Can you defuse a warhead in flight?

[tfasbend]

Assume you have launched a ballistic missile carrying a live nuclear warhead. It is programmed to explode at a certain longitude/latitude location, and at a predefined altitude. Are warheads equipped with a mechanism that allows to defuse them in flight? Say when two minutes after the launch your enemy signs an unconditional surrender?

And if so, how does that technically work? Has anybody got some information? I was searching across the internet, no result.

tfasbend

 

[kato]

Usually, you'd either simply blow up the fuse (or otherwise destroy it to prevent it triggering), or you make the whole thing go boom in-flight. Latter one not recommended for nukes.

 

[Leopard_Boy]

You might be able to disarm it electronically, but defuse I wouldn't think so.

 

[B-2_Bomber101]

possibly it depends on the missile and the tools you have also where its placed........

 

[Izzy1]

possibly it depends on the missile and the tools you have also where its placed........

Webs, can we knock this one on the head.

And advise...

 

[gf0012-aust]

It all depends:

1) If the host nation has built in safeguards (termination capability or logic sequence)
2) If the defender has overmatch


However, the often quoted example is that manned solutions could be pulled back right up until failsafe, whereas BM's "traditionally" hit failsafe as soon as they leave your own ABM and/or guidance control area.