List of nuclear weapons
Encyclopedia
This is a list of nuclear weapon
s listed according to country of origin, and then by type within the states.
In some cases, such as B53 nuclear bomb
and W-53 warhead, and the W54
and Davy Crockett
Mk-54, the same core nuclear system was used in multiple applications. This is indicated by the same sequence number for all versions of that nuclear weapon system.
In other cases, variants are assigned their own number, such as the B61 nuclear bomb
which was the parent design for the W80, W81
, and W84
.
This list includes weapons which were developed to the point of being assigned a model number (and in many cases, prototypes were test fired), but which were then canceled prior to introduction into military service. Those models as listed as canceled, along with the year or date of cancellation of their program. Cultural references notwithstanding, neither the US nor the Soviet Union have acknowledged development of a true suitcase nuclear
device.
See also Enduring Stockpile
.
Yellow Sun
productionised air-delivered Thermonuclear bomb casing.
Iran is actively seeking to develop nuclear power capability, allegedly for non-military use and in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency
.
Many experts have concluded that Iran's contemporary late 1990s and 2000 formerly covert uranium enrichment program was part of a secret nuclear weapons program. Iran disputes this conclusion. As of April 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency
and United Nations Security Council
are involved in addressing this question.
, a former nuclear technician for Israel, confirmed the existence of a nuclear weapons program in 1986.
Unconfirmed rumors have hinted at tactical nuclear artillery shells, light fission bombs and missile warheads, and perhaps thermonuclear missile warheads.
The BBC News Online
website published an article on the 28 May 2008, which quotes former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
as stating that Israel
has at least 150 nuclear weapons. The article continues to state that this is the second confirmation of Israel's nuclear capability by a U.S. spokesman following comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates
at a Senate hearing and had apparently been confirmed a short time later by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
.
The main series for nuclear transportation is Hatf.
The first two in the above mentioned series are not confirmed to be capable for nuclear standoff
) Nuclear weapons produced by North Korea are known to have failed.
On 25 May 2009, North Korea conducted a second test of nuclear weapons at the same location as the original test (not confirmed). The test weapon was of the same magnitude as the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in the 2nd World War. At the same time of the test, North Korea tested 2 short range ballistic missiles (reported by a South Korean News Network, though not officially confirmed).
and other international observers to have been dismantled, along with the complete weapons program, and their highly enriched uranium was reprocessed back into low enriched form unsuitable for weapons.
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s listed according to country of origin, and then by type within the states.
United States
Notes: US nuclear weapons of all types (bombs, warheads, shells, and others) are numbered in the same sequence starting with the Mark 1 and ending with the W-91 missile warhead (which was canceled prior to introduction into service). All designs which were formally intended to be weapons at some point received a number designation. Pure test units which were experiments (and not intended to be weapons) are not numbered in this sequence.In some cases, such as B53 nuclear bomb
B53 nuclear bomb
The Mk/B53 was a high-yield bunker buster thermonuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. Deployed on Strategic Air Command bombers, the B53, with a yield of , was the most powerful weapon in the U.S...
and W-53 warhead, and the W54
W54
The W54 was the smallest nuclear warhead deployed by the United States. It was a very compact implosion-type nuclear weapon design, designed for tactical use and had a very low yield for a nuclear weapon.- Development :...
and Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett (nuclear device)
The M-28 or M-29 Davy Crockett Weapon System was a tactical nuclear recoilless gun for firing the M388 nuclear projectile that was deployed by the United States during the Cold War...
Mk-54, the same core nuclear system was used in multiple applications. This is indicated by the same sequence number for all versions of that nuclear weapon system.
In other cases, variants are assigned their own number, such as the B61 nuclear bomb
B61 nuclear bomb
The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design....
which was the parent design for the W80, W81
W81
The W81 thermonuclear warhead was a planned US warhead to be mounted on the SM-2 surface to air missile used by the US Navy. The W81 was a design derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb as many other modern US warhead designs are...
, and W84
W84
The W84 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed for use on the BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile . It is a derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb design and a close relative of the W80 warhead used on the AGM-86 ALCM, AGM-129 ACM, and BGM-109 Tomahawk SLCM cruise missiles.The W84...
.
This list includes weapons which were developed to the point of being assigned a model number (and in many cases, prototypes were test fired), but which were then canceled prior to introduction into military service. Those models as listed as canceled, along with the year or date of cancellation of their program. Cultural references notwithstanding, neither the US nor the Soviet Union have acknowledged development of a true suitcase nuclear
Suitcase nuke
A suitcase nuke is a tactical nuclear weapon which uses, or is portable enough that it could use, a suitcase as its delivery method. Synonyms include suitcase bomb, backpack nuke, mini-nuke, pocket nuke and snuke....
device.
- Bombs — designated with Mark ("Mk") numbers until 1968, and with "B" numbers after that. "Test Experimental" bombs designated with "TX".
- Mark 1 – "Little BoyLittle Boy"Little Boy" was the codename of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets of the 393rd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, of the United States Army Air Forces. It was the first atomic bomb to be used as a weapon...
" gun-type weapon (used against Hiroshima). (13-18 Kt, 1945–1950) - Mark 2 – "Thin Man" plutonium gun design—cancelled in 1944
- Implosion Mark 2 – Another Manhattan Project plutonium implosion weapon, a hollow pit implosion design, was also sometimes referred to as Mark 2. Also cancelled 1944.
- Mark 3 – "Fat ManFat Man"Fat Man" is the codename for the atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9, 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date , and its detonation caused the third man-made nuclear explosion. The name also refers more...
" implosion weapon (used against Nagasaki). (21 Kt, 1945–1950) - Mark 4Mark 4 nuclear bombThe Mark 4 nuclear bomb was an American nuclear bomb design produced starting in 1949 and in use until 1953.The Mark 4 was based on the earlier Mark 3 Fat Man design, used in the Trinity test and the bombing of Nagasaki...
– Post-war "Fat Man" redesign. Bomb designed with weapon characteristics as the foremost criteria. (1949–1953) - Mark 5Mark 5 nuclear bombThe Mark 5 nuclear bomb and W5 nuclear warhead were a common core nuclear weapon design, designed in the early 1950s and which saw service from 1952 to 1963....
– Significantly smaller high efficiency nuclear bomb. (1-120 Kt, 1952–1963) - Mark 6Mark 6 nuclear bombThe Mark 6 nuclear bomb was an American nuclear bomb based on the earlier Mark 4 nuclear bomb and its predecessor, the Mark 3 Fat Man nuclear bomb design.The Mark 6 was produced from 1951-1955 and saw service until 1962...
– Improved version of Mk-4. (8-160 Kt, 1951–1962) - Mark 7Mark 7 nuclear bombMark 7 "Thor" was the first tactical nuclear bomb adopted by US armed forces. It was also the first weapon to be delivered using the toss method with the help of the low-altitude bombing system . The weapon was tested in Operation Buster-Jangle. To facilitate external carry by fighter bomber...
– Multi-purpose tactical bomb. (8-61 Kt, 1952–1967) - Mark 8Mark 8 nuclear bombThe Mark 8 nuclear bomb was a nuclear bomb designed late 1940s and early 1950s, which was in service from 1952 to 1957.- Description :The Mark 8 was a gun type nuclear bomb, which rapidly assembles several critical masses of fissile nuclear material by firing a fissile projectile or "bullet" into a...
– Gun-assembly, HEU weapon designed for penetrating hardened targets. (25-30 Kt, 1951–1957)
- Mark 1 – "Little Boy
-
- Mark 10Mark 10 nuclear bombThe Mark 10 nuclear bomb was a proposed American nuclear bomb based on the earlier Mark 8 nuclear bomb design. The Mark 10, like the Mark 8, is a Gun-type nuclear weapon, which rapidly assembles several critical masses of fissile nuclear material by firing a fissile projectile or "bullet" into a...
– Improved version of Mk-8 (12-15 Kt, cancelled May 1952). - Mark 11Mark 11 nuclear bombThe Mark 11 nuclear bomb was an American nuclear bomb developed from the earlier Mark 8 nuclear bomb in the mid 1950s. Like the Mark 8, the Mark 11 was an earth-penetrating weapon, also known as a Nuclear bunker buster bomb.- Description :...
– Re-designed Mk-8. Gun-type (8-30 Kt). - Mark 12Mark 12 nuclear bombThe Mark-12 nuclear bomb was a US designed and manufactured lightweight nuclear bomb which was built starting in 1954 and saw service from then until 1962...
– Light-weight bomb to be carried by fighter planes (12-14 Kt). - Mark 13Mark 13 nuclear bombThe Mark 13 nuclear bomb and its variant, the W-13 nuclear warhead, were experimental nuclear weapons developed by the United States from 1951 to 1954...
– Improved version of Mk-6 (cancelled August 1954). - TX/Mark 14Mark 14 nuclear bombFor the Sinclair Research Ltd. SC/MP based computer system see MK14.The Mark 14 nuclear bomb was a 1950s American thermonuclear bomb, the first solid-fuel staged hydrogen bomb. It was an experimental design, and only five units were produced in early 1954. It was tested in April 1954 during the...
– First deployable solid-fuel thermonuclear bomb (Castle UnionCastle UnionCastle Union was the code name given to one of the tests in the Operation Castle series of American nuclear tests. It was the first test of the TX-14 thermonuclear weapon , one of the first deployed U.S...
device). Only five produced. (5 Mt) - Mark 15Mark 15 nuclear bombThe Mark 15 nuclear bomb, or Mk-15, was a 1950s American thermonuclear bomb, the first relatively lightweight thermonuclear bomb created by the United States....
– First "lightweight" thermonuclear weapon. (1.7-3.8 Mt, 1955–1965) - TX/Mark 16Mark 16 nuclear bombThe Mark 16 nuclear bomb was a large thermonuclear bomb, based on the design of the Ivy Mike, the first hydrogen bomb test fired. The Mark 16 is more properly designated TX-16/EC-16 as it only existed in Experimental/Emergency Capability versions....
– First weaponized thermonuclear weapon (Ivy MikeIvy MikeIvy Mike was the codename given to the first United States test of a thermonuclear weapon, in which a major part of the explosive yield came from nuclear fusion. It was detonated on November 1, 1952 by the United States at on Enewetak, an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, as part of Operation Ivy...
device). Only cryogenic weapon ever deployed. Only five produced. (6-8 Mt) - Mark 17Mark 17 nuclear bombThe Mark 17 and Mark 24 were the first mass-produced hydrogen bombs deployed by the United States. The two differed in their "primary" stages. The MK 17/24 bombs were long, diameter. They weighed 21 tons. The Mark 17 had a yield in the range of 25 megatons TNT equivalent...
– High-yield thermonuclear. Heaviest U.S. weapon, second highest yield of any U.S. weapon. Very similar to Mk-24. (10-15 Mt) - Mark 18Mark 18 nuclear bombThe Mark 18 nuclear bomb, also known as the SOB or Super Oralloy Bomb, was an American nuclear bomb design which was the highest yield fission bomb produced by the US. The Mark 18 had a design yield of 500 kilotons...
– Very high yield fission weapon (Ivy KingIvy KingIvy King was the largest pure fission nuclear bomb ever tested by the United States. The bomb was tested during the Truman administration as part of Operation Ivy...
device). - Mark 20 – Improved Mark 13 (cancelled 1954)
- Mark 21Mark 21 nuclear bombThe Mark 21 nuclear bomb was a United States nuclear gravity bomb first produced in 1955. It was based on the TX-21 "Shrimp" prototype that had been detonated during the Castle Bravo test in March 1954...
– Re-designed variant of Castle BravoCastle BravoCastle Bravo was the code name given to the first U.S. test of a dry fuel thermonuclear hydrogen bomb device, detonated on March 1, 1954 at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, as the first test of Operation Castle. Castle Bravo was the most powerful nuclear device ever detonated by the United States ,...
test - Mark 22Mark 22 nuclear bombThe first thermonuclear device test by the University of California Radiation Lab at Livermore was the "Morgenstern" device which was tested in the "Koon" shot of Operation Castle. Morgenstern was the prototype of an intended bomb, the TX-22. Morgenstern failed to achieve anything like its intended...
– Failed thermonuclear design (Castle KoonCastle KoonThe Koon shot of Operation Castle was a test of a University of California Radiation Laboratory designed thermonuclear device.The 'dry' two-stage device was known as "Morgenstern". It was tested on 7 April 1954. The predicted yield of Morgenstern, which had a highly innovative secondary stage, was...
device, cancelled April 1954). - Mark 24Mark 24 nuclear bombThe Mark 24 nuclear bomb was an American thermonuclear bomb design, based on the third American thermonuclear bomb test, Castle Yankee. The Mark 24 bomb was tied as the largest weight and size nuclear bomb ever deployed by the United states, with the same size and weight as the Mark 17 nuclear...
– High-yield thermonuclear, very similar to Mk-17 but had a different secondary. - Mark 26Mark 26 nuclear bombThe Mark 26 nuclear bomb was related to the Mark 21. Development of the Mk-26 started on 1 September 1954. At the end of July 1955 the design of the Mk-21 was released for production, while the design for the Mk-26 was not. The "Clean" Mk-21C which was tested in the Redwing Navajo shot did not...
– Similar design to Mk 21 (cancelled 1956). - Mark 27Mark 27 nuclear bombThe Mark 27 nuclear bomb and closely related W27 warhead were two American nuclear weapon designs from the late 1950s.The Mark 27 was designed by the University of California Radiation Laboratory starting in the mid 1950s...
– Navy nuclear bomb (1958–1965) - B28 nuclear bombB28 nuclear bombThe B28, originally Mark 28, was a thermonuclear bomb carried by U.S. tactical fighter bombers and bomber aircraft. From 1962 to 1972 under the NATO nuclear weapons sharing program, American B28s also equipped six Europe-based Canadian CF-104 squadrons known as the RCAF Nuclear Strike Force...
(Mark 28) (1958–1991) - Mark 36Mark 36 nuclear bombThe Mark 36 was a heavy high-yield United States nuclear bomb designed in the 1950s. It was a thermonuclear bomb, using a multi-stage fusion secondary system to generate yields up to about 10 megatons...
– Strategic nuclear bomb (1956–1961) 9-10 Mt - B39 nuclear bomb (Mark 39) (1957–1966)
- B41 nuclear bombB41 nuclear bombThe B41 was a thermonuclear weapon deployed by the United States Strategic Air Command in the early 1960s. It was the most powerful nuclear bomb ever developed by the United States with a theoretical maximum yield of 25 megatons...
(Mark 41) (1960–1976); highest yield US nuclear weapon (25 mt). - B43 nuclear bombB43 nuclear bombThe B43 was a United States air-dropped variable yield nuclear weapon used by a wide variety of fighter bomber and bomber aircraft.The B43 was developed from 1956 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, entering production in 1959. It entered service in April 1961. Total production was 2,000 weapons,...
(Mark 43) (1961–1991) - B46 nuclear bombB46 nuclear bombThe B46 nuclear bomb was a tested but never deployed American high-yield thermonuclear bomb which was designed and tested in the late 1950s. Though originally intended to be a production design, the B46 ended up being only an intermediate prototype which was test fired several times...
or (Mark 46); experimental, design evolved into B53 nuclear bombB53 nuclear bombThe Mk/B53 was a high-yield bunker buster thermonuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. Deployed on Strategic Air Command bombers, the B53, with a yield of , was the most powerful weapon in the U.S...
and W-53 warhead (cancelled 1958) - Mk 101 Lulu
- B53 nuclear bombB53 nuclear bombThe Mk/B53 was a high-yield bunker buster thermonuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. Deployed on Strategic Air Command bombers, the B53, with a yield of , was the most powerful weapon in the U.S...
(1962–1997; dismantled 2010-2011) - B57 nuclear bombB57 nuclear bombThe B57 nuclear bomb was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War.Entering production in 1963 as the Mk 57, the bomb was designed to be dropped from high-speed tactical aircraft. It had a streamlined casing to withstand supersonic flight. It was 3 m long, with a...
(1963–1993) - B61 nuclear bombB61 nuclear bombThe B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design....
(1966-current service) - B77 nuclear bombB77 nuclear bombThe B77 was a nuclear bomb designed to match the delivery capabilities of the B-1A bomber. This included the ability to be dropped from supersonic speeds at altitudes of 60,000 feet, or in a laydown delivery at high subsonic speeds at altitudes as low as 100 feet...
(cancelled 1977) - B83 nuclear bombB83 nuclear bombThe B83 nuclear weapon is a variable yield gravity bomb developed by the United States in the late 1970s, entering service in 1983. With a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons, it is currently the most powerful atomic weapon in the US arsenal...
(1983-current service) - B90 nuclear bombB90 nuclear bombThe B90 was an American thermonuclear bomb designed in the mid to late 1980s and cancelled prior to introduction into military service.The B90 design was intended for use as a naval aircraft weapon, for use as a nuclear depth bomb and as a land attack strike bomb. It was intended to replace the...
(cancelled 1991)
- Mark 10
- Nuclear artilleryNuclear artilleryNuclear artillery is a subset of limited-yield tactical nuclear weapons, in particular those weapons that are launched from the ground at battlefield targets...
shells- 16-inch (406 mm)
- W23 (1956–1962) Gun-type
- 280mm:
- W9W9 (nuclear warhead)The W9 was an American nuclear artillery shell fired from a special 11 inch howitzer. It was produced starting in 1952 and all were retired by 1957.-Description:...
(1952–1957) Gun-type - W19 (1953–1956) Gun-type, W9 derivative
- W9
- 8-inch (203 mm)
- W33 (1956-1980s) Gun-type
- W75 (cancelled 1973)
- W79W79The W79 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from any standard 8 inch howitzer e.g. the M115.The W79 was produced in two models, the "W79 Mod 0" and "W79 Mod 1"...
(1981–1992)
- 155mm
- W48W48The W48 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from a standard 155 mm howitzer e.g. the M114 or M198. It was manufactured starting in 1963, and all units were retired in 1992....
(1963–1992) - W74W74The W74 was an experimental American nuclear artillery shell.Responding to a 1969 United States Army request for a replacement for the W48 155 mm artillery shell, the Los Alamos National Laboratory started development of the W74. However, by mid 1973 the program was discontinued without...
(cancelled 1973) - W82W82The W82 was a low yield tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States and designed to be used in a 155mm artillery shell . It was conceived as a more flexible replacement for the W48, the previous generation of 155mm nuclear artillery shell...
(cancelled 1983 (W-82-0 Enhanced RadiationNeutron bombA neutron bomb or enhanced radiation weapon or weapon of reinforced radiation is a type of thermonuclear weapon designed specifically to release a large portion of its energy as energetic neutron radiation rather than explosive energy...
) and 1990 (W-82-1 fission only))
- W48
- 16-inch (406 mm)
- Atomic Demolition Munitions
- W-7/ADM-B (c.1954-1967)
- T4 ADMT-4 Atomic Demolition MunitionThe T4 Atomic Demolition Munitions were modified versions of the W9 nuclear artillery shells.-History:The T4 was produced in 1957 from recycled W9 fissile components and was in service until 1963, when it was replaced with W30 Tactical Atomic Demolition Munitions and W45 Medium Atomic Demolition...
(1957–1963) Gun-type - W30W30The W30 was an American nuclear warhead used on the RIM-8 Talos surface to air missile and the Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition .The W30 was 22 inches in diameter and 48 inches long, weighing 438, 450, or 490 pounds depending on the version....
/Tactical Atomic Demolition MunitionTactical Atomic Demolition MunitionThe Mk 30 Mod 1 Tactical Atomic Demolitions Munition was a portable atomic bomb, consisting of a Mk 30 warhead installed in a X-113 case. The X-113 was 26 inches in diameter and 70 inches long, and looked like corrugated culvert pipe. The whole system weighed 840 pounds...
(1961–1966) - W31W31The W31 was an American nuclear warhead used for two US missiles and as an atomic demolition munition.The W31 was produced from 1959, with the last versions phased out in 1989....
/ADM (1960–1965) - W45W45The W45 was a multipurpose American nuclear warhead developed in the early 1960s, first built in 1962 and fielded in some applications until 1988. It had a diameter of 11.5 inches , a length of 27 inches and weighed 150 pounds . The yields of different W45 versions were 0.5, 1, 5, 8, 10, and 15...
/Medium Atomic Demolition MunitionMedium Atomic Demolition MunitionMedium Atomic Demolition Munition was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. They were designed to be used as nuclear land mines and for other tactical purposes, with a relatively low explosive yield from a W45 warhead, between 1 and 15 kilotons. Each MADM...
(1964–1984) - W54W54The W54 was the smallest nuclear warhead deployed by the United States. It was a very compact implosion-type nuclear weapon design, designed for tactical use and had a very low yield for a nuclear weapon.- Development :...
/Special Atomic Demolition MunitionSpecial Atomic Demolition MunitionThe Special Atomic Demolition Munition was a family of man-portable nuclear weapons fielded by the US military in the 1960s, but never used in actual combat. The US Army planned to use the weapons in Europe in the event of a Soviet invasion...
(1965–1989)
- Missile warheadWarheadThe term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
s- W4Mark 4 nuclear bombThe Mark 4 nuclear bomb was an American nuclear bomb design produced starting in 1949 and in use until 1953.The Mark 4 was based on the earlier Mark 3 Fat Man design, used in the Trinity test and the bombing of Nagasaki...
for SM-62 Snark missile (cancelled 1951) - W5 for MGM-1 MatadorMGM-1 MatadorThe Martin MGM-1 Matador was the first operational surface-to-surface cruise missile built by the United States. It was similar in concept to the German V-1, but the Matador included a radio link that allowed in-flight course corrections. This allowed accuracy to be maintained over greatly extended...
(1954–1963) - W7Mark 7 nuclear bombMark 7 "Thor" was the first tactical nuclear bomb adopted by US armed forces. It was also the first weapon to be delivered using the toss method with the help of the low-altitude bombing system . The weapon was tested in Operation Buster-Jangle. To facilitate external carry by fighter bomber...
for MGR-1 Honest JohnMGR-1 Honest JohnThe MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...
(1954–1960), Corporal SRBM (1955–1964), Nike HerculesNike-Hercules MissileThe MIM-14 Nike-Hercules , was a solid fuel propelled two-stage surface-to-air missile, used by US and NATO armed forces for high- and medium-altitude air defense...
SAMSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
(1958-1960s) - W8 for SSM-N-8 RegulusSSM-N-8 RegulusThe SSM-N-8A Regulus was a ship and submarine launched, nuclear armed cruise missile deployed by the United States Navy from 1955 to 1964.-Design and development:...
, Gun-type (cancelled 1955) - W12 for RIM-8 TalosRIM-8 TalosThe Bendix RIM-8 Talos was a long-range naval surface-to-air missile, and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. The Talos used radar beam riding for guidance to the vicinity of its target, and semiactive radar homing for terminal guidance...
missile (cancelled 1955) - W13Mark 13 nuclear bombThe Mark 13 nuclear bomb and its variant, the W-13 nuclear warhead, were experimental nuclear weapons developed by the United States from 1951 to 1954...
for SM-62 Snark missile and Redstone MRBMRedstone (rocket)The PGM-11 Redstone was the first large American ballistic missile. A short-range surface-to-surface rocket, it was in active service with the U.S. Army in West Germany from June 1958 to June 1964 as part of NATO's Cold War defense of Western Europe...
(cancelled 1954) - W15 for missiles (cancelled 1957)
- W21W21The W21 was an hydrogen bomb design for the US military. It would have used the physics package of the TX-21 bomb. The TX-21 was a weaponized version of the "Shrimp" device tested in the Bravo shot of Operation Castle. A TX-21C was tested as the Navajo shot, Operation Redwing. The TX-21, was a...
for B-58B-58 HustlerThe Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
bomber, SM-64 NavahoSM-64 NavahoThe North American SM-64 Navaho was a supersonic intercontinental cruise missile project built by North American Aviation. The program ran from 1946 to 1958 when it was cancelled in favor of intercontinental ballistic missiles...
missile (Cancelled 1957) - W25 for MB-1 "Ding Dong", later AIR-2 GenieAIR-2 GenieThe Douglas AIR-2 Genie was an unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5kt W25 nuclear warhead. It was deployed by the United States Air Force and Canada during the Cold War...
(1957–1984) - W27 for SSM-N-8 RegulusSSM-N-8 RegulusThe SSM-N-8A Regulus was a ship and submarine launched, nuclear armed cruise missile deployed by the United States Navy from 1955 to 1964.-Design and development:...
missile (1958–1965) - W28 for AGM-28 Hound Dog missile, MGM-13 MaceMGM-13 Mace-See also:-External links:* * * * * * *...
missile (1958–1976) - W29 for (cancelled 1955)
- W30W30The W30 was an American nuclear warhead used on the RIM-8 Talos surface to air missile and the Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition .The W30 was 22 inches in diameter and 48 inches long, weighing 438, 450, or 490 pounds depending on the version....
for RIM-8 TalosRIM-8 TalosThe Bendix RIM-8 Talos was a long-range naval surface-to-air missile, and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. The Talos used radar beam riding for guidance to the vicinity of its target, and semiactive radar homing for terminal guidance...
missile (1959–1979) - W31W31The W31 was an American nuclear warhead used for two US missiles and as an atomic demolition munition.The W31 was produced from 1959, with the last versions phased out in 1989....
for Honest John (1961–1985), Nike Hercules (1960s-1988) - W34 for Mk101 Lulu nuclear depth chargeDepth chargeA depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
, Mk44 ASTOR torpedoMark 44 torpedoThe Mark 44 torpedo is an obsolete air-launched and ship-launched lightweight torpedo manufactured in the U.S., and under licence in Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom with 10,500 being produced for U.S. service. It was superseded by the Mark 46 torpedo...
, Mk105 bomb (1958–1976) - W35W35The XW-35 was designed from the outset as a thermonuclear warhead for the first generation of ICBMs. Development was driven by the development of the Atlas missile, and when the accuracy of the Atlas was shown to be inferior to predictions the XW-35 design had to be altered to give a higher yield....
for Atlas ICBMAtlas (missile)The SM-65 Atlas was the first intercontinental ballistic missile developed and deployed by the United States. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by Convair Division of General Dynamics at the Kearny Mesa assembly plant north of San Diego, California...
, Titan I ICBM, Thor IRBM, PGM-19 Jupiter (cancelled 1958) - W37 (cancelled 1956)
- W38W38The W38 was an American thermonuclear warhead used in the early to mid 1960s as a warhead for Atlas E and F, and LGM-25 Titan I ICBMs. It was first built in 1961 and was in service from 1961 to 1965. 70 were deployed on Titan I missiles and 110 on Atlas missiles. It used the Avco Mark 4 reentry...
for Atlas ICBMAtlas (missile)The SM-65 Atlas was the first intercontinental ballistic missile developed and deployed by the United States. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by Convair Division of General Dynamics at the Kearny Mesa assembly plant north of San Diego, California...
and Titan I ICBM (1961–1965) - W39W39The Mark 39 nuclear bomb and W39 nuclear warhead were versions of an American thermonuclear weapon, which were in service from 1957 to 1966....
for Redstone MRBMRedstone (rocket)The PGM-11 Redstone was the first large American ballistic missile. A short-range surface-to-surface rocket, it was in active service with the U.S. Army in West Germany from June 1958 to June 1964 as part of NATO's Cold War defense of Western Europe...
(1958–1964) - W40W40The W40 nuclear warhead was an American nuclear warhead developed in the late 1950s and which saw service from 1959 to 1972. It was a fusion boosted fission bomb type....
for MGM-18 LacrosseMGM-18 LacrosseThe MGM-18 Lacrosse was a short-ranged tactical ballistic weapon intended for close support of ground troops.Its first flight test was in 1954 and was deployed by the United States Army beginning in 1959, despite being still in the development stage...
SRBM (1959–1964) - W41W41W 41 was the designation of an American nuclear warhead, which was investigated during the late 1950s. Intended for use in the SM-64 Navajo cruise missile, the program was cancelled in 1957. The program was brief, considered at the same time as the TX-29, WX-15-X1 and XW-21 warheads. All were...
for (cancelled 1957) - W42W42The W42 was an American nuclear warhead developed in 1957.In December 1957 the Army requested the Atomic Energy Commission to develop a nuclear warhead for the HAWK low-to-medium altitude surface to air missile. In July 1958 the military characteristics were approved for the new warhead and the...
for Air to Air and Surface to Air missiles (cancelled 1961) - W44W44The W44 was an American nuclear warhead used on the ASROC tactical anti-submarine missile system.The W44 had basic dimensions of 13.75 inches diameter and 25.3 inches length, a weight of 170 pounds, and a yield of 10 kilotons....
for ASROCASROCASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
(1961–1989)
- W45W45The W45 was a multipurpose American nuclear warhead developed in the early 1960s, first built in 1962 and fielded in some applications until 1988. It had a diameter of 11.5 inches , a length of 27 inches and weighed 150 pounds . The yields of different W45 versions were 0.5, 1, 5, 8, 10, and 15...
for Little John rocket, RIM-2 TerrierRIM-2 TerrierThe Convair RIM-2 Terrier was a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. Originally, the Terrier had a launch thrust of 23 kN , and weight of 1392 kg...
and AGM-12 BullpupAGM-12 BullpupThe AGM-12 Bullpup is an air-to-ground missile which was used on the A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, F-105 Thunderchief and F-4 Phantom among others...
missiles, MADM (1961-1969 (some 1988)) - W46W46Towards the end of 1955 consideration was given to using the physics package of the TX-46 aerial bomb as a warhead for the USAF Snark intercontinental cruise missile. Consideration to use one the Army's Redstone MRBM was also given. The XW-46/Redstone was canceled in favor of the Titan II/W-53...
for Redstone, Snark, B-58 (cancelled 1958) - W47W47The W47 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on the Polaris A-1 sub-launched ballistic missile system. Various models were in service from 1960 through the end of 1974...
for Polaris SLBMUGM-27 PolarisThe Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
(1960–1974) - W49W49The W49 was an American thermonuclear warhead, used on the Thor, Atlas, Jupiter, and Titan I ballistic missile systems. W49 warheads were manufactured starting in 1958 and were in service until 1963, with a few warheads being retained until 1975....
for PGM-19 Jupiter (1959–1963) and Thor IRBM (1959–1963) - W50W50 (atomic weapon)The W-50 or W50 thermonuclear warhead was a nuclear bomb used on the MGM-31 Pershing intermediate range nuclear missile.There were two major variants produced , in three yield options .All variants were in diameter and long, weighing .The W50 used the Tsetse primary design...
for MGM-31 Pershing (1960–1990) - W51 for various (program converted to W54W54The W54 was the smallest nuclear warhead deployed by the United States. It was a very compact implosion-type nuclear weapon design, designed for tactical use and had a very low yield for a nuclear weapon.- Development :...
in 1959) - W52W52The W52 was a thermonuclear warhead developed for the MGM-29 Sergeant short-range ballistic missile used by the United States Army from 1962 to 1977. The W52 is 24 inches in diameter and 57 inches long, and weighed 950 pounds. It had a yield of 200 kilotons...
for MGM-29 SergeantMGM-29 SergeantThe MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Activated by the US Army in 1962 to replace the MGM-5 Corporal it was deployed overseas by 1963, carrying the W52 nuclear warhead or alternatively one of high explosives...
(1962–1977) - W53 for LGM-25C Titan II (1962–1987)
- W54W54The W54 was the smallest nuclear warhead deployed by the United States. It was a very compact implosion-type nuclear weapon design, designed for tactical use and had a very low yield for a nuclear weapon.- Development :...
for Davy Crockett recoilless rifleDavy Crockett (nuclear device)The M-28 or M-29 Davy Crockett Weapon System was a tactical nuclear recoilless gun for firing the M388 nuclear projectile that was deployed by the United States during the Cold War...
and AIM-26 FalconAIM-26 FalconThe AIM-26 Falcon was a larger, more powerful version of the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile built by Hughes. It is the only guided U.S. air-to-air weapon with a nuclear warhead, though the unguided AIR-2 Genie was also nuclear-armed.-Development:...
AAMAir-to-air missileAn air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
(1961–1972) - W55W55The W55 was an American thermonuclear warhead used as the warhead for the SUBROC antisubmarine rocket system. The W55 was designed in the early-1960s, and produced from 1964 to 1968. The last units were retired from service in 1990. A total of 285 W55 weapons were produced.The W55 had a yield...
for Subroc (1965–1989) - W56W56The W56 is an American thermonuclear warhead produced starting in 1963 which saw service until 1993, on the Minuteman I and II ICBMs.The W56 was manufactured in a series of models, all the same rough size and 1.2 megaton yield. The Mod-1, Mod-2, and Mod-3 variants weighed 600 pounds, with the...
for Minuteman I and II ICBMLGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
(1963–1993) - W58W58The W58 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on the Polaris A-3 submarine launched ballistic missile. Three W58 warheads were fitted as multiple warheads on each Polaris A-3 missile....
for Polaris A-3 SLBMUGM-27 PolarisThe Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
(1964–1982) - W59W59The W59 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on some Minuteman I ICBM missiles from 1962-1969.The W59 was 16.3 inches in diameter and 47.8 inches long, and it weighed 550 pounds...
for Minuteman I ICBMLGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
and Skybolt missile (1962–1969) - W60W60The W60 was designed to be the very small nuclear warhead of the Navy's long range Typhoon LR surface to air missile. Development started in 1959, and several fire safety issues delayed the XW-60's development. The Typhoon itself ran in to far more difficult development problems especially in the...
for Typhon SAM (cancelled 1963) - W62W62The W62 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed in the late 1960s and manufactured from 1970 to 1976, used on some Minuteman III ICBMs and retired in 2010....
for Minuteman III ICBMLGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
, (1970–2010) - W63W63The W63 was the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory's entry into a brief competition between Livermore and Los Alamos to design a warhead for the Army's Lance tactical surface to surface missile....
for Lance SRBM (cancelled 1966) - W64 for Lance SRBM (cancelled 1964)
- W65W65The W65 was the Lawrence Livermore Lab's competitor for the warhead of the Sprint anti-ballistic missile. Development of the W65 started in October 1965 and was terminated in January 1968 in favor of the Los Alamos W66 design. The W65 was an "enhanced radiation" weapon whose kill mechanism was the...
for SprintSprint (missile)The Sprint was a two-stage, solid-fuel anti-ballistic missile, armed with a W66 enhanced radiation thermonuclear warhead. It was designed as the short-range high-speed counterpart to the longer-range LIM-49 Spartan as part of the Sentinel program. Sentinel never became operational, but the...
ABMAnti-ballistic missileAn anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
(cancelled 1968) - W66W66The W66 thermonuclear warhead was used on the Sprint anti-ballistic missile system, designed to be a short range interceptor to shoot down incoming ICBM warheads....
for SprintSprint (missile)The Sprint was a two-stage, solid-fuel anti-ballistic missile, armed with a W66 enhanced radiation thermonuclear warhead. It was designed as the short-range high-speed counterpart to the longer-range LIM-49 Spartan as part of the Sentinel program. Sentinel never became operational, but the...
ABM (1970–1975) - W67W67The W67 was an American thermonuclear warhead which was developed in the mid 1960s but then cancelled prior to any production or service use in 1967....
for Poseidon SLBMUGM-73 PoseidonThe Poseidon missile was the second US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. It succeeded the Polaris missile beginning in 1972, bringing major advances in warheads and accuracy...
and Minuteman III ICBMLGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
(cancelled 1967) - W68W68The W68 warhead was the warhead used on the UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM missile. It was developed in the late 1960s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.-Specifications:The W68 weighs...
for Poseidon SLBMUGM-73 PoseidonThe Poseidon missile was the second US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. It succeeded the Polaris missile beginning in 1972, bringing major advances in warheads and accuracy...
(1970–1991) - W69W69W69 is a United States nuclear warhead used in AGM-69 SRAM Short-Range Attack Missiles.It was designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1974 to 1976. It remained in service until 1991, with the last units being retired in 1996...
for AGM-69 SRAMAGM-69 SRAMThe Boeing AGM-69 SRAM was a nuclear air-to-surface missile designed to replace the older AGM-28 Hound Dog stand-off missile....
(1972–1990) - W70W70W70 is the designation for a tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States in the early 1970s. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory designed W70 was used on the MGM-52 Lance. About 1250 were built in total. The warhead had a variable yield of between 1 and 100 kilotons, selectable...
for Lance SRBM (1973–1992) - W71W71The W-71 nuclear warhead was a US thermonuclear warhead developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and deployed on the LIM-49A Spartan Anti-ballistic missile...
for LIM-49A SpartanLIM-49A SpartanThe LIM-49A Spartan was a United States Army anti-ballistic missile, whose warheads were developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It was a three-stage, solid-fuel surface-to-air missile that carried a W71 thermonuclear warhead with a lethal radius of up to 30 miles to intercept...
ABM (1974–1975; dismantled 1992) - W72 for AGM-62 WalleyeAGM-62 WalleyeThe AGM-62 Walleye is a television-guided glide bomb which was produced by Martin Marietta and used by the United States armed forces during the 1960s. Most had a 250 lb high-explosive warhead, some had a nuclear warhead...
(1970–1979) - W73W73The W73 was an American nuclear warhead for the AGM-53 Condor air to surface missile.The W73 was cancelled in 1970 in favor of a purely conventional warhead for the Condor. None were produced....
for Condor missile (cancelled 1970) - W76W76The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. It was manufactured from 1978-1987, and is still in service .The W-76 is carried inside a Mk-4 re-entry vehicle. U.S...
for Trident I SLBMTrident missileThe Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
(1978-current service) - W78W78The W78 thermonuclear warhead is the warhead used on most of the United States LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles , along with the MK-12A reentry vehicle which carried the warhead. Minuteman III's initially deployed with the older W62 warhead; the W78 was deployed starting...
for LGM-30 Minuteman IIILGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
(1979-current service) - W80 for AGM-86 ALCM, AGM-129 ACMAGM-129 ACM* Missile of the same class** Ra'ad ** TAURUS KEPD 350 ** Storm Shadow -Notes:# Alleged violations of the Antideficiency Act in the Air Force’s procurement of advanced cruise missiles.FILE B-255831, Office of the General Counsel, United States General Accounting Office.# Union Calls for Strike by...
and BGM-109 TomahawkBGM-109 TomahawkThe Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...
(1981-current service) - W81W81The W81 thermonuclear warhead was a planned US warhead to be mounted on the SM-2 surface to air missile used by the US Navy. The W81 was a design derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb as many other modern US warhead designs are...
for Standard missileStandard missileStandard Missile can refer to a family of several different American missiles:* RIM-66 Standard , a medium range surface-to-air missile, the successor of the RIM-24 Tartar missile...
, based on B61 (cancelled 1986) - W84W84The W84 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed for use on the BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile . It is a derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb design and a close relative of the W80 warhead used on the AGM-86 ALCM, AGM-129 ACM, and BGM-109 Tomahawk SLCM cruise missiles.The W84...
for BGM-109G Gryphon GLCM (1983–1991) - W85W85The W85 was a thermonuclear warhead developed by the United States of America to arm the Pershing II missile. It had a variable yield— often referred to as "dial-a-yield" — which could be set between 5 and 80 kilotons.-Overview:...
for Pershing II IRBM (1983–1991) - W86W86The W86 was an American thermonuclear warhead with earth-penetrating characteristics which was intended for use on the Pershing II IRBM missile....
for Pershing II IRBM Earth penetrating warhead option (cancelled 1980) - W87W87The W87 is an American thermonuclear missile warhead. It was created for use on the MX or Peacekeeper ICBM, 50 of which, with up to 12 warheads per missile, were deployed during the 1986-2005 period...
for Peacekeeper ICBMLGM-118A PeacekeeperThe LGM-118A Peacekeeper, also known as the MX missile , was a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. A total of 50 missiles were deployed. They have since been deactivated....
(1986–2005) and Minuteman III ICBMLGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
(2007-current service)- W87-1 for MGM-134 MidgetmanMGM-134 MidgetmanThe MGM-134A Midgetman, also known as the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile , was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the United States of America.-Overview:...
ICBM (cancelled 1992)
- W87-1 for MGM-134 Midgetman
- W88W88The W88 is a United States thermonuclear warhead, with an estimated yield of 475 kiloton , and is small enough to fit on MIRVed missiles. The W88 was designed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1970s. In 1999 the director of Los Alamos who had presided over its design described it as...
for Trident II SLBMTrident missileThe Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
(1988-current service) - W89W89The W89 was an American thermonuclear warhead design intended for use on the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground nuclear missile.What was to become the W89 design was awarded to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the mid-1980s. It entered Phase 2A technical definition and cost study in...
for AGM-131 SRAM IIAGM-131 SRAM IIThe SRAM II was a nuclear air-to-surface missile intended as a replacement for the AGM-69 SRAM, but it was cancelled by President George H.W...
(cancelled 1991) - W91W91The W91 was an American thermonuclear warhead intended for use on the SRAM-T variant of the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground missile.What was to become the W91 design entered into a Phase 2 design competition between the various nuclear weapons laboratories in November 1988...
for SRAM-T (cancelled 1991)
- W4
- Ongoing design projects
- RNEP (Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator)Nuclear bunker busterBunker-busting nuclear weapons, also known as earth-penetrating weapons , are a type of nuclear weapon designed to penetrate into soil, rock, or concrete to deliver a nuclear warhead to a target. These weapons would be used to destroy hardened, underground military bunkers buried deep in the ground...
design program (2001–2005) - Reliable Replacement WarheadReliable Replacement WarheadThe Reliable Replacement Warhead was a proposed new American nuclear warhead design and bomb family that was intended to be simple, reliable and to provide a long-lasting, low maintenance future nuclear force for the United States...
(RRW1) design program (2004-)
- RNEP (Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator)
See also Enduring Stockpile
Enduring Stockpile
The "Enduring Stockpile" is the United States's arsenal of nuclear weapons following the end of the Cold War.During the Cold War the United States produced over 70,000 nuclear weapons. By its end the U.S. stockpile was about 23,000 weapons of 26 different types...
.
Common nuclear primaries
A number of American weapons designs shared common components between several designs. These include publicly identified models listed below.| Common nuclear fission primaries | |
|---|---|
| Model | Used in these weapons |
| RACER IV RACER IV RACER IV was a component of several of the first hydrogen bombs made by the United States during the 1950s. It was the first stage for three of the devices tested in four shots of the Castle series... primary |
TX/Mark 14 Mark 14 nuclear bomb For the Sinclair Research Ltd. SC/MP based computer system see MK14.The Mark 14 nuclear bomb was a 1950s American thermonuclear bomb, the first solid-fuel staged hydrogen bomb. It was an experimental design, and only five units were produced in early 1954. It was tested in April 1954 during the... ,TX/Mark 16 Mark 16 nuclear bomb The Mark 16 nuclear bomb was a large thermonuclear bomb, based on the design of the Ivy Mike, the first hydrogen bomb test fired. The Mark 16 is more properly designated TX-16/EC-16 as it only existed in Experimental/Emergency Capability versions.... , Mark 17 Mark 17 nuclear bomb The Mark 17 and Mark 24 were the first mass-produced hydrogen bombs deployed by the United States. The two differed in their "primary" stages. The MK 17/24 bombs were long, diameter. They weighed 21 tons. The Mark 17 had a yield in the range of 25 megatons TNT equivalent... |
| Python primary Python primary According to researcher Chuck Hansen, the W34 Python was a gas-boosted fission primary used in several designs of American thermonuclear weapons.... |
B28 B28 nuclear bomb The B28, originally Mark 28, was a thermonuclear bomb carried by U.S. tactical fighter bombers and bomber aircraft. From 1962 to 1972 under the NATO nuclear weapons sharing program, American B28s also equipped six Europe-based Canadian CF-104 squadrons known as the RCAF Nuclear Strike Force... W28 W40 W40 The W40 nuclear warhead was an American nuclear warhead developed in the late 1950s and which saw service from 1959 to 1972. It was a fusion boosted fission bomb type.... W49 W49 The W49 was an American thermonuclear warhead, used on the Thor, Atlas, Jupiter, and Titan I ballistic missile systems. W49 warheads were manufactured starting in 1958 and were in service until 1963, with a few warheads being retained until 1975.... |
| Boa primary | W30 W30 The W30 was an American nuclear warhead used on the RIM-8 Talos surface to air missile and the Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition .The W30 was 22 inches in diameter and 48 inches long, weighing 438, 450, or 490 pounds depending on the version.... W52 W52 The W52 was a thermonuclear warhead developed for the MGM-29 Sergeant short-range ballistic missile used by the United States Army from 1962 to 1977. The W52 is 24 inches in diameter and 57 inches long, and weighed 950 pounds. It had a yield of 200 kilotons... |
| Robin primary Robin primary The Robin was the common design nuclear fission bomb core for several Cold War designs for American nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, according to researcher Chuck Hansen... |
W38 W38 The W38 was an American thermonuclear warhead used in the early to mid 1960s as a warhead for Atlas E and F, and LGM-25 Titan I ICBMs. It was first built in 1961 and was in service from 1961 to 1965. 70 were deployed on Titan I missiles and 110 on Atlas missiles. It used the Avco Mark 4 reentry... W45 W45 The W45 was a multipurpose American nuclear warhead developed in the early 1960s, first built in 1962 and fielded in some applications until 1988. It had a diameter of 11.5 inches , a length of 27 inches and weighed 150 pounds . The yields of different W45 versions were 0.5, 1, 5, 8, 10, and 15... W47 W47 The W47 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on the Polaris A-1 sub-launched ballistic missile system. Various models were in service from 1960 through the end of 1974... |
| Tsetse primary Tsetse primary The Tsetse was the common design nuclear fission bomb core for several Cold War designs for American nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, according to researcher Chuck Hansen.... |
B43 B43 nuclear bomb The B43 was a United States air-dropped variable yield nuclear weapon used by a wide variety of fighter bomber and bomber aircraft.The B43 was developed from 1956 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, entering production in 1959. It entered service in April 1961. Total production was 2,000 weapons,... W44 W44 The W44 was an American nuclear warhead used on the ASROC tactical anti-submarine missile system.The W44 had basic dimensions of 13.75 inches diameter and 25.3 inches length, a weight of 170 pounds, and a yield of 10 kilotons.... W50 W50 (atomic weapon) The W-50 or W50 thermonuclear warhead was a nuclear bomb used on the MGM-31 Pershing intermediate range nuclear missile.There were two major variants produced , in three yield options .All variants were in diameter and long, weighing .The W50 used the Tsetse primary design... B57 B57 nuclear bomb The B57 nuclear bomb was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War.Entering production in 1963 as the Mk 57, the bomb was designed to be dropped from high-speed tactical aircraft. It had a streamlined casing to withstand supersonic flight. It was 3 m long, with a... W59 W59 The W59 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on some Minuteman I ICBM missiles from 1962-1969.The W59 was 16.3 inches in diameter and 47.8 inches long, and it weighed 550 pounds... |
| Kinglet primary Kinglet primary Kinglet was a boosted fission primary used in two designs of American thermonuclear weapons, the W55 and the W58; and was also adapted by the British as a super-hardened primary known as Harriet used in the Chevaline improvements to the British Polaris A-3TK missile.Primary is the technical term... |
W55 W55 The W55 was an American thermonuclear warhead used as the warhead for the SUBROC antisubmarine rocket system. The W55 was designed in the early-1960s, and produced from 1964 to 1968. The last units were retired from service in 1990. A total of 285 W55 weapons were produced.The W55 had a yield... W58 W58 The W58 was an American thermonuclear warhead used on the Polaris A-3 submarine launched ballistic missile. Three W58 warheads were fitted as multiple warheads on each Polaris A-3 missile.... |
| B61 Family B61 Family The B61 Family is a series of thermonuclear bombs and thermonuclear warheads based on the B61 nuclear bomb.-Initial development:The B61 bomb was developed by Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory starting in 1960... |
B61 B61 nuclear bomb The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design.... W69 W69 W69 is a United States nuclear warhead used in AGM-69 SRAM Short-Range Attack Missiles.It was designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1974 to 1976. It remained in service until 1991, with the last units being retired in 1996... W73 W73 The W73 was an American nuclear warhead for the AGM-53 Condor air to surface missile.The W73 was cancelled in 1970 in favor of a purely conventional warhead for the Condor. None were produced.... W80 W81 W81 The W81 thermonuclear warhead was a planned US warhead to be mounted on the SM-2 surface to air missile used by the US Navy. The W81 was a design derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb as many other modern US warhead designs are... W84 W84 The W84 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed for use on the BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile . It is a derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb design and a close relative of the W80 warhead used on the AGM-86 ALCM, AGM-129 ACM, and BGM-109 Tomahawk SLCM cruise missiles.The W84... W85 W85 The W85 was a thermonuclear warhead developed by the United States of America to arm the Pershing II missile. It had a variable yield— often referred to as "dial-a-yield" — which could be set between 5 and 80 kilotons.-Overview:... W86 W86 The W86 was an American thermonuclear warhead with earth-penetrating characteristics which was intended for use on the Pershing II IRBM missile.... |
Soviet Union/Russia
At the peak of its arsenal, Russia possessed around 16,000 nuclear weapons in its stockpile, rivaled only by the United States arsenal.- Tests
- Joe-1
- Torpedoes
- 53-58 torpedo with 10 kiloton RDS-9 warhead
- VA-111 ShkvalVA-111 ShkvalThe VA-111 Shkval torpedo and its descendants are supercavitating torpedoes developed by the Soviet Union. They are capable of speeds in excess of 200 knots .-Design and capabilities:...
- Bombs
- RDS-1, 22 kiloton bomb. Tested 29 August 1949 as "First Light" (Joe 1). Total of 5 stockpiled
- RDS-2, 38 kiloton bomb. Tested 24 September 1951 as "Second Light." The RDS-2 was an entirely Russian design, delayed by development of the RDS-1
- RDS-3, 42 kiloton bomb. First Soviet bomb tested in an airdrop on 18 October 1951. First 'mass produced" Soviet bomb
- RDS-3I, 62 kiloton bomb. Tested 24 October 1954. The RDS-31 was an improved RDS-3 with external neutron generatorNeutron generatorNeutron generators are neutron source devices which contain compact linear accelerators and that produce neutrons by fusing isotopes of hydrogen together. The fusion reactions take place in these devices by accelerating either deuterium, tritium, or a mixture of these two isotopes into a metal...
- RDS-4, "Tatyana" 42 kiloton bomb. The RDS-4 was smaller and lighter than previous Soviet Bombs.
- RDS-6, also known as RDS-6S, or "sloika" or 'layer cake" gaining about 20% of its yield from fusion. RDS-6 was tested on 12 August 1953. Yield 400 kilotons
- RDS-7, a backup for the RDS-6, the RDS-7 was a 500 kiloton all fission bomb comparable to the US Mk-18, development dropped after success of the RDS-6S
- RDS-27, 250 kiloton bomb, a 'boosted' fission bomb tested 6 November 1955.
- RDS-37RDS-37RDS-37 was the Soviet Union's first "true" hydrogen bomb, first tested on November 22, 1955. The weapon had a nominal yield of approximately 3 megatons. It was scaled down to 1.6 megatons for the live test....
, 1.6 megaton bomb, the first Soviet two-stage hydrogen bomb, tested 22 November 1955 - RDS-220 Tsar BombaTsar BombaTsar Bomba is the nickname for the AN602 hydrogen bomb, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated. It was also referred to as Kuz'kina Mat , in this usage meaning "something that has not been seen before"....
an extremely large three stage bomb, initially designed as a 100-megaton-bomb, but was scaled down to 50 megatons for testing.
- ICBM Missiles
-
- RDS-9, 40 kiloton warhead for R-5M MRBM (SS-3)
- RDS-37 3 megatonTNT equivalentTNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
warhead for R7 Semyorka / SS-6R-7 SemyorkaThe R-7 was a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The R-7 made 28 launches between 1957 and 1961, but was never deployed operationally. A derivative, the R-7A, was deployed from 1960 to 1968...
ICBM - RDS-46 5 megatonTNT equivalentTNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
warhead for R-7A Semyorka / SS-6 ICBM - 8F17 3 megaton warhead for R-16 / SS-7R-16The R-16 was the first successful intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union. In the West it was known by the NATO reporting name SS-7 Saddler, and within Russia, it carried the GRAU index 8K64.- Description :...
ICBM - 8F115 and 8F116 5-6 megaton warhead for R-16 / SS-7R-16The R-16 was the first successful intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union. In the West it was known by the NATO reporting name SS-7 Saddler, and within Russia, it carried the GRAU index 8K64.- Description :...
ICBM - Unknown model warheads for R-9 / SS-8 SasinR-9 DesnaThe R-9 was a two stage ICBM of the Soviet Union.Designed in 1959 and first tested in 1961, the R-9 was a great improvement over previous Soviet missile designs...
ICBM - 15F42 1.2 megaton warhead for UR 100U / SS-11 Mod 3 Sego ICBM
-
- Unknown model 750 kiloton to 1.0 megatonTNT equivalentTNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 1 SavageRT-2The RT-2 was an intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union from 1969 through 1996. It was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-13 Savage and carried the industry designation 8K98. It was probably designed by the V.N...
ICBM - 15F1r 750 kiloton to 1.65 megatonTNT equivalentTNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 2 SavageRT-2The RT-2 was an intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union from 1969 through 1996. It was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-13 Savage and carried the industry designation 8K98. It was probably designed by the V.N...
ICBM - Unknown model 466 kiloton warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 3 SavageRT-2The RT-2 was an intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union from 1969 through 1996. It was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-13 Savage and carried the industry designation 8K98. It was probably designed by the V.N...
ICBM - Unknown model 500 kiloton warhead for RT-20 / SS-15 ScroogeRT-20 (missile)The RT-20 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed but not deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Control system for it was designed at NPO "Electropribor"...
ICBM - Unknown model 1.5 megaton warhead for RT-20 / SS-15 ScroogeRT-20 (missile)The RT-20 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed but not deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Control system for it was designed at NPO "Electropribor"...
ICBM - Unknown model 650 kiloton to 1.5 megaton warheads for RT-21 Temp 2S SS-16 SinnerRT-21 Temp 2SThe RT-21 Temp 2S was a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-16 Sinner and carried the industry designation 15Zh42....
ICBM - Unknown model 300-750 kiloton warheads for MR-UR-100 Sotka / SS-17 Spanker Mod 1 ICBM
- Unknown model 4-6 megaton warhead for MR-UR-100 Sotka / SS-17 Spanker Mod 2 ICBM
- 8F675 (Mod2) 20 megaton warhead for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM
- 8F021 2 or 5 megaton warheads for R-36MP / SS-18 Satan ICBM (3 MIRV warheads)
- unknown 550 kiloton warheads for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM (10 MIRV warheads)
- Unknown model 750 kiloton warheads for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM (10 MIRV warheads)
- Unknown model 550 kiloton warheads for UR-100N / SS-19 Mod 1 Stilleto ICBM (6 MIRV warheads)
- Unknown model 2.5-5 megaton warhead for UR-100N / SS-19 Mod 2 Stilleto ICBM
- Unknown model 550 kiloton warheads for RT-23 Molodets / SS-24 ScalpelRT-23 MolodetsThe RT-23 was a Soviet ICBM developed and produced by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau before 1991. It is cold launched, and comes in silo and railway car based variants...
ICBM (10 MIRV warheads) - Unknown model 550 kiloton warhead for RT-2PM Topol / SS-25 Sickle ICBM
- Unknown model 550 kiloton warhead for RT-2UTTH Topol M / SS-27RT-2UTTH Topol MThe RT-2UTTKh «Topol-M» is one of the most recent intercontinental ballistic missiles to be deployed by Russia , and the first to be developed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union....
ICBM
- Unknown model 750 kiloton to 1.0 megaton
- Various tactical nuclear weapons including "suitcase bombSuitcase bombA suitcase nuke is a tactical nuclear weapon which uses, or is portable enough that it could use, a suitcase as its delivery method. Synonyms include suitcase bomb, backpack nuke, mini-nuke, pocket nuke and snuke....
s"
United Kingdom
Blue SteelBlue Steel missile
The Avro Blue Steel was a British air-launched, rocket-propelled nuclear stand-off missile, built to arm the V bomber force. It was the primary British nuclear deterrent weapon until the Royal Navy started operating Polaris missile armed nuclear submarines....
Yellow Sun
Yellow Sun
Yellow Sun was the first British operational high-yield strategic nuclear weapon. The name actually refers only to the outer casing; the warhead was known as "Green Grass" and "Red Snow"...
productionised air-delivered Thermonuclear bomb casing.
- Warheads
- Blue DanubeBlue Danube (nuclear weapon)Blue Danube was the first operational British nuclear weapon. It also went by a variety of other names, including Smallboy, the Mk.1 Atom Bomb, Special Bomb and OR.1001, a reference to the Operational Requirement it was built to fill...
Tallboy casing with Fission warhead. - Red SnowRed SnowRed Snow was a British thermonuclear weapon. Its physics package was apparently similar, if not identical, to that of the United States W28 nuclear warhead used in the B28 nuclear bomb and AGM-28 Hound Dog missile, with an explosive yield of approximately 1.1 megaton.The Red Snow warhead was...
for Yellow Sun Mk.2. - Green Grass For Yellow Sun Mk.1.
- Red BeardRed Beard (nuclear weapon)Red Beard was the first British tactical nuclear weapon. It was carried by the English Electric Canberra and the V bombers of the Royal Air Force, and by the Blackburn Buccaneers, Sea Vixens and Supermarine Scimitars of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm...
, tactical nuclear weapon. - WE.177WE.177WE.177 was the last air-delivered tactical nuclear weapon of the British Armed Forces. There were three versions; WE.177A was a boosted fission weapon, while WE.177B and WE.177C were thermonuclear weapons...
(also used as a nuclear depth charge). - Blue PeacockBlue PeacockBlue Peacock, renamed from Blue Bunny and originally dubbed Brown Bunny, was the codename of a British tactical nuclear weapon project in the 1950s—dubbed the chicken-powered nuclear bomb by the press....
(nuclear land mine, a.k.a. the "chicken-powered nuclear bomb"). - Blue BunnyBlue PeacockBlue Peacock, renamed from Blue Bunny and originally dubbed Brown Bunny, was the codename of a British tactical nuclear weapon project in the 1950s—dubbed the chicken-powered nuclear bomb by the press....
- ten-kiloton nuclear mine - later renamed Blue PeacockBlue PeacockBlue Peacock, renamed from Blue Bunny and originally dubbed Brown Bunny, was the codename of a British tactical nuclear weapon project in the 1950s—dubbed the chicken-powered nuclear bomb by the press....
. It used the Blue Danube physics package. - Blue CatBlue catBlue Cat may refer to:* Lan Mao, the "Blue Cat" Chinese animation character.* Blue Cat Records, a record company.* 3000 Whys of Blue Cat, the Chinese animation series....
- nuclear warhead a.k.a. Tony - UK version of US W44, a.k.a. Tsetse. - Blue FoxBlue FoxBlue fox may refer to :* The Blue Fox, a 1921 serial film* Herning Blue Fox, a Danish icehockey team* a game for FM-7 released in 1986, according to the list of Enix games...
- kiloton range nuclear weapon, later renamed Indigo Hammer - not to be confused with the later Blue Fox radar. - Blue PeacockBlue PeacockBlue Peacock, renamed from Blue Bunny and originally dubbed Brown Bunny, was the codename of a British tactical nuclear weapon project in the 1950s—dubbed the chicken-powered nuclear bomb by the press....
- buried nuclear weapon (land mine). - Blue Rosette - short-case nuclear weapon bomb casing for reconnaissance bomber to spec R156T, including the Avro 730, Handley Page HP.100, English Electric P10, Vickers SP4 and various others.
- Blue Slug - nuclear ship-to-ship missile using Sea Slug launcher.
- Blue Water - nuclear tipped surface to surface missile.
- Green Bamboo - nuclear weapon.
- Green Cheese - nuclear anti-ship missile.
- Green FlashGreen flashGreen flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena...
- Green Cheese's replacement. - Green Granite - nuclear weapons - Green Granite (small) & Green Granite (large).
- Green Grass - nuclear weapon
- Indigo Hammer - nuclear weapon
- Violet ClubViolet ClubViolet Club was a nuclear weapon deployed by the United Kingdom during the cold war. It was Britain's first operational "high yield" weapon, and was intended to provide an emergency capability until a thermonuclear weapon could be developed from the 1956-1958 Operation Grapple thermonuclear tests...
- nuclear weapon
- Blue Danube
Canada
Canada has not maintained a stockpile of nuclear weapons since 1984.- Missiles
- AIR-2 GenieAIR-2 GenieThe Douglas AIR-2 Genie was an unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5kt W25 nuclear warhead. It was deployed by the United States Air Force and Canada during the Cold War...
(1961–1984) - MGR-1 Honest JohnMGR-1 Honest JohnThe MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...
- AIR-2 Genie
France
France is said to have an arsenal of 350 nuclear weapons stockpiled as of 2002.- Bombs
- AN 11AN-11 bombThe AN-11 was France's first nuclear weapon, developed to arm the Force de frappe.The AN-11's development began in the late 1950s. An early version was used in France's first nuclear test, on 13 February 1960. The first AN-11 prototype was tested 1 May 1962, and it entered service in 1964.The AN-11...
- AN 22AN-22 bombThe AN-22 was France's second air-dropped nuclear weapon, developed as a replacement for the earlier AN-11 bomb, entering service in 1967. It had a similar 60 to 70 kilotons yield fission warhead to the earlier AN-11, but with enhanced safety features and a parachute retarder to enable it to be...
- AN 52AN-52 bombThe AN-52 was a French tactical nuclear weapon carried by fighter bomber aircraft.The weapon was first tested on 28 August 1972, and entered service in October of that year. Between 80 and 100 bombs were manufactured for use by French tactical aircraft....
(MR 50 CTC)
- AN 11
- Warheads (and missiles)
- MR 31MR 31The MR 31 is a French-built nuclear warhead to be launched with the S2 missile.It has a yield of 120 kts and is a pure plutonium device.Entering service in August 1970 it was withdrawn from service by June 1980.- See also :* force de frappe* FOST...
(S2) - MR 41MR 41The MR 41 is a French-built thermonuclear warhead to be launched with the M1 and M2 missiles in Redoutable class ballistic missile submarines....
(M1 and M2) - MR 50 CTC (AN 51 CTC and AN 52 CTC)
- AN 51 CTCAN 51The AN 51 was a French tactical nuclear warhead used on the Pluton short range missile, the Pluton system was retired in 1992-93. The warhead was based upon the MR 50 CTC warhead, with the same physics package as used in the AN 52 bomb...
(PlutonPluton (missile)The Pluton missile was a French nuclear-armed short-range ballistic missile system launched from a transporter erector launcher platform mounted on an AMX 30 tank chassis. It was designed to provide the tactical part of French nuclear deterrence during the Cold War.The Pluton came in replacement...
) - AN 52 CTC (AN 52AN-52 bombThe AN-52 was a French tactical nuclear weapon carried by fighter bomber aircraft.The weapon was first tested on 28 August 1972, and entered service in October of that year. Between 80 and 100 bombs were manufactured for use by French tactical aircraft....
) - TN 60TN 60The TN 60 was a French nuclear missile warhead.The 1 megaton TN 60 missile warhead entered service in early 1977 as an interim warhead for the MSBS M20 SLBM. The TN 60 was the first French warhead "hardened" to penetrate the Russian ABM defenses around Moscow...
(M20) - TN 61TN 61The TN 61 was a French nuclear warhead.It was a lighter weight version of the TN 60 warhead and quickly replaced it in service on the M20 SLBMs on the Redoutable class SSBNs. The TN 61 was also used on the SSBS S3D IRBM missiles...
(M20 and S3S3 (missile)The S3 was a French land-based Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, equipped with a single 1.2-megatonne thermonuclear warhead.- Design :The S3 is a two-stage, solid-propelland Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. The first stage was inherited from the S2, with a P16 solid fuel engine and 4...
) - TN 70TN 70The TN 70 is a French-built thermonuclear warhead which was used on submarine-launched ballistic missiles in Redoutable class ballistic missile submarines.It has a yield of 150 kt....
MIRV (M4) - TN 71TN 71The TN 71 is a French-built thermonuclear warhead which was used on submarine-launched ballistic missiles in Redoutable class ballistic missile submarines.It has a yield of 150 kt....
MIRV (M4) - TN 75TN 75The TN 75 is a French-built thermonuclear warhead used on France's M45 SLBM submarine-launched ballistic missiles, carried by the last of the Redoutable class submarines, S616 Inflexible, and by the Triomphant class submarines. The French Navy has 290 TN-75 warheads...
MIRV (M45 and M51) - TN 76 MIRV (M5)
- TN 80TN 80TN 80 was deployed between 1985 and 1991 as the warhead of the ASMP air-to-surface missile carried by the Dassault Mirage IVP bomber. The yield was 300 kt, and it was hardened against nuclear defense missiles.-References:...
(ASMPAir-Sol Moyenne PortéeThe Air-Sol Moyenne Portée is a French air-launched nuclear missile. Part of the Force de frappe, in French nuclear doctrine it is the last-resort "warning shot" prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons...
) - TN 81TN 81The French TN 81 nuclear warhead equips the Air-Sol Moyenne Portée medium-range air to surface missile, a component of the Force de frappe French nuclear deterrent.Type: nuclear warhead for ASMPSpecifications:* thermonuclear...
(ASMPAir-Sol Moyenne PortéeThe Air-Sol Moyenne Portée is a French air-launched nuclear missile. Part of the Force de frappe, in French nuclear doctrine it is the last-resort "warning shot" prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons...
) - TN 90TN 90France developed the TN-90 for the Hadès tactical missile. It replaced the AN-51/Pluton weapon system in 1991. Both the 30 Hadès missiles, and their TN-90 warheads were placed directly in storage and in 1996, retired.-References:...
(HàdesHadès (missile)The Hadès system was a short-range ballistic pre-strategic nuclear weapon system designed by France, as a last warning before use of strategic nuclear weapons, in the perspective of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe...
) - TNA (ASMP-AAir-Sol Moyenne PortéeThe Air-Sol Moyenne Portée is a French air-launched nuclear missile. Part of the Force de frappe, in French nuclear doctrine it is the last-resort "warning shot" prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons...
) - TNO MIRV (M51)
- MR 31
China
China is believed to possess around 400 nuclear weapons, but has released very little information about the contents of its arsenal.- Tests:
- 596 (nuclear test)596 (nuclear test)596 is the codename of the People's Republic of China's first nuclear weapons test, detonated on October 16, 1964 at the Lop Nur test site. It was a uranium-235 implosion fission device and had a yield of 22 kilotons...
- Test No. 6
- 596 (nuclear test)
- Ballistic Missiles:
- DF-1
- DF-2
- DF-3ADF-3AThe DF-3A is a Chinese liquid-fueled, single-stage, medium-range nuclear ballistic missile that entered service in 1971. DF-3A is the oldest missile in China's inventory and is nearing retirement after four decades of service....
- DF-4
- DF-5DF-5The Dongfeng 5[Wǔ] or DF-5 is a 3 stage Chinese ICBM. It has a length 32.6 m and a diameter of 3.35 m. It weighs in at 183,000 kilograms and it has an estimated range of 12,000 to 15,000 kilometers. The DF-5 had its first flight in 1971 and was in operational service 10 years later...
- DF-11
- DF-15DF-15The Dong-Feng 15 is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the People's Republic of China. It is the only non-nuclear missile being used by the People's Liberation Army Second Artillery Corps. The U.S...
- DF-21DF-21The Dong-Feng 21 is a two-stage, solid-propellant, single-warhead medium-range ballistic missile developed by China Changfeng Mechanics and Electronics Technology Academy. Development started in the late 1960s and was completed around 1985-86, but it was not deployed until 1991...
- DF-31DF-31The Dong Feng 31 is a long-range, road-mobile, three stage, solid propellant intercontinental ballistic missile in the Dongfeng missile series developed by the People's Republic of China. It is designed to carry a single 1,000kt thermal nuclear warhead. It is a land-based variant of the submarine...
- DF-41DF-41The Dongfeng-41 , is a Chinese nuclear solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile currently under service with the Second Artillery Corps....
- JL-1JL-1The Julang-1, also known as the JL-1 and in US nomenclature as the CSS-N-3, is China's first submarine launched nuclear ballistic missile.-History:...
- JL-2JL-2The JL-2 is a Chinese second-generation intercontinental-range submarine-launched ballistic missile which has a two-stage, solid–liquid-fuelled propulsion design. Accurate specifications of the new missile are hard to obtain and substantiate due to the secretive nature of the program...
- B-611B-611B-611 missile and its derivatives are a series of Chinese short-range ballistic missiles first developed in the late 1990’s by the China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation...
- P-12
- Cruise Missiles
- DH-10DH-10The DongHai 10 is a cruise missile developed in the People's Republic of China by the Third Academy by CASIC.According to Janes, the DH-10 is a second-generation land-attack cruise missile , integrated inertial navigation system, GPS, terrain contour mapping system, and digital scene-matching...
- CJ-10
- HN1
- HN2
- HN3
- CF-2
- CF-1
- SS-N-2
- DH-10
India
India is believed to possess between 200-300 nuclear weapons (March 2010 estimate). The specifications of its weapon production are not disclosed to the public.- Tests:
- Smiling BuddhaSmiling BuddhaThe Smiling Buddha, formally designated as Pokhran-I, was the codename given to Republic of India's first nuclear test explosion that took place at the long-constructed Indian Army base, Pokhran Test Range at Pokhran municipality, Rajasthan state on 18 May 1974 at 8:05 a.m....
- Operation Shakti
- Smiling Buddha
- Missiles
- Agni I
- Agni II
- Agni III
- Agni IIIs/+
- Agni IV
- Agni V
- Prithvi IPrithvi missilePrithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.- Development and History :...
- Prithvi IIPrithvi missilePrithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.- Development and History :...
- Prithvi IIIPrithvi missilePrithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.- Development and History :...
- ShauryaShaurya missileThe Shaurya missile is a canister launched Hypersonic surface-to-surface tactical missile developed by the Indian Defence Research and Development Organization for use by the Indian Armed Forces. It has a range of between 750 to 1900 km and is capable of carrying a payload of one ton...
- Surya-1
- Surya-2
Iran
Persistent rumors throughout the 1990s that Iran had obtained ex-Soviet nuclear weapons have never been confirmed or conclusively refuted.Iran is actively seeking to develop nuclear power capability, allegedly for non-military use and in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to...
under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
.
Many experts have concluded that Iran's contemporary late 1990s and 2000 formerly covert uranium enrichment program was part of a secret nuclear weapons program. Iran disputes this conclusion. As of April 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
and United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
are involved in addressing this question.
Israel
Israel is widely believed to possess a substantial arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles, estimated at 75-130 and 100-200 warheads, but refuses officially to confirm or deny whether it has a nuclear weapon program, leaving the details of any such weapons unclear. Mordechai VanunuMordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
, a former nuclear technician for Israel, confirmed the existence of a nuclear weapons program in 1986.
Unconfirmed rumors have hinted at tactical nuclear artillery shells, light fission bombs and missile warheads, and perhaps thermonuclear missile warheads.
The BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
website published an article on the 28 May 2008, which quotes former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
as stating that Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
has at least 150 nuclear weapons. The article continues to state that this is the second confirmation of Israel's nuclear capability by a U.S. spokesman following comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
at a Senate hearing and had apparently been confirmed a short time later by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
.
Pakistan
As of March 2010, Pakistan is believed to have around 80-120 HEU based nuclear weapons but no thermonuclear weapons as they never conducted a thermonuclear test. While Plutonium based research is also available, the estimated stockpile is not enough to be comparable to Uranium ones, and the specifications of these are not available publicly.The main series for nuclear transportation is Hatf.
- Abdali-IAbdali-IFor Ahmed Shah Abdali please see Ahmed Shah AbdaliAbdali-I is a short-range ballistic missile , developed by Pakistan and currently in service of Pakistan's armed forces...
(BRBM) - GhaznaviGhaznaviGhaznavi Missile is a short range ballistic missile with an optimal range of 290 km, produced by Pakistan and named after the 11th century Afghan conqueror Mahmud of Ghazni. The missile has a length of 9.64m, diameter of 0.99 m, launch weight of 5256 kg and is powered by a single stage solid fuel...
(SRBM) - Ghauri (missile)Ghauri (missile)The Hatf V, named Ghauri , is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Kahuta Research Laboratories of Pakistan. Powered by a single stage liquid fuel rocket motor, the missile has an optimum range of 1,500 km and can carry a payload of 700 kg...
(MRBM) - Ghauri-IIGhauri-IIThe Ghauri-II is a medium-range ballistic missile . A longer ranged variant of the Ghauri-I, it was developed by increasing the length of the motor assembly and using improved propellants...
(MRBM) - Ghauri-IIIGhauri-IIIThe Ghauri-III is an intermediate-range ballistic missile being developed by Pakistan. Based on the previous Ghauri I and II missiles, it has three liquid fuel rocket stages. Currently its range is longer than any other ballistic missile in Pakistan's arsenal. The Ghauri-III reportedly started...
(Close ICBM) - Hatf-I/IAHatf-I/IAHatf I ) is a Pakistani battlefield range ballistic missile which entered service with the Pakistan Army in the early 1990s. It is deployed as an artillery rocket and has been replaced by the improved Hatf IA and Hatf IB, which have a maximum range of 100 km.Hatf is an Arabic word meaning...
(BRBM) - Shaheen missile (MRBM)
- Shaheen-IIShaheen-IIThe Shaheen-II is an medium range ballistic missile developed by NESCOM's National Defence Complex of Pakistan. The Shaheen missile series is named after a falcon that lives in the mountains of Pakistan...
(IRBM) - Shaheen-IIIShaheen-IIIThe Shaheen III is a Pakistani intermediate-range ballistic missile speculated to be in development with a range of 4000-4500 km. It is a member of the solid-fueled Shaheen series missile family and is envisioned to replace the less advanced liquid-fueled Ghauri-III system whose development was...
(IRBM) - Babur missileBabur missileBabur , also designated Hatf VII, is the first land attack cruise missile to be developed by Pakistan....
(Cruise MissileCruise missileA cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
) - Ra'adRa'adThe Ra'ad is an air-launched cruise missile developed by Pakistan and operational with the Pakistan Air Force . Though initially launched from a PAF Dassault Mirage III ROSE combat aircraft during testing, the missile is planned to be integrated with and launched from other PAF platforms such as...
(Air Launched Cruise MissileCruise missileA cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
) - Nasr
The first two in the above mentioned series are not confirmed to be capable for nuclear standoff
North Korea
North Korea claims to possess nuclear weapons, however, the specifications of its systems are not public. On 9 October 2006, North Korea carried out an alleged nuclear test. (See 2006 North Korean nuclear test2006 North Korean nuclear test
The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by North Korea.North Korea announced its intention to conduct a test on October 3, six days prior, and in doing so became the first nation to give warning of its first nuclear test...
) Nuclear weapons produced by North Korea are known to have failed.
On 25 May 2009, North Korea conducted a second test of nuclear weapons at the same location as the original test (not confirmed). The test weapon was of the same magnitude as the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in the 2nd World War. At the same time of the test, North Korea tested 2 short range ballistic missiles (reported by a South Korean News Network, though not officially confirmed).
South Africa
South Africa built six or seven gun-type weapons. All constructed weapons were verified by International Atomic Energy AgencyInternational Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
and other international observers to have been dismantled, along with the complete weapons program, and their highly enriched uranium was reprocessed back into low enriched form unsuitable for weapons.
External links
- CNS Resources on South Africa's Nuclear Weapons Program indicates that "most international experts conclude that South Africa has completed its nuclear disarmament. South Africa is the first and to date only country to build nuclear weapons and then entirely dismantle its nuclear weapons program."