The red button

Jonny69 · 18 Apr 2007 at 13:30

When I grew up there was always a running joke that somewhere in No.10 there was a red button that would fire off all the nukes in an emergency. What reminded me was I was watching the Ali G film last night on ITV2, reminiscing about old times living in Staines and there's a scene where he asks the Prime Minister to show him. the button and it's hidden in a drawer.

Now, a Foreign Office spokesperson I know denies knowledge of such a device even though I know they know I know they must know whether it exists or not. Can anyone confirm if it is indeed hidden in a drawer somewhere?

Or alternatively if there are any other exciting Doomsday devices like this hidden behind the scenes ready to blow up some poor country that stepped on our toes in the past please feel free to spill the beans right here

Johnny Girth · 18 Apr 2007 at 13:33

I've heard it's in the secret room that you get to by pulling on a candle holder in the drawing room of No.10.

merlin · 18 Apr 2007 at 13:33

utajoker · 18 Apr 2007 at 13:40

Johnny Girth said:
candle holder in the drawing room of No.10.

naa it was in the kitchen with the pipe

JRS · 18 Apr 2007 at 13:56

Jonny69 said:
even though I know they know I know they must know

Samtheman1k · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:05

Johnny Girth said:
I've heard it's in the secret room that you get to by pulling on a candle holder in the drawing room of No.10.

Nooooooooo....that gets you to the batcave.

dustiestrat · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:06

i heard theres a certain toilet in no.10 that when you pull the chain it fires all the nukes so the poop really hits the fan

Manlove is my forte · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:09

Johnny Girth said:
I've heard it's in the secret room that you get to by pulling on a candle holder in a drawer in the drawing room of No.10.

corrected

Chronos-X · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:10

Think about it in realistic terms. Where would each of the rockets go? Would it be timed? Would they go instantly? How would you control how many launched out of your entire arsenal?

No such device could ever exist and is purely in the realms of fantasy.

Moredhel · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:11

The "button" will most likely be some form of encrypted satelite comms system between the cabinet and various military facilities and from therm to the various subs loaded with the crowd pleasers.

utajoker · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:19

the real combination to lauch the nukes is to spin 3 times on the chair drop it 2 pushes of the leaver and tilt back once

Visage · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:19

Moredhel said:
The "button" will most likely be some form of encrypted satelite comms system between the cabinet and the whitehouse and from therm to the various subs loaded with the crowd pleasers.

Fixorred.

FakeSnake · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:26

It can be confirmed that there IS a red button in the kitchens at Number10.

Although, there also is a sign next to it stating its an emergency shut off for the electricity. BUT the sign could be just a ploy

meghatronic · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:29

There was a documentary on a nuclear sub.... There is no big red button anywhere. Infact, to launch a cruise missile it was a mouse click (fyi, bloody complicated a launch... takes a fair bit of time).

6thElement · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:30

George Shrub actually advised Tony on the RBS (Red Button System) and even provided the button from one of his spares. You can actually see a picture of the actual button here.

A[L]C · 18 Apr 2007 at 14:33

6thElement said:
George Shrub actually advised Tony on the RBS (Red Button System) and even provided the button from one of his spares. You can actually see a picture of the actual button here.

my managers got one of them too

a1ex2001 · 18 Apr 2007 at 15:04

jdickerson said:
There was a documentary on a nuclear sub.... There is no big red button anywhere. Infact, to launch a cruise missile it was a mouse click (fyi, bloody complicated a launch... takes a fair bit of time).

Launching nukes is a manual operation there is a trigger device locked in a safe which when the order is recieved is removed from the safe and taken to the control room by the Weapons Engineering Officer (Who is guarded by a man with a small truncheon) he then plugs the trigger into the correct slot and presses go. Frightening stuff!

More details here it says special communications link I'm doubting it's a red button as that wouldn't tell the sub commander where to shoot the thing!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4438392.stm

Azagoth · 18 Apr 2007 at 15:06

The BBC keep telling me to "press the red button" for some reason. However, when I do press it my TV turns off! :confused:

SunaseIPs · 18 Apr 2007 at 15:08

Why have a red button?

Would he need to break the glass, hope hes got Chere's head handy nearby...that will wipe the grin off her face.

wordy · 18 Apr 2007 at 15:10

Chronos-X said:
Think about it in realistic terms.

lol

Chronos-X said:
Where would each of the rockets go? Would it be timed? Would they go instantly? How would you control how many launched out of your entire arsenal?

Who cares, once they've been launched they're not our problem anymore

The red button

Man of Honour