AHC: ICBMs Used Against a Non-Nuclear Power

[Delta Force]

I vaguely recall that the Soviets had a deep-penetrator warhead for one of their ICBMs designed to defeat Cheyenne Mountain - if the US had something similar, that might be called up to hit an Iranian nuclear programme, I guess.

The B61 Mod 11 nuclear gravity bomb is the newest such weapon in the United States arsenal. It replaced multi-megaton bombs that would have destroyed buried targets by cratering (air/ground burst, trying to vaporize down to the depth required). A possible alternative for the role is the conventional GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

 

[sturmwurst44]

I would say, as mentioned earlier, some sort of mass chemical or biological attack on the US mainland by say, Iran, as in the Tom Clancy Novel Exacutive Orders.

The biological plant would likely be destroyed by a nuclear weapon. although I doubt an actual ICBM would be used....more like a B61 bomb from a B2

 

[oshron]

I would say, as mentioned earlier, some sort of mass chemical or biological attack on the US mainland by say, Iran, as in the Tom Clancy Novel Exacutive Orders.

The biological plant would likely be destroyed by a nuclear weapon. although I doubt an actual ICBM would be used....more like a B61 bomb from a B2

id imagine ICBMs would be used in the event of plane-deployed nukes being impractical, say, because there's lots of AA batteries around the target. ICBMs are dangerous because there's almost no defense against them.

 

[Rich Rostrom]

Britain against Argentina. (NB: OP didn't say ICBM has to have nuclear warhead)

Interesting suggestion.

It's unlikely at that time, because ICBMs are expensive and were reserved for the most important payload, nuclear weapons.

However, later on, after the Cold War, when the U.S. and Russia are discarding lots of nuclear weapons, someone in the U.S. defense establishment might suggest rearming the ICBMs with HE warheads. They're already paid for, and they'd serve as a very long range, very precise instant strike force. No one can stop an incoming ballistic missile warhead except maybe the U.S. and maybe Russia. And the warhead may be only couple of tons, but if it hits within 20 meters, the target is just as dead.

 

[U.S David]

I can see India trying to be a world power in the next few years


Maybe they bomb Iran before they get a nuke?

 

[Delta Force]

However, later on, after the Cold War, when the U.S. and Russia are discarding lots of nuclear weapons, someone in the U.S. defense establishment might suggest rearming the ICBMs with HE warheads. They're already paid for, and they'd serve as a very long range, very precise instant strike force. No one can stop an incoming ballistic missile warhead except maybe the U.S. and maybe Russia. And the warhead may be only couple of tons, but if it hits within 20 meters, the target is just as dead.

That was proposed with either the Minuteman or Trident missile in the 1990s. The issue that all documentation points out was how to let the other nuclear weapons states know that the missile is armed with a conventional warhead instead of a nuclear warhead. There were a few high tech solutions proposed, including placing a special additive in the rocket motors of conventional ICBMs to try to let other powers "know" they are conventionally armed, but there's nothing to let them know that you didn't put a special motor on a missile with a nuclear warhead or vice versa.

That's why I think aircraft have a place as a nuclear deployment system. Things can get very messy very quickly when missiles start flying around.

I can see India trying to be a world power in the next few years


Maybe they bomb Iran before they get a nuke?

Most of East Asia is reliant on Iranian energy exports, and I imagine India is as well. It would be a bad idea to attack a nation that exports things you need, especially when it would require firing/flying over the territory of your greatest rival or otherwise setting off nuclear weapons near them.

 

[Nick P]

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a scenario where a nuclear power armed with ICBMs uses said ICBMs against a country which does not have them.

OK, how about this?
In 1990 Saddam Hussein decides to use 'The Mother of All Weapons' to stop the US Army from invading Iraq. Dozens of Scuds and strike aircraft carrying nerve gas and biological weapons are launched against Allied forces causing hundreds of casualties.
In retaliation the US destroys the main chemical plant and/or military base with the biggest supply of BioChemical weapons in Iraq with a submarine launched ICBM attack.
The message is sent: "Use NBC weapons against us and we'll use ours against you, as we've said consistently for the last 3 decades".
Iraq surrenders, Saddam is overthrown as the generals see the US is not bluffing, other nations with NBC ideas start to think again.

A bit rough and ready but you get the gist of it.