If a full nuclear exchange occurred in the 1980s what would be the USSR’s primary means of nuking Western Europe and Britain (ICBMs, SLBMs, aircraft, IRBMs etc)?
ICBMs, with follow-up by surviving aircraft.
What are the estimates for how many nuclear cruise missiles/gravity bombs the USSR had for use in Europe?snip
The INF Treaty's deadline of June 1st, 1991, a total of 2,692 of such weapons had been destroyed, 846 by the US and 1,846 by the Soviet UnionWhat are the estimates for how many nuclear cruise missiles/gravity bombs the USSR had for use in Europe?
INF covered entirely land-launched intermediate ranged ballistic missiles (and cruise, although the Soviets didn't employ many GLCMs), however, not gravity bombs, seaborne IRBM/SR-ICBMs, and air/sea-launched cruise missiles.The INF Treaty's deadline of June 1st, 1991, a total of 2,692 of such weapons had been destroyed, 846 by the US and 1,846 by the Soviet Union
According to the BBC Docu-drama 'Threads' that portrays WW3 and the effects on the UK in the lead up to, the actual attack and the subsequant 16 years following the war - it remains the most terrifying film I have ever watched.....
At 8:30 a.m. GMT on 26 May, Attack Warning Red is transmitted and Sheffield's air raid sirens sound. Panic breaks out in the city and the Sheffield operations staff man their desks. At 8:35 a.m. a nuclear warhead air bursts high over the North Sea, producing an electromagnetic pulse which damages or destroys communications and most electrical systems throughout the UK and northwestern Europe. Two minutes later the first missile salvos hit NATO targets, including nearby RAF Finningley 20 miles (32 kilometres) from Sheffield. Although the city is not yet heavily damaged, the mushroom cloud from Finningley is visible and chaos reigns in the streets, with Jimmy last seen running from his stalled car in an attempt to reach Ruth. Shortly afterwards Sheffield is targeted by a one-megaton warhead which air bursts directly above the Tinsley Viaduct. Strategic targets, including steel and chemical factories in the Midlands, are the primary targets, with two thirds of all UK homes destroyed and immediate deaths ranging between 12 and 30 million. The resulting East-West exchange amounts to 3,000 megatons. About 210 megatons fall on the UK.
Oh god, Threads. That movie messed me up and left me horribly depressed for a few days.
Here is some information you might find interesting: Map: Soviet strike, nuclear targets across the United KingdomIf a full nuclear exchange occurred in the 1980s what would be the USSR’s primary means of nuking Western Europe and Britain (ICBMs, SLBMs, aircraft, IRBMs etc)?
Oh god, Threads. That movie messed me up and left me horribly depressed for a few days.
According to the BBC Docu-drama 'Threads' that portrays WW3 and the effects on the UK in the lead up to, the actual attack and the subsequant 16 years following the war - it remains the most terrifying film I have ever watched.....
At 8:30 a.m. GMT on 26 May, Attack Warning Red is transmitted and Sheffield's air raid sirens sound. Panic breaks out in the city and the Sheffield operations staff man their desks. At 8:35 a.m. a nuclear warhead air bursts high over the North Sea, producing an electromagnetic pulse which damages or destroys communications and most electrical systems throughout the UK and northwestern Europe. Two minutes later the first missile salvos hit NATO targets, including nearby RAF Finningley 20 miles (32 kilometres) from Sheffield. Although the city is not yet heavily damaged, the mushroom cloud from Finningley is visible and chaos reigns in the streets, with Jimmy last seen running from his stalled car in an attempt to reach Ruth. Shortly afterwards Sheffield is targeted by a one-megaton warhead which air bursts directly above the Tinsley Viaduct. Strategic targets, including steel and chemical factories in the Midlands, are the primary targets, with two thirds of all UK homes destroyed and immediate deaths ranging between 12 and 30 million. The resulting East-West exchange amounts to 3,000 megatons. About 210 megatons fall on the UK.
One SS-18 Satan with 8 MIRV'd 1 Mt warheads, and some SLBMs on Faslane and Holy Loch is probably all you'd need - Britain would struggle to recover from a single 1 Mt detonation.
Watched it in '84 . . . still the best documentary regarding this subject. Way better than the US version "The Day After" which aired on UK tv unbelievably on over Xmas '83. If think it was on the 27th . . . the day after Boxing Day!
From what I've gathered and read about "Threads" though is that it is unfortunately based on a slightly dodgy war game plan called "Square Leg" in the regards to the attack profiles.
You mean civil defense exercises Square Leg, here is a 1981 the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament published a map based on the Square Leg scenario.Some of the 80s war games had the UK hit by 200 warheads, of course that was to make sure everyone could play.