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Title:NATO Exercise ABLE ARCHER
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<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}AbleArcher 83 was a ten-day NATO command post exercise starting on November 2, 1983that spanned Western Europe, centered on the Supreme Headquarters Allied PowersEurope (SHAPE) Headquarters situated at Casteau, north of the Belgian city ofMons. Able Archer exercises simulated a period of conflict escalation,culminating in a coordinated nuclear release.[1] The 1983 exercise incorporateda new, unique format of coded communication, radio silences, participation byheads of government, and a simulated DEFCON 1 nuclear alert. <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}Therealistic nature of the 1983 exercise, coupled with deteriorating relationsbetween the United States and the Soviet Union and the anticipated arrival ofPershing II, and ground Launched Cruise nuclear missiles in Europe, led some members of the SovietPolitburo to believe that Able Archer 83 was a ruse of war, obscuringpreparations for a genuine nuclear first strike.[1][2][3][4] In response, theSoviets readied their nuclear forces and placed air units in East Germany andPoland on alert.[5][6] This relatively obscure incident is considered by manyhistorians to be the closest the world has come to nuclear war since the CubanMissile Crisis of 1962.[7] The threat of nuclear war abruptly ended with theconclusion of the Able Archer 83 exercise on November 11.[8][9 In 1985, Ground launched Cruise Missiles were in western europe. The Pershing and GLCM countered the Soviet tactical nuclear threat. In 1987, The INF treaty was signed by the United States and Russia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83
Date Posted: 01/02/2012 17:24
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#1
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AbleArcher 83 was a ten-day NATO command post exercise starting on November 2, 1983that spanned Western Europe, centered on the Supreme Headquarters Allied PowersEurope (SHAPE) Headquarters situated at Casteau, north of the Belgian city ofMons. Able Archer exercises simulated a period of conflict escalation,culminating in a coordinated nuclear release.[1] The 1983 exercise incorporateda new, unique format of coded communication, radio silences, participation byheads of government, and a simulated DEFCON 1 nuclear alert. Therealistic nature of the 1983 exercise, coupled with deteriorating relationsbetween the United States and the Soviet Union and the anticipated arrival ofPershing II, and ground Launched Cruise nuclear missiles in Europe, led some members of the SovietPolitburo to believe that Able Archer 83 was a ruse of war, obscuringpreparations for a genuine nuclear first strike.[1][2][3][4] In response, theSoviets readied their nuclear forces and placed air units in East Germany andPoland on alert.[5][6] This relatively obscure incident is considered by manyhistorians to be the closest the world has come to nuclear war since the CubanMissile Crisis of 1962.[7] The threat of nuclear war abruptly ended with theconclusion of the Able Archer 83 exercise on November 11.[8][9
Date Posted:01/02/2012 17:25
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Agreed except that the threat of Nuclear War did not abruptly end after the exercise. A few months later the largest NATO exercise held to date was conducted in the north and this was also a very tense period. It gave the Soviets a glimpse at the spectrum of our Military might and what we were prepared to bring. I recall reading claims that Soviet subs were actively looking for firing targets in northern waters at this later exercise. I think the tension didn't really ease until maybe 1985 or so. At some point after this the Soviets realized they could not out spend us and therefore they couldn't out number us on the battle field. I don't know exactly when that was but it culminated in the collapse of Soviet Communism. This period in the mid '80s was important as was the more widely known Cuban Missile Crisis. But the entire Cold War was a sequence of days during which any one of them could have been the day the War went hot and global. It is good to remember these more public incidents which emphasize what was really happening on a daily basis. Good post.
Semper Fi,
Dale
Date Posted:01/03/2012 02:40
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Good points, glad to see there is another that agrees in ways about the 80's.
I will say this, as I was impacted directly during this time. After the Able exercises the stress continued and evolved. At this time the INF weapons were accelerated in deployment which made the risks nuts as it reduced the flight time from 20 to 5 minutes with nukes on moscow. It was checkmate, and the key move that made the rusks look at their full status. The talks of reductions proceeded quickly and it got more intense than before and at the brink. We then allowed the Rusks in to see our machine and they pissed their pants! They had trouble paying their troops at this time and had trouble doing what a major with a whole unit what we were doing with perfection with sole single stripe airmen. When the INFs started coming out of deployed status this was a time of wicked uncertainty and dangerous as all hell. We didn't trust, they didn't trust and when both are believing the unbelievable is happening as a dog might lash out. wicked dangerous, we were drilling for full nuclear war, to survive first vollies and to respond in kind and fight. First strike designed and at the ready. We heightened our game to complete alert till about 1988 is when it became believable that it was turning. Long stories I won't share now but this period of time was as dangerous as the other near brink encounters at least for some of us. When Reagan stood in Red Square with the football unchaperoned that was the turning point in 1988.
I will say this, as I was impacted directly during this time. After the Able exercises the stress continued and evolved. At this time the INF weapons were accelerated in deployment which made the risks nuts as it reduced the flight time from 20 to 5 minutes with nukes on moscow. It was checkmate, and the key move that made the rusks look at their full status. The talks of reductions proceeded quickly and it got more intense than before and at the brink. We then allowed the Rusks in to see our machine and they pissed their pants! They had trouble paying their troops at this time and had trouble doing what a major with a whole unit what we were doing with perfection with sole single stripe airmen. When the INFs started coming out of deployed status this was a time of wicked uncertainty and dangerous as all hell. We didn't trust, they didn't trust and when both are believing the unbelievable is happening as a dog might lash out. wicked dangerous, we were drilling for full nuclear war, to survive first vollies and to respond in kind and fight. First strike designed and at the ready. We heightened our game to complete alert till about 1988 is when it became believable that it was turning. Long stories I won't share now but this period of time was as dangerous as the other near brink encounters at least for some of us. When Reagan stood in Red Square with the football unchaperoned that was the turning point in 1988.
Date Posted:01/04/2012 14:05
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#4
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The Pershing was fast, but only had a range of 750kilometers(460miles). The Ground launched cruise missiles, on the other hand, had a range of 2,500 kilometres (1,600 miles) and hugged the ground to evade radar, but took up to 2 hours to reach its target, which was, most likely hard targets, in moscow. This was a mobile platform that got the soviets attention.
Date Posted:01/05/2012 17:42
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