Possible to detect presence of nuclear bomb?

[birdus]

Take, for instance, a W-80 nuclear warhead. Does technology exist, say in the form of a satellite or drone, that could detect the warhead's presence (assuming it's not enclosed in some kind of shielding)? I'm writing a novel. The bad guy has a W-80 in the trunk of his car. Is there technology that could find him as he drives down the highway?

 

[John Fedup]

No, distance is the enemy of detection. A bomb going through a border screening device will detect gamma or x-ray emmisions but these emissions can’t be detected from UAVs let alone satellites except upon detonation.

 

[ngatimozart]

Take, for instance, a W-80 nuclear warhead. Does technology exist, say in the form of a satellite or drone, that could detect the warhead's presence (assuming it's not enclosed in some kind of shielding)? I'm writing a novel. The bad guy has a W-80 in the trunk of his car. Is there technology that could find him as he drives down the highway?

If such recent technology does exist, it would be kept secret. Nuclear weapons, their security, methods for detecting their presence etc., are closely guarded secrets by all the nuclear powers. Since we are a professional defence forum, nuclear weapons security is an area that we do not speculate upon, nor encourage speculation upon.

Regarding your research, because your question has a science background to it as well, I would suggest that you attack it from a quantum physics angle, starting with the presumption that the warhead will be shielded as per SOP. If it isn't, your bad guy isn't going to live very long at all. There is plenty of material available in the scientific literature that is not OPSEC that should help you. If you don't have a basic understanding of physics, find someone who does and is able to explain it to you and guide you.

 

[birdus]

Thanks for the thoughts, guys. I appreciate it.

 

[SABRE]

Take, for instance, a W-80 nuclear warhead. Does technology exist, say in the form of a satellite or drone, that could detect the warhead's presence (assuming it's not enclosed in some kind of shielding)? I'm writing a novel. The bad guy has a W-80 in the trunk of his car. Is there technology that could find him as he drives down the highway?

There have been some security and safety lapses in the US but I highly doubt anyone would be able to walk out with a W-80 warhead in their trunk, especially in a civilian vehicle. Unless, there is a major treasonous insider job involved in a warhead theft. I do not think satellites would be effective enough to detect radioactivity of U235 or Pu239, enclosed or open. A drone equipped with detecting instruments flying at low altitude can perhaps pick up something but for that there needs to be prior intel. More plausible scenario is someone getting hold of a highly radioactive/radiological source that results in a radioactive fallout where ever travels through. In that case the authorities would have a field work to trace down the source and determine if its a result of terror activity or ignorant negligence similar in case to the Goiânia Accident in Brazil.

 

[seaspear]

The American military retired the b-54 backpack bomb in 1989 this was a fifty nine ound device with a one kiloton explosive yield
B54 Nuclear Weapon | The U.S. Military Once Had Nukes That Could Fit in a Backpack there may be some treaty arrangement between the U.S and Russia on this