Annie Jacobsen

It basically happens in three acts. There's the first 24 minutes, the next 24 minutes, and the last 24 minutes. And that is the reality of nuclear weapons.

It basically happens in three acts. There's the first 24 minutes, the next 24 minutes, and the last 24 minutes. And that is the reality of nuclear weapons.

It basically happens in three acts. There's the first 24 minutes, the next 24 minutes, and the last 24 minutes. And that is the reality of nuclear weapons.

I was at a dinner party with a very informed person, right? Like somebody who really should have known this. And this is when I was considering writing and reporting this book. And he said to me, Oh, Annie, that would never happen because of our powerful interceptor system, okay? Well, he's wrong. Let me tell you about our powerful interceptor system.

I was at a dinner party with a very informed person, right? Like somebody who really should have known this. And this is when I was considering writing and reporting this book. And he said to me, Oh, Annie, that would never happen because of our powerful interceptor system, okay? Well, he's wrong. Let me tell you about our powerful interceptor system.

I was at a dinner party with a very informed person, right? Like somebody who really should have known this. And this is when I was considering writing and reporting this book. And he said to me, Oh, Annie, that would never happen because of our powerful interceptor system, okay? Well, he's wrong. Let me tell you about our powerful interceptor system.

First of all, we have 44 interceptor missiles, total, period, full stop. Let me repeat, 44, okay? Earlier, we were talking about Russia's 1,670 interceptors. deployed nuclear weapons. How are those 44 interceptor missiles going to work, right? And they also have a success rate of around 50%. So they work 50% of the time.

First of all, we have 44 interceptor missiles, total, period, full stop. Let me repeat, 44, okay? Earlier, we were talking about Russia's 1,670 interceptors. deployed nuclear weapons. How are those 44 interceptor missiles going to work, right? And they also have a success rate of around 50%. So they work 50% of the time.

First of all, we have 44 interceptor missiles, total, period, full stop. Let me repeat, 44, okay? Earlier, we were talking about Russia's 1,670 interceptors. deployed nuclear weapons. How are those 44 interceptor missiles going to work, right? And they also have a success rate of around 50%. So they work 50% of the time.

There are 40 of them in Alaska, and there are four of them at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara. And they are responsible at about nine minutes into the scenario, after the ICBM has finished that five-minute boost phase we talked about. Now it's in mid-course phase. And the ground radar systems have identified, yes, this is an incoming ICBM. And now the interceptor missiles have to.

There are 40 of them in Alaska, and there are four of them at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara. And they are responsible at about nine minutes into the scenario, after the ICBM has finished that five-minute boost phase we talked about. Now it's in mid-course phase. And the ground radar systems have identified, yes, this is an incoming ICBM. And now the interceptor missiles have to.

There are 40 of them in Alaska, and there are four of them at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara. And they are responsible at about nine minutes into the scenario, after the ICBM has finished that five-minute boost phase we talked about. Now it's in mid-course phase. And the ground radar systems have identified, yes, this is an incoming ICBM. And now the interceptor missiles have to.

Right. It's essentially shooting a missile with a missile inside the interceptor, which is just a big giant rocket in its nose cone. It has what's called the aptly named exo atmospheric kill vehicle. OK, there's no explosives in that thing. It's literally just going to take everything. out the warhead, ideally, with force. So one of them is going like, you know, Mach 20.

Right. It's essentially shooting a missile with a missile inside the interceptor, which is just a big giant rocket in its nose cone. It has what's called the aptly named exo atmospheric kill vehicle. OK, there's no explosives in that thing. It's literally just going to take everything. out the warhead, ideally, with force. So one of them is going like, you know, Mach 20.

Right. It's essentially shooting a missile with a missile inside the interceptor, which is just a big giant rocket in its nose cone. It has what's called the aptly named exo atmospheric kill vehicle. OK, there's no explosives in that thing. It's literally just going to take everything. out the warhead, ideally, with force. So one of them is going like, you know, Mach 20.

I mean, the speeds at which these two moving objects hurtling through space are going is astonishing. And the fact that interception is even possible is really remarkable, but it's only possible 50% of the time.

I mean, the speeds at which these two moving objects hurtling through space are going is astonishing. And the fact that interception is even possible is really remarkable, but it's only possible 50% of the time.

I mean, the speeds at which these two moving objects hurtling through space are going is astonishing. And the fact that interception is even possible is really remarkable, but it's only possible 50% of the time.

No, impossible. That I would be willing to bet.

No, impossible. That I would be willing to bet.