nuclear strategy than previous analysts have done, seeking to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

B-1B Bomber and Options for Enhancements

B-1B Bomber and Options for Enhancements PDF Author: Jeffrey A. Merkley
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1437900100
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 122

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The B-1B bomber has many special features that enhance its ability to penetrate Soviet air defenses. Even so, many reported deficiencies -- including shortcomings in the bomber¿s defensive and offensive avionics and a range that is shorter than anticipated -- have instilled doubts about its capability to perform the mission for which it was originally designed. This report raises three fundamental questions: (1) How serious are the deficiencies? (2) Should the U.S. change current plans and use the B-1B bomber as a standoff bomber carrying cruise missiles rather than as a penetrating bomber? (3) What enhancements should the Congress fund to improve the B-1B as either a penetrating bomber or as a standoff bomber? Illustrations.

The B-1B Bomber and Options for Enhancements

The B-1B Bomber and Options for Enhancements PDF Author: Jeffrey A. Merkley
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : B-1 bomber
Languages : en
Pages : 124

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Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Military art and science
Languages : en
Pages : 428

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