Paul J. Ste. Marie writes
What I had heard was the the delays were implemented by varying the chemical composition of the explosive lenses around the plutonium core to modify their detonation rate. This prevents replacing the electronics to circumvent the security.
This must be deliberate misinformation. It is relatively easy to make two explosive lenses that are exactly alike. It is extremely difficult to make two explosive lenses that differ by a precisely known and constant amount. The security in a nuclear weapon could certainly be defeated by physically ripping out any encryption electronics and replacing them with electronics with known and simple behavior. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- We have the right to defend ourselves and our property, because of the kind of animals that we James A. Donald are. True law derives from this right, not from the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state. jamesd@netcom.com