These are among the preset war plans developed under OPLAN 8010 (formerly the Single Integrated Operational Plan).

The president would then review the attack options with the secretary of defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and decide on a plan, which could range from the launch of a single cruise missile to that of multiple ICBMs. A command signal, or 'watch' alert, would then be issued to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If the US president (who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces) decides to order the use of nuclear weapons, they would be taken aside by the football 'carrier' and the briefcase would be opened. Video describing the United States' nuclear launch authorization process A small antenna protrudes from the bag near the handle, suggesting that it also contains communications equipment of some kind. Another 2005 article described it as a leather briefcase weighing about 45 pounds (20 kg), and included a photo of an aide carrying such a case. A separate 2005 article described the football as a metal Zero Halliburton briefcase. It contained information on sites around the country where the president could be taken in an emergency.Īccording to a 2005 Washington Post article, the president is always accompanied by a military aide carrying the nuclear football with launch codes for nuclear weapons. The book with classified site locations was about the same size as the Black Book, and was black.

The Black Book was about 9 by 12 inches and had 75 loose-leaf pages printed in black and red. The Black Book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the Emergency Broadcast System, and a three-by-five-inch card with authentication codes.

In his 1980 book Breaking Cover, Bill Gulley, former director of the White House Military Office, wrote:

Do not press the big red button game