if a nuclear submarine launches a tomahawk with a non-nuclear warhead is the entire weapons system "a nuclear weapon" in your eyes? Is that a breach of the arms treaties, and breaches "no first strike" posture and invites second strike response with nuclear warheads?
It was my understanding the US bombs production and management facilities ran tests until simulations were good analogues of what they saw in the real test, at which point it's both cheaper and faster to run simulations.
The only possible reason to run real tests, is for a political communication, although who is receiving it and what it says to them, isn't clear.
_wire_•2h ago