Map of UK's strategic nuclear targets

[cryingfreeman]

Agreed NR re the yields of modern nuclear weapons and that's a very important point you make about modern delivery accuracy, which simply didn't exist at the height of the Cold War.

However, while cities (i.e. civilian populations) may be vulnerable to air burst devices, many / most modern military targets are hardened and will not succumb to air bursts; rather, a direct ground strike will be required to eliminate them.

As for high radioactive energy release aka neutron bombs, military doctrine has taken a turn against their use, ostensibly because they are no longer considered to be as effective against military targets as once thought. While the expertise to manufacture them probably still exists, as far as I know no nuclear powers today officially have any of them in their arsenals (or so they claim).

The atmospheric EMP effect is another dodgy one. I don't doubt the reality of EMPs upon nuclear detonation; nor do I doubt the damage they would inflict on civilian electronics. But I have a strong suspicion that our NATO military comms have been somehow hardened against EMPs. Why do I suggest this? Because the risk of it and the associated devastation it would cause to infrastructure is being - IMHO - over laboured in the USA by mouthpieces for the powers that be. One could almost think they want any nuclear-strike-minded enemy to pull off such an attack rather than a ground hit because they know it's nowhere near as damaging to the country as they claim it is.