Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 14:20:53 -0400
To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com>
From: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com>
Subject: FrontLine PBS Special SuitCase Nukes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

FrontLine PBS Special SuitCase Nukes

<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/russia/suitcase/>


In 1997, the public became aware of a Russian nuclear device they had not
known even existed--the so-called suitcase bomb. These devices were made for
the Soviet KGB. One of these bombs had an explosive charge of one kiloton,
equivalent to one thousand tons of TNT. If a device like this made its way
to the U.S. it could destroy everything within a half-mile radius of the
Capitol in Washington, D.C. Within hours, prevailing winds would carry the
nuclear fallout throughout Washington.

What Are These Russian 'Suitcase Bombs' Like?
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/russia/suitcase/comments.html>

The comments of Alexei Yablokov, former science adviser to Boris Yeltsin;
Russian General Vladimir Dvorkin; policy expert Matthew Bunn; U.S. General
Eugene Habiger; and U.S. Congressman Curt Weldon.


The U.S. Version of a 'Suitcase Bomb'

In the 1960s the U.S. built its own version of a mini nuclear device-- the
Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM). It weighed 80-100 pounds, was
small enough to fit in a duffel bag or large case and was designed for
sabotage missions-- airfields, bridges, dams. Like the Russian device, it
had an explosive charge of roughly one thousand tons of TNT ( one kiloton).

Film of the SADM was declassified in 1997 and shows how it would be deployed
by a parachutist for a jump mission into water to reach a target. Although
the parachute jumps and retrieval operations were rehearsed many times, the
project was never put to use and these nuclear devices do not exist in
current stockpiles.

(Both video clips require RealPlayer 5.0 or higher and a 56K modem to be
viewed).


<http://video.pbs.org:8080/ramgen/wgbh/pages/frontline/1712_prepare.rm>
This shows how the SADM was designed for a parachute jump and "swimmer
delivery system." The SADM was fit into a special flotation bag so the
atomic munition would float when the parachutist hit the water. This clip
also shows how the flotation bag was designed to attach to the parachutist's
body.

<http://video.pbs.org:8080/wgbh/pages/frontline/1712_jumping.rm>
This shows test jumps into water from several Navy and Marine aircraft, and
how the Navy parachutist- with the SADM attached- swims to target and
de-attaches and activates the bomb.

New Content Copyright C 1999
PBS Online and WGBH/FRONTLINE

Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
---


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