China potentially testing new nuclear weapons

[DarkHunter 2,618]

Since just having the coronavirus outbreak wasnt enough there is concern that China may be conducting low yield nuclear weapon tests in violation of international agreements.

While China hasnt been out right accused of testing nuclear weapons America has expressed a high level of concern over recent developments in China including increased activity at China's nuclear weapon testing site including new excavations at the site and interruptions of data transmissions of monitoring sites that monitor radiation emissions and seismic tremors.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/china-small-nuclear-tests-secret-state-department.amp

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/possible-chinese-nuclear-testing-stirs-u-s-concern-11586970435

[The Wistman 14,666]

How dare they do what we do.

[DarkHunter 2,618]

10 minutes ago, The Wistman said:

How dare they do what we do.

America hasnt done a nuclear weapon test since 1992 when the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty was being negotiated

[The Wistman 14,666]

We've already armed our submarines with low yield nuclear weapons, so......  And which arms control treaties are still operative these days?  The 'New START' treaty is ending, not extended, and does not include China anyway.  Besides we're not really accusing them of anything...we have concern.

Feb. 20, 2020  https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-02-04/us-adds-low-yield-nuclear-weapon-to-its-submarine-arsenal

Feb. 18, 2020  https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/02/low-yield-warhead-nuclear-weapons-navy-trident-submarines.html

1 year old, Jan. 28, 2019   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/28/us-nuclear-weapons-first-low-yield-warheads-roll-off-the-production-line

 

from May, 2019 on New START treaty:  https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2019/05/us-russia-china-arms-treaty-extend-new-start-first/156693/

Feb. 5, 2020  https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/the-case-for-extending-new-start/

Edited April 16, 2020 by The Wistman

[Noteverythingisaconspiracy 18,246]

Its virtually impossible to covertly test nuclear weapons today. If they did it would show on seismographs.

What they might be doing is testing the implosion stage of a nuclear weapon. That does not have to involve any radioactive materiales. Testing parts of nuclear weapons is done by all the nuclear powers. This is one of the reasons why they dont need to do full scale tests anymore. 

The only country that have conducted full scale test, since 1997, is North Korea and that is just as much for political reasons.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Noteverythingisaconspiracy

[and then 46,607]

1 hour ago, The Wistman said:

We've already armed our submarines with low yield nuclear weapons, so

Yes, we have.  Vladimir Vladimirovich started that ball rolling downhill.  When the day comes that these weapons are used, it will be due to the madness of even thinking they could be used tactically and not have the conflict escalate.  No nation is going to watch another nation decimate a huge troop formation or sink a capital vessel with thousands of lives lost and NOT strike back in kind.  The little man knows he can't trade punches with the U.S. military so he thinks he can intimidate our leaders.  I hope I'm long dead before humanity sets another of those candles off...

[DarkHunter 2,618]

43 minutes ago, The Wistman said:

We've already armed our submarines with low yield nuclear weapons, so......  And which arms control treaties are still operative these days?  The 'New START' treaty is ending, not extended, and does not include China anyway.  Besides we're not really accusing them of anything...we have concern.

Feb. 20, 2020  https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-02-04/us-adds-low-yield-nuclear-weapon-to-its-submarine-arsenal

Feb. 18, 2020  https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/02/low-yield-warhead-nuclear-weapons-navy-trident-submarines.html

1 year old, Jan. 28, 2019   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/28/us-nuclear-weapons-first-low-yield-warheads-roll-off-the-production-line

 

from May, 2019 on New START treaty:  https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2019/05/us-russia-china-arms-treaty-extend-new-start-first/156693/

Feb. 5, 2020  https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/the-case-for-extending-new-start/

You do understand there is a fundamental difference between fielding and testing new, new being used rather loosely, nuclear weapons.

The new low yield nuclear missiles on the submarines are modified W76 warheads.  The W76 was first made between 1976 and 1987 and had a 100 kt warhead, the next version of the W76 the mod 1 was made between 2008 and 2018 and had improved guidance system and was only 90 kt.  The low yield W76 is just a further modified W76 mod 1 to have a blast yield between 5 and 7 kt and was fielded in 2019.  While technically new its really just a warhead designed and tested decades ago.

What China is probably doing is attempting to test a new design of warhead along with further intimidate its neighbors.

As for arm control treaties while not ratified by enough countries and in force China still claims to be following the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

[Cookie Monster 8,028]

3 hours ago, DarkHunter said:

Since just having the coronavirus outbreak wasnt enough there is concern that China may be conducting low yield nuclear weapon tests in violation of international agreements.

While China hasnt been out right accused of testing nuclear weapons America has expressed a high level of concern over recent developments in China including increased activity at China's nuclear weapon testing site including new excavations at the site and interruptions of data transmissions of monitoring sites that monitor radiation emissions and seismic tremors.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/china-small-nuclear-tests-secret-state-department.amp

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/possible-chinese-nuclear-testing-stirs-u-s-concern-11586970435

My country (the UK) is currently renewing its deterrent.

BAE Systems have already started on the subs and no doubt we will need to conduct some tests too to make sure the next generation of warheads work as intended. I have no problem with China or Russia doing some tests for theirs, so long as they are underground ones.