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In the early days of nuclear weapons, security measures were surprisingly basic. This video explores the fascinating history and development of Permissive Action Links (PALs), the sophisticated systems that now safeguard nuclear arsenals.
Timeline:
1940s-1950s: Primitive security measures
Weapons kept partially disassembled
No formal policy on custody, control, and proliferation
Simple 3-digit combination locks introduced
1953: Missiles and Rockets agreements
Defined roles of Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Department of Defense (DoD)
1961: Committees formed to study use control
Special Warhead Arming Control (SWAC) Committee
Safety Steering Group
Joint Command and Control Study Group Project 106
August 1961: Secretary of Defense requests AEC to create permissive links for NATO weapons
June 1962: President Kennedy issues NSAM 160
Mandates PALs on all U.S. nuclear weapons in NATO countries
How PALs Work:
1. Isolation: Critical components enclosed in "exclusion region"
2. Incompatibility: Designed to prevent accidental activation
3. Inoperability: "Weak links" render weapon inoperable in extreme conditions
Key Components:
Stronglinks: Rugged electromechanical devices controlling weapon arming
Energy control elements: Create pathways into exclusion region
PAL Categories:
Category A (1960s):
MC1541 coded switch (5-digit code)
Complex operation, took 30 seconds to 2.5 minutes
Required multiple support equipment pieces
Category B (mid-1960s):
MC1707 coded switch (4-digit code)
Faster operation, cockpit control possible
Fewer wires, parallel unlocking for multiple weapons
Category C (mid-1970s):
Extended Cat B capabilities
6-digit code
Introduced limited code attempt lockouts
Category D (1975):
First microprocessor-based PAL (MC2764)
Multiple Code Coded-Switch (MCCS) concept
6-digit codes for various functions (arm, train, disable)
Interfaced with MC2969 Intent stronglink
Anti-intrusion sensors, some self-powered
Category F (mid-1980s):
12-digit code system
Advanced features: code-driven disable modes, emergency stops
Variable yield adjustment via code
Encryption in the arming process
Key Developments:
1980s: Modernization efforts
Second-generation stronglinks: detonator and dual magnetic
Improved reliability and reduced manufacturing costs
1997: PALs installed on all U.S. nuclear devices
U.S. Navy last to receive them
2001: PAL Code Management System (CMS) deployed
End-to-end encrypted method for re-coding weapons
MC4519 MCCS Encryption Translator Assembly
2004: CMS fully implemented across all PAL systems
Future Developments:
Ongoing miniaturization and ruggedization
Micromachining technologies for mm-sized components
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