USA AND DEFCON 2 SERIES

Knowing how the alert levels are designed makes it easy to see why people making claims about “We have been at DEFCON 2 since Russia invaded Ukraine” are the internet equivalent of the man standing on the corner ringing a bell crying “BRING OUT YOUR DEAD!” He might get some attention the first few days he’s standing out there, but after a few weeks he just becomes part of the background noise and people ignore him, if they even notice him at all. Mistakes that have almost resulted in a nuclear war have occurred dozens of times over the past 70 years, some of which are highly publicized, others not quite as well-known. A single nuclear weapon detonated by a terrorist group in a major city would also result in an immediate DEFCON 1 alert, but once it became clear that no further detonations are expected, the alert level would be gradually dropped back down. There could be a small exchange of tactical nuclear weapons before the leaders come to their senses and agree to back down before it escalates to a global exchange. However, there are scenarios where we could reach DEFCON 1 and still survive to drop back down. Well, chances are that means it’s game over and it will only be in effect for a matter of hours.

People living near military bases are going to know something is going on, even if they don’t know what it is.ĭEFCON 1. There is absolutely no way to hide this level of military activity from the general public. That level of heightened alert cannot be sustained for long, and would only be implemented for a period of days, not weeks on end. Security increases at military bases, especially bases that store nuclear weapons. Military hardware will be operated for longer periods of time than normal. The other possibility is it gets raised again to DEFCON 2.ĭEFCON 2 is where we cross the threshold from nuclear war being “possible” to being “probable.” US armed forces must be ready to deploy within six hours at all times, and the physical and psychological stress of that level of preparation on people is exhausting. DEFCON 3 is not really designed to last longer than about four weeks or so before dropping back down to 4 or 5. This is called “alert fatigue,” which we have discussed before in a previous article. However, the military cannot maintain those changes indefinitely because it would take a physical and emotional toll on personnel. Some minor but noticeable changes begin to take place that are visible to the public.

But this means round-the-clock surveillance and continuing analysis. By that time, the threat will either materialize or it won’t, and the level will be adjusted accordingly.ĭEFCON 3 means that nuclear war has moved from the realm of “unlikely” to “possible.” Now the situation is becoming serious and needs to be monitored very closely. DEFCON 4 will usually last no longer than three months or so. For this reason, both DEFCON 5 and 4 are considered “peacetime” alert levels. The only difference between DEFCON 4 and DEFCON 5 is something is happening somewhere on the planet that has piqued the interest of the United States, something that involves a nuclear-armed nation and that requires a little extra attention, but the odds of a nuclear war are still considered unlikely. There are scenarios where it’s possible to jump straight from DEFCON 5 to DEFCON 1 with no warning whatsoever. It simply means the threat of a nuclear war is pretty low. This doesn’t indicate world peace, as some people incorrectly believe. The default Defense Condition for the US military nuclear forces is DEFCON 5. The fact is, despite its classification, the US DEFCON level and the Russian alert level are the worst-kept military secrets on the planet – for people who understand the system and know what to watch for.įirst, though, a little review. Or from any nation with a satellite in orbit.

USA AND DEFCON 2 SERIES

That being said, with each military DEFCON level comes an automatic scripted series of events, most of which happen behind the scenes, but some of which just cannot be hidden from the public. The DEFCON Warning System makes no secret of the fact that the US military’s actual DEFCON level is classified, and for us to post it would be both unethical and highly illegal. How can we say this with such certainty? Continue reading to learn why high alert levels are both short-lived and impossible to hide from the public.

Usa and defcon 2