Classification of omp and its damaging factors. Definition of weapons of mass destruction and their types. The main types of weapons of mass destruction

2. Nuclear weapons: damaging factors and protection against them.

3. Chemical weapons and their characteristics.

4. Specific features of bacteriological weapons.

1. general characteristics weapons of mass destruction.

By the scale and nature of the damaging effect modern weapons subdivided into regular and weapons mass destruction.

Weapons of mass destruction - weapons of great lethality, designed to inflict mass casualties or destruction, are distinguished by a large area of ​​action.

Currently to weapons of mass lesions include:

nuclear

chemical

bacteriological (biological)

Weapons of mass destruction have a strong psycho-traumatic effect, demoralizing both the troops and the civilian population.

The use of weapons of mass destruction has dangerous environmental consequences, capable of causing irreparable damage to the environment.

2. Nuclear weapons: damaging factors and protection against them.

Nuclear weapon- ammunition, damaging effect which is based on the use of intranuclear energy. Missiles, aircraft and other means are used to deliver these weapons to the target. Nuclear weapons are the most powerful means of mass destruction. The damaging effect of a nuclear explosion depends mainly on the power of the ammunition and type of explosion: ground, underground, underwater, surface, air, high-rise.

TO damaging factors nuclear explosion include:

Shock wave (SW). Similar to the blast wave of a normal explosion, but more powerful for a long time(about 15 sec.) and has a disproportionately greater destructive power. In most cases is main damaging factor. It can cause severe traumatic injuries to people at a considerable distance from the center of the explosion, destroy buildings and structures. It is also capable of inflicting damage in enclosed spaces, penetrating there through cracks and holes.

The most reliable means protection are refuge.

Light emission (SI) - a stream of light emanating from the region of the center of a nuclear explosion, heated to several thousand degrees, resembling an incandescent fireball. The brightness of light radiation in the first seconds is several times greater than the brightness of the Sun. The duration of the action is up to 20 seconds. With direct exposure, it causes burns of the retina of the eyes and exposed parts of the body. Secondary burns from the flame of burning buildings, objects, vegetation are possible.

Protection any opaque barrier that can give a shadow can serve: a wall, a building, a tarpaulin, trees. Light radiation is significantly weakened in dusty, smoky air, fog, rain, snowfall.

Penetrating radiation (PR) – the flow of gamma rays and neutrons released during a chain reaction at the time of a nuclear explosion and

15-20 sec. after him. The action spreads over a distance

up to 1.5 km. Neutrons and gamma rays have a very high

penetrating ability. As a result of human impact

may develop acute radiation sickness (OLB).

Protection are various materials that delay gamma

radiation and neutron flux - metals, concrete, brick, soil

(protective structures). To increase the body's resistance

to radiation exposure are intended prophylactic

anti-radiation drugs - "radioprotectors".

Radioactive contamination of the area (REM) – occurs as a result of the fallout of radioactive substances from the cloud of a nuclear explosion. The damaging effect persists for a long time - weeks, months. It is caused by: external influence of gamma radiation, contact action of beta-particles upon contact with the skin, mucous membranes or inside the body. Possible damage to people: acute or chronic radiation sickness, radiation damage to the skin ("burns"). In case of inhalation intake of RV, radiation damage to the lungs occurs; when swallowed - along with irradiation of the gastrointestinal tract, they are absorbed with accumulation ("incorporation") in various organs and tissues.

Protection methods: restriction of stay open area,

d additional sealing of premises; use of artificial intelligence organs

breathing and skin when leaving the premises; removal of radioactive

dust from the surface of the body and clothing (“decontamination”.

Electromagnetic impulse - powerful electrical and

electromagnetic field arising at the moment of explosion (less than 1 sec.).

It does not have a pronounced damaging effect on people.

Disables communications, digital and electronic equipment.

At the last strategic command and staff exercise "Kavkaz-2016", which took place from September 5 to 10 at the training grounds of the Southern Military District, as well as in the waters of the Black and Caspian Seas, a special information confrontation group was created, which during the maneuvers worked out its "core" questions. Summing up the results of the past maneuvers, the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - First Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov.

Without revealing the essence of the work done by this group, the general nevertheless emphasized that the tasks that were solved by this structure turned out to be adequate to the issues under the jurisdiction of specialists in planning fire damage, and at some stages even prevailed over them.

It is known that in the course of the current "Caucasus" issues of preparation and use of groupings of troops in the South-Western region were worked out in the context of protecting the territorial integrity of Russia. According to the plan of maneuvers, it was necessary to cover the state border, isolate the areas of operation of illegal armed groups, and also plan the actions of the troops to resolve the internal armed conflict.

Speaking about the actions of the information warfare group, Valery Gerasimov highly appreciated its effectiveness, noting that the structure included specialists from the Main Operational Directorate, information warfare centers of military districts, as well as forces and means electronic warfare and services for the protection of state secrets.

The weapon of the word

Military experts, analysts are unanimous in their opinion: modern warfare will be carried out to the maximum a wide range hybrid methods. Fire contact between the belligerents, familiar from films, does not always act as the climax of battles. " fighting"Today they are being fought for the minds and hearts, for the mood in society, for the information picture created with the help of data transmission and the media.

Back in the middle of the last century, experts formulated information confrontation as a struggle in the information sphere, or rather, as an impact on information, Information Systems and infrastructure from one side to another while protecting their own resources.

"Information weapon" hits, first of all, the minds of people, shapes their behavior, and ultimately regulates political processes in entire states. The consequences of the "strike" of such weapons are well known: these are the former USSR waves of "color revolutions", and wars in the Middle East, and events in Ukraine, finally ...

The same Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, speaking some time ago at one of the general meetings of the Academy of Military Sciences, was frank: “In the 21st century, there is a tendency to blur the differences between the state of war and peace. Wars are no longer declared, and once started, they do not go according to the pattern. A completely prosperous state in a matter of months and even days can turn into an arena of fierce armed struggle, plunge into the abyss of chaos, humanitarian catastrophe and civil war.

The speech of General Gerasimov later became the basis of the article “The value of science is in foresight”, where it was emphasized that “the emphasis of the methods of confrontation used is shifting towards the widespread use of political, economic, informational, humanitarian and other non-military measures implemented using the protest potential of the population. All this is complemented by covert military measures, including the implementation of information confrontation measures and the actions of special operations forces.

War without contact

At one time, a well-known military theorist, academician of the Academy of Military Sciences, Honored Scientist of Russia, Doctor of Military Sciences, Professor, Major General Vladimir Slipchenko (now, unfortunately, already deceased) noted that “after the completion of the transition period to contactless wars, information the confrontation will go beyond the limits of the supporting type and become combative.

According to the general for a long time served in the General Staff, "superiority over the enemy will be achieved through the advantage in obtaining diverse types of information, mobility, speed of reaction, in precise impact on its objects with minimal risk to its forces and means." At the same time, as the theorist especially noted, in contrast to shock precision weapons that strikes a specific object, "information weapons will be system-destroying, that is, incapacitating entire combat, economic or social systems."

How does the "information weapon" work? The facts of its "application" are known to all. So, replicated by social networks calls for riots led to protests in Egypt, after which the country plunged into chaos for a long time. In Ukraine, the image of “Russian aggression”, artificially created and inflated by independent ideologists, is still fueling waves of mobilization.

Generally speaking about the current situation, it is impossible not to notice that it is precisely the planned information attacks lead to numerous accusations against our country. Accusations of actions in which she is not involved. Nevertheless, despite the absurdity of other claims, they often act as a pretext for anti-Russian sanctions and their permanent prolongation. And this is economics...

According to Colonel Konstantin Trotsenko, candidate of military sciences, information and psychological impact (both on the population and on the personnel of the enemy’s armed forces) is one of the two main forms of information confrontation and is in the field of strategy, that is, military and state administration. The toolkit for such an impact is quite wide, and the experience of World War II propaganda leaflets here, one might say, has already gone down in history, giving way to ultra-modern technologies based on electronic systems.

The second form of confrontation, according to Konstantin Trotsenko, has the nature of information technology and is realized in the form of destruction of information, radio electronic, computer networks, unauthorized access to information resources the enemy, as well as protecting their own information environment from him.

Information "ricochet"

Considering the recent events in the world, it becomes obvious that a massive informational impact in a number of situations can cause deep damage to the side against which it is directed. Here it is worth turning again to the events in Ukraine, or rather, to the accusations against Russia of allegedly carried out "aggression" on its part. Pulled from social networks information about the names and staffing structure of the connections and military units Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (such information, without thinking about the consequences, as a rule, is exchanged by retired soldiers or conscripts still serving) became the basis for the Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate to compile entire reports on the presence Russian troops in their country.

From the pictures taken during the exercises, in the garrisons and posted on social networks, “photo evidence” of the use of military forces is formed. From the correspondence of the "demobilizations" news is born about the "relocation" of units and subunits. Then such information is skillfully mixed, superimposed on a general skillfully fabricated information background... What can I say, even if the US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lewitt somehow admitted that the leadership of the alliance draws most of the information on Donbass from social networks!

However, despite the obvious absurdity of the rumors circulating on the Internet, they became the basis not only for anti-Russian rhetoric, but also for the general policy of the West towards our country. So, in addition to sanctions attacks, the formed image of the “aggressor” served as a pretext for the implementation of entire NATO programs to strengthen its presence in Eastern Europe. Large-scale troop movements are being carried out under the guise of fighting the “Russian threat”, forces and means are being deployed, gigantic budgetary funds are being mastered. The inhabitant in the same Poland or the Baltic states believes: all this is for his protection.

And to reinforce the image of the enemy, all sorts of stories are regularly stamped with distorted facts, with dummy "heroes", with false evidence. They do not disdain anything, even outright deception. Our compatriot living in Switzerland recently posted a news report from one of the local television companies online. In the video, a Russian-speaking resident of a residential area in the Donbass destroyed as a result of an artillery raid by the Armed Forces of Ukraine curses Ukrainian soldiers. However, the translation of the woman's speech into German is completely different: it turns out that she blames ... the Russian authorities and President Putin personally for her trouble! Such information forgeries masquerading as real facts, ultimately result in polyphonic accusations against Russia and become a pretext for sanctions actions - a “ricochet” from the strikes of that same “information weapon”.

By the way, such antics are not uncommon for some Western reporters. It is known that in August 2008, the Euronews TV channel broadcast footage of Tskhinvali destroyed by Georgian artillery fire as the city of Gori, allegedly subjected to a raid Russian aviation. The frankly negative attitude of foreign journalists was personally observed by the author of these lines - while working in state information structures in the North Caucasus during both Chechen campaigns.

Correspondents from Western publications and TV channels who visited the region then looked for, first of all, “dirty” facts, recorded on cameras those who were dissatisfied with the authorities, and cut off any positive information about the restoration of peaceful life. I remember how for one of the groups of foreign reporters the itinerary of the next press tour through the regions of Chechnya was designed in such a way that it excluded the arrival in Grozny. The situation in the city in those days suddenly escalated due to attacks by militants, and the authorities of the region and the military command simply decided not to risk the lives of the guests.

However, the journalists grumbled: it turns out that each film crew was given the task of recording a “stand-up” against the backdrop of the Grozny ruins. As a result, they "blinded" the records - in the neighboring Stavropol Territory, where they specifically found the picturesque ruins of some kind of dairy farm, which is under demolition ...

“Information means of warfare can already be equated with weapons of mass destruction, and information warfare is considered one of the most effective means interstate confrontation, - believes the first vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Doctor of Military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov. – American experts point out that according to the efficiency-cost criterion information Technology impact on the enemy is significantly superior traditional systems weapons." The expert also notes that the leading countries of the world pay considerable attention to the development of the theory and practice of using information warfare methods. “However, successful confrontation in this area is possible only if the country has a sufficiently effective system, which is controlled from one center,” Konstantin Sivkov believes.

The political scientist, professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, doctor of political sciences Igor Panarin insists on the same point of view. In his opinion, the need to adopt the Doctrine of Information Confrontation is long overdue, and the creation of an information containment system should become a priority of Russian policy in this area. “Protection of the national interests of the state involves a comprehensive counteraction to information threats of a regional and local scale,” the expert notes.

It should be added that in the Strategy national security Russia, approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 31, 2015, also emphasized the danger of increasing confrontation in the global information space. Such a confrontation, as stated in the Strategy, is due to the desire of some countries "to use information and communication technologies to achieve their geopolitical goals, including by manipulating public consciousness and falsifying history."

As for the algorithm and practical methods of organizing information confrontation in the Armed Forces, it is not difficult to guess that this area will be hidden from the general public for the time being. But taking into account the news announced by the Chief of the General Staff that the group created at the time of the Kavkaz-2016 exercise included specialists from the state secret protection service, it can be assumed that one of the areas of this work will be to prevent leakage of information about various aspects of the life of the army and fleet.

Including - preventing the placement of "closed" information in the same social networks, where other young soldiers, flaunting in front of their peers and girlfriends, post pictures from the places of exercises, post photos of new weapons, share other information that is not intended for prying eyes. Everyone who served in the army knows that you won’t spoil with HRT specialists. We are not talking about censorship: simply leveling the threat in the information sphere is sometimes vital in order to prevent defeat in this “war”.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) - weapons of great lethality, designed to inflict mass casualties and destruction. TO existing species WMD includes nuclear, chemical, biological (bacteriological) weapons.

Nuclear - it is such a weapon, the damaging effect of which is due to the energy released during nuclear fission or fusion reactions. These weapons include various nuclear weapons, their control and delivery to the target.

The damaging effect of a nuclear explosion depends on the power of the ammunition, the type of explosion, and the type of nuclear charge.

Nuclear explosions are of the following types: ground, underground, underwater, air and high-altitude. The most characteristic are ground and air.

ground nuclear explosion - an explosion produced on the surface of the earth or at such a height when its luminous area touches the surface of the earth and has the shape of a hemisphere or a truncated sphere. During a ground explosion, a funnel is formed in the ground, the diameter of which depends on the height, power of the explosion and the type of soil.

air called a nuclear explosion in which the luminous area does not touch the surface of the earth and has the shape of a sphere.

The damaging factors of a nuclear explosion are: shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation and electromagnetic pulse.

shock wave nuclear explosion, having a large supply of energy, is capable of inflicting injuries on people, destroying various structures, military equipment and other objects at considerable distances from the explosion site.

The area affected by a shock wave during a nuclear explosion has a significant big sizes than in the explosion of conventional ammunition.

A nuclear explosion means electromagnetic radiation, which includes the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of the spectrum. Its source is the glowing area of ​​the explosion. Light radiation affects people, affects buildings, structures, equipment and forests, causing fires.

penetrating radiation nuclear explosion is called the flow of gamma radiation and neutrons emanating from the zone and cloud of a nuclear explosion. Sources of penetrating radiation are nuclear reactions, flowing in the ammunition at the time of the explosion, and the radioactive decay of fission fragments (products) in the explosion cloud.

Radioactive contamination occurs as a result of sedimentation from the explosion cloud of radioactive dust containing fission products of uranium (plutonium) nuclei and unreacted nuclear fuel. In the area of ​​the explosion, it is also formed when neutrons emitted from the fireball act on the ground (induced radioactivity).

The area is considered contaminated and protective equipment is required if the radiation level measured at a height of 0.7 - 1 m from the earth's surface is 0.5 rad / h or more.

Penetrating radiation is one of the main damaging factors of a neutron munition, which is usually called ultra-low and low-yield thermonuclear munitions, i.e. having a TNT equivalent of up to 10 thousand tons.

In terms of the damaging effect of penetrating radiation on people, an explosion of a neutron munition of 1 thousand tons is equivalent to an explosion of an atomic munition with a capacity of 10-12 thousand tons.

Nuclear explosions create powerful explosions in the atmosphere. electromagnetic fields with wavelengths from 1 to 1000 m or more. Due to the short duration of the existence of such fields, they are usually called electromagnetic impulse(AMY).

The destructive effect of EMP due to the occurrence of electrical voltages and currents in the wires and cables of overhead and underground communication lines, signaling, power lines, in the antennas of radio stations.

Simultaneously with EMP, radio waves arise that propagate over long distances from the center of the explosion; they are perceived by radio equipment as interference.

Chemical weapon - its damaging effect is based on the use of the toxic properties of some chemical substances. Chemical weapons include chemical warfare agents (CW) and means of their use.

The area directly affected chemical weapons, and the territory over which a cloud of contaminated air spreads in damaging concentrations is called the zone of chemical contamination.

According to the effect on the human body, agents are divided into nerve-paralytic, blistering, general poisonous, suffocating, psychochemical, lachrymal and irritating.

Nerve agents (sarin, soman , VX gases) are the most dangerous. Their resistance in the summer is more than a day, in the winter for several weeks and even months. Signs of damage are: salivation, constriction of the pupils (miosis), difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, paralysis.

In case of damage to the dermal blister agents ( mustard gas , lewisite) after 2-5 hours of the latent period, redness, slight swelling, itching and burning sensation appear on the skin. After 18-23 hours, bubbles form, which then merge into large bubbles. Subsequently, in place of the blisters, ulcers that do not heal for a long time are formed.

Common toxic agents include hydrocyanic acid And cyanogen chloride. With a lightning-fast form of damage to hydrocyanic acid, death can occur almost instantly. With a delayed form, the smell of bitter almonds is first felt, a bitter metallic taste in the mouth, then there is a decrease in sensitivity (numbness) of the oral mucosa, throat irritation, nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, convulsions. There is a depression, a feeling of fear and loss of consciousness. Then comes the loss of sensitivity, a sharp violation of breathing and its stop.

OV suffocating action (phosgene , diphosgene) have a latent period of action lasting 5-8 hours. In case of poisoning with these agents, cyanosis of the skin and shortness of breath, cough, and pulmonary edema develop. Then comes a complete disorder of breathing, a decline in cardiac activity and death in the first two days from pulmonary edema.

Psychochemical agents include chemical compounds, temporarily incapacitating people, such as BZ ( B-Z) and lysergic acid diethylamide ( DLK). In case of poisoning with these agents, a state of euphoria occurs in the affected. Then the coordination of movement is disturbed, muscle weakness appears. In the future, signs of damage to the central nervous system increase. Affected with difficulty orient themselves in time and place of stay. A sharp motor excitation, anxiety, anxiety, fear, visual and auditory hallucinations develop. Duration of toxic action - from several hours to days.

Tear agents (chloropicrin and chloroacetophenone) cause burning, stinging in the eyes, severe watering, photophobia, spasm (constriction) and swelling of the eyelids. In severe poisoning, eye irritation increases and signs of damage to the upper respiratory tract appear: burning in the throat and chest, cough, runny nose. There is nausea, headache, vomiting.

In case of poisoning with irritating agents (adamsite, chemical compounds CS and CR) there is sneezing, burning in the nose and nasopharynx, secretion of mucus from the nose, lacrimation, salivation, coughing, motor and mental disorders, muscle weakness, impaired coordination of movements.

Depending on the duration of the preservation of the damaging ability, the agents are divided into persistent and unstable. Persistent agents retain their damaging effect for up to several days and even weeks. Typical representatives of persistent agents are VX gases, soman, mustard gas.

Bacteriological (biological) weapons is a means of mass destruction of people, farm animals and plants. Its action is based on the use of the pathogenic properties of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, fungi, and toxins produced by some bacteria). Various causative agents can be used as bacterial agents. infectious diseases: plague, anthrax, brucellosis , sapa , cholera , tularemia, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, malaria, dysentery, smallpox, etc.

In the conditions of the rapid development of science and technology, it is possible that new types of weapons of mass destruction based on currently unknown principles will appear in the arsenals of the means of armed struggle of foreign armies.

Topic No. 11: Protection against weapons of mass destruction.

Goal of the work: to master the basic knowledge on the protection of the population in case of damage from the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Keywords: nuclear weapons, protection, substances, defeat.

Main questions and their content:

1. General characteristics of weapons of mass destruction.

2. The use of nuclear weapons.

3. Emergencies during the use of chemical weapons.

4. Emergency situations when bacteriological weapons are used.

5. New weapons weapons of mass, methods and means of protection.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are weapons of great lethality and low selectivity of action, designed to inflict massive losses or destruction in a short time. The damaging factors of WMD can affect objects of destruction immediately after the use of weapons and for a subsequent long time. The objects of destruction of WMD are people, products of their labor, natural environment habitats (soil cover, plants, animals, climatic and geophysical elements). The basic principles of the use of WMD are surprise and massing in decisive directions.

The scale of losses and destruction after the use of such weapons has a strong moral and psychological impact on the enemy.

The main types of WMD currently include:

1. Nuclear weapons

2. Chemical weapons

3. Biological (bacteriological) weapons

The appearance of weapons of mass destruction caused an arms race on an unprecedented scale, contributed to the aggravation of international tension and increased the danger of war. Therefore, the prohibition of the development and production of all types of weapons of mass destruction is an urgent need of our time. The solution of this problem is in the interests of people living on Earth today and future generations.

Despite the fact that the use of WMD is prohibited by international conventions, there are many possible sources of danger. This may be a terrorist act, an accident at a chemical plant, aggression on the part of a state uncontrolled by the world community.

It is difficult to overestimate the role of nuclear weapons. On the one hand, it is a powerful deterrent, on the other hand, it is the most effective tool strengthening peace and preventing military conflicts between powers that possess these weapons. Global community came close to realizing that a nuclear war would inevitably lead to a global environmental catastrophe that would make the continued existence of mankind impossible. Over the years, legal mechanisms have been put in place to defuse tensions and ease the confrontation between nuclear powers. For example, many agreements were signed to reduce nuclear capability powers signed the Convention on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, according to which the possessing countries pledged not to transfer the technology for the production of these weapons to other countries, and the countries that do not have nuclear weapons pledged not to take steps to develop them.

The beginning of the use of chemical weapons is considered April 22, 1915 in the First World War, when German troops used chlorine against French troops on the front near the Ypres River. The French were defenseless against toxic gas. More than 5,000 soldiers died, about 10,000 people were injured in the respiratory tract.

After the First World War until the Second World War, the development and improvement of these weapons in many countries also did not stop. In Germany, new poisonous nerve agents were created. Having no color and smell, these toxic substances were 75 times more toxic than mustard gas.

In 1938, Sarin was introduced, an even more toxic substance. A third nerve agent, known as soman, was developed in 1944. The use of any of these three poisonous substances leads to death within a few minutes.

After the Second World War, the United States became the main developer of chemical weapons. In the 60s, the US chemical weapons arsenal was replenished with new poisonous substances: VX, BZ, CS. During the Korean War, the US used chemical weapons. In even more on a large scale The US Army used chemical weapons in the Vietnam War (1961-1972).

Biological weapons also appeared in the first world war. To solve military problems, Germany made the first attempt to use pathogens of infectious diseases on a large scale. Japan during these years also made attempts to use pathogens.

In 1952, over the territory of Korea and China, the American command carried out an experimental test of some ammunition and methods of using biological agents.

Nuclear weapons were created at the end of World War II in the United States. The physicists of a number of countries that emigrated from Europe to the USA (A. Einstein, E. Fermi, R. Openheimer, L. Szilard and others) took part in the development of this weapon. The first test of a nuclear weapon took place on July 16, 1945, and already on August 6, 1945, the US Air Force barbarously bombarded the Japanese city of Hiroshima, and on August 9, 1945, the city of Nagasaki, as a result of which about 250 thousand civilians died.

It is known that the destruction of two Japanese cities by nuclear bombs (weighing 20 kg each) was not military necessity, but served only as a demonstration of the power of a new type of weapon and was of a political nature. Counting on a long-term monopoly possession of nuclear weapons, the United States decided to use them for political blackmail (primarily the Soviet Union) and to reconsider the results of the Second World War in their own interests.

In 1949, Soviet scientists led by I.V. Kurchatov created and tested an atomic bomb. As early as 1953, the USSR tested the world's first high-yield thermonuclear bomb.

In 1952, England joined the countries possessing nuclear weapons, in 1960 - France and in 1964 - China. In 1974, India carried out an underground nuclear explosion. In 1979 A nuclear test was conducted in the South Atlantic jointly with South Africa and Israel. Work is actively underway to create nuclear weapons in Pakistan.

At present, many countries have the technical capabilities to create nuclear weapons: Japan, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and others.

In the late 70s - early 80s. The United States, in an effort to maintain nuclear superiority, created neutron munitions, and on August 6, 1981, on the day of the 36th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the US President decided on their full-scale production.

At present, the process of awareness by the world community of the fact that in a general or even limited nuclear war there will be no winner, because the consequences of such a war are disastrous for humanity as a whole.

Key dates in the history of the creation and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons

Types of weapons of mass destruction.

The types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) include: nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that can destroy masses of people and animals, cause destruction, and cause large-scale damage to the environment.

Nuclear weapon.

Nuclear weapons are based on the use of intra-nuclear energy released during a reaction that has the character of an explosion.

If an explosion occurs on the ground or fairly close to its surface, then part of the energy of the explosion is transferred to the Earth's surface in the form of seismic vibrations. A phenomenon occurs, which in its features resembles an earthquake. As a result of such an explosion, seismic waves are formed, which propagate through the thickness of the earth to very large distances. The destructive effect of the wave is limited to a radius of several hundred meters.

As a result of the extremely high temperature of the explosion, a bright flash of light arises, the intensity of which is hundreds of times greater than the intensity of the sun's rays falling on the Earth. A flash releases a huge amount of heat and light. Light radiation causes spontaneous combustion of flammable materials and burns the skin of people within a radius of many kilometers.

A nuclear explosion produces radiation. It lasts about a minute and has such a high penetrating power that powerful and reliable shelters are required to protect against it at close distances.

The power of an explosion of nuclear munitions is usually characterized by the weight of a conventional explosive - TNT, the explosion of which, in its destructive effect, is approximately equivalent to the explosion of nuclear munitions. Such a value, as a rule, is expressed in thousands of tons (kilotons) or millions of tons (megatons) of TNT and is called the TNT equivalent of a nuclear charge.

For example, bombs with TNT equivalent of 20 kilotons were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The explosion power of such a bomb was equal to the power of a simultaneous explosion of 20,000 tons of TNT.

Nuclear explosions are divided into air, ground, underwater and underground. Air explosions can be made at a height of several hundred meters, ground (surface) - near the surface of the earth (water), underground (underwater) - underground (water).

A nuclear explosion has four damaging factors: a shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation and radioactive contamination of the area.

shockwave. In a nuclear explosion in a small spherical space, a huge amount of energy is released almost instantly, which leads to a sharp increase in the temperature and pressure of the surrounding air.

The rapid expansion of compressed hot gases creates a strong seal on its outer surface. It propagates rapidly in the atmosphere like waves on the surface of water from a thrown rock. The compaction wave travels so fast that it is called a shock wave. Half of the energy of a nuclear explosion is transferred to the shock wave. Most of the destruction caused by a nuclear explosion falls on its share. It propagates at supersonic speed. The degree of destructive power of a shock wave is determined by the magnitude of the excess pressure in its front, the unit of which is pressure in kilograms per square centimeter of area (kg/cm2). Very severe injuries people outside shelters occur at pressures above 1 kg / cm2.

As you move away from the explosion site, the excess pressure gradually decreases and the degree of destruction decreases. Yes, in the explosion atomic bombs in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, all buildings were destroyed within a radius of 800-1000 m, in a radius of 1000-1500 m buildings received strong and medium damage, in a radius of 1500-2500 m mainly weak destruction prevailed, and then 2500 m - partial.

In addition to the direct impact of the shock wave, damage can be caused by flying debris from buildings, stones and other objects. The nature of the wave action is also influenced by the terrain and green spaces. In the Japanese city of Nagasaki, located on the hills, buildings were destroyed in a significantly smaller area than in Hiroshima, located on a flat area.

One shockwave ability needs to be noted. It can, like water, "flow" into closed rooms not only through windows and doors, but also through small holes and even cracks. This leads to the destruction of partitions and equipment inside the building and the defeat of people in it.

With a nuclear explosion with a capacity of 3 megatons (Mt), you can get light injuries at a distance of 6-10 km from the center of the explosion, medium - 5-7 km, severe - 4 km. The best protection against shock waves are underground and buried structures.

Light emission. A huge mass of energy, released suddenly during a nuclear explosion, forms a fiery luminous ball. Its temperature is about the same as inside the Sun. About one third (30-35%) of the energy of a nuclear explosion is spent on light radiation.

Intense light radiation can ignite combustible materials, cause numerous fires and skin burns, damage to the eyes and temporary blindness in people and animals located on open space within a radius of many kilometers from the epicenter of a nuclear explosion.

The damaging effect of light radiation is determined by a light pulse, measured in kilocalories per square centimeter (cal / cm2) of a surface perpendicular to the direction of its propagation. The light pulse decreases with increasing distance from the center of the explosion.

Burns of the first degree (light) are caused by a light pulse of 2-4 cal/cm2, second-degree (medium) - 4-10 cal/cm2 and third-degree (strong) - 10-15 cal/cm2. Light radiation propagates only in a straight line, and any opaque barrier can serve as protection against its effects.

In fog, rain, snowfall, the damaging effect of light radiation is negligible.

penetrating radiation. Nuclear explosions, in addition to the shock wave and light radiation, are characterized by another damaging factor - radiation. It can affect people in different ways: in some it can cause instant death, in others it can lead to serious illness, in others it can leave hard-to-detect damage in the body. Penetrating radiation is an invisible and imperceptible flow of gamma rays and neutrons emitted from the zone of a nuclear explosion. It acts for a short time: 10-15 seconds from the moment of explosion.

Gamma rays and neutrons, propagating in any medium, ionize its atoms. As a result of the ionization of the atoms of the human body, the normal vital activity of cells and organs is disturbed in it, which leads to the disease of radiation sickness. The degree of exposure to radioactive radiation on the human body depends mainly on its dose, as well as on the general physical condition. The received dose of radiation distinguishes three degrees of radiation sickness:

A) mild (first) degree - with a radiation dose of 100 to 200 roentgens (r);

B) medium (second) degree - with a radiation dose of 200 to 300 r;

C) severe (third) degree - with a radiation dose of more than 300 r.

At low doses of radiation, signs of radiation sickness may appear after a few hours, and at 400r and above - immediately after exposure. The first signs of the disease include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, general malaise and weakness.

Protection against penetrating radiation is based on the physical ability of various materials to attenuate the intensity of radioactive radiation. The heavier the material and the thicker the layer, the more reliable the protection. So, radiation is halved when it passes through a 10 cm layer of concrete, a 14 cm layer of earth, a 25 cm layer of wood. People who are in a shelter during an explosion receive a significantly lower dose of radiation than outside the shelter at the same distance.

Radioactive contamination of the area. During a nuclear explosion, radioactive particles (fission products of the warhead nuclei, undecayed particles) are in fireball. Rising up, the ball is enveloped in fog and smoke and turns into a swirling cloud in a few seconds. Ascending air currents capture soil, small objects, materials from the ground, carrying them with the cloud, and they become radioactive. So, in a ground nuclear explosion, a huge amount of dust rises to a height of 10-12 km more. The largest particles fall out of the cloud directly in the area of ​​the explosion during the first 30-40 minutes after the explosion. But most of them remain in the cloud and are moved by air currents hundreds and thousands of kilometers from the place of the explosion.

The shape and size of the radioactive "trail" depend on the type and power of the nuclear explosion, the direction and speed of the wind at different heights. The settling rate of particles of radioactive dust is directly dependent on their density and size.

Air, terrain, buildings, structures, reservoirs, crops, pastures and all ground objects can be contaminated with radioactive substances.

Being in a contaminated area is extremely dangerous. Humans and animals are exposed to continuous external radiation. When inhaling air, eating food and drinking water, radioactive substances can enter the body. As a result of external and internal exposure, humans and animals fall ill with radiation sickness.

When protecting people and animals, it is necessary to take into account some specific features of radioactive substances. They do not have any external signs, and they can only be detected with the help of special dosimetric instruments. Radioactive decay cannot be stopped or accelerated by any means or methods. Therefore, the disinfection of the area and various objects contaminated with radioactive substances can only be carried out mechanical removal these objects and soil.

Chemical weapon.

Chemical weapons are commonly referred to as poisonous substances. They can be used in the form of gases, liquids, fumes and mists and are intended to affect people, animals and the area, various structures, industrial equipment, food, water and fodder.

For the first time poisonous substances as a weapon were used in the First World War. Many countries of the world have accumulated a large number of toxic substances, but during the Second World War they were not widely used. The main reason for their limited use is that this tool is not always a sufficiently effective weapon.

The defeat of people and animals occurs from the inhalation of contaminated air, from the ingress of liquid droplets of poisonous substances on the skin or mucous membranes, as well as from the use of contaminated food, water and fodder. Poisonous substances in small doses are capable of inflicting severe injuries on people and animals.

Depending on the duration of the preservation of the main combat damaging properties, poisonous agents are divided into persistent and unstable.

Slowly evaporating oily liquid poisonous substances such as mustard gas, lewisite and others are related to the resistant. They can, infecting the area, retain their damaging properties for many days, and at low temperatures for much longer.

Unstable poisonous substances include gas and smoke-forming, rapidly dissipating and evaporating, which retain their damaging properties for several minutes. They are subdivided into groups of nerve-paralytic, blistering, general poisonous and suffocating.

Nerve agents attack the central nervous system. These include strong fast-acting poisons - sarin, soman, tabun. Sarin is a colorless, odorless liquid. Soman is also colorless, but has a faint aromatic odor. Tabun is a reddish-brown liquid with a slight fruity odor.

These toxic substances can be used in a vapor-fog or drop-liquid state.

Poisonous substances of blistering action affect the skin. These include mustard gas and lewisite. Mustard gas is a heavy oily liquid of dark brown color with the smell of garlic or mustard. Lewisite is an oily heavy liquid with a strong pungent odor reminiscent of the smell of geranium leaves.

Skin-blister poisonous substances are used in a drop-liquid state to infect the area and injure people, but can also be used in the form of fogs. On contact with the skin, they cause swelling of the affected areas, turning into blisters, and then into purulent ulcers.

Poisonous substances of general poisonous action cause general poisoning of the body. These substances include hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride. Hydrocyanic acid is a rapidly evaporating colorless liquid with the smell of bitter almonds. Cyanogen chloride is a colorless, rapidly evaporating liquid with a sharp peculiar odor.

General poisonous poisonous substances can be used in the vapor state. Lesions are applied through the respiratory organs. Signs of damage: irritation in the throat, dizziness, shortness of breath, convulsions.

Asphyxiating poisonous substances affect the respiratory system. These include phosgene, a colorless gas with the smell of rotten hay. The defeat is felt after 4-6 hours.

It is possible to detect poisonous substances in the air and on the ground and determine their nature only with the help of chemical reconnaissance instruments. But in some cases, the use of chemical weapons can also be established by external signs. When chemical bombs and shells explode, a dull sound is heard and a white or slightly colored cloud appears, which quickly dissipates. If poisonous agents are used with the help of aviation pouring devices, dark, quickly disappearing streaks can be seen behind the tail of the aircraft, and drops appear on the surface of the soil, on the walls of buildings, structures (from the leeward side), on vegetation and objects.

At the slightest suspicion of the use of toxic substances, a gas mask should be immediately put on, and also, if available, other means of protection - stockings, gloves and capes.

Bacteriological weapon.

There are two main classes of combat bacteriological means: pathogenic and poisonous.

Pathogenic bacteriological agents are characterized by the ability to multiply very quickly and, therefore, quickly affect the infected organism. Bacteria that enter the body through the respiratory tract (nose, mouth) or through abrasions on the skin can very quickly disable it. The carriers of pathogens are insects, rodents, and larger animals that spread epidemic diseases. Such diseases may include diseases caused by viruses: the common cold (viral flu), chicken pox, certain types of fever (including yellow), measles, infantile paralysis, meningitis, cholera, trachoma, viral pneumonia.

Diseases caused by bacteria are anthrax, dysentery, bubonic plague, diphtheria, gas gangrene, gonorrhea, leprosy, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, tularemia.

Fungal diseases do not pose a serious threat to humans. Fungi can infect plants and cereals, causing great damage to agriculture.

Poisonings are caused by toxins and are very severe. Toxins produced by various types of bacteria lead to disease and death.

The use of bacteriological weapons can cause massive dangerous diseases in large areas.

Foci of damage.

Nuclear lesion.

The most difficult focus of destruction is nuclear. In it, people and animals can get various injuries and burns, as well as be exposed to penetrating radiation or radioactive contamination. From the impact of the shock wave, residential and industrial buildings, structures are destroyed or damaged to varying degrees, accidents occur in the water supply, sewerage, gas, heating, and electrical networks. Massive fires start from light emission. The area in the focus of the lesion and along the trail of the spread of a radioactive cloud is infected with falling radioactive substances. When a shock wave destroys dams, dams and hydraulic structures, large areas are flooded.

The boundaries of the nuclear lesion are determined by the destructive ability of the shock wave. According to the nature of the damage, there can be several zones in the nuclear focus. The division into zones is determined by the magnitude of the excess pressure on the front shock wave and the destruction caused by it.

The first zone of damage includes the territory located within a radius with an overpressure of 1 kg/cm2 or more, the second - the territory where the overpressure is from 1 to 0.3 kg/cm2, and the third - the territory with an overpressure of 0.3 up to 0.1 kg/cm2.

For the complete destruction of an industrial building made of reinforced concrete, an excess pressure of 0.7-0.8 kg/cm2 is sufficient. A stone residential building can withstand a load of up to 0.4-0.5 kg/cm2, while a wooden one is destroyed at a pressure of 0.2-0.3 kg/cm2. Shelter and the simplest basement-type shelters withstand a load of 1 kg / cm2 or more, the same shelters in open areas - 0.5 kg / cm2.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that in the first zone, all reinforced concrete, stone and wooden buildings are completely destroyed, but basement-type shelters and shelters remain. In the second zone, reinforced concrete and stone structures are severely damaged, and wooden buildings are completely destroyed. Shelters and shelters can be flooded and gassed as a result of utility service failures. In the third zone, only wooden buildings receive various damage, but shelters and shelters remain.

The focus of chemical infection.

In the case of the use of chemical weapons, people and animals are affected, and water sources, food, fodder and the area with all buildings are contaminated with poisonous substances. The size of the source of infection and the nature of the lesions in it depend on the method of application of poisonous substances, the toxicity and persistence of chemical substances, the terrain, weather and other reasons.

Persistent poisonous substances affect people and animals, and also infect the area, unstable ones mainly affect people and animals, while the area is partially infected (swamps, lowlands, bushes, ravines).

Bacteriological focus of infection.

Large settlements, railway junctions, food and fodder stores, sources of water supply, livestock farms, meadows and pastures, and agricultural crops may be chosen by the enemy as the most likely targets for the use of bacteriological weapons. The enemy can use the spraying of pathogenic microbes in the air from aircraft (the so-called aerosol method), spread infected rodents (mice, rats, ground squirrels, ferrets), insects (flies, mosquitoes, ticks), and also carry out sabotage, contaminating water sources, fodder and food. The bacteriological focus of infection is characterized by mass diseases of people and animals with a dangerous infectious disease. To prevent the further spread of diseases, quarantine is introduced in the infected area.

Bibliography:

1.)

G.I. Goncharenko. Publisher: "ATOMIZDAT", Moscow - 1967.

"Conversations with the population about civil defense". M.V. Kachulin. Publisher: "ATOMIZDAT", Moscow - 1967.