Interesting, they were “sub critical” tests. I mean that really shouldn’t count…puts them on par with actual detonations (which Russia is clearly prepping to do soon with tactical nukes).
Why shouldn’t they count? It’s literally testing a nuclear weapon. The clock does not say: “Time since the last detonation of a nuclear weapon”.
Edit: But one could argue that nuclear weapons get tested all the time without any kind of detonation. These should count too IMHO.
Edit: just read another article on the tests. They happen to design new weapons with them which makes them not tests to see if the nukes still work like I thought.
Why shouldn’t they count? It’s literally testing a nuclear weapon.
It’s not considered a nuclear weapon test under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, so I think it’s fair to argue the clock shouldn’t be reset for a subcritical test.
Interesting, they were “sub critical” tests. I mean that really shouldn’t count…puts them on par with actual detonations (which Russia is clearly prepping to do soon with tactical nukes).
Why shouldn’t they count? It’s literally testing a nuclear weapon. The clock does not say: “Time since the last detonation of a nuclear weapon”.
Edit: But one could argue that nuclear weapons get tested all the time without any kind of detonation. These should count too IMHO.
Edit: just read another article on the tests. They happen to design new weapons with them which makes them not tests to see if the nukes still work like I thought.
It’s not considered a nuclear weapon test under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, so I think it’s fair to argue the clock shouldn’t be reset for a subcritical test.