4 ms·

To be fair, the bits of Australia where the significant military and intelligence installations are located are literally thousands of kilometres away from Aust

by rgmerk 3y ago

To be fair, the bits of Australia where the significant military and intelligence installations are located are literally thousands of kilometres away from Australia’s larger population centres. Nuking Australia’s cities would do precisely nothing for Russia or China’s strategic position in the event of a nuclear conflict - and the threat to do so doesn’t deter us from launching nukes at either because we don’t have any to launch regardless.

jacquesm 3y ago
And in the case of China would ruin an area that they would be well positioned to take over if the alliance fell apart.
- DonHopkins 3y ago
  I'd be more afraid of the UK nuking Australia out of spite!
  - jacquesm 3y ago
    They'd have to ask the US for permission...
techdragon 3y ago
Mostly correct but with an important exception. Our two primary naval bases Fleet Base West and Fleet Base East, are located in proximity to populated areas. Fleet Base East is basically in Sydney and Fleet Base West is approximately 35km from Perth, somewhat offshore and to the south, but not that it’s the most accurate predictor but NukeMaps estimates for blast and fallout have moderate to significant effects on the city of Perth depending on the size of the nuke used, which depends a lot on how much an adversary wants to ensure that they destroy infrastructure the Australian and US navies can use to support, resupply, and maintain nuclear submarines in the Antarctic and Indian Oceans, the AUKUS treaty which will give Australia its first nuclear submarines also includes provisions for greater cooperation and interoperability with UK and US submarines, and will involve US nuclear submarines getting supply and basic maintenance at Fleet Base West even before we have our own nuclear attack submarines as part of the overall plan to train and upskill the Australian navy to support the new submarines. So while a strike against communications infrastructure only would indeed be aimed at facilities in remote enough locations that the general population need not worry too much about the nuclear part of the war that just happened… if they expand the target list to include the Australian navy’s facilities, then Perth and Sydney are in for a pretty bad time.

by rgmerk 3y ago

jacquesm 3y ago

And in the case of China would ruin an area that they would be well positioned to take over if the alliance fell apart.

DonHopkins 3y ago
I'd be more afraid of the UK nuking Australia out of spite!
- jacquesm 3y ago
  They'd have to ask the US for permission...

techdragon 3y ago

Mostly correct but with an important exception. Our two primary naval bases Fleet Base West and Fleet Base East, are located in proximity to populated areas. Fleet Base East is basically in Sydney and Fleet Base West is approximately 35km from Perth, somewhat offshore and to the south, but not that it’s the most accurate predictor but NukeMaps estimates for blast and fallout have moderate to significant effects on the city of Perth depending on the size of the nuke used, which depends a lot on how much an adversary wants to ensure that they destroy infrastructure the Australian and US navies can use to support, resupply, and maintain nuclear submarines in the Antarctic and Indian Oceans, the AUKUS treaty which will give Australia its first nuclear submarines also includes provisions for greater cooperation and interoperability with UK and US submarines, and will involve US nuclear submarines getting supply and basic maintenance at Fleet Base West even before we have our own nuclear attack submarines as part of the overall plan to train and upskill the Australian navy to support the new submarines. So while a strike against communications infrastructure only would indeed be aimed at facilities in remote enough locations that the general population need not worry too much about the nuclear part of the war that just happened… if they expand the target list to include the Australian navy’s facilities, then Perth and Sydney are in for a pretty bad time.