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Results for Permissive Action Link
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A device included in or attached to a nuclear weapon system to preclude arming and/or launching until the insertion of a prescribed discrete code or combination. It may include equipment and cabling external to the weapon or weapon system to activate components with the weapon or weapon system.
See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
(DOD) A device included in or attached to a nuclear weapon system to preclude arming and/or launching until the insertion of a prescribed discrete code or combination. It may include equipment and cabling external to the weapon or weapon system to activate components within the weapon or weapon system.
A Permissive Action Link is a security device for nuclear weapons. The
United States Department of Defense definition is:
| “ | A device included in or attached to a nuclear weapon system to preclude arming and/or launching until the insertion of a prescribed discrete code or combination. It may include equipment and cabling external to the weapon or weapon system to activate components within the weapon or weapon system. | ” |
In 1960s, the combination locks were installed on the Minuteman ICBMs. However, the Strategic Air Command in Omaha worried that in case of need the codes would not be available, so they quietly decided to set them to 00000000; checking this combination was even present on the launch checklists. This was not changed until 1977.[1]
PAL devices were also installed on Sergeant, Pershing, and WAC Corporal missiles as well as the Nike-Hercules, Honest John Rockets, the Davy Crockett System, and 155mm Howitzer, 8 inch howitzer rounds. The PAL or PAL-like devices have been portrayed in various settings by the entertainment industry, such as in the computer game Metal Gear Solid, the motion picture WarGames, and the television series 24 season 4.
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Copyrights:
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 | US Military Dictionary. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Military Dictionary. US Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Words, 2003. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Permissive Action Link". Read more |
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