I was in a missile silo once. Very impressive security up above. We took an elevator (open shaft!) way down into a capsule-like compartment full of electronics (it was the late 70s). Two men were stationed, and it took both keys at the same time to launch a missile. They played chess. Each had a gun and orders to shoot the other if he started acting nutty.
The kicker is that several panels were missing. The system at the silo was out of order, and they couldn’t get the messages from above until the units were repaired. They’d been out for some time, they told us.
They still went through the procedures, because it was what they did, and it makes sense, after all. Needed to stay in practice and keep the discipline.
jimmjonzz Premium Member over 8 years ago
Stay alert, Fenwick! That button activates the Quadium Bomb!
Grover Premium Member over 8 years ago
Some things are too important for computerization.
stev0 over 8 years ago
I’m not going to read tomorrow’s comic because I’ll be spending all day reading “The Grapes of Wrath.” Too bad there’s no shortcut.
dougsathome over 8 years ago
Box 1: the actual reason World War III was avoided.
Kip W over 8 years ago
I was in a missile silo once. Very impressive security up above. We took an elevator (open shaft!) way down into a capsule-like compartment full of electronics (it was the late 70s). Two men were stationed, and it took both keys at the same time to launch a missile. They played chess. Each had a gun and orders to shoot the other if he started acting nutty.
The kicker is that several panels were missing. The system at the silo was out of order, and they couldn’t get the messages from above until the units were repaired. They’d been out for some time, they told us.
They still went through the procedures, because it was what they did, and it makes sense, after all. Needed to stay in practice and keep the discipline.