I found this video very helpful. I’ve recently purchased a few ICBMs and I couldn’t exactly figure out how to launch them. Thank you and keep up the great work!
@@josept9729 Indeed. I love the Titan (not 2) Voyager launches. I like the titan missile it looks menacing, but that might be because I know it was an ICBM. Hypergolics though, yuk.
I was in the Air Force from 1974 to 1994. I knew a couple of LCO's, or Launch Control Officers. They were stable. Unnaturally so. PRP, or the Personal Reliability Program was ... extreme. ANY signs of instability, and I mean ANY signs would result in an immediate and permanent lost of position for the LCO. A successful tour manning the silo was a tremendous achievement for any officer.
No human being would kill 20 million people when ordered to do so can be called stable. That is a very very strange usage of stable. I guess it shows how insane we have become!
Well they can be disabled mid air if i understand correctly. So if I was missleer I'd have faith in the system of accountability in that if it was a mistake someone somewhere else will have the ability to correct it. Besides. These guys are the hammer on the gun, not the politicians who pull the trigger. Should really be no moral conscience about it, it's not your fault. Just do your job and trust others to do there's, which If WW3 ever arose means the politicians sure as hell didn't do theirs.
My dad was in the Human reliability program, my medical records had a cover sheet, if I were nuts they wanted to know. but why were they top secrete? Oh, that's right, he didn't work at the base and wasn't on the base directory.
Well and imagine if Michael Madsen - yes from Reservoir Dogs - who plays the LT pointing the gun, had tied up Stansilav with tape to the chair and pulled out a razor blade and starting playing the music 'Stuck in the middle with you' ;p
Extremely helpful instructional video. I have a nuclear missile in my house and have been trying to launch it for months. After watching this video, my neighbor is in hell and I have an extra arm!
Silo operators where often exposed to this kind of dry run. These men would get an order to launch and never know if it was a real launch or a practice. My dad was a Siloman back in the 70s they where always running dry runs. The base commander could order any launch room disconnected from the system so they could run a practice drill that the guys in the silo had no idea was not a real launch. They would follow SOP then wait for a call from command to let them know it was an exercise.
Ah, I wonder if you remember a movie regarding this back in the 70s or 80s? I can't remember the name of it. Having said that, it might turn out that I'm actually just remembering this scene from Wargames :)
no they didnt..they always knew if it was a drill..and drills dont happen in the actual silo room...theres no way an accidental launch could ever happen
Well it's not like you didn't have a good idea if you paid attention to the news whether or not your drill that day was real. Political stuff would take a few days or weeks at least to build up.
@@happypapi1903plus as Sonny black in Donnie brasco or main bad guy biker in beyond the law. 2 movies where’s he’s taken down by undercover main character 👍
In reality, a failure of one silo crew to launch wouldn't matter. The silos are interconnected, and if a large majority of crews in various locations do follow through with the launch, the crews that did not launch would be automatically overridden and their missiles would be launched remotely and automatically.
In reality? This is from the movie War Games. It is setup to show that crews wouldn't launch and thus direct control was given to a large computer. It's a movie, specifically designed to show crews not launching to justify the plot of the movie.
There was, and I assume still is, a redundancy system with the nuclear weapons program. It is a two vote rule, I believe. One missile crew cannot agree to launch a nuclear war, even if you could get the MLCC the DMCC to agree to such a treacherous act. Another crew in another capsule has to launch at the same time. Also, if war occurred, two other capsule crews could initiate the launch for the other crew. So, if the missile commander in this video had moral reservations about killing 20 million people, two other commanders would not. I would rather have three dedicated crews who would do the job if political failure necessitated it, than a good guy who couldn't do the job that two other crews had to do for him!
I saw this movie on "ON" T.V. and/or HBO in late 1983/early 1984 as a 9 year old. This part out of the whole movie terrified me the most. There is something about these two guys being trapped in a locked room being ordered to put an end to the human race, NOT KNOWING if this really is happening or an error, desperate to get some sort of official verbal confirmation, and in only seconds your coworker is pulling on gun you.
Since War Games came out in 1983, and movies that were in the theatres did not come out on cable for at least a year, you did not see this on cable OR tv!
Remember this is Hollywood. Things are not as Hollywood makes them. The USAF has procedures and safety systems in place that limit those two people from instantiating a launch. And from what I heard about these installations, they only did testing at a test facility, not the real place.
@@mylovesongs2429 HBO (or Skinemax for the naughtier ones) usually had them about 6-8 months after release in those days, and the movie came out in June, so late 83/early 84 is about right.
In my childhood memories, only a few life fragments are remembered, and this fragment of the movie is still very profound. The last sentence of the young man, "Turn you a key, sir", has some influence on my life .
And Michael Madsen went from leveling a headshot with a .38 Special at his superior officer to dancing around to Steeler's Wheel and cutting off a guy's ear.
I love how the intense music doesn’t start until they turned the key to “Set”, like… “holy s*** this thing is for real.” Also the start where you think the younger missileer would be the one that would have the freak out. But it ends up being the senior person.
The keys are far enough apart to prevent one person from turning both keys. But! I recall reading an article some time back that a clever crew member figured out a way to turn both using materials found in the capsule like boot laces, ductape, silverware, broom handles, etc. The Air Force was NOT pleased as it caused an expensive redesign.
I was in USAF Nuclear Weapons Security back when this movie came out. Our mission included B-52 bombers. If a Klaxon went off and the bombers taxied to the runway, then came back, it was just an exercise. If they taxied and took off, that was the real deal. One of our guys was in a security tower during a klaxon. He watched the bombers taxi out. Then he saw a bomber take off. He freaked out and froze. He couldn't bring himself to do the job he was trained to do. Turns out there was a tree between the tower and the runway which blocked the guy's view. What he saw was an unloaded bomber, which had entered the runway before the loaded ones, taking off. The loaded bombers returned to the parking apron like they always did in an exercise. But, the guy in the tower was relieved of duty.
the one thing that annoys me in this scene is the code authentication. When they wrote down the codes then said standby for authentication and immediately after agree on the authentication. The real sop would be the commander and lieutenant would write down the codes and then swap books to authenticate that both their messages are the 100 percent the same. Then only after they physically authenticate each other codes they would get their launch code from the box.
so my question is this... they are given a code over the radio. the open the lockbox and retrieve plastic cased code verifiers. how do they know WHICH verifying card to draw? in this case they both drew from the bottom shelf. okay maybe thats the SOP. in Crimson Tide (Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman et al) they reach into the box and there must be a dozen or more plastic cases to draw from. would everyone have the exact same code? im thinking there could be more than one code transmitted hence the multiple cards. a card for each code transmitted for multiple tests/exercises
@@truthsayers8725 i also wonder that. maybe the three tiers are labeled and part of the code denotes which card to grab. still they would not know if the card they are told to grab is legitimate or just training. Or it could be each tier is for each deferent commend squad. with theirs being the bottom. the codes on all of them might be the same. Just a security measure to show which crew input a code.
@@truthsayers8725 Part of the code they received via the squawk box tells them which authentication cards to use. If I remember correctly it was two letters.
seems like the very first thing they should do on entering the capsule is make sure the grease pens are ready to copy. "oh, damn! my pen's not working, Sir!"
Michael Madsen was pretty good too. He should have dropped the needle on that Steeler's Wheel song (you know the one) and did a little dance before cutting his partner's ear off.
I was a Titan II Missile Launch Crew Commander in the mid 1970’s in Tucson, Az. This was an interesting movie but only about 50% accurate. The message authentication process was pretty accurate. The message gave you the launch time. You turned keys at that time. The missile was typically ready to go. Silo platforms were usually up unless there was maintenance. Targets were preselected. Once you turned keys the missile was leaving the silo in less than a minute. Then you were done. We only practiced the launch sequence in the simulator on base, never at the missile site.
Missile shown is a Titan II - 4 man crew (2 launch officers, 2 enlisted). 1 launch crew per bird. The control center shown, commanding 10 missiles / 2 man crew, is Minuteman. Solid fueled. My unit had an admin officer who was tossed off missile duty for pulling his sidearm on one of the enlisted troops.
@@pyromikothey practiced like they played as best they could. I remember doing drills going into the bunker at 3am as if someone took over the control panels. It's very real and quite random.
@@pyromiko all US nuclear systems are manually activated and launched. everything but power, land-lines, and some satcom have a way into these control centers. the risk of having our nuclear systems with an internet connection is too risky.
@@kellerweskier7214 but i mean, to automatize and have secured procedures you don need internet , if you want a person to think as machine, why dont put a machine...
I saw this aged 11 thinking WarGames was a kids' film and it scared the crap out of me. It's a great movie that stands the test of time. My one complaint: they probably didn't run tour groups through the NORAD war room but I'll let that go. Funny that the 2 then unknown actors in this scene, John Spencer & Michael Madsen, both became stars.
@@kennethbartlett1465 “You ever listen to K Billy’s Sounds Of The 80’s? It’s one of my favorites.” *Turns on radio; plays Nina’s “99 Red Balloons”. Begins shuffle dance while pointing pistol at colleague*
His military career ended a bit early but he had friends in high places help him out. One of his friends got him a board seat with a major defense contractor, where he made a fortune, and another friend named Josiah Bartlet was elected President of the United States and appointed him White House chief of staff.
So oldschool. I think by now they went keyless and have an app for that. "Launch your missiles on the go. Don't waste your time asking your wife where you put your keys. iLaunch is the future."
They have not gone key-less (they still have to turn keys at virtually the same time - and the keys are far enough apart that it takes 2 people: too much delay in turning the keys at once and the system locks itself up and requires maintenance to reset it). But the launch control equipment has completely changed and now they enter certain codes and do some of the other status and verification steps using a computer.
+Not-So-SuperNova More or less the same, but kinda presumes no one would refuse to turn the key. Even though it actually has precedent, in the Soviet Union where there's far less allowance for free thought a Soviet missile officer got a phoney order to launch. He refused to act on it. Now that wasn't a test, that was a system glitch. But it's the closest any time anyone has come to purposefully and intentionally using a nuclear weapon in anger and they bottled it.
utube "Oscar Zero- Conversations with a Minuteman Nuclear Missile Combat Crew Commander, Complete Interview" - he explains it all, exactly how it works, the procedure. this is just a movie, (a great one at that), the US took many precausanary measures to prevent an accidental launch, no one command center can launch, even if the two guys turn their keys, there's 2 other guys at another missle command center who also have to turn their keys for the missles to launch. they need a second command from a completely different location to process so this scenario is impossible
ilya Kozlov This scenario, is a test. This is only to see if they would actually turn the keys if ordered to, but the control room was secretly disconnected and the orders given were to turn the key on a de-activated control panel. They had to really believe it was real, not jsut a drill where they knew the technical specification but if they trully knew their missile would launch a nuke at russia and kill likely hundreds of thousands if not millions of people... would they still turn the key. The pivotal part of the test is they thought it was an ordinary day at work.
ilya Kozlov Last I heard, no. But this script was backed by a real USAF general who was kinda campaigning for this sort of film to be made. See, he really did not like the idea of an entirely automated system and wanted to always keep human in the loop. This scene kinda argues against that, though it's a plot device to end up with entirely automated missile system.
The ending is kind of funny. You know the work place became a little more unpleasant when people started pointing guns at each other for not doing enough work...
Spihk Heartbust!? Tell Bozeman Hotmail Recipient's Providence Ri's Vandwater st Roommate Vinny to help Bozeman Hotmail Recipient all around with everything
The scariest scene in a movie is not Dracula nor some serial killer with a blood-dripping axe. It is the moment the ICBMs leave their silos in "The Day After".
+TsarBomba84 why a only a few?! They always talk of nuclear disarmament! Well let's make a new Grand Canyon out of the Middle East whilst also destroying all out WMD's
fasteddie4145 yep. And the Titans were obsolete by the time this movie came out. Heck, they were obsolete when that one blew up in Damascus Alabama. The US only held on to it's Titans so it could have a otherwise worthless bargaining chip to "sacrifice" for SALT.
That might not work if the US is EMP'd or some other comm jamming system. Then again those MM3 ICBMs are all over 50 years old. I suspect most will fail to reach there targets from system failures.
There is a command that used to be called the ALCC hold off command that auto disable its access to the missiles for a preset time. However, if all 5 LCCs lost their time slots, the ALCC could then take over
Although not 100% accurate, this gave me chills. Imagine, no matter what politician orders the attack, the switch is on your hand, you are going to unleash the nuclear explosion on millions of people.
@@2138Dude This is a tuff question. Regardless of the hypothetical scenarios, it’s still terrifying to be the guy/woman to push the button. I don’t have the answer, just the certainty that it will be the most painful action, push that button.
In Defense of your Nation/Way of life. You aren;t turning the key for a random thrill or to just,"See what happens". Yes, there is the regard for life, in the back of your head, but YOU are the first line of our Defense. There are probably missiles already on the way, as the US would probably not initiate apre-emptive strike.
this is just a movie, (a great one at that), the US took many precausanary measures to prevent an accidental launch, no one command center can launch, even if the two guys turn their keys, there's 2 other guys at another missle command center who also have to turn their keys for the missles to launch. they need a second command from a completely different location to process so this scenario is impossible.
Not only that, but if one of the launch crew thought the order was false, he/she can inhibit the launch command. If another capsule voted to launch, then the inhibit code would be overwritten. But that means more than just four officers in remote sites would have to participate in the decision! The late great Gen. Curtis Lemay was interviewed on CBS one time. Seven Days In May and some other drivel had just come out. Ol' Iron @$$ said what kept him up at nights was if a valid order was issued by the President, no one would believe it!
I'd like to think that instead of demoting the Launch Tech who couldn't go through with it or dismissing him, they just reassigned him to a less sensitive post.
The anxiety and despair of a soldier registered in the eyes of the actors. You can see that they are thinking about their families, but they cannot express this at such a critical time. congratulations to the actors.
i HIGHLY reccommend you watch "Oscar Zero- Conversations with a Minuteman Nuclear Missile Combat Crew Commander, Complete Interview" and forward to 14:00 - he explains exactly how the procedure works
the ones guy had a feeling that something just was not right. usually there is a phone call to confirm that the initial launch command was given they did not receive a phone call.
In side the vault of an underground missile squadron control room on a base protected by a well armed security force. The "Key Box" is mostly so they never get misplaced.
@@MikeTheBike58 > This is the one prompt and reliable way to get to net carbon neutrality. As an added bonus, you get a nuclear winter as a bonus. Put Gretta Thunberg in charge of the launch codes.
There's a West Wing episode where Leo McGarry talks to a lawyer on his way to investigate some missile launch guy who failed to turn his key during a drill.
Cool. I wish I could work with these guys so I can learn how to launch a nuclear Missle and I love entering to confirm this on computers. And I love timers.
Need two people to turn keys, threatens to shoot the second person for not turning key. Shoots him for not turning key. Oh dear, no second person to turn key?
This precisely how I remember the sequence they did when I was in a silo for a demonstration for the SALT II observers. The fluid lines to the missile were shaking for real. I was in Nuclear Warfare School.
Fun Fact: According to an official declassified release by the Pentagon, the official launch code for all of the nukes in the United States was literally 0000000000. They only changed this during the early 2000s.
I love how they showed the replacement crew was greeted outside the blast door and the relieved crew quickly departed. No way, Jose. The new crew checks the tamper proof rice stickers on the drawers, the code locker, the enabler pins, etc. They follow the TO's to the letter!
Guy 1: Do you understand what could happen if we made a mistake? Mr. Blonde: Yeah……bam bam bam bam bam. I told you to turn the key and you didn’t. If you had done what I told you to do, you’d still be alive.
At first it sounded like Kasey Kasem coming across the radio: "Skybird, this is dropkick with a long distance dedication Romeo Oscar, November, Charlie...." Lol. 01:00
+John Smith depends on system this is a minuteman control center which was 2 people but the missile shown is a titan 2 lol fail but those used 4 members so idk what to tell you
The president can launch remotely, you don't actually need the people in the silo to because they're all networked and back then you could use rockets which send radio signals in case an attack already wiped out comms, the Russians still have a system like this called deadhand, we probably do to still.
LAUNCH ORDER CONFIRMED
**turns key**
Screen: "Please select all images containing a fire hydrant."
lmao I love comments like this
It’s worse. You have to decipher those jumbled up letters and numbers.
Yeah it’s probably like show all buttons with missile
A simple spell but quite unbelievable
Fking Captcha Everytime... 😒
I found this video very helpful. I’ve recently purchased a few ICBMs and I couldn’t exactly figure out how to launch them. Thank you and keep up the great work!
What kind of ICBM did you purchase? A Minuteman 3 or an older version like the Titan 2?
Wait, how far does the key go? Rats, these videos always skip a step!
I actually misspoke. There are no boosters anymore. They were all used for satellite launches after the Titan 2 was decommissioned by 1987.
@@josept9729 Indeed. I love the Titan (not 2) Voyager launches. I like the titan missile it looks menacing, but that might be because I know it was an ICBM. Hypergolics though, yuk.
You need a trusted friend and a gun just in case he doesn't want to comply.
I found this to be a helpful video---everyone should know how to launch their own missiles.
lol
I agree
☠️
Real life version is very different then a movie version of a missile launch
It's a forgotten art, when kids suddenly need to launch missiles today they just Google it or expect to find the answer on TikTok.
I was in the Air Force from 1974 to 1994. I knew a couple of LCO's, or Launch Control Officers. They were stable. Unnaturally so. PRP, or the Personal Reliability Program was ... extreme. ANY signs of instability, and I mean ANY signs would result in an immediate and permanent lost of position for the LCO. A successful tour manning the silo was a tremendous achievement for any officer.
Thank you for that info. :)
I would have worn a Duke Nukem undershirt and not held that job for 5 minutes...
No human being would kill 20 million people when ordered to do so can be called stable. That is a very very strange usage of stable. I guess it shows how insane we have become!
Well they can be disabled mid air if i understand correctly. So if I was missleer I'd have faith in the system of accountability in that if it was a mistake someone somewhere else will have the ability to correct it.
Besides. These guys are the hammer on the gun, not the politicians who pull the trigger. Should really be no moral conscience about it, it's not your fault. Just do your job and trust others to do there's, which If WW3 ever arose means the politicians sure as hell didn't do theirs.
My dad was in the Human reliability program, my medical records had a cover sheet, if I were nuts they wanted to know. but why were they top secrete? Oh, that's right, he didn't work at the base and wasn't on the base directory.
We should all be thankful to Stanislav Petrov for being the guy who refused to turn the key.
Few know about that. We're here thanks to him. Those here who were born after 1983 would never have been born at all.
Turn your key sir !!
Chernobyl tech?
Well and imagine if Michael Madsen - yes from Reservoir Dogs - who plays the LT pointing the gun, had tied up Stansilav with tape to the chair and pulled out a razor blade and starting playing the music 'Stuck in the middle with you' ;p
@@JT-in5le Able Archer
Extremely helpful instructional video. I have a nuclear missile in my house and have been trying to launch it for months. After watching this video, my neighbor is in hell and I have an extra arm!
Well launch that sucker at the Kremlin !
The correct procedure is two men turning keys simultaneously, so you are stuck with your neighbor on this one 😄
You and I should get together for a beer and talk about our new world order.
@@hapemokenela7388 One in which has no more adverts on U-tube, unless it's Victoria's secret and cheap beer !!!
Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window.
Just put a computer in charge of launching the missles and call it, I dunno, skynet.
Like your picture
or maybe call it WOPR?
/woosh
computers can get hacked
Man you really have no idea what this movie sceen is from do you?? 😂
Please NO FIGHTING IN THE WAR ROOM !!
Good one!
Type 007 If someone said same to your sister
Viola Mäkinen YEEEHAAAAA
I AM VERY EXCITED TO LAUNCH THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS 😂😂😂😂😂😃😃😸😸🦁🦁🦁🇮🇳🇮🇳
We must not allow a mine shaft gap!
"Screw the procedure I want somebody on the god-damn phone before I kill 20 million people"! Epic!!
@Hmz1417 mslm nah, biden probably wouldve forgot he just lunch a missile.
@@qwertylink9066 Beijing biden
More like 200 million. He had 10 missiles. Each of those could have multiple bombs with separately guided "re-entry vehicles".
@Hmz1417 mslm Trump, for all his bloviating, was the first President in a very long time to not start a war. He deserves credit for that.
@@notcrazy6288 He tried to start a civil war on January 6, 2021.
Silo operators where often exposed to this kind of dry run. These men would get an order to launch and never know if it was a real launch or a practice. My dad was a Siloman back in the 70s they where always running dry runs. The base commander could order any launch room disconnected from the system so they could run a practice drill that the guys in the silo had no idea was not a real launch. They would follow SOP then wait for a call from command to let them know it was an exercise.
Ah, I wonder if you remember a movie regarding this back in the 70s or 80s? I can't remember the name of it. Having said that, it might turn out that I'm actually just remembering this scene from Wargames :)
I believe it was called "Twilight's Last Gleaming", some people take over a missile silo and threaten a launch.
no they didnt..they always knew if it was a drill..and drills dont happen in the actual silo room...theres no way an accidental launch could ever happen
Daniel McGillis thanks for that.
Well it's not like you didn't have a good idea if you paid attention to the news whether or not your drill that day was real. Political stuff would take a few days or weeks at least to build up.
This had to be the most straight-laced role Michael Madsen ever played.
A far cry from Budd aka Sidewinder or Mr Blonde
@@happypapi1903 or even Bump Bailey from The Natural.
@@bearb664 Ahaha true! Forgot about that guy!
I wanted to see him bust out the straight razor and get that other key turned.
@@happypapi1903plus as Sonny black in Donnie brasco or main bad guy biker in beyond the law. 2 movies where’s he’s taken down by undercover main character 👍
That's one hell of a key to turn.
Try coming home to my wife at night ...
Even worse I'm sure!
@@Real_McKinley it could be nightmare and end for you/..for him maybe or for me maybe..but this key turning would end of the world we know...
@@Real_McKinleysounds scarier than any apocalypse
Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to.
Thank you comrade, my son was crying because he couldn't launch his SS-18 Satan. This video really helped me🤗
Mai tution de dunga, bhej do
RIP John Spencer (Missileer who didnt turn the key) Great actor of many a movie.
SkinnyCow which movie is this? I really like this scene
Umar ali arshad
'WarGames' (1983)
Leo! What in the world are you doing in a missile silo?
Moral of the story..never put a hippie in charge of a missile squadron...😮💥💀😮💥💀
I thought I recognized him, he’s also in the Rock movie where he’s with the FBI
In reality, a failure of one silo crew to launch wouldn't matter. The silos are interconnected, and if a large majority of crews in various locations do follow through with the launch, the crews that did not launch would be automatically overridden and their missiles would be launched remotely and automatically.
In reality? This is from the movie War Games. It is setup to show that crews wouldn't launch and thus direct control was given to a large computer. It's a movie, specifically designed to show crews not launching to justify the plot of the movie.
Also there are aircraft flying above the missile fields that can also remotely launch the missiles from the plane....
@@Warsie not silo launchers.
@@kellerweskier7214 "Looking Glass" And, yes, from what I understand they could launch the siloed missiles.
@@nitronick5659 no they cant. there is no external connection to the silo systems. everything is hard wire.
" Turn your key sir " one of the scariest sentences in a movie.
Honestly, I think I would be unable to if put in that position.
Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to.
me to i dont fink i would be able to take another life like that
That's why you will never have the opportunity to be a silo commander
So let's say he shoots him. Then what? You still need two guys to launch the missile.
Sir thats not the correct order. TURN YOUR KEY
There was, and I assume still is, a redundancy system with the nuclear weapons program. It is a two vote rule, I believe. One missile crew cannot agree to launch a nuclear war, even if you could get the MLCC the DMCC to agree to such a treacherous act. Another crew in another capsule has to launch at the same time. Also, if war occurred, two other capsule crews could initiate the launch for the other crew. So, if the missile commander in this video had moral reservations about killing 20 million people, two other commanders would not. I would rather have three dedicated crews who would do the job if political failure necessitated it, than a good guy who couldn't do the job that two other crews had to do for him!
hrdknox2000 I'm sure you're correct. Just seems like a funny thing to threaten. "Do it or I'll shoot you and you still won't be able to do it."
KiloByte Haha certainly one option. Not exactly an easy shot while strapped into a chair across the room though.
Stuck in the middle with nukes yes I'm stuck in the middle with nukes
I saw this movie on "ON" T.V. and/or HBO in late 1983/early 1984 as a 9 year old. This part out of the whole movie terrified me the most. There is something about these two guys being trapped in a locked room being ordered to put an end to the human race, NOT KNOWING if this really is happening or an error, desperate to get some sort of official verbal confirmation, and in only seconds your coworker is pulling on gun you.
What movie called
Since War Games came out in 1983, and movies that were in the theatres did not come out on cable for at least a year, you did not see this on cable OR tv!
Remember this is Hollywood. Things are not as Hollywood makes them. The USAF has procedures and safety systems in place that limit those two people from instantiating a launch. And from what I heard about these installations, they only did testing at a test facility, not the real place.
Most intense beginning to a movie ever.
@@mylovesongs2429 HBO (or Skinemax for the naughtier ones) usually had them about 6-8 months after release in those days, and the movie came out in June, so late 83/early 84 is about right.
In my childhood memories, only a few life fragments are remembered, and this fragment of the movie is still very profound. The last sentence of the young man, "Turn you a key, sir", has some influence on my life .
He went from not turning the key to chief of staff to the President!
nutsackmania thats how liberals like it.
with being the FBI director...and then the VIce President
Hhhhah yes i remember him. He was FBI head in The Rock 1996. Dont know about Vice President movie
@@ranahasan24 Not a movie, the West Wing a very good TV show, highly recommend!
And Michael Madsen went from leveling a headshot with a .38 Special at his superior officer to dancing around to Steeler's Wheel and cutting off a guy's ear.
I love how the intense music doesn’t start until they turned the key to “Set”, like… “holy s*** this thing is for real.”
Also the start where you think the younger missileer would be the one that would have the freak out. But it ends up being the senior person.
Well, he's in command and has to take that responsibility
The keys are far enough apart to prevent one person from turning both keys. But! I recall reading an article some time back that a clever crew member figured out a way to turn both using materials found in the capsule like boot laces, ductape, silverware, broom handles, etc. The Air Force was NOT pleased as it caused an expensive redesign.
That’s a rumor. There’s NO WAY one person can launch even one missile. Rest easy.
Any clever lad could sneak in a telescoping rod with syncronized rotating clamps on each end. No problem.
I was in USAF Nuclear Weapons Security back when this movie came out. Our mission included B-52 bombers. If a Klaxon went off and the bombers taxied to the runway, then came back, it was just an exercise. If they taxied and took off, that was the real deal. One of our guys was in a security tower during a klaxon. He watched the bombers taxi out. Then he saw a bomber take off. He freaked out and froze. He couldn't bring himself to do the job he was trained to do. Turns out there was a tree between the tower and the runway which blocked the guy's view. What he saw was an unloaded bomber, which had entered the runway before the loaded ones, taking off. The loaded bombers returned to the parking apron like they always did in an exercise. But, the guy in the tower was relieved of duty.
There's always that one employee who doesn't follow work health and safety procedures
I recently ordered one such missile from Ikea
They forgot to include the manual
This video helps me alot. Thankyou sir.
Leave it to YT to save the day
Me: Google how to open a door-
Google: TURN YOUR KEY
Also me:I don't have my keys-
Also Google: THAT'S NOT THE CORRECT PROCEDURE
first of all why are you telling Google that you're locked out of the house
Bing: nuke the door.
im so sorry google im so sorry
Elon Musk will buy Google within the next 5 years!!! I'm calling it!!!
@@someasiandude4797 Because he has a GDoor.
the one thing that annoys me in this scene is the code authentication. When they wrote down the codes then said standby for authentication and immediately after agree on the authentication. The real sop would be the commander and lieutenant would write down the codes and then swap books to authenticate that both their messages are the 100 percent the same. Then only after they physically authenticate each other codes they would get their launch code from the box.
so my question is this... they are given a code over the radio. the open the lockbox and retrieve plastic cased code verifiers. how do they know WHICH verifying card to draw? in this case they both drew from the bottom shelf. okay maybe thats the SOP. in Crimson Tide (Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman et al) they reach into the box and there must be a dozen or more plastic cases to draw from. would everyone have the exact same code? im thinking there could be more than one code transmitted hence the multiple cards. a card for each code transmitted for multiple tests/exercises
@@truthsayers8725 i also wonder that. maybe the three tiers are labeled and part of the code denotes which card to grab. still they would not know if the card they are told to grab is legitimate or just training. Or it could be each tier is for each deferent commend squad. with theirs being the bottom. the codes on all of them might be the same. Just a security measure to show which crew input a code.
That takes up valuable movie time. We can't have that! 🤣
@@truthsayers8725 Part of the code they received via the squawk box tells them which authentication cards to use. If I remember correctly it was two letters.
seems like the very first thing they should do on entering the capsule is make sure the grease pens are ready to copy.
"oh, damn! my pen's not working, Sir!"
Great scene. John Spencer nails it. Won an Emmy as Leo McGarry in The West Wing.
Michael Madsen was pretty good too. He should have dropped the needle on that Steeler's Wheel song (you know the one) and did a little dance before cutting his partner's ear off.
I was a Titan II Missile Launch Crew Commander in the mid 1970’s in Tucson, Az. This was an interesting movie but only about 50% accurate. The message authentication process was pretty accurate. The message gave you the launch time. You turned keys at that time. The missile was typically ready to go. Silo platforms were usually up unless there was maintenance. Targets were preselected. Once you turned keys the missile was leaving the silo in less than a minute. Then you were done. We only practiced the launch sequence in the simulator on base, never at the missile site.
Missile shown is a Titan II - 4 man crew (2 launch officers, 2 enlisted). 1 launch crew per bird.
The control center shown, commanding 10 missiles / 2 man crew, is Minuteman. Solid fueled.
My unit had an admin officer who was tossed off missile duty for pulling his sidearm on one of the enlisted troops.
He was tossed off? My goodness, how the military has changed.
"Turn your key sir, before I cut your ear off."
Mike Tyson: "Man, turn yo key mofo before i bite your ear off!"
How about a little gasoline on your nukes.
"Sir, eat your sandwich!"
"Nope"
**Aims gun**
"EAT THE SANDWICH"
Commander: "Drop and give me 20 grunt !"
Madsen points gun at commander and say's: "Are you gonna bark, little dog, or are you gonna bite ?"
"Let me call my wife first."
"SIR, THAT IS NOT THE CORRECT PROCEDURE."
*points a gun at him and gets ready to shoot*
Teacher: today we're going to see how the military fires a nuclear missile
Quiet kid in the back of the class:*takes notes*
Spell QUIET correctly! Your joke bombed!
This is exactly why the real launchers are given regular drills with no way of knowing whether they're actually launching nukes or running practice.
yeah so they know what to do if and when the time comes for the real thing
Thats not make any sense since thats why you put real person there, not a automated secuence... Something that exist long before...
@@pyromikothey practiced like they played as best they could. I remember doing drills going into the bunker at 3am as if someone took over the control panels. It's very real and quite random.
@@pyromiko all US nuclear systems are manually activated and launched. everything but power, land-lines, and some satcom have a way into these control centers. the risk of having our nuclear systems with an internet connection is too risky.
@@kellerweskier7214 but i mean, to automatize and have secured procedures you don need internet , if you want a person to think as machine, why dont put a machine...
I saw this aged 11 thinking WarGames was a kids' film and it scared the crap out of me. It's a great movie that stands the test of time. My one complaint: they probably didn't run tour groups through the NORAD war room but I'll let that go. Funny that the 2 then unknown actors in this scene, John Spencer & Michael Madsen, both became stars.
Someone clearly didn't do a proper background security check on Mr. Blonde.
This time, he wants the other guy to go on a kill-crazy rampage!
"I don't know anything about f$#%ing authentication code...you can shoot me all you want"
"Shoot you...that's...that's a good idea..."
@@kennethbartlett1465 “You ever listen to K Billy’s Sounds Of The 80’s? It’s one of my favorites.” *Turns on radio; plays Nina’s “99 Red Balloons”. Begins shuffle dance while pointing pistol at colleague*
This is actually a different cinematic universe.
His military career ended a bit early but he had friends in high places help him out. One of his friends got him a board seat with a major defense contractor, where he made a fortune, and another friend named Josiah Bartlet was elected President of the United States and appointed him White House chief of staff.
"Warhead alarm."
"Give it a thump with your finger."
Ahhh No sir. I'm not thumping any warhead. You can thump it yourself.
lol i'm guessing paper bags, potato chip packets, anything you can blow up and pop are banned on the silo maintenance crews
Well you can go thump yourself
Gorillaau,dass ist nicht der Gefechtskopf.Das ist nur die Kappe.12-24 sitzen darunter.Damals,heute, weiß ich es nicht.
Intermittent instrumentation failure. Write that up in the log and call Wing Maintenance! !!
@@mikesully110 Yet you can wear a onesie to keep warm, and bunny-slippers.
Correct me if I'm wrong but if I remember correctly this is the opening scene to the movie war games.
amg42100 it says it’s from war games in the description
That's correct.
Not the movie war games
lilos01 yes from the movie war games
amg42100 this is the opening seen to war games so you are correct
This was on last night. That movie has a great cast.
What if your pencil breaks when you are trying to write down the message?
Plus where do they go to the bathroom?? R they in the room locked in for 24 hrs😪
So oldschool. I think by now they went keyless and have an app for that.
"Launch your missiles on the go. Don't waste your time asking your wife where you put your keys. iLaunch is the future."
"Alexa, launch nukes"
Alexa launch nukes - alexa " I have ordered your cukes". Man I see a good comedy skit right there
They have not gone key-less (they still have to turn keys at virtually the same time - and the keys are far enough apart that it takes 2 people: too much delay in turning the keys at once and the system locks itself up and requires maintenance to reset it). But the launch control equipment has completely changed and now they enter certain codes and do some of the other status and verification steps using a computer.
They have magnetic-striped cards now.
Legend has it that to this day, he's still be asked to turn his key and he isn't sure.
Yeah and that nuclear missile is still pressurized and ready to go at the turn of the key.
He passed away in 2005. Your answer is BZZZT! WRONG!!!! Thank you for playing!!!
This explains Leo’s drinking problem on The West Wing.
Thank you I purchased my few ICBMs but I couldn't launch them because I didn't get the entire launch process. finally found the tutorial!
Yeah, these vendors really need to put a bit of work into their documentation.
I feel like this is great fantasy.
And the people they got in these places wouldn't hesitate.
As an Ex Missileer, this is complete bullshit.
+Not-So-SuperNova More or less the same, but kinda presumes no one would refuse to turn the key.
Even though it actually has precedent, in the Soviet Union where there's far less allowance for free thought a Soviet missile officer got a phoney order to launch. He refused to act on it. Now that wasn't a test, that was a system glitch. But it's the closest any time anyone has come to purposefully and intentionally using a nuclear weapon in anger and they bottled it.
utube "Oscar Zero- Conversations with a Minuteman Nuclear Missile Combat Crew Commander, Complete Interview" - he explains it all, exactly how it works, the procedure. this is just a movie, (a great one at that), the US took many precausanary measures to prevent an accidental launch, no one command center can launch, even if the two guys turn their keys, there's 2 other guys at another missle command center who also have to turn their keys for the missles to launch. they need a second command from a completely different location to process so this scenario is impossible
ilya Kozlov This scenario, is a test. This is only to see if they would actually turn the keys if ordered to, but the control room was secretly disconnected and the orders given were to turn the key on a de-activated control panel.
They had to really believe it was real, not jsut a drill where they knew the technical specification but if they trully knew their missile would launch a nuke at russia and kill likely hundreds of thousands if not millions of people... would they still turn the key.
The pivotal part of the test is they thought it was an ordinary day at work.
Treblaine i hear you... Do you think these tests were actually held..? Boy would i love to know what the results were, it mustnbe top secret though
ilya Kozlov Last I heard, no. But this script was backed by a real USAF general who was kinda campaigning for this sort of film to be made. See, he really did not like the idea of an entirely automated system and wanted to always keep human in the loop.
This scene kinda argues against that, though it's a plot device to end up with entirely automated missile system.
I recently purchased some new LGM-30G Minuteman III and I didn't know how to launch them. This was a very helpful video!
Don't drop them or get them wet. Best of luck in your launches.
Well, seeing as this is a Titan II, it won't help that much.
The ending is kind of funny. You know the work place became a little more unpleasant when people started pointing guns at each other for not doing enough work...
Government workers, what do you expect
It's crazy that over forty years later there are still airforce officers that go to work every day in those silos waiting and training for this.
Spihk Heartbust!? Tell Bozeman Hotmail Recipient's Providence Ri's Vandwater st Roommate Vinny to help Bozeman Hotmail Recipient all around with everything
The scariest scene in a movie is not Dracula nor some serial killer with a blood-dripping axe. It is the moment the ICBMs leave their silos in "The Day After".
That was a different movie
Minuteman control center....Titan II missile....
+fasteddie4145 ROFL, good observation.
+TsarBomba84 why a only a few?! They always talk of nuclear disarmament! Well let's make a new Grand Canyon out of the Middle East whilst also destroying all out WMD's
fasteddie4145 They were the days...
fasteddie4145 yep. And the Titans were obsolete by the time this movie came out. Heck, they were obsolete when that one blew up in Damascus Alabama. The US only held on to it's Titans so it could have a otherwise worthless bargaining chip to "sacrifice" for SALT.
Great tutorial, will give it a try
There was the EC-135-G which was an airborne missle launch control aircraft. It would remotely launch missles still sitting in their silos.
EC-135C was the Looking Glass from Offutt. It had the LCS system. I was maintenance officer there from 1987-1994
The program is still active
That might not work if the US is EMP'd or some other comm jamming system. Then again those MM3 ICBMs are all over 50 years old. I suspect most will fail to reach there targets from system failures.
@@guytech7310 And you came to this conclusion, how? You're a missileer? Or you read up the fact sheet on Google?
There is a command that used to be called the ALCC hold off command that auto disable its access to the missiles for a preset time. However, if all 5 LCCs lost their time slots, the ALCC could then take over
Although not 100% accurate, this gave me chills. Imagine, no matter what politician orders the attack, the switch is on your hand, you are going to unleash the nuclear explosion on millions of people.
Would you rather let your people die without retaliation?
@@2138Dude This is a tuff question. Regardless of the hypothetical scenarios, it’s still terrifying to be the guy/woman to push the button. I don’t have the answer, just the certainty that it will be the most painful action, push that button.
What would God say to you, on your day of judgment, after you killed 20 million people with one turn of a key?
@Maldoche I know. But surely this will haunt me forever
In Defense of your Nation/Way of life. You aren;t turning the key for a random thrill or to just,"See what happens". Yes, there is the regard for life, in the back of your head, but YOU are the first line of our Defense. There are probably missiles already on the way, as the US would probably not initiate apre-emptive strike.
I love how everything you see is REAL.
They used the real deal for the movie.
yeah, it was even a test like they always did back then to they never actually fired a single missile off because they had no reason to
At least a real fake.
this is just a movie, (a great one at that), the US took many precausanary measures to prevent an accidental launch, no one command center can launch, even if the two guys turn their keys, there's 2 other guys at another missle command center who also have to turn their keys for the missles to launch. they need a second command from a completely different location to process so this scenario is impossible.
Probably from SAC. Or maybe from POTUS, as he is always carrying the nuclear football.
@@mylovesongs2429pure 100% organic BS.
Not only that, but if one of the launch crew thought the order was false, he/she can inhibit the launch command. If another capsule voted to launch, then the inhibit code would be overwritten. But that means more than just four officers in remote sites would have to participate in the decision! The late great Gen. Curtis Lemay was interviewed on CBS one time. Seven Days In May and some other drivel had just come out. Ol' Iron @$$ said what kept him up at nights was if a valid order was issued by the President, no one would believe it!
I'd like to think that instead of demoting the Launch Tech who couldn't go through with it or dismissing him, they just reassigned him to a less sensitive post.
He ended up being White House Chief of Staff and nominee for Vice President of the United States...RIP Emmy winner John Spencer - aka Leo McGerry.
"i want someone on the line before i kill 20 million people" a true soldier
The anxiety and despair of a soldier registered in the eyes of the actors. You can see that they are thinking about their families, but they cannot express this at such a critical time. congratulations to the actors.
wisdom of the senior that learned to think independently vs robotic precision of the indoctrinated junior
i HIGHLY reccommend you watch "Oscar Zero- Conversations with a Minuteman Nuclear Missile Combat Crew Commander, Complete Interview" and forward to 14:00 - he explains exactly how the procedure works
I use the phrase “confidence is high, I say again confidence is high” from the NORAD scenes at least once a week
No you dont
the ones guy had a feeling that something just was not right. usually there is a phone call to confirm that the initial launch command was given they did not receive a phone call.
1983: TURN YOUR KEY!
2023: ChatGPT, launch the missiles.
Imagine knowing that turning that key means the death of tens of millions of people. It’s a lot easier said than done.
Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to.
I wouldn’t want 20 million deaths on top of my sins.
I love how the authenticators are store in what is basically a strong box with pad locks
It's called the "Door to War."
And the number for those locks is
000
Lol me too, I absolutely adore it!
In side the vault of an underground missile squadron control room on a base protected by a well armed security force.
The "Key Box" is mostly so they never get misplaced.
Also when the put the codes to the mechanical locks the sound is electronic.
"would you like to play a game of thermonuclear warfare?"
Radkon Psygami No but I would prefer to play Global Thermonuclear War
@@MikeTheBike58
>
This is the one prompt and reliable way to get to net carbon neutrality.
As an added bonus, you get a nuclear winter as a bonus.
Put Gretta Thunberg in charge of the launch codes.
How about a nice game of chess
There's a West Wing episode where Leo McGarry talks to a lawyer on his way to investigate some missile launch guy who failed to turn his key during a drill.
Both of these actors were big in the 1990s.
2023 "Sir we can't launch the missiles we are still trying to figure out the Captcha thing"
LMAO
Cool. I wish I could work with these guys so I can learn how to launch a nuclear Missle and I love entering to confirm this on computers. And I love timers.
The V2 missile had a cool timer!
This is the film you were waiting for.
Need two people to turn keys, threatens to shoot the second person for not turning key. Shoots him for not turning key. Oh dear, no second person to turn key?
How is HQ gonna know if maybe he shot him because he was going to turn the key ?
Should have shot the key instead.
That was a GREAT and underrated movie. See it again.
This scene is a core memory of mine.
Science Teacher in the lab: Someone switch on the fans and lights
Girls: oof theres a lot of switches , why did they put a lot of switches?
Boys: 2:46
This precisely how I remember the sequence they did when I was in a silo for a demonstration for the SALT II observers. The fluid lines to the missile were shaking for real. I was in Nuclear Warfare School.
No you weren't. No such thing. Moron.
Kim jung un secretly watching it
Sounds like Casey Kasem on the speaker, counting down the end of the world!
Casey was reaching for the stars. The multiple nuclear detonations blasted him to the stars. Now THAT'S a long-distance dedication.
Holy crap, this is insanely accurate
turn your key sir!!!! *points gun at your head*😎
Not really, of course I was only Minuteman II launch officer and instructor for 4 years.
I was a career missile officer-there’s no part of this even remotely accurate. But it is funny and entertaining.
I like the way they painted US airforce on the missile, so that you know who nuked you
Would you rather it be Goodyear?
You would not. The writing is on the booster stages that don’t make it to the target.
@@joso5554 No shit Sherlock??
Fun Fact: According to an official declassified release by the Pentagon, the official launch code for all of the nukes in the United States was literally 0000000000. They only changed this during the early 2000s.
'Everything's coming up goose-eggs.'
That just gives me goosebumps. It would have been that easy.
Just in case one of the launch officers was too baked to enter something more complex.
Fun fact: not true. Not even close.
@@fredpearson5204 Absolutely true. This story was covered by multiple news sources including ABC News, Yahoo News, and MSN.
The code stands for Release of Nuclear weapons Has Been Authorized
War Games was a movie I always enjoyed watching. Never a dull moment either. Thanks for posting this.
I went through training with some silo troops. What a horrible boarding job, waiting for the world to end!
You must turn your keys and burn them in the thermonuclear Holocaust or they will turn first
Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to.
I love how they showed the replacement crew was greeted outside the blast door and the relieved crew quickly departed. No way, Jose. The new crew checks the tamper proof rice stickers on the drawers, the code locker, the enabler pins, etc. They follow the TO's to the letter!
How many people are now watching this due to the invasion of Ukraine, sad times indeed 😢
Domt tell me this is gonna happen please
@@dedijuliawan3735 who knows what this mad man will do if provoked.
@@dedijuliawan3735 putin said he launched a nuke
This is about a high school kid almost starting a nuclear conflict with his computer - it has nothing to do with Ukraine at all.
@@OneOfThoseTypes Well mate it would appear your the only one who thinks so, now run along and fuck off!
He hesitates to turn that key like a Chevy owner.
More like "How not to launch"
Me: *LAUNCH NUKE COMPLETE*
Captcha: didnt appea
The entire USA military team:
Appear*
I hope you all realize this is from the movie Wargames.
Minuteman LCC, Titan II missile...
Guy 1: Do you understand what could happen if we made a mistake?
Mr. Blonde: Yeah……bam bam bam bam bam. I told you to turn the key and you didn’t. If you had done what I told you to do, you’d still be alive.
Simple logic: no launch without two men turning two keys. No reason for the guns, except to find out who's crazier...
At first it sounded like Kasey Kasem coming across the radio: "Skybird, this is dropkick with a long distance dedication Romeo Oscar, November, Charlie...." Lol. 01:00
Then at the end of his sending the nuclear codes, he says "and this song, from 1970...Fire and Rain, by James Taylor!"
99 red balloons released by an air defense radar will do the trick
Came here to find out how to launch a nuclear missile. I passed the course. I am now qualified.
Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to.
it's great because from 1956-1978 the Launch codes were 00000000. hahaha
no they werent..a 10th level coding was set to 00000 and several others that were not used...
they were deemed to difficult a procedure
Funny thing is thats going to be one of the last sequences a chancer would try for something like a missile launch code.
So this guys in movies only have the balls until its time to launch.
We had men in those silos since you were watching howdy doody….. Still a great movie.
I'd piss on a sparkplug if i thought it'd do any good!
Add new script. Turn around and say "If you shoot me then who the hell is gonna turn the key?" LOL
Yeah really, lol!
Problem is only 2 ppl are inside for hours.
And in order to open the gate u need two passwords
+John Smith depends on system this is a minuteman control center which was 2 people but the missile shown is a titan 2 lol fail but those used 4 members so idk what to tell you
The president can launch remotely, you don't actually need the people in the silo to because they're all networked and back then you could use rockets which send radio signals in case an attack already wiped out comms, the Russians still have a system like this called deadhand, we probably do to still.
And also the president can use an override code to if the missile is already launched to self-destruct it.