Scientists say planned blast a part of nuclear testing

[NVMojo]

The Defense Department's plan to detonate 700 tons of explosives at the Nevada Test Site is intended to simulate a nuclear blast as part of Pentagon research into development of low-yield nuclear weapons, a science advisory group charged Tuesday.

The Pentagon refused to confirm or deny the claim, made by the Federation of American Scientists, a Washington, D.C.-based liberal policy group opposed to development of nuclear weapons.

But if the charge is verified, debate over the blast seems certain to shift beyond environmental effects on Nevada to international concerns over nuclear weapons proliferation.

The federation said it based its statement on a review of Pentagon budget requests since 2002 showing that the blast, scheduled for June 2, would serve as a "low-yield nuclear weapon simulation." Hans Kristensen, an analyst for the federation, said the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency has carefully ducked the issue of whether the test was nuclear-related.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2006/apr/05/566662772.html

[Karmakaze]

1. Well, no shit!

Its not like they are trying to develop a 700 ton conventional bomb! The largest cargo aircraft on the planet (the Antonov 225) can only carry 250 tons, so such a bomb would not even be physically able to be carried by any delivery system.

The only POSSIBLE explanation is a simulated nuclear explosion.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Or, some very big kids with...

too much time on their hands just want to see things go "BOOM."

I'm trying to imagine just how big this sucker is. Solid lead weighs about 8.5 tons per cubic yard, so 700 tons of lead is about 82 cubic yards, or about 9 cement truck loads. And the explosive would undoubtedly be a lot less dense than lead, so this thing would be BIG.

Hmmm... water is about 1700 lbs per cubic yard, so 700 tons of water is closer to 100 cement trucks.

It's big, really, really big.

[Dunvegan]

3. Rhetorical Question: How dense is U238...or plutonium?

Something is amiss, mayhaps.

All the Lawerence Livermore Lab plutonium shuffle going on now...plans announced for a total-makeover of all of our current atomic warheads...and this: If you happen to see what *looks* like an above-ground atomic blast...you're wrong it's just a reeeeely big conventional weapon and a whole heckava bunch of weather balloons.

Move along...nothing to see here.

Exactly what is it they are up to? :tinfoilhat:

[hunter]

4. No tinfoil needed. It's all very straightforward.

Two issues:

1. The Dr. Strangeloves in the defense department want a nuke that will take apart underground bunkers. Their own Cheney has a hidey hole, and they want to get the other guys Cheneys in their hidey holes. They can't test rock cutting nukes, owing to some bothersome treaties, but they can simulate them with conventional explosives.

2. The current generation of nuclear weapons have a poor shelf life. Like old batteries they deteriorate after time, and maintenance is troublesome. Modern technology, especially in the field of computer modeling, have allowed for vast improvements in nuclear weapons design. Some of the drooling masturbating shit-for-brains in our government would very much like to test these new and improved weapons. Iran excites them.

[phantom power]

5. I do not avoid women, Mandrake, but I *do* deny them my essense.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. If you like tinfoil...

check out the neutron bomb:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/395689.stm

It's possible that these sick bastards think they've come up with a clean one and no one will notice they set one off.

But, yeah, it's more likely that they are using conventional explosives to see just how much force it takes to dig big holes in underground bunkers.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. I think the US military is out of control...

America must not ignore the threat gathering against you. Facing clear evidence of peril, you cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.

Hey, wait a minute...