“Still the hand” – Russian weapon of vengeance final – Interia

                              Today, August 26 (10:36)

four bunkers hidden somewhere on the territory of Russia are reportedly installations forming supertajny system atomic attack called” perimeter “. His task will be to launch on the US all over the Russian nuclear arsenal in case the Americans struck first and managed to destroy most Russian command centers. “Perimeter” is the ultimate tool of revenge from beyond the grave, acting in accordance with the rules of the Cold War, “who shoot first, dies second.”

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                              The Russians probably have created a kind of “ultimate weapon” to be used to partially depend on the man
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Officially not clear whether the system “Perimeter” exists. Any information about it are speculation or media reports and even representatives of the Russian authorities acknowledge (honestly or not) that they are not sure how they would operate. In the West, this system is better known under the name of “Still hand.” Popularized the journalist, “Washington Post,” David Hoffman, who in 2009 published a book about just such a title. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, even though there is still no certainty that it contains revelations are true.

Work on automatic atomic retaliation was conducted in the USSR reportedly been 1974. the project started even Brezhnev, however, gained acceleration only in the 80s, when the power in the US came Ronald Reagan. Initiated by his famous program “Star Wars” was received by the Soviet leadership as a harbinger of US nuclear attack and eventually persuaded the Russians to launch its own system of “ultimate revenge.” It started in 1984 or 1985 and reportedly survived the collapse of the Soviet Union. He has to work today, but no one is sure on what basis.

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                              Is the Russian “Still hand” may use nuclear weapons on their own without human control?
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The most general principles of the system “Perimeter” is based on the following scenario. America was the first to carry out a nuclear attack on Russia and destroy the most important command centers, the main institutions of the state and part of the Russian nuclear arsenal. Communication systems cease to function, commanders do not live and conduct counter-stroke in line with earlier plans folded it becomes impossible. In this situation, start automatic system, which alone survived fires missiles with nuclear warheads and send them to the US. So much theory. The greatest concern, however, raises the details of the system and the role that its action is to play the man. It is not known because the firing of rockets is to be approved by the commander or will be completely itself and the decision about it will take only a computer.

The most likely version is that in time of peace “Still hand” remains off and activation the system will occur only when a serious international crisis, which could lead to war. If this scenario becomes real, then the “Perimeter” will be launched by an authorized person. The system begins to work, but before firing the rocket, must meet the following conditions. Firstly – there must be a nuclear attack on Russia. The system finds out about this through a network of sensors scattered throughout the country. They will record seismic shocks, growth of radiation and other phenomena typical of atomic explosions. Second – interrupted must be standard communication channels with the highest command. If the system will not be able to establish communication with him, then get ready to launch missiles survivors and inform the person who is hidden somewhere in the bunker will exercise supervision over the operation of “Dead hand”.

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                              In the case of a nuclear attack “Still the hand” has the same run all the remaining rocket launchers
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Who will be the man? I did not know. Probably a high officer of the strategic rocket forces, and … one of the few surviving Russians. That he will make the final decision on the nuclear kontruderzeniu. When he does, with specially reinforced silos in the sky rises rockets communication that radio will connect with existing launchers and even spend the signal to start. Each survivor of the first attack head will fly in the direction of the United States.

But there are also more disturbing version of the action “Dead hand”. It assumes that the system only at the very beginning is activated by a man and then operates completely independently, without any control. Just that detects nuclear attack and will not be able to connect to the command and immediately shoot all the rockets. If true is the second option, it is feared that the system can not work properly and run the Russian arsenal too hastily. The consequences of such mistakes are easy to predict.

AN