What would happen if Indianapolis was attacked with nuclear weapons? Well, a fictional TV newscast from 1986 may have your answer.
In 1974, the U.S. Department of Energy created the Nuclear Emergency Search Team, or NEST. That’s a special task force meant to plan for and protect against nuclear attacks. Fast forward to December of 1986. The Pentagon, CIA, FBI, and the Department of Energy met in downtown Indianapolis for a real training seminar, in which a nuclear attack on the Circle City was discussed.
During the meeting, a fictional TV newscast, featuring “Jeff Schwartz” and “Ann Miller” of Channel 9 Eyewitness News was shown. This was created by NEST for a project called MIGHT DERRINGER – a secret exercise meant to simulate a nuclear terrorist attack on Indianapolis.
That fictional newscast has not left the U.S. government’s eyes – until tech/science website Gizmodo obtained a copy through a Freedom of Information Act Request from the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The fake TV newscast shows Schwartz, discussing how an unknown number of terrorists are in downtown Indy with nuclear devices. Schwartz throws to Ann Miller in Chopper 9, flying above Indianapolis. You can even see the Hoosier Dome in the background.
Towards the end of the video, a bright flash of light bursts from downtown Indianapolis, and the connection to Miller and Chopper 9 is lost. Schwartz then tries to pick up the rest of the newscast, but a loud explosion can be heard, and the TV feed is cut off.
The overall goal of the meeting was to discuss a nuclear attack and for each department to work together, sharing information and educating one another. The fictional TV newscast from Indianapolis was designed to add a visual example for the meeting.
2 comments
Truly amazing…. In the four years of President Trump we were never at war, he brought peace to the middle east and in less than 2 years #FJB has got us to the point of WWIII w/Russia. I hope that if you voted for that IDIOT, you get what you’ve asked for. Higher gas & food prices, inflation at a forty year high, complete chaos in the world and signing back the Iran nuclear deal…. SMFH! FJB !!!!
Honestly, nuking any of the deep blue cities would be doing the rest of us a favor. Might I suggest New York, Chicago, LA, or DC next?