CRM 114 (fictional device)

The CRM 114 is a fictional device prominently featured in the 1964 satirical film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. In the film, it is a fail-safe device installed in American B-52 bombers carrying nuclear weapons.

The CRM 114 is described as a radio communications device equipped with a special coding system designed to prevent unauthorized recall of the aircraft by anyone other than the President of the United States. The system requires a unique three-letter code to be transmitted to each bomber to verify recall orders. The code changes with each order to ensure security.

A key plot point of Dr. Strangelove hinges on General Jack D. Ripper's deliberate and unauthorized ordering of a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. He is able to bypass the CRM 114 system by providing his aircrews with the preemptive recall code, which he claims to have received directly from the President (a false claim). Furthermore, Ripper orders the bombers to disregard any later orders which contradict the initial attack order, rendering subsequent legitimate recall attempts ineffective.

The purpose of the CRM 114 in the context of the film is to highlight the dangers of inflexible, rigidly automated defense systems, and the potential for human fallibility or malicious intent to circumvent those systems, leading to catastrophic consequences. The device is a metaphor for the complexities and inherent risks of Cold War nuclear deterrence strategies.

While fictional, the CRM 114 reflects real-world concerns about the security of nuclear launch codes and the safeguards needed to prevent accidental or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. The device's design suggests an understanding of basic encryption concepts relevant to communication security.