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The Largest Nuclear Weapons

The document discusses the largest nuclear weapons built by the United States and Soviet Union/Russia. It provides tables listing U.S. and Soviet/Russian nuclear warheads with yields over 4.5 megatons. The largest U.S. weapons were likely versions of the B41 bomb with an estimated highest yield of 25 megatons. The Soviet/Russian weapons included the SS-18 Mod 6 missile with a 20 megaton warhead and some uncertainty remains about their largest weapons. Both countries developed and deployed a small number of multi-megaton weapons but have since shifted away from such high-yield systems.

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The Largest Nuclear Weapons

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The Largest Nuclear Weapons

by Wm. Robert Johnston

6 April 2009
This page is under development.
See also Multimegaton Tests: the largest nuclear tests.

Contents:

High-yield thermonuclear weapons: overview

United States:
o U.S. nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons (table)
o The largest U.S. nuclear weapon
o The first U.S. high-yield nuclear weapons
o Mass produced multi-megaton weapons
o The Titan II heavy ICBM
o The Spartan ABM
o The last U.S. high-yield nuclear weapon
USSR/Russia:
o Soviet/Russian nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons (table)
o The largest Soviet nuclear weapons
o The R-9 and R-16 ICBMs
o The R-36 heavy ICBM
o The R-36M, R-36MUTTKh, and R-36M2 heavy ICBMs
o The RS-16 and RS-18 ICBMs
The largest PRC nuclear weapon
Sources

High-yield thermonuclear weapons: overview

The United States and the Soviet Union, after independently developing thermonuclear weapons, both produced some numbers of
such weapons of very high yield. While most thermonuclear weapons built had yields in the range of several hundred kilotons to a few
megatons, some much larger weapons were built. Weapons with yields up to 20-50 megatons were developed and deployed (one
Soviet weapon of 150 mt was developed but probably never operational). Of the roughly 135,000 warheads ever built by the two
superpowers, about 3% had yields over 4.5 megatons.
The United States built the greater number of multimegaton weapons, doing so in the late 1950s and 1960s mostly to equip its bomber
force with a massive nuclear capability against the U.S.S.R. The U.S. largely abandoned such weapons in favor of smaller nuclear
weapons, allowing more flexible delivery of larger numbers of warheads. Most of the Soviet strategic nuclear capability was in its
ICBMs, but like the U.S. the Soviets deployed high-yield weapons before mostly shifting to smaller, multiple warheads.
The U.S. has now retired all of its multimegaton weapons. Disassembly of the last type removed from service, the B53, may be
completed in 2006. Russia probably maintains a small number ICBMs in high-yield single warhead versions. The People's Republic of
China has one type of ICBM armed with high-yield warheads. Operational multimegaton weapons in 2005 thus include:

Russia's R-36M2 Voyevoda (SS-18 Mod 6) with a 20 mt warhead (possibly 5 deployed). (The UR-100N version (SS-19 Mod
2) with a 5 mt warhead may no longer be deployed.)
PRC's DF-5A (CSS-4) with a 5 mt warhead (about 24 deployed).

There is still considerable uncertainty on some of the issues discussed here. While much information on U.S. nuclear warhead history
is available, information is still scanty on some high-yield nuclear weapons. Information now available on the former Soviet/current
Russian arsenal is limited regarding its largest weapons, and considerable inconsistencies in available information remain.
The following graphs provide estimates of the total numbers and yield of U.S./Soviet/Russian high-yield weapons (those with
individual yields over 4.5 megatons). Note that these estimates are based on models of stockpile history, and that total stockpile
numbers and yields may not correspond to other figures on this web site.

The U.S. and U.S.S.R. have conducted a total of 23 nuclear tests of at least 4 megatons each. The U.S. from 1952 to 1962 detonated 11
such devices above ground plus one underground in 1971. The total yield of these was 105 mt for an average of 9 mt each. The largest
of these was a 15 mt test in 1954. In turn, the U.S.S.R. detonated 12 such multi-megaton devices above ground in 1961 and 1962, plus
one underground in 1973. Their total yield was 200 mt, for an average of 15 mt each. The largest Soviet test was a 58 mt test in 1961.
The total fission yield of all 22 above ground tests was about 124 mt (54 mt from U.S. tests and 70 mt from Soviet tests).

U.S. nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons

warhead
(system)

type of
system

stock
entry

IOC

off alert

retired

warhead
type

weight
(kg)

yield
(mt)

no. built

EC14

NGB

Feb 1954

Feb 1954 Oct 1954 Oct 1954 2-stage TN

13133

6.9

EC16

NGB

Mar 1954

Mar 1954 Apr 1954 Apr 1954 2-stage TN, standard

~17000?

7.5

EC17

NGB

May 1954

May 1954 Nov 1954 Nov 1954 2-stage TN

18900

Mk-17

NGB

Oct 1954

1957

Oct 1957 2-stage TN

18900

~12.5

200

B21

NGB

Dec 1955

1956

1957

Nov 1957

7000

4.5

275

EC24

NGB

Apr 1954

Apr 1954 Nov 1954 Nov 1954 2-stage TN

18900

13.5

Mk-24

NGB

Oct 1954

1956

Oct 1956 2-stage TN

18900

~15

105

B27

NGB

Nov 1958

1958

1964

Jul 1964

1430

700

NGB

Apr 1956

1956

~1961

Jan 1962

NGB

Sep 1960

1960

1976

Jul 1976

NGB

Aug 1962

~Oct
1962

1997

2006

B36 Y1
B36 Y2
B41 Y1
B41 Y2
B53 Y1

2-stage TN, clean

2-stage TN, dirty

2-stage TN, dirty
2-stage TN, clean
3-stage TN, dirty
3-stage TN, clean
2-stage TN, dirty

7900

4840
4010

9.5
6
~25
~9.3
9

940

500
340

B53 Y2

Jun 1964

~1964

2-stage TN, clean

3860

May
1987

~1988

2-stage TN

3690

2-stage TN, enhanced

x-ray

1290

~4.8

W53 (Titan II)

ICBM

Dec 1962

Apr 1963

W71 (Spartan)

ABM

Jul 1974

Apr 1975 Nov 1975 1995

Explanation: IOC=initial operational capability, NGB=nuclear gravity bomb, ICBM=intercontinental ballistic missile,
ABM=antiballistic missile, TN=thermonuclear, clean/dirty refers to low/high fission yield fraction, respectively. See text for sources.

The largest U.S. nuclear weapon

(Image: Mk-17/24 bomb casing at the National Atomic Museum.)
The largest nuclear weapons ever built by the United States were the EC17/Mk-17, the EC24/Mk-24, and the B41 (Mk41). Public
domain information does not allow a conclusive determination as to which had the largest yield. However, current best estimate is that
the highest yield weapon was a version of the B41 with a yield of 25 mt.
The Mk-17 and Mk-24 were virtually identical weapons: they used different primaries, but were indistiguishable by external
appearance and weight.[1] "Emergency capability" versions of both bombs (the EC17 and EC24) were briefly stockpiled in small
numbers rushed into service in 1954.
These were retired in late 1954 when the
production versions were deployed.
[1,2] At 18.9 metric tons each and 7.5 meters
long, only the B-36 bomber could
carry these weapons. All were retired by 1957 in
favor of smaller weapons that could be
carried by a variety of bombers.[1]
Reported yields for the Mk-17 and
Hansen gave figures of 15-20 mt[1] or

Mk-24 range from 10 mt to 20 mt. Chuck

10-15 mt for production versions (for the

emergency capability versions he gives 11 mt for the EC17 and 13.5 mt for the EC24)[3]; NRDC reports 10-15 mt.[4] Nuclear test
yields include 11 mt for the EC17 in shot Castle Romeo on 27 March 1954 and 13.5 mt for the EC24 in shot Castle Yankee on 5 May
1954.[5] Based on this the best estimates here are yields of 11 mt for the EC17, ~12.5 mt for the Mk-17, 13.5 mt for the EC24, and
~15 mt for the Mk-24.
The Mk-41 was the only three-stage thermonuclear weapon ever deployed by the U.S. It weighed 4,840 kilograms and was 3.8 meters
long.[6] It could be carried by the B-52 or the B-47.[7] While about 500 were built from September 1960 to June 1962, retirement
began in November 1963 and the last B41s withdrawn in July 1976.[6]
Best estimate here is that the B41 was produced in at least two versions, one of which had a yield of 25 mt--the highest yield weapon
ever built by the U.S. It is likely that only a small fraction of the weapons built were the high yield version, and that these were the
first ones retired (in the 1960s). These conclusions are based on the following:

In 1962 DOE declassified the statement "The U.S. has a nuclear weapon in stockpile with a yield of approximately 25
megatons." [8]
A 25 mt yield for the B41 would give it a yield-to-weight ratio of 5.2 kilotons/kilogram. While this would require a far greater
efficiency than any other U.S. weapon (at least 40% efficiency in a fusion fuel of lithium deuteride), this was apparently
attainable. In 1963 DOE declassified statements that the U.S. had the technological capability of deploying a 35 mt warhead on
the Titan II, or a 50-60 mt gravity bomb on B-52s.[8] Neither weapon was pursued (the Titan II was deployed with a 9 mt
warhead), but either would require yield-to-weight ratios superior to a 25-mt B41.
While in 1989 Chuck Hansen gave a yield of "less than 10 megatons" for the B41,[1] he gave two yields in 1995: "less than 10
megatons" and "25 MT...the highest-yield weapon ever stockpiled [by the U.S.]".[6] His discussion suggests that two versions
were developed: a high yield "dirty" version and a low yield "clean" version. The NRDC gives a yield of 10 mt.[4]
A TX-41 prototype was tested in shot Hardtack Poplar with a yield of 9.3 mt.[5] This may correspond to the low yield Mk-41
version.
DOE has released cumulative stockpile data, including numbers of stockpiled warheads each fiscal year and total stockpile
yield each fiscal year.[9] This data is inconsistent with all B41s having a 25 mt yield, but are consistent with limited numbers
of a high yield version which were then retired early.
Development of the B53 was ordered as a replace for the B41.[10] This may be interpreted as a continuation of the shift away
from high-yield and/or dirty weapons. Note that with the exceptions of the B41 and B53, all other multi-megaton strategic
bombs were retired by 1964.

The first U.S. multi-megaton weapons

Following the first Soviet nuclear test in August 1949, U.S. President Truman directed continued development of thermonuclear
weapons in a January 1950 directive. The first such weapon designed used liquid deuterium as fusion fuel--necessarily cooled to
temperatures near absolute zero to keep it in a liquid state. Such weapons were difficult to handle not only because of their extremely
large size, but also because of the special cryogenic requirements.[11, 12]
The first multistage thermonuclear test was Ivy Mike on 1 November 1952: far from being a deliverable weapon, this cryogenic
experimental device weighed 74 metric tons and occupied a warehouse. Yield was 10.4 mt, which was 60% fission.[13]
The TX-16 was a weaponized version of this device: it weighed about 18 metric tons, was 7.56 meters long and had a yield of about
7.5 mt. Part of the weight reduction was accomplished by using equipment in the B-36 to top off the liquid hydrogen before delivery.
About 5 "emergency capability" units designated EC16 were built in March 1954. All were retired the following month, however, as
solid-fueled thermonuclear weapon prototypes were successfully tested in the Pacific. After the cancellation of the Mk-16, no other
liquid-fueled thermonuclear weapons were ever built.[12, 14]
Conventional solid-fueled thermonuclear weapons used lithium-deuteride as fusion fuel. The first such weapon was the EC14; it
weighed 13,133 kg and was 5.64 meters long. These "emergency capability" weapons actually preceded the EC16 into the stockpile,
with 5 units built in February 1954, making the EC14 the first operational multistage thermonuclear weapon.[11] The design was
tested in shot Castle Union on 26 April 1954, producing a yield of 6.9 mt.[5] All were retired in October 1954.[11] These early
thermonuclear weapons were carried by specially modified B-36 bombers; the limited number of such converted bombers available in
1954 operated from Kirtland AFB in New Mexico.[12]

Mass-produced multi-megaton weapons

Four high-yield thermonuclear weapons had been rushed into the stockpile in 1954: the EC14, EC16, EC17/Mk-17, and EC24/Mk-24.
In the late 1950s, three multimegaton weapons of more robust design were mass produced: the B21, B27, and B36.

The B21 weighed about 7,000 kg and was produced in both clean and dirty versions;[3, 15] a clean version was tested in shot
Redwing Navajo on 11 July 1956 at a yield of 4.5 mt.[5] From December 1955 to July 1956 about 275 units were produced. They
were all converted to B36-Y1 weapons from June to November 1957.[15]
The B27 weighed 1,430 kg and had a yield of about 5 mt. About 700 were produced between November 1958 and June 1959. All were
retired between November 1962 and July 1964.[86]
The 7,900 kg B36 NGB was also produced in a dirty version (B36-Y1) and clean version (B36-Y2). The B36-Y1 had a yield of about
9.5 mt, while that of the B36-Y2 was 6 mt; most of the 940 units built were probably the high yield, dirty version.[16, 17]

The Titan II heavy ICBM

The Titan II carried the highest yield missile warhead ever deployed by the United States. This was the W53 warhead with a 9megaton yield, which could be delivered by the Titan II to a range of 15,000 km.[18] About 60 W53 warheads were built from
December 1962 to December 1963.[19]
The first Titan II was placed on alert in April 1963 in Arizona. The first squadron of 9 was operational in June 1963, and full
operational capability was attained with 54 deployed in December 1963: 18 near Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, 18 near Little Rock
AFB in Arkansas, and 18 near McConnell AFB in Kansas.[20, 21, 22] A guidance upgrade was conducted to improve the accuracy of
operational Titan IIs from February 1978 to December 1979.[18, 22] On 19 September 1980 leaking fuel exploded in a Titan II silo in
Arkansas, killing one and injuring 27. This silo was never returned to service; the same is apparently true of a silo in Kansas damaged
by a fuel leak on 24 August 1978.[23, 24]
Retirement of the remaining 52 Titan IIs began in September 1982.[24] The last one was removed from alert in May 1987.[25]
Disassembly of W53 warheads had begun in October 1969[19] and was probably completed by 1988.

The Spartan ABM

In January 1963 the U.S. began development of a two-layered anti-ballistic missile system which would eventually be named
Safeguard, with the two ABMs being Spartan and Sprint. The first layer, the Spartan missile, was an exo-atmospheric ABM using a
high-yield thermonuclear warhead (the W71) to intercept incoming warheads outside the atmosphere. The second was Sprint, an endoatmospheric high-acceleration ABM using a low-yield warhead to intercept surviving warheads within the atmosphere.[26]
The W71's yield was too large for underground testing at the Nevada Test Site, so Amchitka Island in the Alaskan Aleutians was
selected as a site. To evaluate concerns over this site, a test of 1.2 megatons was conducted at Amchitka on 2 October 1969 (Milrow).
Political opposition to the W71 test (and the Safeguard ABM system in general) included an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court
attempting to block the test on the scheduled day; the Court rejected the appeal 4-3, allowing the test to procede.[27] On 6 November
1971 the Spartan's warhead, the W71, was tested at full yield in shot Cannikin of Operation Grommet. At the bottom of a 1.76 kmdeep shaft,[27] the warhead's yield was reported as "approximately" 5 mt[26] or "less than 5 megatons"[27], estimated here as about
4.8 megatons.
The first W71 units were completed in July 1974, and full production ran from October 1974 to July 1975 [26] by which time 39
warheads had been built.[28] The W71 warhead was "tailored": using a layer of gold around the thermonuclear secondary, the output
of x-rays was maximized to achieve a more efficient kill of targeted warheads.[26]
The SALT I treaty, signed 26 May 1972, limited the U.S. and U.S.S.R. each to a pair of 100-missile ABM sites; an additional protocol
signed 3 July 1974 reduced this to one such site each. The U.S. selected a site near Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota for the
Safeguard site, named the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex,[29] which would provide limited protection to the Grand Forks
AFB Minuteman ICBM field.
The first ABMs were emplaced at Grand Forks in late 1974. The first ABMs were placed on alert in April 1975, with 8 Spartans and
28 Sprints operational. The full complement of 30 Spartans and 70 Sprints became operational on 1 October 1975, with all 30 Spartans
at the MSR site near Nekoma, North Dakota.[30]
The following day, 2 October 1975, the
down the Safeguard site. The U.S. Senate
1975, and that month the Safeguard site
site began 10 February 1976.[31, 32, 33]

U.S. House of Representatives voted to shut

passed a similar measure on 18 November
was taken off alert. Decommissioning of the

The Spartan missiles and warheads were retained in inactive storage until the 1990s. The warheads were dismantled in 1995.[34]

The last U.S. high-yield nuclear weapon

(Image: B53 bomb casing at the National Atomic Museum.)
Development of the B53 began in March 1958 as a replacement for the B41.[10] The B53 was carried by the B-47, B-52, and B-58
bombers. It was reportedly produced in two yield versions. The 9-megaton B53-Y1, a "dirty" version, was first produced in August
1962, weighed 4010 kg and was 3.8 meters long. The B53-Y2 was a "clean" version first produced in June 1964; it weighed 3860 kg
and was 3.7 meters long.[5, 10] The yield of the Y2 version is unknown, but was probably lower than 9 mt.
When B53 production ended in June 1965, about 340 had been built. Retirement of some early versions began in 1967.[10] When the
B41 was retired in 1976, the B53 was left as the only high-yield bomber weapon in the U.S. stockpile.
In 1987 about 25 B53s remained in the active stockpile, plus additional B53s retired and awaiting dismantling. On 5 August 1987 the
DOD announced that B53 retirement was being halted, and those retired but still intact units would be returned to the active stockpile.
[10] This unusual action likely reflected the B53's then unique capabilities against deeply buried hardened targets in the U.S.S.R.
Thus, at the end of the Cold War, in 1991, there were an estimated 50 B53s remaining in the active stockpile, and their retirement was
believed to be emminent.[35, 36] (This figure may not include 28 B53s dismantled between October 1989 and September 1997.[28])
However, in 1995 it emerged that these were being retained pending development of an earth-penetrating warhead.[37] Without the
B53, the U.S. would have had no weapon to hold at risk certain superharded, deeply buried targets. The B61-11 was developed as a
replacement: with a potential 350-500 kt yield in an earth-penetrating warhead, allowing detonation slightly below the ground surface
for better coupling of shock to ground, this was a viable replacement.[38] The B61-11 was deployed from Dec. 1996 to 1997, allowing
retirement of the B53.[39]
The B53 was immediately retired from the active stockpile[39]; there were apparently safety concerns with the warhead. Some B53s
were disassembled at the Pantex Plant in Texas from 1998 to May 1999, at which time disassemblies were suspended due to safety
protocols.[40] Resumption of disassemblies was delayed by adoption of new safety documents and by dedicated efforts at Pantex to

complete disassmblies of remaining W56 and W79 warheads from October 2001 to September 2003.[41, 42, 43, 44, 45] In 2002 it
was reported that the last B53s, about 35, were to be soon dismantled.[46, 47] DOE documents suggest that some issues still had to be
worked out (including transportation from temporary storage at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico[49, 50]), plus disassembly
efforts remained concentrated on other warheads (including the W70[51]). Funds for B53 disassembly were included in the
FY2004[49] and FY2005[52] budgets and were requested for FY2006[51], but it appears that disassembly efforts remain suspended
pending resolution of safety and logistics issues.[48] Plans were then to resume B53 disassemblies after completion of W76 and W80
disassemblies (planned completion in September 2007), along with implementation of the Seamless Safety 21 or SS-21 program for
the B53.[54] These SS-21 plans were still being developed as of December 2007,[87] and the first W80 disassembly under SS-21 was
not completed until the last week of October 2007.[88] As of August 2008, SS-21 disassemblies of the remaining B53s are scheduled
to begin in September 2009.[100] In early 2009, it was reported that the first B53 disassemblies under SS-21 would be delayed until
December 2009, which would push back completion of B53 disassemblies until after September 2010 without more resources.[101,
102]
Following removal of the B53 from service, the highest yield U.S. weapon is the variable yield B83, with a maximum yield of 1.2 mt.
[53]

Soviet/Russian nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons

system (U.S. des.) [warhead]

type

stock
entry

IOC

off alert retired type

weight
(kg)

yield
(mt)

no. built

R-16 (SS-7 Mod 1/2/3)

ICBM

Nov 1961 1977

1950

0-320

R-9A (SS-8)

ICBM

Dec 1964 1976

1800

23-46

R-36 8K67 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 1)

ICBM

Nov 1966 1980

7000

140-290

R-36 8K67 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 2)

ICBM

1966

7000

140-290

1980

[8F675]
R-36O 8K69 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 3)

FOBS

Aug 1969 Jan 1983

5000

~20

0-20

MR UR-100N (SS-17 Mod 2)

ICBM

1977

3500

10-30

R-36M (SS-18 Mod 1) [15B86]

ICBM

Dec 1974 ~1978

7500

20-60

R-36MUTTKh (SS-18 Mod 3)

ICBM

1976

7300

20-60

R-36M2 Voevoda (SS-18 Mod 6)

ICBM

Aug 1990

9000

UR-100NU (SS-19 Mod 2)

ICBM

1977

3500

RDS-220 ("Tsar Bomba")

NGB

27000

~150

0-5

NGB

0-20

NGB

~20

0-120

NGB

1984

1990

~5000?

The largest Soviet nuclear weapon

The largest nuclear weapon ever developed by any nuclear power was the Soviet RDS-220,[62] also nicknamed "Big Ivan", "Vanya"
or "Tsar Bomba" (King of Bombs). It was a three-stage weapon weighing 24.8 metric tons and was 8 meters long. Its 2-meter diameter
required a specially modified version of the Tu-95 Bear bomber for delivery. The single such Tu-95V carried the RDS-220 partially
protruding from the bomb bay.[63, 64] The U.S.S.R. tested this design in an airdrop over Novaya Zemlya on 30 October 1961 at a
yield of about 58 megatons.[65, 89, 90] However, this was a reduced yield "clean" version: the uranium sleeve on the tertiary stage
was replaced with lead, and the fission yield was only 3% of the total yield.[63] The full yield version had a yield variously reported
as 100 mt [64] or 150 mt [62]. About 80% of the fallout from the "Tsar Bomba" test was deposited as global fallout.[67]

The yield of the 30 October 1961 test remains the subject of some debate. Best estimate here is that the actual yield was 57-58 mt,
based on the following:

The U.S. estimate of 57-58 mt was based on bhangmeter (high-speed photometer) observations and other data from a USAF
KC-135 flown near the blast--apparently to within 45 km--as analyzed by the Foreign Weapons Evaluation Panel (or Bethe
Panel) to determine the yield.[63, 96, 97]
A yield of 58 mt has been affirmed in scientific publications by Russian experts on the Soviet testing program.[99]
Nikita Khrushchev in his memoirs claims that the device yield was estimated before the test as 50 mt, and that the actual yield
proved greater at 57 mt.[91]
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, official Russian sources (e.g. the Russian atomic energy ministry) have released
information on Soviet nuclear tests, reporting a yield of 50 mt.[66, 92] In many cases, discrepancies between the new Russian
data and older Western estimates represent the large uncertainties involved in Western intelligence efforts to estimate yields
from remote observation. In this case the U.S. data was acquired from close at hand (sufficiently close that the U.S. KC-135
suffered scorching on the fuselage from the flash[96]). Discrepancies with Russian data may represent continued Russian
secrecy (e.g. exact yields for several high yield Soviet tests are still unannounced by Russia [92]), combined with the desire to
minimize the issue of fallout associated with the test. The current Russian figures for the Tsar Bomba test, 50 mt yield at 4000
m altitude, place it safely 9% above the Russian agency's threshold defining "air explosions," where "the expanding fireball
does not touch the ground surface" [98], whereas the Western data of 57-58 mt yield at 3500 m altitude place it 9% below this
threshold.

Thus the issue regarding the test yield is plausibly explained by the test exceeding its predicted yield by 15% (still close to design
yield, given U.S. test experience) at an actual yield of 57-58 mt, with the current Russian government finding various reasons to prefer
the 50 mt yield figure.
Another device tested the following year had a nominal yield of 50 mt. Tested at a reduced yield of 24.2 mt on 24 December 1962 at
Novaya Zemlya, it was designed at Chelyabinsk-70 (as opposed to Arzamas-16 for the RDS-220)[66].
Whether either of these weapons was operational is unknown. The RDS-220 was probably never operational: only the single specially
modified Tu-95V could carry it, and when doing so it would have been particularly vulnerable to anti-aircraft action. The 50-mt
Chelyabinsk-70 device might have weighed 10-15 metric tons, based on comparison to other Soviet warheads of the time. Thus it was
probably deliverable by unmodified Tu-95M Bear bombers, which could carry 15 metric tons of payload (albeit to a reduced range).

[68] Any operational deployment was probably only for a short time since bomber forces were converting to cruise missiles, but the
weapons could have remained in the stockpile as late as the 1980s, given the apparent slow pace of Soviet warhead disassembly.
The Soviets briefly considered developing an ICBM capable of carrying the 150-mt RDS-220 warhead or a similarly large warhead.
Of several proposed missiles, only the UR-500 reached the flight stage, by which time any nuclear-armed version was abandoned in
favor of using the UR-500 exclusively as a space launch vehicle.[69]

The first Soviet ICBMs

The first Soviet ICBM was the R-7/R-7A, known as the SS-6 Sapwood in the West. Six of these missiles were deployed from 1960 to
1967, with warheads of about 4 mt yield (yield variously reported as 3-5 mt).[93]
Deployment of the R-7 was limited, since the superior R-9A and R-16 ICBMs were deployed a short time later. The R-16, or SS-7
Saddler, was deployed in several versions and with two types of warhead, 3 mt yield or 6 mt yield. The first R-16s were operational 1
November 1961, and by the end of 1965 a total of 186 to 202 missiles were deployed. Retirement began in 1967, and the last R-16
was withdrawn in 1977.[94, 95]
The R-9A, or SS-8 Sasin in the West, carried a 5-mt warhead. It was deployed 14 December 1964 with full deployment of 23-26 by
1966; all were retired by 1976.[94, 95]

The R-36 heavy ICBM

The R-36 heavy ICBM, known in the West as the SS-9 Scarp, was deployed in four versions. Two versions of the R-36 carried single
warheads: the SS-9 Mod 1 carried a warhead of 10 mt (some sources report 5 mt), and the SS-9 Mod 2 carried the 8F675 warhead
with a yield of 25 mt (some sources report 18 mt). The R-36O version (Western designation SS-9 Mod 3) was a fractional-orbit
bombardment system (FOBS). It would launch a single 5-mt warhead into low-Earth orbit, southbound from the USSR. Once orbiting
over the United States, the warhead would deorbit and strike its target. The system was intended to bypass U.S. early-warning radars.

The final version, the R-36P (Western designation SS-9 Mod 4) carried 3 warheads, not independently targetable. Each warhead had a
yield between 2 and 5 mt.[70, 71]
The R-36 went on alert on 9 November 1966, and 268 of all four versions were deployed in underground silos. All were retired by
1978 except for some R-36O versions. The R-36O FOBS version, which went on alert 25 August 1969, was retained in small numbers
until January 1983, when the SALT II treaty was completed and barred their deployment.[70, 71]

The R-36M, R-36MUTTKh, and R-36M2 heavy ICBMs

The heavy ICBM known in the West as the SS-18 Satan actually includes three related missiles--the R-36M, the R-36MUTTKh, and
the R-36M2--with a variety of warhead loadings in each case. Deployed in both MIRVed and single-warhead versions, the single
warhead variants carried the largest missile warheads ever deployed.[72, 73]
The R-36M was developed as a replacement for the R-36. Flight tests were conducted from October 1972 to October 1975 on three
variants. The 15B86 single warhead version, with a 24-mt yield, was the first version deployed; this was known in the West as the SS18 Mod 1. These became operational in December 1974 in converted R-36 silos at Dombarovksy. Most R-36Ms were deployed with
15F143 MIRV warheads--eight warheads each--although a ten-warhead 15F143U version also existed. The MIRVed version (Western
designation SS-18 Mod 2) became operational in November 1975. A version carrying terminally-guided 15F678 warheads (MaRVs)
was tested from July 1978 to August 1980 but never deployed.[72, 73]
The follow-on R-36MUTTKh was flight tested in a MIRVed variant from October 1977 to November 1979, known in the West as the
SS-18 Mod 4.[72, 73] The 15F183 warhead section generally carried 10 warheads, although at least one flight test carried 14
warheads.[74] Some R-36MUTTHk ICBMs carried the 15B86 single warhead at 24 mt (Western designation SS-18 Mod 3), now with
improved accuracy over the R-36M. In September 1979 the first three R-36MUTTKh regiments became operational; they had
replaced all R-36 missiles by 1980, all R-36M missiles by 1982 or 1983, and reached full deployment in 308 silos by 1983.[72, 73]
Another follow-on, the R-36M2 Voyevoda ("commander" in English), was flight tested from March 1986 to September 1989. The
MIRVed variant (SS-18 Mod 5), with ten 15F173 warheads, became operational in December 1988. A single-warhead version (SS-18

Mod 6), with the 15F175 warhead providing a 20-mt yield, was deployed in small numbers begining in August 1990.[72, 73] The
single-warhead R-36M2 is the highest yield nuclear weapon currently deployed by any nation.

The UR-100N and MR UR-100N ICBMs

The largest PRC nuclear weapon

The People's Republic of China has deployed a warhead estimated at 5 megatons on the Dong Feng 5 ICBM (U.S. designation CSS4). The DF-5 can carry a 3,000-kg warhead to a range of 12,000, while the improved Dong Feng 5A can carry 3,200 kg to a range of
13,000 km.[78] The warhead is probably a high yield version of the design(s) used in the PRC's thermonuclear tests of 1968, 1970,
and 1976 (given the limited number of Chinese nuclear tests, an independent warhead design is unlikely).[76]
Estimated deployments of DF-5s are highly uncertain. The first two DF-5 missiles were deployed in silos in 1981,[78] and the force
remained at 2 through at least 1984.[79] Estimated numbers deployed were 18 in June 2000, 20 in 2003,[76] and 24 in 2005, although
reports vary. From about 1990 to 2000, deployed DF-5s were replaced with improved DF-5As.[75, 77] Reportedly the DF-5 force is
currently organized into three missile brigades. The 803rd brigade in Hunan province was established in 1984 and converted to DF-5A
missiles by the mid-1990s. The 804th brigade in western Henan province was established in the late 1980s, converted to DF-5A
missiles by 2000, and may include missiles based in tunnels. The 818th brigade in Hunan province was established in 1996 and was
likely initially equipped with DF-5A missiles.[77]

MULTIMEGATON TESTS
The Largest Nuclear Tests
by Wm. Robert Johnston
2 February 2008

This page is under development.

See also Multimegaton Weapons: the largest nuclear weapons.

Contents:

High-yield thermonuclear tests: overview

United States:
o U.S. nuclear tests with yields over 4 megatons (table)
o The largest U.S. nuclear tests
USSR/Russia:
o Soviet nuclear tests with yields over 4 megatons (table)
o The largest Soviet nuclear tests
The largest PRC nuclear weapon
Sources

High-yield thermonuclear tests: overview

U.S. nuclear tests with at least 4 megaton yield

date (GMT)
time (GMT)

location
lat/long

name

HOB (m)
type

yield
(mt)

device
% fission

notes

31 Oct 1952
1915

IVY-Mike

Eniwetok
11.669N, 162.196E

11
surface

10.4

experimental
60%

1.9 km crater

28 Feb 1954
1845

CASTLE-Bravo

Bikini
11.69N, 165.27E

2
surface

TX-21
67%

2.0 km crater

26 Mar 1954
1830

CASTLE-Romeo

Bikini
11.69N, 165.27E

4
barge

EC17
64%

25 Apr 1954
1810

CASTLE-Union

Bikini
11.68N, 165.39E

4
barge

6.9

EC14
72%

04 May 1954
CASTLE-Yankee
1810

Bikini
11.68N, 165.39E

4
barge

13.5

EC24
52%

10 Jul 1956
1756

REDWING-Navajo

Bikini
11.68N, 165.39E

6
barge

4.5

TX-21C
5%

20 Jul 1956
1746

REDWING-Tewa

Bikini
11.68N, 165.34E

5
barge

5.01

TX-41?
87%

1.2 km crater

28 Jun 1958
1930

HARDTACK I-Oak

Eniwetok
11.606N, 162.108E

2
barge

8.9

TX-46/53?
56%

1.75 km crater

12 Jul 1958

HARDTACK I-Poplar

Bikini

9.3

TX-41

0.9 km crater

330

11.69N, 165.27E

barge

27 Jun 1962
1519

DOMINIC I-Bighorn

Christmas Island
1.3N, 157.3W

3700
airdrop

7.65

experimental

30 Oct 1962
1602

DOMINIC II-Housatonic

Johnston Atoll
13.5N, 172W

3700
airdrop

8.3

experimental?

06 Nov 1971
2200

GROMMET-Cannikin

Amchitka Island
-1791
4.8
51.4719N, 179.1069E underground

W-71
low?

1.1 km crater

Explanation: GMT=Greenwich Mean Time, lat/long=latitude and longitude, HOB=height of burst above ground/water surface
(negative height indicates depth below surface), % fission=percentage of yield from fission, notes includes crater diameter if
applicable, "barge" indicates detonation on off-shore barge, "experimental" indicates device not closely related to a warhead design.
See text for sources.

The largest U.S. nuclear tests

The U.S. conducted 11 nuclear tests with yields exceeding 4 megatons. These had a total yield of 105 megatons (54 mt fission). All
were conducted from 1952 to 1962 in the Pacific Ocean.[1] The last was an underground test, Shot Cannikin of Operation Grommet,
described above with the W71 warhead.
The largest U.S. nuclear test was Shot Bravo in Operation Castle. This test was one in a series of tests in the Marshall Islands with the
goal of testing prototypes of the first weaponized thermonuclear weapons ("emergency capability" weapons). Bravo was the first shot

in the series and was a test of the "Shrimp" TX-21 device, with a predicted yield of 6 megatons. The device had been placed at the end
of a causeway extending onto the reef 970 meters from the southwest tip of Namu island in Bikini Atoll. It was detonated at 6:45 AM
on 1 March local time (18:45 28 February Universal Time). Designers had significantly underestimated the efficiency of reactions
involving lithium-7 in the lithium deuteride solid fuel (one of the design innovations being tested); the actual yield was 15 megatons,
67% from fission.[2]
The higher-than-predicted yield combined with a wind shift shortly after detonation to cause casualties from fallout. On two U.S.
ships, 37 U.S. naval personnel--21 on the USS Philip and 16 on the USS Bairoko--received beta burns from fallout particles,
producing lesions which all healed without complications.[3] A Japanese fishing boat, the Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon) was just
outside the 130-km radius restricted zone and received heavy fallout beginning about 1.5 hours after detonation. The 23 crewmembers
did not recognize the falling material as hazardous and made little effort to minimize their exposure to it; some crew members tasted
the fallout. Some crew members began developing radiation sickness within three days, and the entire crew developed acute radiation
sickness before the boat returned to Japan on 14 March. On return to Japan, the boat's owner recognized the crew was ill and called a
hospital, which referred the men for treatment the following day. One member of the Fukuryu Maru crew died of a liver disorder, a
complication from radiation sickness, on 23 September 1954.[4, 5]
Significant fallout also fell on inhabited islands west of Bikini under U.S. jurisdiction, exposing native islanders on Rongerik,
Rongelap, Ailinginae, and Utirik atolls, all of which were evacuated on 3 March. The highest doses were to the 64 inhabitants of
Rongelap Atoll (about 170 km from ground zero), some of whom received 175 rads before their evacuation 44 hours after the
detonation. Some reports indicate that Rongelap inhabitants (unaware of the nature of the fallout) did little to minimize exposure,
including inadvertent ingestion of fallout, contributing to acute radiation injury. Some evacuated inhabitants of downwind atolls later
developed thyroid hypofunction; thyroid exposure for some who were children at time of exposure is estimated at 700-1,400 rad and
at 325 rad for some adults. Those who were children at Rongelap show high frequencies of thyroid anomalies, and one 19-year old
male died in 1972 of leukemia (age 1 year at time of exposure).[4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
The W71 was the high-yield warhead developed for the Spartan ABM. The W71's yield was too large for underground testing at the
Nevada Test Site, so Amchitka Island in the Alaskan Aleutians was selected as a site. To evaluate concerns over this site, a test of 1.2
megatons was conducted at Amchitka on 2 October 1969 (Milrow). Political opposition to the W-71 test (and the Safeguard ABM
system in general) included an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court attempting to block the test on the scheduled day; the Court rejected
the appeal 4-3, allowing the test to procede.[9] On 6 November 1971 the Spartan's warhead, the W71, was tested at full yield in shot

Cannikin of Operation Grommet. At the bottom of a 1.76 km-deep shaft,[9] the warhead's yield was reported as "approximately" 5
mt[10] or "less than 5 megatons"[9], estimated here as about 4.8 megatons.

Soviet nuclear tests with yield over 4 megatons

Note: all the tests listed below were conducted at the Novaya Zemlya test site.
date (GMT)
number
time (GMT)

location
lat/long

HOB (m)
type

yield
device
notes
(mt) % fission

06 Oct 1961
0700:12.2

113

NZNTS-MB
74.3N, 51.6E

2700
atmospheric

23 Oct 1961
1030:48.0

123

NZNTS
70.70N, 54.56E

3500
airdrop

12.5

30 Oct 1961
0833:27.8

130

NZNTS
73.8N, 53.5E

3500
airdrop

31 Oct 1961
0829:17.2

131

NZNTS
73.6N, 56.2E

2200
atmospheric

05 Aug 1962
147
0908:45.8

NZNTS
74.2N, 52.5E

3600
atmospheric

21.1

25 Aug 1962
158
0900

NZNTS
73N, 55E

2980
atmospheric

10?

RDS-220
3%

27 Aug 1962
158
0900:50.9

NZNTS
74.7N, 50.3E

3000
atmospheric

4.2

19 Sep 1962
1100:56.4

168

NZNTS
73.8N, 53.8E

3280
atmospheric

10?

25 Sep 1962
1302:31.7

173

NZNTS
73.7N, 55.0E

4090
atmospheric

19.1

27 Sep 1962
0803:16.4

174

NZNTS
74.3N, 52.4E

3900
atmospheric

20?

22 Oct 1962
0906:10.1

183

NZNTS
73.4N, 54.9E

3230
atmospheric

8.2

24 Dec 1962
1111:42.0

219

NZNTS
73.6N, 57.5E

3750
atmospheric

24.2

27 Oct 1973
0700:00.61

392

NZNTS-SS
-1900?
4?
70.780N, 54.035E underground

clean?

The largest Soviet nuclear tests

In October 1961 there were four Soviet tests of at least 4 mt (although the yield of one is uncertain). All were conducted at the Novaya
Zemlya test site. They are listed below with the detonation altitude and yield reported by Russia's MINATOM, and the yield reported
by Western sources:

on 6 October, 2700 m altitude, 4 mt (MINATOM) or several mt (Western);

on 23 October, 3500 m altitude[11], 12.5 mt (MINATOM) or 25 mt (Western);
on 30 October, 3500 m altitude, 50 mt (MINATOM) or 58 mt (Western); and

on 31 October, 2200 m altitude, 5 mt (MINATOM) or several mt (Western).[12, 13]

(A test on 4 October reported by MINATOM as 1.5 to 10 mt has been estimated as about 3 mt.)
The 30 October test was that of the RDS-220 and was the highest yield nuclear detonation ever conducted. The largest nuclear weapon
ever developed by any nuclear power was the Soviet RDS-220,[14] also nicknamed "Big Ivan", "Vanya" or "Tsar Bomba" (King of
Bombs). It was a three-stage weapon weighing 24.8 metric tons and was 8 meters long. Its 2-meter diameter required a specially
modified version of the Tu-95 Bear bomber for delivery. The single such Tu-95V carried the RDS-220 partially protruding from the
bomb bay.[15, 16] The U.S.S.R. tested this design in an airdrop over Novaya Zemlya on 30 October 1961 at a yield of about 58
megatons.[17, 18, 22] However, this was a reduced yield "clean" version: the uranium sleeve on the tertiary stage was replaced with
lead, and the fission yield was only 3% of the total yield.[15] The full yield version had a yield variously reported as 100 mt [16] or
150 mt [14]. About 80% of the fallout from the "Tsar Bomba" test was deposited as global fallout.[19]
Some sources report the burst altitude as 3500 m[12], while Russian sources give the burst altitude as 4000 m[20]. It was dropped
from the Tu-95V bomber from an altitude of 10,500 m by parachute, allowing the bomber to reach a distance of 45 km before
detonation. Reportedly buildings were damaged by the blast "hundreds of kilometers" from ground zero.[21]
The yield of the 30 October 1961 test remains the subject of some debate. Best estimate here is that the actual yield was 57-58 mt,
based on the following:

secrecy (e.g. exact yields for several high yield Soviet tests are still unannounced by Russia [20]), combined with the desire to
minimize the issue of fallout associated with the test. The current Russian figures for the Tsar Bomba test, 50 mt yield at 4000
m altitude, place it safely 9% above the Russian agency's threshold defining "air explosions," where "the expanding fireball
does not touch the ground surface" [27], whereas the Western data of 57-58 mt yield at 3500 m altitude place it 9% below this
threshold.
Thus the issue regarding the test yield is plausibly explained by the test exceeding its predicted yield by 15% (still close to design
yield, given U.S. test experience) at an actual yield of 57-58 mt, with the current Russian government finding various reasons to prefer
the 50 mt yield figure.
The 1962 test series included up to eight tests over 4 mt (the yield of several are uncertain). These high yield tests were all conducted
at Novaya Zemlya. MINATOM-reported burst height and yield and Western yield estimates are:

on 5 August, 3600 m altitude, 21.1 mt (MINATOM) or 30 mt (Western);

on 25 August, 2980 m altitude, 1.5 to 10 mt (MINATOM) or several mt (Western);
on 27 August, 3000 m altitude, 4.2 mt (MINATOM) or 14 mt (Western);
on 19 September, 3280 m altitude, 1.5 to 10 mt (MINATOM) or 20 mt (Western);
on 25 September, 4090 m altitude, 19.1 mt (MINATOM) or 25 mt (Western);
on 27 September, 3900 m altitude, over 10 mt (MINATOM) or less than 30 mt (Western);
on 22 October, 3230 m altitude, 8.2 mt (MINATOM) or several mt (Western); and
on 24 December, 3750 m altitude, 24.2 mt (MINATOM) or about 20 mt (Western).[12, 13]

The 19 September and (probably) the 27 September tests were competing designs for a high-yield warhead, probably for ICBM
delivery. Andrei Sakharov describes his unsuccessful efforts to stop the test of the competing design on the grounds that it would
unnessecarily increase global fallout.[28] The last multimegaton test, that on 24 December, was a reduced yield version of the
Chelyabinsk high-yield weapon design (yield of the full-yield version was 50 mt).[12, 25]
Two high yield tests were conducted underground at the southern island of Novaya Zemlya in 1973. At least one probably exceeded 4
mt in yield. The yield of these and other Soviet underground tests were the subject of debate in the West for years, with some sources
suggesting that published yield estimates were too high. Based on recent information from Russian sources, it appears if anything that
the Western estimates had been too low. MINATOM has reported a total yield of 7.8 mt for the two 1973 tests at Novaya Zemlya. The

first test, on 12 September, involved a salvo detonation of one device reported as 1.5 to 10 mt in yield plus two with yields between
0.15 and 1.5 mt. The total yield for this test was about 4 mt. The test on 27 October is reported by MINATOM as between 1.5 and 10
mt in yield. Western estimates have ranged from 2.8 to 4.9 mt; recent reports place the yield at 3.5 mt. If this is correct, the 12
September test yield was about 4.2 mt, of which about 3-3.5 mt was the larger device.[12, 13, 25, 30, 31, 32] Both tests were probably
reduced yield versions of warheads for ICBMs nearing deployment.

The largest PRC nuclear test

On 17 November 1976 the P.R.C. conducted its largest nuclear test. A thermonuclear device was dropped from an H-6 bomber over
Lop Nur test site and detonated with a yield of 4 mt. This was probably a test version of the warhead for the DF-5 ICBM, possibly at
reduced yield.[33]

Nuclear Weapons Effects: Some data

by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 23 June 2002

Table 1: Effects summary

slant ranges from airbursts
yield
(kt)

blast
flash
prompt radiation
50% fatal 50% fatal
50% fatal
(km)

(km)

0.01

0.15

0.074

0.30

0.1

0.32

0.22

0.54

0.3

0.46

0.37

0.70

0.69

0.64

0.87

1.0

1.5

1.7

1.2

1.9

2.2

1.4

2.5

3.0

1.6

100

3.2

3.9

1.7

200

4.0

4.9

1.8

500

5.5

6.4

2.0

1000

6.9

7.8

2.1

3000

2.3

20000

2.8

150000 37

3.2

Table 2: Shock effects

yield

crater diameter range of 3-m tsunami altitude to maximize

in dry soil for
from shallow
radius of 10-psi
surface burst underwater explosion
overpressure

(kt)

(m)

(km)

(m)

0.01

0.023

0.1

0.080

100

0.3

0.15

140

0.28

210

0.52

310

1.0

460

1.5

580

120

2.5

790

100

150

3.6

1000

200

180

5.3

1200

500

240

8.7

1700

1000

300

2100

3000

410

3100

20000

730

5800

200

11300

150000 1300

Table 3: Blast effects

for airburst at altitude to maximize radius of 10-psi overpressure (see Table 2)
20 psi overpressure,
severe damage

yield

5 psi overpressure,
50% fatalities

1 psi overpressure,
some injuries

slant range GZ range arrival time slant range GZ range arrival time slant range GZ range arrival time
(kt)

(km)

(s)

(km)

(s)

(km)

(s)

0.01

0.070

0.053

0.084

0.15

0.14

0.30

0.38

0.37

1.0

0.1

0.15

0.11

0.18

0.32

0.30

0.64

0.81

2.1

0.3

0.22

0.16

0.26

0.46

0.44

0.92

1.2

3.0

0.32

0.24

0.39

0.69

0.66

1.4

1.8

1.7

4.6

0.47

0.35

0.56

1.0

0.95

2.0

2.5

6.6

0.70

0.53

0.84

1.5

1.4

3.0

3.8

3.7

0.88

0.66

1.1

1.9

1.8

3.7

4.8

4.7

1.2

0.90

1.4

2.5

2.4

5.1

6.4

100

1.5

1.1

1.8

3.2

3.0

6.4

8.1

200

1.9

1.4

2.3

4.0

3.8

8.1

500

2.6

1.9

3.1

5.5

5.2

1000

3.2

2.4

3.9

6.9

6.6

3000

4.7

3.5

5.6

9.5

20000

8.8

6.6

120

150000 17

240

Table 4: Thermal flash effects, 20 km visibility

20 km visibility, for airburst at altitude to maximize radius of 10-psi overpressure (see Table 2)
yield

time to

time for 80% ignition of cardboard/wood 50% third degree burns 50% first degree burns

maximum thermal
intensity

of thermal
release

slant range

GZ range

slant range

GZ range

(s)

(km)

(kt)

slant range GZ range

(km)

0.01

0.005

0.03

0.045

N/A

0.074

0.058

0.13

0.12

0.1

0.015

0.08

0.14

0.10

0.22

0.20

0.39

0.38

0.3

0.025

0.13

0.23

0.18

0.37

0.34

0.64

0.62

0.042

0.22

0.41

0.35

0.64

0.60

1.1

0.068

0.35

0.69

0.62

1.0

0.97

1.7

0.12

0.60

1.2

1.1

1.7

1.6

2.6

0.16

0.81

1.6

1.5

2.2

2.1

3.4

0.23

1.2

2.3

2.2

3.0

2.9

4.6

4.5

100

0.32

1.6

3.0

2.8

3.9

3.7

5.6

5.5

200

0.43

2.2

3.8

3.6

4.9

4.7

6.9

6.8

500

0.64

3.3

5.1

4.8

6.4

6.2

8.8

8.6

1000

0.87

4.5

6.3

5.9

7.8

7.5

3000

1.4

7.4

7.7

7.0

9.7

20000

3.3

150000 7.9

Table 5: Thermal flash effects, 80 km visibility

for airburst at altitude to maximize radius of 10-psi overpressure (see Table 2)
yield

ignition of cardboard/wood 50% third degree burns 50% first degree burns
slant range

GZ range

slant range

GZ range

(km)

(kt)

slant range GZ range

(km)

0.01

0.045

N/A

0.075

0.06

0.13

0.12

0.1

0.14

0.10

0.22

0.20

0.40

0.39

0.3

0.24

0.19

0.38

0.35

0.67

0.66

0.43

0.38

0.68

0.64

1.2

0.73

0.66

1.1

1.9

1.3

1.2

1.9

1.8

3.3

1.8

1.7

2.6

2.5

4.4

2.8

2.6

3.9

3.8

6.5

100

3.8

3.6

5.3

5.2

8.7

8.6

200

5.1

5.0

7.1

7.0

500

7.6

7.4

1000

3000

20000

150000 46

Table 6: Prompt radiation effects

for airburst at altitude to maximize radius of 10-psi overpressure (see Table 2)
yield

assumed fission
yield fraction

(kt)

1500 rad prompt radiation, 450 rad prompt radiation, 100 rad prompt radiation,
100% fatal
50% fatal
some radiation sickness
slant range

GZ range

slant range

GZ range

slant range

GZ range

(km)

(%)

0.01

100

0.20

0.19

0.30

0.44

0.1

100

0.38

0.37

0.54

0.53

0.75

0.74

0.3

100

0.53

0.51

0.70

0.69

0.91

0.90

100

0.70

0.67

0.87

0.84

1.1

100

0.85

0.79

1.0

1.3

100

1.0

0.93

1.2

1.5

100

1.2

1.0

1.4

1.2

1.7

1.6

100

1.3

1.1

1.6

1.3

1.9

1.7

100

1.4

1.1

1.7

1.4

2.0

1.8

200

1.6

1.0

1.8

1.4

2.2

1.8

500

1.7

0.26

2.0

1.0

2.3

1.6

1000

1.8

N/A

2.1

N/A

2.5

1.2

3000

2.0

N/A

2.3

N/A

2.7

N/A

20000

2.5

N/A

2.8

N/A

3.1

N/A

150000 50

3.0

N/A

3.2

N/A

3.7

N/A

Strategic Nuclear Forces of the World, March 2008

Strategic Nuclear Forces of the World, March 2008
Part 1: Introduction and Sources
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 19 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States

Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China
Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran
Part 6: Summary data

These tables summarize world strategic and theater nuclear forces. In addition to forces traditionally classified as strategic,
information on theater nuclear forces (range in excess of 500 km) are included, since many of these forces are (or could be) assigned
strategic missions (in contrast to tactical, or battlefield, missions). Numbers of deployed systems are given for January 1992 (end of
the Cold War), January 2000, March 2008 (present), and December 2012 (approximate culmination of START retirements).
These pages are under construction.
Strategic systems include:

ICBMs--intercontinental ballistic missiles, range over 5500 km;

SLBMs--submarine-launched ballistic missiles, range over 500 km;
SB--strategic bombers, armed with at least one of the following-o ALCMs--air-launched cruise missiles, range over 1000 km;
o ASMs--air-to-surface missiles, range under 1000 km;
o NGBs--nuclear gravity bombs.

Theater systems include:

MRBMs--medium-range ballistic missiles, range between 2500 km and 5500 km;
IRBMs--intermediate-range ballistic missiles, range between 1000 km and 2500 km;
SRBMs--short range ballistic missiles, range under 1000 km--note: these tables only include SRBMs with range over 500 km,
since these systems have potential strategic/theater roles.
SLCMs--sea-launched cruise missiles, range over 1000 km;
TB--theater bombers, armed with at least one of the following: ALCMs, ASMs, or NGBs.

Table columns include:

type--as identified above

system--designation, with Western designations in parenthesis
warhead--number of warheads x yield (in kilotons [kt] or megatons [mt]); if known, warhead designation is also given, type
(im=fission implosion, bf=boosted fission, tn=thermonuclear, tn-s=thermonuclear, fission fraction ~50%; tn-d=thermonuclear,
fission fraction >70%); multiple warheads are MIRVs (independently targetable) unless indicated by MRV;
MaRV=maneouverable warhead(s)
CEP--circular error probable (median miss distance) in meters
range--in km (for theater bombers, combat radius is given, or one-third the maximum range)
number deployed--includes all fielded systems regardless of alert status
notes--includes deployment mode (SSBN=nuclear ballistic missile submarine, SSB=ballistic missile submarine,
SSGN=nuclear cruise missile submarine, SSG=diesel cruise missile submarine), IOC (initial operational capability),
retirement, location
sources--see list below

Italicized figures indicate compiler's estimates.

Part 2: United States

under construction
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 14 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States
Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China

Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran

Part 6: Summary data

United States

type

system

ICBM
Minuteman II

warhead

1 x 1.2 mt
W56 (tn)

Minuteman III Mk 12 3 x 170 kt

W62 (bf?)

cep range
(m) (km)

number deployed
Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

450 13000

450

190 13000

200

notes

sources

in 1700-psi silos; IOC Jan

C84a, N92a,
1966, off alert Sep 1991,
N96a
retired May 1995
in 2000-psi silos; IOC
Aug 1970; retired Feb
2008

C84a, N92a,
N00a, N06a

1 x 170 kt
W62 (bf?)

190 .

1 x 300 kt
W87 (tn)

100 .

120

200

3 x 335 kt
W78 (tn?)

190 11300

300

150

2 x 335 kt
W78 (tn?)

190 .

150

1 x 335 kt
W78 (tn?)

190 .

200

MX Peacekeeper

10 x 300 kt
W87-0 (tn)

11000

in 2200-psi silos; IOC Oct C84a, N00a,

1986, retired Sep 2005
N06a

Minuteman IV

1x?

13000? 0

IOC in 2018?

N06a

16 per Lafayette/James
Madison/Benjamin
Franklin-class SSBN;
IOC Mar 1971, off alert
Oct 1991, retired Aug
1992

C84a, N92a

Minuteman III SERV

Minuteman III Mk
12A

SLBM
Poseidon

Trident I

10 x 40 kt
W68 (bf)

8 x 100 kt
W76 (bf?)

460 4600

160

300 7400

192

in 2000-psi silos; IOC

with SERV warhead in
Oct 2006; as of 2008
based near FE Warren
AFB in three states: WY
(19), NE (85), and CO
(46)

in 2000-psi silos; IOC

Dec 1979; as of 2008
based near Malmstrom
AFB, MT (150) and
Minot AFB, ND (150)

A98a, C84a,
N00a, N06a

C84a, N06a

A98a, C84a,
N92a, N00a,
N06a
A98a, C84a,
N00a, N06a
.

16 per James
Madison/Benjamin

C84a, N92a

Franklin-class SSBN;
IOC Oct 1979, retired
1994

Trident II Mk 4

Trident II Mk 4A

Trident II Mk 5

8 x 100 kt
W76 (bf?)

300 7400

192

8 x 100 kt
W76 (bf?)

150 .

168

6 x 100 kt
W76 (bf?)

150 .

270

4 x 100 kt
W76 (bf?)

150 .

120

6 x 100 kt
W76-1 (bf?)

150 .

4 x 100 kt
W76-1 (bf?)

150 .

120

8 x 475 kt
W88 (tn-s?)

120 7400

6 x 475 kt
W88 (tn-s?)

120 .

4 x 475 kt

120 .

24 per Ohio-class SSBN;

IOC 1982, downloaded to C84a, N92a,
6 warheads each in 2001, N00a, N06a
retired in Oct 2005
24 per Ohio-class SSBN;
IOC 1992, downloaded to
6 warheads each in .; as of
2008 home ports at
Bangor, WA (9 SSBN)
and Kings Bay, GA (5
SSBN), includes 2 SSBN
in refit, average 7 SSBN
at sea on alert

N92a, N00a,
N06a

24 per Ohio-class SSBN;

IOC in Mar 2008, see
above for basing

N06a

24 per Ohio-class SSBN;

IOC Mar 1990,
downloaded to 6
warheads each in ., mixed
with missiles carrying
W76 warheads, see above
for basing

N92a, N00a,
N06a

N00a, N06a

N06a
.

W88 (tn-s?)
Trident II Mk5 E2

4 x 400 kt?
RWW-1

24 per Ohio-class SSBN,

IOC in 2014

on new SSBN(X), IOC in

N06a
2029?

<12 x ALCM and 4 x

NGB

10000

retired 1992

conventional

10000

for conventional missions;

*
IOC 1958

SB
B-52G Stratofortress

N06a

N92a

<20 x ALCM

12000

as of 2008 based at
Barksdale AFB, LA (38), N92a, N00a,
and Minot AFB, ND (18); N06a
currently not on alert

conventional

12000

reserve aircraft; IOC

1961; as of 2008 based at N06a
Barksdale AFB, LA (9), ..
IOC Oct 1986, all
converted to conventional N92a, N00a
roles by 1997

B-52H Stratofortress

B-1B Lancer
16 x NGB/ALCM

9000

non-nuclear

9000

conventional missions or N00a

training/testing; as of
2008 based at Dyess AFB,
TX (38) and Ellsworth
AFB, SD (29)

B-2A Spirit

NGB

IOC 1995, currently not

on alert; as of 2008 based N00a, N06a
at Whiteman AFB, MO

B-2A Spirit

conventional

for testing, as of 2008

based at Whiteman AFB,
MO

ALCM-B

1 x 150 kt
W80-1, variable
yield 5-150 kt

2400

1600 400

400

IOC Dec 1982; as of 2006

based at Barksdale AFB,
A98a, N06a
LA (300) and Minot AFB,
ND (100)

ACM

1 x 150 kt
W80-1, variable
yield 5-150 kt

3000

100

460

IOC Mar 1991; retired

2007

A98a, N06a

JECM

1 x 150 kt?

possible ALCM
replacement

N06a

B53 Y1

1 x 9 mt
(tn-d)

B61-6/7

1 x 500 kt
(tn) yield
selectable from
10/100/345/500
kt

ALCM

NGB

B61-11

1 x 350 kt
(tn) yield

N00a, N06a

IOC Oct 1962, retired

1997, as of 2008 awaiting *
disassembly

150 0

800

IOC Sep 1985

N06a

150 0

128

120

160

IOC Feb 1997

N06a

selectable from
10/100/350 kt
1 x 1.2 mt
(tn) yield
variable low1200 kt

B83-1

type

system

warhead

1 x 200 kt
SLCM Tomahawk TLAM/N W80-0 (tn)
variable yield

150 0

cep range
(m) (km)

2500

700

128

120

160

IOC 1984

N06a

number deployed
Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

notes

sources

formerly based on SSN,

surface ships; IOC Jun
1984, off alert 1992; as of
2008 about 320 in storage
C84a, N06a
at Kings Bay, GA, and
Bangor, WA, could be
used on SSN and Ohioclass SSGN

F-15E Strike Eagle

2 x B61-3/4/10

IOC 1992; as of 2008

based at RAF Lakenheath,
UK (55), and Seymour
A98a, K05a,
Johnson AFB, NC (25),
N04a, N05a,
none on alert; additional
N06a
conventional-armed
aircraft at various
locations

F-16A/B

1 x B61-3/4

IOC .; non-US NATO

A98a, K05a,

aircraft carrying US
weapons; as of 2008
based at Kleine Brogel
AB, Belgium (20), and
Volkel AB, Netherlands
(20), none on alert

N04a

F-16C/D

2 x B61-3/4/10

125

100

IOC .; as of 2008 based at

Incirlink AB, Turkey (20),
and Aviano AB, Italy (25), A98a, K05a,
none on alert; additional N04a, N05a,
conventional-armed
N06a
aircraft at various
locations

F-35 JSF

1 x B61

IOC 2012

IOC .; non-US NATO

aircraft carrying US
weapons; as of 2008
A98a, K05a,
based at Buchel AB,
N04a
Germany (20) and Ghedi
Torre AB, Italy (20), none
on alert

K05a, N04a,
N06a

K05a, N04a,

Tornado PA-200

1 x B61-3/4

B61-3

1 x 170 kt
(tn) yield
selectable from
0.3, 1.5, 60, 170
kt

150 0

220

150

IOC 1979; in US and

forward based in
Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Netherlands, Turkey, UK
(see above)

B61-4

1 x 45 kt

150 0

220

150

IOC 1979; in US and

NGB

N06a

B61-10

(tn) yield
selectable from
0.3, 1.5, 10, 45
kt

forward based in
Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Netherlands, Turkey, UK
(see above)

N06a

1 x 80 kt
(tn) yield
selectable from
0.3, 5, 10, 80 kt

IOC 1990; in US and

forward based in
Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Netherlands, Turkey, UK
(see above)

K05a, N04a,
N06a

150 0

140

Part 3: Russia
under construction
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 19 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States
Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China
Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran
Part 6: Summary data

140

Russia

warhead

cep
(m)

range
(km)

number deployed

type

system

ICBM

UR-100K
(SS-11 Mod 2 Sego)

1 x 1.3 mt
1100 12000
15F842 (tn)

in silos; IOC 1973,

retired 1994

P01a, Z02a

UR-100U
(SS-11 Mod 3 Sego)

3 x 350 kt
MRV

900

200

in silos; IOC 1973,

retired 1994

P01a, Z02a

RT-2P
(SS-13 Mod 2 Savage)

1 x 1 mt
15F1

1500 10200

in silos; IOC Dec

1972, retired 1996

P01a, Z02a

MR UR-100UTTH
(SS-17 Mod 3 Spanker)

4 x 550 kt
15F161

400

11000

in silos; IOC Oct

1978, retired 1994

P01a, Z02a

R-36MUTTH
(SS-18 Mod 4 Satan)

10 x 550 kt
15F183

400

11500

222

117

10600

Jan Jan Mar Dec

1992 2000 2008 2012

notes

in 5000-psi silos;
N00b, P01a,
IOC Sep 1979 (Mod P06a, Z02a

R-36M2 Voevoda
(SS-18 Mod 5 Satan)

10 x 750 kt
220
15F173/175

11000

R-36M2 Voevoda
(SS-18 Mod 6 Satan)

1 x 20 mt
(tn)

220

16000

UR-100N
(SS-19 Mod 2 Stiletto)

1 x 5 mt
(tn)

9650

UR-100NUTTH
(SS-19 Mod 3 Stiletto)

6 x 550 kt

400

10000

290

140

220

11000

in silos; IOC Aug

1988, retired

rail-mobile basing;
IOC Dec 1987,
retired in 2005

P01a, Z02a

RT-23 UTTH Molodets 15Zh60

10 x 550 kt
(SS-24 Mod 1 Scalpel)
RT-23 UTTH Molodets 15Zh61
10 x 550 kt
(SS-24 Mod 2 Scalpel)
RT-2PM Topol
(SS-25 Sickle)

1 x 550 kt

220

11000

220

11000

306

360

201

120

4), Jul 1988 (Mod

N05b, P01a,
5), Aug 1990 (Mod P06a, Z02a
6); as of 2008 based
at Dombarovsky
(41) and Uzhur (34); P01a, Z02a
Mod 4 to retire 2008
in 5000-psi silos;
IOC 1977 (Mod 2),
Nov 1979 (Mod 3);
as of 2008 based at
Tatishchevo (50)
and Kozelsk (50)

P01a, Z02a
P01a, P06a,
Z02a

on road-mobile
N00b, P01a,
TELs; IOC Jul 1985, P06a, P06d,
being retired; as of Z02a
2008 based at
Vypolzovo (18),
Teykovo (12),
Yoshkar-Ola (27),
Nizhniy Tagil (36),
Novosibirsk (45),
Irkutsk (27), and

Barnaul (36)
1 x 1 mt

11000

in silos; IOC Dec

P06a, P06d,
1997; as of 2008
Z02a
based at Tatishchevo

N05b

1 x 1 mt

350

11000

on road-mobile
TELs; IOC Dec
2006; as of 2008
based at Teykovo

3x?

350

11000

on road-mobile
TELs

N05b

RS-24 Yars
(SS-X-29?)

10? x ?

10000? 0

on road-mobile
TELs?; IOC 2009?

N05b

R-27 Zyb
(SS-N-6 Mod 2)

2 x 500 kt
(tn), MRV

2500

16 per 667 Navaga

(Yankee I)-class
SSBN

1 x 1 mt
(tn)

9000

204

12 per 667B Murena

(Delta I)-class
*
SSBN
16 per 667BD
Murena-M (Delta
II)-class SSBN;
retired 1996

RT-2PM2 Topol-M
(SS-27 Sickle)

SLBM

350

R-29D
(SS-N-8 Mod 2 Sawfly)

R-29R Volna
(SS-N-18 Mod 1)

1 x 1 mt
(tn)

9000

3 x 500 kt

900

6500

224

192

16 per Project
P06b
667BDR (Delta III)-

R-29K Volna
(SS-N-18 Mod 3)

4 x 200 kt

900

6500

class SSBN; as of
2006 home ported at
Rybachiy,
Vladivostok (4
P06b
SSBN), and
Gadzhiyevo,
Murmansk (2
SSBN)
20 per Project 941
Akula (Typhoon)class SSBN; as of
2006 two laid up,
one SSBN in refit
for Bulava

R-39 Rif-Ma
(SS-N-20 Mod 2)

10 x 200 kt

500

8300

120

R-29RM Shtil
(SS-N-23)

4 x 200 kt

350

8300

112

R-29RM Sineva
(SS-N-23)

10 x 250 kt

350

8300

Bulava

6 x 250 kt

350

16 per Project
P06b
667BDRM (Delta
IV)-class SSBN;
IOC 1986; Sineva
IOC 2007; 6 SSBN
at Gadzhiyevo,
Murmansk,
including 2 in
P06b
refit/conversion to
Sineva; average 1 on
patrol but others can
launch missiles from
port
20 per Project 941

P06b

Akula (Typhoon)class SSBN; as of

2006 one SSBN on
sea trials for Bulava
testing

(SS-NX-30)
6 x 250 kt

16 per Borey-class
SSBN; IOC 2008

P06b

Tupolev-95K-22
(Bear G)

2 x Kh-22
and 4 x NGB

9800

Tupolev-95MS6
(Bear H6)

6 x Kh-55

Tupolev-95MS16
(Bear H16)

16 x Kh-55

12 x Kh-55SM

based at Ukrainka,
Khabarovsk Kray

P05a

24 x Kh-15A

based at Ukrainka

4? x NGB

based at Ukrainka

Tupolev-160
(Blackjack)

Kh-55 (AS-15A)

*
based at Ukrainka,
Khabarovsk Kray
(40), Engels,
Saratov (18), and
Ryazan (6)

P05a
P05a

1 x 250 kt

3000

824

704

P05a

1 x 250 kt

180

P05a

Kh-102

1 x 250 kt

IOC ?

P05a

Kh-15A
(AS-16)

1 x 300 kt

300

ALCM Kh-55SM (AS-15B)

ASM

350

NGB
type

Kh-22 Burya
(AS-4)

1 x 1 mt

1000 .

1 x 1 mt

180

system
RKP-55 Granat
(SS-N-21)

SLCM

cep
(m)

warhead

1 x 250 kt

P-750 Meteorit
(SS-N-24)

1 x 1 mt

Tupolev-22M3
(Backfire C)

range
(km)
3000

number deployed
notes

Jan Jan Mar Dec

1992 2000 2008 2012
80

notes

5000

12 per 667M
Andromeda
(Yankee)-class
SSGN; 1 SSGN
completed in 1984,
retired 1994, but
may have never
been operational

300

130

116

100

Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China

under construction
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 19 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States
Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China
Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran
Part 6: Summary data

strategic missions (in contrast to tactical, or battlefield, missions). Numbers of deployed systems are given for January 1992 (end of
the Cold War), January 2000, March 2008 (present), and December 2012 (approximate culmination of START retirements).
These pages are under construction. Please refer to the Introduction for further details, explanation of table and abbreviations, and
sources.

United Kingdom

type

system

Polaris A3TK
SLBM

warhead

number deployed
cep range
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

2 x 40 kt
900 4700
TK-100?, MRV

4 x 100 kt

150 7400

1 x 10 kt

150 11000 0

1300

NGB

France

Tornado GR1 1 x WE-177A/B

notes

16 per Resolution-class SSBN; IOC

N94a, N96b
Jun 1982, retired Aug 1996
16 per Vanguard-class SSBN; IOC
Dec 1994; 4 SSBN total but only 3
operational at any time, one on
patrol; as of 2006 home port in
Faslane, Scotland

N94a, N01a,
N05c

IOC Jul 1982, retired Mar 1998

N94a, N05c

Trident II

notes

N94a, N01a,
N05c

WE-177A

1 x 200 kt

IOC Oct 1966, retired Mar 1998

N94a, N05c

WE-177B

1 x 400 kt

IOC Oct 1966, retired Mar 1998

N94a, N05c

type

SLBM

system

notes

M-4A

6 x 150 kt
330 4000
TN-70 (tn)

16 per Inflexible-class SSBN; IOC May 1985,

N94a
retired 2001

M-4B

6 x 150 kt
300 5000
TN-71 (tn)

16 per Inflexible-class SSBN; IOC Dec 1987,

N94a
retired 2005

M-45

6 x 110 kt
TN-75

200 6000

16 per Triomphant-class SSBN; IOC Sep

1996; as of 2006 home port in Ile Longue,
Brest

N94a

M-51.1

6 x 110 kt
TN-75

200 6000

16 per Triomphant-class SSBN; IOC 2010

M-51.2

6 x 100 kt?
200 6000
TNO

16 per Triomphant-class SSBN; IOC 2015

1 x 1.2 mt
.
TN-61 (tn)

3500

based in silos; IOC Jun 1980, retired Sep

1996

N94a

Super Etendard 1 x ASMP

700

based on one carrier; IOC Apr 1989 with

ASMP

N94a

Mirage IVP

1 x ASMP

1500

IOC May 1986, retired Jul 1996

N94a

Mirage 2000N

1 x ASMP

1300

IOC Jul 1988; as of 2006 based at Luxeuilles-Bains (40) and Istres (20)

N94a

Mirage 2000N
K3

1 x ASMP-A

1300

IOC 2007?

MRBM S-3D Durcie

warhead

number deployed
cep range
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

ASM

Rafale M F3

1 x ASMP-A

ASMP TN-80

1100

IOC 2007?

N94a

1 x 300 kt
380 300
TN-80 (tn)

IOC May 1986

N94a

ASMP TN-81

1 x 300 kt
380 300
TN-81 (tn)

IOC Jul 1988

N94a

ASMP-A

1 x 300 kt?
.
TNA

IOC 2010?

450

P.R. China

type

system
Dong Feng 5
(CSS-4 Mod 1)
Dong Feng 5A
(CSS-4 Mod 2)

ICBM
Dong Feng 31
(CSS-X-10)

warhead

cep
(m)

number deployed
range
(km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

notes

1 x 5 mt

500

12000 4

1 x 5 mt

500

13000 4

4 x 650 kt

500

13000 0

in silos; plans for MIRVed missiles

unknown

1 x 1 mt

450

8000

IOC 2005

A98a, N94a

450

12000 0

IOC 2008

N94a

450

12000 0

plans for MIRVed missiles unknown

Dong Feng 31A 1 x 1 mt

(CSS-X-10)
3 x 250 kt

in silos; IOC 1981 (DF-5); based at

Luoning, Xuanhua, ?

A98a, N94a
A98a, N94a

Julang 1
(CSS-NX-3)
SLBM

Julang 2
(CSS-NX-4)

Dong Feng 3A
(CSS-2)

1 x 300 kt

1700

12 per Xia-class SSBN; IOC 1989; as

A98a, N94a
of 2006 home port at Jianggezhuang

1 x 1 mt

8000

16 per 094-class SSBN; IOC 20052010

N94a

3 x 250 kt

8000

16 per 094-class SSBN; plans for

MIRVed missiles unknown

N94a

on TELs; IOC May 1971; based at

Jianshui (8), Kunming (8), Yidu (8),
Tonghua (8), Dengshahe (4), and
Lianxiwang (10)

A98a, N94a

1 x 3.3 mt

1000 2900

MRBM
Dong Feng 4
(CSS-3)

1 x 3.3 mt

IRBM

Dong Feng 21A

1 x 300 kt
(CSS-5)

SRBM

Dong Feng 15
(M-9)

Hong 6
(B-6)
?

1 x 3.3 mt

NGB

1400 5500

on TELs in caves; IOC Aug 1981;

based at Da Qaidam (2), Delingha (2),
A98a, N94a
Sundian (2), Tongdao (2), and Xiao
Qaidam (2)

on TELs; IOC 1985; based at

Tonghua (16), Jianshui (8), and
Lianxiwang (16)

A98a, N94a

N94a

1800

600

based on TELs; IOC 1995; some

based opposite ROC Taiwan; nuclear
version unconfirmed

1 x NGB

3100

120

IOC 1965; based at Datong (40), two

other bases (80)

A98a, N94a

2? x ALCM

3100

120

based with Hong 6 (see above)

1 x 10 kt

450

ALCM

YJ-63

1 x 250 kt? .

Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran

under construction
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 19 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States
Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China
Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran
Part 6: Summary data

These pages are under construction. Please refer to the Introduction for further details, explanation of table and abbreviations, and
sources.

Israel

type

system

number deployed
cep range
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

warhead

notes

sources

1 x 200 kt
(bf)

3000

Ya-3 (Jericho II)

1 x 200 kt
(bf)

1500

on TELs in caves and shelters; IOC

1985?; based at Zekhariah

Ya-3 (Jericho IIB)

1 x 200 kt
(bf)

2000

on TELs in caves and shelters; based at

.
Zekhariah

SRBM

Ya-1 (Jericho I)

1 x 60 kt

1000 500

on TELs in caves and shelters; IOC

1973?; based at Zekhariah

SLCM

Popeye Turbo

1 x 60 kt

1500

5 per Dolphin-class SSG

F-16

1 x NGB

1600

IOC 1980; based at Tel Nof, other bases .

F-15I Ra'am

1 x NGB

4450

IOC Jan 98; based at Tel Nof

1 x 20 kt?

IOC 1968?

1 x 200 kt? .

IOC 1985?

MRBM Ya-4 (Jericho III)

IRBM

TB
NGB

(bf)
India

type

system

warhead

number deployed
cep range
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

notes

sources

ICBM

Surya

1x?

12000 0

SLBM

Sagarika

1x?

1000

IOC 2010+

1 x 20 kt

3500

Agni I

1 x 20 kt

1500

Agni II

1 x 200 kt? .

2000

Jaguar IS/IB

1 x NGB

800

based at Ambala? .

1800

based at Gwalior? .

MRBM Agni III

IRBM

TB
NGB

Mirage 2000H/Vajra 1 x NGB

1 x 35 kt?

Pakistan

type

system

number deployed
cep range
warhead
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

notes

sources

MRBM Ghauri 3

1x?

3000

IRBM

Ghauri 1

1 x 20 kt

200 1400

IOC 1998?

SRBM

Shaheen 1
1 x 20 kt
(M-9)

700

F-16A/B

1 x NGB

1600

based at Sargodha AB .

NGB

1 x 35 kt? .

North Korea

type

ICBM
SLBM
MRBM
IRBM
Iran

system
(Taepodong 2)

number deployed
cep range
warhead
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012
1 x 50 kt .

6200

notes

sources

(Taepodong 2, 3-stage) 1 x 50 kt .

15000 0

IOC 2015+

(R-27)

1 x 30 kt .

3500

3 per Golf-class SSB .

(R-27)

1 x 30 kt .

3500

IOC 2005

(Taepodong 1)

1 x 30 kt .

2300

IOC 2000?

(Nodong)

1 x 30 kt .

1500

type

system

number deployed
cep range
warhead
(m) (km) Jan Jan Mar Dec
1992 2000 2008 2012

MRBM Shahab 3D 1 x 20 kt 190 2000

notes

sources

IOC 2009?; on TELs in caves V05a

Part 6: Summary Data

under construction
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 19 April 2008

Part 1: Introduction and sources

Part 2: United States
Part 3: Russia
Part 4: United Kingdom, France, and P.R. China
Part 5: Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran
Part 6: Summary data

These pages are under construction. Please refer to the Introduction for further details, explanation of table and abbreviations, and
sources.

United States: strategic warheads

United States: strategic megatonnage

Jan 1992 Jan 2000 Mar 2008 Dec 2012

ICBMs

2450

2000

900

500

ICBMs

1094

554

292

161

SLBMs

5440

3264

2016

1344

SLBMs

598

470

346

278

bombers 3205

1116

640

720

bombers 1540

327

246

308

total

6380

3556

2564

total

1351

884

747

11095

Russia: strategic warheads

3232

Russia: strategic megatonnage

Jan 1992 Jan 2000 Mar 2008 Dec 2012

ICBMs

6774

3445

1535

1287

ICBMs

4021

2162

1088

826

SLBMs

2780

1624

1480

1056

SLBMs

1030

498

315

258

bombers 1166

776

884

bombers 494

194

221

total

5845

3899

3227

total

2854

1624

1305

10720

5545

All nations: strategic and theater warheads

All nations: strategic megatonnage

Jan 1992 Jan 2000 Mar 2008 Dec 2012

200

156

26.7

14.5

France

482

454

444

France

103

70.9

63.2

60.2

PRC

246

273

313

438

PRC

681

702

712

635

Israel

135

160

Israel

9.2

15.7

19.3

India

0.4

0.5

3.8

Pakistan

0.2

0.5

0.8

North Korea 0

0.1

0.2

Iran

total

1033

1050

1150

total

821

804

814

USA

11605

6820

3886

2894

USA

3285

1394

916

779

Russia

11412

6185

4211

3507

Russia

5727

2939

1702

1375

total, all

24050

14055

9247

total, all

9833

5137

3432

0.1

NASR/HATF -IX: A Technical Analysis

The Pakistani short range surface to surface multi tube ballistic missile called Hatf-IX (NASR) has been tested thrice on April 19, 2011, May 29, 2012 and February 11, 2013. The NASR with a range of 60 km
carries is claimed to carry "nuclear warheads of appropriate yield with high accuracy, shoot and scoot attributes." The discernible difference is a two-tube launcher was employed for the first flight, whereas a
4-tube launcher was employed for the second flight. The images from the ISPR press releases are shown in Figure 2.The carrier vehicle for the missile is said to be AR1A/A100-E multiple launch rocket system
(MLRS), procured by Pakistan from China. The A100-E artillery rocket system has 10 launching ubes for 300 mm diameter rockets of nominal length 7.3 m and nominal weight of 840 kg. It is claimed by certain
sources that Pakistan procured a battalion (36 numbers) of this system from China for initial evaluation and is likely to order further numbers.
Comparison of the images (Figure 3) of the NASR carrier vehicle with A100-E does show close resemblance. As the calibre of the rockets on A100-E is 300 mm researchers have assumed the NASR diameter also
to be 300 mm. Pakistan is certainly capable of building a missile like the NASR, but the crucial question concerns Islamabad's capability to field a miniaturised nuclear weapon system on the NASR.
Determining The Nasr's Dimensions

Images and video footage of the NASR missile emerging from the launcher tube at an angle of 40[SUP]0[/SUP]-45[SUP]0[/SUP] to the horizontal similar to Figure 2 are available.The TEL dimensions therefore
hold the clue for determining the missile dimensions. The Chinese version of the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) equivalent to the Russian Smerch system is referred to as A-100. The Chinese modified it
and sold the AR1A also referred to as the A100-E to Pakistan. The A100-E chassis with the modified launching tube system is adapted for launching the NASR missile. The obvious similarity between the two
carrier vehicles can be seen in Figure 3
Similarities include the number of axles, the cabin, cabin mounting steps, front bumper, rear cabin ladder/ladder location and the box just ahead of the 3rd axle. The Smerch carrier was fitted with MLRS for
carrying/launching twelve missiles of 300 mm calibre. The Chinese A100-E system given to Pakistan featured ten missiles of 300 mm calibre. Based on this, it appears that Zahir Kazmi has concluded the NASR's
diameter to be 300 mm.

What Pakistan has done is to use the A100-E TEL chassis but totally replaced the multi-launch tubes, initially with a two tube system and subsequently with a 4 tube system as shown in Figures 4 and 5. It
should be possible to guess the missile dimensions using these images and the known dimensions. An examination of figures 4 and 5 indicates that:

o
o
o
o
o

The missile is slender (most missiles of this class can be expected to be so) and is fin stabilised
The launch barrel is square in shape
The missile is loaded into the tube with the fins fitting diagonally (at 45[SUP]0[/SUP])
There must be launch rails inside the tube (not visible in figure 4)
The launch angle is close to 40[SUP]0[/SUP]

The dimensions and other features of the AR 1A/A100-E TEL are indicated in Table 1.

The rear axle and the end of the vehicle are covered by the missile exhaust gases and hence is not visible. Therefore using the known length of the vehicle for proportionately determining the missile length is
not possible. Consequently, the possibility of arriving at the dimensions using the width of the vehicle was examined. Detailed dimensions of the WS 2500 TEL in use by the Pakistani defence services are
available. The width of the trailer is 3.05 m, close enough to the 3 m width of the A100-E shown in table 1. The wheel span for the WS 2500 is known to be 2.375 m and the same span can be assumed for A100E. A close up view of the aft potion of the missile, launcher tube and trailer is shown in Figure 6, from which some details can be gleaned.

It can be seen that the side of the tube is in line with the fender centre line and it can therefore be assumed that the twin tubes with the gap between them have a width equal to the wheel base. This
information is to be supplemented with additional data to get a handle on the missile dimensions. Figure 7 is a video grab taken from YouTube. From the image, the following information is evident:

o
o
o
o
o

The tube cross section is square

The launch rail is at the top inner surface of the tube
The missile has forward canards to aid stability
There are two channels on the tube sides. They may either carry electrical wiring or may provide additional support to the missile in the tube.
A connector on the outside wall at the right is also visible. This is for providing the firing current for initiating the missile launch.

Making allowances for the width of the trunnion mounting plate, for the thickness of the side wall and the gap between the tubes, the dimension of inside of the tube is estimated as 766 mm. From figure 5, it
can be seen that the missile body diameter is approximately equal to the fin semi-span, which means the diagonal of the tube section can be equally divided into three parts to represent the fins and the
missile body. From this consideration, the missile diameter is estimated to be 361 mm. From figure 5, the length to diameter ratio of the missile is estimated to be 15, from which the missile length is found to
be 5416 mm. One joint is discernible just above the 'NASR' logo and this is the connection between the missile power plant and the warhead. This joint is located 1600 mm from the nose tip. The finally
derived dimensions of the missile are shown in figure 8.

Is Nasr Nuclear Capable? A Technical Analysis

A fairly well designed power plant of the dimensions shown in figure 7 can accommodate about 350 kg of composite solid propellant and can be expected to have a range in excess of 300 km with a nominal
payload of 100-150 kg. The fact that the missile seems to be designed for a lower range indicates the propellant loading must be much lower, perhaps in the region of 75-100 kg. While this propellant quantity
can in fact be housed in a smaller calibre motor, the choice of a larger diameter for the power plant is obviously dictated by other considerations. The minimum achievable size of the warhead appears to be
the deciding factor for the diameter of the missile.
The question is to see, if a nuclear warhead can be fitted into the available dimension of 350 mm diameter and 1600 mm length. A survey of tactical nuclear weapons fielded by the United States showed that
low yield weapons can indeed be designed to fit into these dimensions as shown in Table 2 below:

The NASR warhead section has been estimated to have a cylindrical section which is 940 mm long and a conical portion which is 660 mm long. It can be seen that with the exception of W-55 and W-79, all the
warheads can fit within the NASR warhead dimensions. The questions that need to be pondered over are (a) has Pakistan miniaturised a weapon system to this level, (b) has it been tested and (c) in the
absence of tests, how reliable is the weapon system. Most importantly, in the absence of demonstrated reliability, how confident will Pakistan be in fielding it?

In the May 1998 tests, Pakistan had tested only HEU based devices. There is wide discrepancy between the Pakistani claims of the weapon yield and the international estimates. In the interview after the tests,
AQ Khan had claimed "four of the devices were small tactical weapons of low yield. Tipped on small missiles, they can be used in the battlefield against concentration of troops". The international assessment
of the yield from the Pakistani tests was 8-12 kT for the 28 May shot and 4-6 kT for the 30 May shot. Even if we accept the AQ Khan statement on tactical weapons, we are not wiser on its size; the smallest
ballistic missile tested, when AQ Khan made the statement was the Hatf- 1 which was 560 mm in diameter and had a range of 80 km. If a weapon system had been designed for Hatf-1 as claimed by Khan, it
would be too large to fit into the envelope available with NASR.
Further miniaturisation to fit into the NASR class of missiles can probably come with a Plutonium based linear implosion device. A linear implosion allows for a low density, elongated non-spherical (rugby ball
shaped) mass to be compressed into a supercritical configuration without using symmetric implosion designs. This assembly is accomplished by embedding an elliptical shaped mass in a cylinder of explosive.
The explosive is detonated on both ends, and an inert wave shaping device is required in front of the detonation points. Such a device is shown schematically in Figure 9.

Such a device requires larger quantity - almost double - of plutonium as opposed to the requirement in spherical compression. A Pakistani design of such a device can be expected to weigh at least 100 kg. In
the United States, extensive experimentation was needed to create a workable form, but this design enables the use of Plutonium as well as Uranium. The HEU device will obviously be heavier. Pakistan can at
best work on the explosive + detonator combination with surrogate material, which is not the same as testing with the actual material. In the end, what Pakistan will have is an untested device.

Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons

If a weapon name is an active link, click on it to see a picture of the weapon, or a page on it (if one exists).
Designation

Type

Width
(in.)

Length
(in.)

120

Weight
(lb.)

8,900

Yield(s)

15 - 16 Kt

Fuzing

Airburst

Deployment
Status

Comments

Used in combat in
1945, never
stockpiled; only 5 Gun-assembly HEU bomb;
bomb assemblies "Little Boy" dropped on
completed, all
Hiroshima
retired by Nov
1950

Mk-I

Bomb

Mk-II

Bomb

Theoretical
design, never
produced

Mk-III

Bomb

60.25

128

10,300

18, 20-23,
37, 49 Kt

Used in combat in
1945; mass
Plutonium implosion bomb;
production 4/47"Fat Man", Model 1561;
4/49, 120
Mods 0, 1, 2
produced; all
retired late 1950

Mk-4

Bomb

128

10,800 10,900

1, 3.5, 8, 14, Airburst

21, 22, 31 Kt

Airburst

Entered service
3/49; produced
3/49-5/51; 550
produced (all
mods);
Retired 7/52-5/53

Low-efficiency plutonium
implosion bomb

Implosion fission bomb;

redesigned weapon based on
Mk-III Mod 1; first IFI
weapon; first assembly-line
produced nuclear weapon;
used type C and D pits,

composite Pu-HEU cores; 3

mods

Atomic
T-1 / TXDemolition About 8
1
Munition

W-4

Warhead

About 150

6,500

Mk-5

Bomb

43.75

129 - 132 3,025 - 3,175

W-5

Warhead

39; 44

Low kiloton Time delay

Airburst

6, 16, 55, 60, Airburst or

100, 120 Kt contact

2,405 - 2,650; same as Mk- Airburst or

2,600 (XW-5- 5
surface
X1)

Entered service,
withdrawn, late
1940s

Developed at Picatinny
Arsenal for the U.S. Army.
The only U.S. nuclear
weapon ever developed
outside of the nuclear
laboratory system. Gunassembly HEU weapon.

Canceled 1951

Planned warhead for the

Snark SSM cruise missile;
Mk-4 bomb derivative

92 lens high efficiency

implosion bomb; used type
Entered
D pit, composite cores; first
operational
weapon with major
stockpile 5/52;
size/weight reduction over
last retired 1/63; Fat Man; used as primary
140 bombs (all (1st stage) in the first
mods) produced thermonuclear devices; 4
mods; first weapon to use
auto IFI
Start of
manufacture 4/54
(Regulus), 7/54
(Matador);
retired 7/61 1/63;
35 (Regulus), 65

Warhead for the Matador

(MGM-1) and Regulus 1
(SSM-N-8) SSM cruise
missiles; application to the
Rascal air-to-surface
canceled; first missile
warhead; produced by

(Matador)
produced

Mk-6

Bomb

128

183

7,600 - 8,500

1,645 - 1,700

modifying stockpile Mk-5

bombs

8, 26, 80,
Airburst or
154, 160 Kt contact

Improved high-yield
Manufactured
lightweight Mk-4; 7 mods;
from 7/51 to early
some Mk-4Ds were
1955; 1100
converted Mk-6 Mod 0;
bombs (all mods)
early mods had 32 lens
produced; last
implosion system, Mod 2
retired 1962
and later had 60 lens system

8, 19, 22, 30, Airburst or

31, 61 Kt
contact

Manufactured
7/52 - 2/63; in
service July
1952-1967; 1700
- 1800 produced

Mk-7 "Thor"; multipurpose

light weight tactical bomb;
92 lens implosion system; 67 yields; 10 mods, PAL A
used on late mods

W-7 warhead
manufacture
begun 12/53;
BOAR:
stockpiled 1956 1963, 225
produced;
Corporal:
stockpiled 1955 1965, 300
produced;
Honest John:
stockpiled 1954 1960, 300
produced;

Multipurpose warhead
- BOAR air-surface rocket,
the Corporal (M-2) and
Honest John (M-3) ballistic
missiles, ADM, Betty Mk 90
ASW depth bomb, Nike
Hercules SAM missile
warhead (W-7-X1/X2); 7
yields, 4 mods; Corporal
yield 2-40 Kt (several
options), ADM yield low (90
T?), Betty yield 32 Kt

Mk-7

Bomb

30.5

W-7

Warhead

30 - 30.5 54.8 - 56 900 - 1,100; 90 T; 2 - 40 Airburst,

970 (W-7-X1 / Kt
surface,
X2);
hydrostatic
983 (Betty)

ADM: stockpiled
1955-1963, 300
produced;
Betty: stockpiled
6/55 - 1960, 225
produced;
Nike Hercules:
canceled 1956

Mk-8

Bomb

14.5

116 - 132 3,230 - 3,280 25 - 30 Kt

Pyrotechnic
delay

Manufactured
Earth penetrating weapon,
11/51 - 5/53; in gun-assembly HEU bomb,
service 1/52 nicknamed "Elsie" (for LC 6/57; 40 produced light case), 2 mods; replaced
(all mods)
by the Mk-11
Gun-assembly warhead,
intended for use as a
cratering warhead for the
Regulus missile

Warhead

Canceled May
1955

W-9

Artillery
Shell

Mechanical
time delay
airburst

Used in T-124, the first U.S.

nuclear artillery shell; gunManufactured
assembly HEU weapon,
4/52 - 11/53;
modified TX-8; replaced 1Retired 5/57; 80
for-1 by W-19; only 20
produced
280mm cannons were ever
made

Mk-9 /
T-4

Atomic
Demolition
Munition

Time delay

The T-4 was built from

Stockpiled 1957; recycled W-9 warheads;
retired 1963
gun-assembly HEU weapon;
replaced by W-45

Mk-10

Bomb

Airburst

Canceled May

W-8

11.02
54.8
(280 mm)

803; 850

15 Kt

120 - 200
12

1,750; 1,500

12 - 15 Kt

"Airburst Elsie", a reduced

Mk-11

Bomb

Mk-12

Bomb

W-12

Warhead

MK-13 Bomb

W-13

Warhead

TX /
Bomb
MK-14

147

155

128

1952

size/ weight derivative of the

Mk-8; superseded by the
Mk-12

Pyrotechnic
delay

Manufactured
1/56 - 1957; in
service 1/56 1960; 40
produced

Improved Mk-8 gunassembly weapon, replaced

Mk-8 on 1-for-1 basis;
stockpiled as the "Mk-91
penetration bomb"

1,100 - 1,200 12, 14 Kt

Timer or
contact

Manufactured
12/54 - 2/57;
Retired 7/58 7/62; 250
produced

High-speed fighter-bomber
weapon; 92-point implosion
weapon; nicknamed "Brok";
probably first weapon using
beryllium tamper; 4 versions
stockpiled - 2 prototypes, 2
mods

900

Low Kt

Airburst

Canceled Nov
1955

Talos (Navy)/Talos-W
(Army) surface-air missile
warhead

7,400

32 Kt
(Upshot Knothole
Harry shot)

Airburst or
contact

Canceled Aug
1954

High-yield Mk-6 follow-on,

92-point implosion system;
superseded by TN Mk-15/39

Airburst or
contact

Canceled Sept
1954

Early warhead intended for

Snark cruise missile,
Redstone ICBM; superseded
by TN Mk/W-15/39

Airburst

Stockpiled 2/54 - First deployed solid-fuel

10/54;
thermonuclear weapon;

3,210 - 3,500

100

6,000 - 6,500

61.4

222 223.5

28,954 29,851;

5-7 Mt; 6.9

Mt (Castle

Union shot)

5 produced

recycled into Mk-17

weapons by 9/56; used 95%
enriched Li-6; 64 ft
parachute

1.69 Mt
Airburst,
(Castle
contact (F/F
Nectar), 3.8
or rtd),
Mt (Redwing
laydown
Cherokee)

Manufactured
4/55 - 2/57;
Retired 8/61 4/65; 1200
produced (all
mods)

First "lightweight" U.S. TN

bomb; used HEU secondary
casing; 3 mods; 1x3 ft and
1x12 ft ribbon parachutes

6,400 - 6,560

Canceled Feb
1957

Class "C" TN missile

warhead derived from MK15, canceled in favor of very
closely related W-39

39,000 42,000

6 - 8 Mt

First deployed
Stockpiled 1/54 - thermonuclear weapon;
4/54;
weaponized version of Ivy
5 produced
Mike device; only cryogenic
TN weapon ever deployed

11 Mt (Castle
Airburst
Romeo shot)

31,000

MK-15 Bomb

W-15

TX-16

EC-17

Warhead

Bomb

34.4 34.7; 35

136 - 140 7,600

34.5

61.4

296.7

Bomb

61.4

224.9

39,600

MK-17 Bomb

61.4

296.7

41,400 42,000

10 - 15 Mt

Airburst

"Emergency Capability"
Stockpiled 4/54 - weapon (deployed
10/54; 5 produced prototype); used natural
lithium; free fall bomb

Airburst or Manufactured
contact (Mod 7/54 - 11/55;
2 only)
Retired 11/56 8/57; 200
produced

Similar to MK-24, different

secondary; heaviest U.S.
nuclear weapon, 2nd highest
yield of any U.S. weapon
(along with similar Mk-24);
3 mods; Mod 2 contact

fused; 1x64 ft. parachute;

replaced by the Mk-36

MK-18 Bomb

128

8,600

W-19

Artillery
Shell

11.02
54
(280 mm)

600

Mk-20

Bomb

6,400

Mk-21

Bomb

128

56.2; 58.5 149 - 150

15,000 17,700

500 Kt (Ivy Airburst or

King shot) contact

Very high-yield MK-6/Mk13 follow-on; largest pure

fission bomb ever deployed;
Manufactured
nicknamed the SOB ("Super
3/53 - 2/55;
Oralloy Bomb"); 92-point
Retired 1/56 implosion system, all HEU
3/56; 90 produced core; 2 mods;
(all mods)
Retired by conversion to
lower yield Mk-6 Mod 6;
superseded by TN Mk-15
and Mk-28

Mechanical
time delay
airburst

Production began
Used in T-315 atomic
7/55;
projectile; improved W-9;
Retired 1963; 80
gun-assembly HEU weapon
produced

15 - 20 Kt

4 - 5 Mt

Airburst,
contact,
laydown

Canceled Aug
1954

Improved high-yield MK13; superseded by TN MK15

Manufactured
12/55 - 7/56;
Retired 6/57 1//57; 275
produced (all
mods)

Redesigned Shrimp TN
device with 95% enriched
Li-6 fuel; 3 mods, all
"dirty"; "clean" version
tested, never deployed; Mod
1 contact fused; Mod 2 also
had w/boosted primary;
Retired by conversion to
Mk-36-Y1 Mod 1

W-21

Mk-22

W-23

EC 24

Warhead

Bomb

Artillery
Shell

Bomb

52;

145

15,000 16,000

18,000

225

Mk-24

Bomb

61.4

296

W-25

Warhead

17.35 17.4

25.7 26.6

1 Mt

Mechanical
time delay
airburst

1,500; 1,900

15 - 20 Kt

39,600

13.5 Mt
(Castle
Airburst
Yankee shot)

41,400 42,000

10 - 15 Mt

Airburst

218 - 221

1.7 Kt

Time delay

Canceled

For B-58, SM-64A 56

Navaho

Canceled April
1954

UCRL design based on the

Morgenstern/Ramrod
devices; canceled following
Morgenstern fizzle (Castle
Koon)

Production began
10/56;
Retired 10/62;
50 produced

US Navy "Katie" shell; W19 (11 inch shell) internal

components adapted to 16
inch shell body

"Emergency Capability"
Stockpiled 4/54 weapon (deployed
10/54;
prototype); used enriched
10 produced
Li-6; free fall bomb

Manufactured
7/54 - 11/55;
Retired 9/56 10/56;
105 produced

Similar to MK-17, different

secondary; heaviest U.S.
nuclear weapon, 2nd highest
yield of any U.S. weapon
(along with similar Mk-17);
2 mods (Mod 2 with contact
burst canceled); 1x64 ft
parachute; replaced by the
Mk-36

Manufactured
5/57 - 5/60;
Mod 0 retired
8/61 - 1965, all
retired by 12/84;

MB-1 Genie AAM warhead;

unboosted composite
implosion warhead; first
"sealed pit" weapon; 2 mods,
Mod 1 had environmental

Mk-26

Mk-27

Bomb

56.2

30.2

150

15,000 17,700

Airburst or
contact

125 - 142 3,150 - 3,300

W-27

Warhead

30.25 - 31 75

2,800

Mk-28

Bomb

20; 22

1,700 - 2,320 Y1: 1.1 Mt,

Y2: 350 Kt,
Y3: 70 Kt,
Y5: 1.45 Mt

96 - 170

2 Mt

Airburst or
contact

3150 produced
(all mods)

sensing device safeties

Canceled 1956

Mk-21 sibling design

Manufactured
11/58 - 6/59;
Retired 11/62 7/65; 700 (all
mods) produced

Navy TN bomb; This UCRL

design was a competitor
with the LASL Mk-28 to
satisfy the Class "D" light
weight TN bomb
requirement; 3 mods

Manufactured
9/58 - 6/59;
retired 8/62 7/65;
20 produced

Regulus I (SSM-N-8) SSM

cruise missile warhead;
considered for several other
systems all of which were
were canceled: the F-101
and B-58 bomb pods, and
the Rascal, Regulus II, and
Matador cruise missiles

FUFO: F/F or Manufactured

Multipurpose TN tactical
retarded,
1/58 - 3/58, 8/58 - and strategic bomb; longest
airburst or
5/66; retirement weapon design in U.S. (33
contact,
of early mods
years); 2nd largest
laydown
began 1961, last production run of any U.S.
one retired 9/91; weapon design; Y4 was
4500 produced fission only; 20 mods and
(all mods)
variants; PAL A (Y1), B
(Y2), D (Y3, Y5); replaced
by B-61 and B-83 bombs; 1point safety problem with

primary discovered after

start of initial manufacture,
halting production for 5
months

70 Kt - 1.45 Airburst or
Mt
contact

Manufactured
8/58 - 5/66,
entered service
(Hound Dog)
1959 and (Mace)
1960;
Hound Dog
retired 1/64 1976, Mace
retired 1970;
production - 900
(Hound Dog),
100 (Mace)

Warhead for the Hound Dog

(AGM-28) and Mace
(MGM-13) cruise missiles; 5
mods; PAL A and B

Canceled Aug
1955

Canceled in favor of Mk-15

W-28

Warhead

1,500 - 1,725

W-29

Warhead

52; 35

145

3,500

TADM:
stockpiled 1961 1966, 300
300 T; 500 T
produced;
Airburst,
(Talos and
Talos:
438; 490; 450
contact, time
TADM); 4.7
manufactured
delay
Kt; 19 Kt
2/59 - 1/65,
retired 1/62 3/79; 300
produced

W-30

Warhead

Multipurpose warhead:
Talos SAM/SSM, XW-30X1 TADM (Tactical Atomic
Demolition Munition)
warhead; Talos - 1 yield, 3
mods; TADM - 2 yields
stockpiled

W-31

Warhead

28 - 29;
30

W-32

Artillery
Shell

9.45 (240
mm)

W-33

W-34

39 - 39.3 900 - 945

Honest John:
manufactured
10/59 - 12/61,
retired 7/67 1987, 1650
produced;
Nike Hercules:
1, 2, 12, 20, Airburst,
manufactured
40 Kt
timer, surface
10/58 - 12/61,
retired 7/67 9/89, 2550
produced;
ADM: stockpiled
9/60 - 1965, 300
produced

Multipurpose boosted fission

warhead: Honest John SSM,
Nike Hercules SAM, ADM
(Atomic Demolition
Munition);
Versions used: Honest John:
W-31 Mod 0, 3; NikeHercules: W-31 Mod 0, 2;
ADM: Mk-31 Mod 1;
4 yields stockpiled: 2 for
Nike-Hercules, 3 for Honest
John (2, 20, and 40 Kt)

Canceled May
1955

400; 450

Mechanical
5 - 10 Kt, 40
time delay
Kt (Y2)
airburst

Artillery
Shell

8 (203
mm)

240 - 243

ASW
warhead /
Bomb

312; 320; 311 11 Kt

Manufactured
1/57 - 1/65;
Retired 9/92;
2000 produced

Hydrostatic, ASW:
laydown,
Manufactured
impact
8/58 - 12/62;

W-33 used in the T-317

atomic projectile; gunassembly HEU weapon;
used titanium to reduce
weight and size; 4 yields
(Y1 - Y4) using different
internal HEU assemblies,
high yield variant may be
boosted; 2 mods
Multipurpose warhead for
ASW (antisubmarine
warfare) and tactical use;

W-35

Warhead

20; 28

Mk-36

Bomb

56.2; 58;
150
59

W-37

Warhead

1,500 - 1,700 1.75 Mt

17,500;
17,700

900; 940

9 - 10 Mt

F/F or
retarded
airburst or
contact

retired 7/64 1971 (Lulu), 7/64

- 1976 (Astor);
2000 Lulu, 600
Astor produced;
Hotpoint:
Manufactured
6/58 - 9/62;
Retired by 1965;
600 produced

ASW: Mk-34 Lulu depth

bomb, Mk-44 Astor torpedo;
tactical: Mk-105 Hotpoint
bomb, first parachute
retarded laydown weapon; 2
mods; boosted fission
implosion device identical to
the Mk-28 primary

Canceled Aug
1958

Early LASL TN ballistic

missile warhead, intended
for Atlas, Titan ICBMs,
Thor, Jupiter IRBMs;
competitor with UCRL W38; canceled in favor of W49 (a modified Mk-28)

Manufactured
4/56 - 6/58;
Retired 8/61 1/62; 940
produced (all
mods)

Two-stage TN strategic
bomb; Y1 "dirty," Y2
"clean", each in two mods;
parachutes 1x5 ft, 1x24 ft
ribbon; all Mk-21s
converted to Mk-36 in 1957;
Retired in favor of Mk-41; at
retirement this weapon
represented almost half of
the megatonnage of the U.S.
arsenal

Canceled Sept

Intended to be a high-yield

W-38

Mk-39

Warhead

Bomb

35, 44
(tail
section)

82.5

3,080

3.75 Mt

3-4 Mt (2
136 - 140 6,650 - 6,750 yields, Y1
and Y2)

W-39

Warhead

34.5 - 35 105.7

3.8 Mt (2
6,230 - 6,400 yields, Y1
and Y2)

W-40

Warhead

17.9

350; 385 (Y1) 10 Kt (Y1)

31.64

Airburst or
contact

1956

multipurpose companion to
the W-31; XW-37 was
redesignated XW-31Y2

Manufactured
5/61 - 1/63;
retired 1/65 5/65; Production:
110 (Atlas), 70
(Titan)

Warhead for Atlas E/F and

Titan I ICBMs; used Avco
Mk 4 RV; first UCRL
designed TN ballistic missile
warhead; competitor with
LASL W-35/49

Manufactured
Airburst,
2/57 - 3/59;
contact; mod
Retired 1/62 to
w/low-level
11/66; 700
retarded
produced (all
laydown
mods)

Improved Mk-15, Mk-39

Mod 0 same as TX-15-X3;
used gas-boosted primary to
reduce weight; thermal
batteries, improved safeties;
3 mods; parachutes: 1x6 ft,
1x28 ribbon, 1x100 ft

Redstone:
Warhead for Snark cruise
stockpiled 7/58 - missile, Redstone MRBM,
1963, 60
B-58 weapon pod;
produced;
Versions: Redstone MkSnark:
39Y1 Mod 1 and Mk-39Y2
manufactured
Mod 1, Snark Mk-39Y1
4/58 - 7/58,
Mod 1; W-39 identical to
retired 8/62 Mk-39 except for fuzing
9/65, 30 produced system
Airburst or
contact

Bomarc:
manufactured
9/59 - 5/62,
retired by 11/72,

Warhead for Bomarc SAM

and Lacrosse SSM; boosted
implosion system adapted
from Mk-28 primary;

Mk-41

Bomb

W-41

Warhead

W-42

Warhead

13 - 14

148

10,500 10,670

25 Mt

350 produced;
Lacrosse:
manufactured
9/59 - 5/62,
retired 10/63 1964, 400
produced

initially deployed version

(produced 6/59-8/59) not 1point safe, Mod 2 retrofit
required; 2 yields

FUFU: F/F or Manufactured

retarded,
9/60 - 6/62;
airburst or
Retired 11/63 contact,
7/76; 500
laydown
produced

Highest yield U.S. weapon

ever deployed; only U.S. 3stage TN weapon; Y1
"dirty," Y2 "clean";
parachutes 1x4 ft, 1x16.5 ft;
retired in favor of Mk-53

Canceled July
1957

9,300
18.5

75 - 92

Proximity

Mk-43

Bomb

F/F or
70 Kt - 1 Mt; retarded,
150 - 164 2,060 - 2,125 Y1: 1 Mt,
airburst or
Y5: 500 Kt contact,
laydown

W-44

ASW
warhead

13.75

25.3

170

10 Kt

Hydrostatic

Canceled June
1961

Intended for air-to-air (e.g.

GAR-8), surface-to-air (e.g.
Hawk) applications

Manufactured
4/61 - 10/65;
retirement (early
mods) began
12/72, last retired
4/91;
1000 produced
(all mods)

Laydown bomb for highspeed low-altitude delivery;

5 yields; Y4 is fission only;
PAL B (mod 2); Parachutes:
1x4 ft, 1x23 ft ribbon; last
version retired was MK43Y2 Mod 2

Manufactured
5/61 - 3/68;
retired 6/74 -

ASROC (RUR-5A) ASW

warhead; plutonium
implosion warhead, similar

9/89;
575 produced

W-45

Warhead

11.5

Mk-46

Bomb

Terrier:
manufactured
4/62 - 6/66,
retired 7/67 9/88, 750
produced;
MADM:
manufactured
1/62 - 6/66,
retired 7/67 Airburst,
1984, 350
150;
500 T; 1, 5, surface, time produced;
MADM: 350 8, 10, 15 Kt delay,
Bullpup:
command
manufactured
1/62 - 1963,
retired 7/67 1978, 100
produced;
Little John:
manufactured
9/61 - 6/66,
retired 7/67 1970, 500
produced
6,400

Mt range

Canceled Oct
1958

to primary for Mk-43

Multipurpose UCRL
designed tactical warhead;
small implosion design; Y1
(1 Kt): Little John SSM,
Terrier SAM, MADM
(Medium ADM); Y2: Little
John, MADM; Y3
(unboosted): GAM-83B
Bullpup ASM, MADM; Y4
(boosted, 1 Kt): Bullpup,
Little John, Terrier, MADM

"Clean" and "dirty" versions

tested during Hardtack I;
was to have replaced Mk-39;
development of improved

design continued as Mk-53

W-46

W-47

Warhead

Warhead planned for

Redstone, Snark, B-58 pod
warhead; Redstone/W-46
canceled in favor of Titan
II/W-53

35-40

Canceled April
1958

EC-47
Polaris SLBM TN warhead;
manufactured
breakthrough in compact,
4/60 - 6/60,
light high yield design;
retired 6/60, 300 integral warhead/beryllium
produced;
re-entry vehicle; 3 versions:
W-47
EC-47, W-47Y1, W-47Y2;
manufactured
several severe reliability
6/60 - 7/64,
problems required repeated
retired 7/61 modification and
11/74, 1060
remanufacture (in 1966 75%
produced (Y1 and of the stockpiled Y2s were
Y2) - only 300 in inoperable, correction took
service at a time until 10/67)

46.6

Y1: 717 - 720; Y1: 600 Kt; Airburst or

Y2: 733
Y2: 1.2 Mt contact

W-48

Artillery
Shell

6.1 (155
mm)

33.3

118 - 128

W-49

Warhead

54.3 -

1,640 - 1,680 1.44 Mt

72 T

Manufactured
10/63 - 3/68;
Mechanical retirement (135
time delay or Mod 0s) 1/65 proximity
1969, all 925
airburst, or Mod 1s retired
contact
1992; 1060
produced (all
mods)

Small diameter linear

implosion plutonium
weapon, 2 mods

Airburst or

LASL developed

Manufactured

57.9

W-50

W-51

Warhead

15.4

contact

409 - 410

Warhead

950

ICBM/IRBM warhead; Used

in Thor (Mod 0,1, 3), Atlas
(Mod 0, 1), Titan, Jupiter
9/58 - 1964;
(Mod 0, 1, 3, 5) warhead; 2
Thor retired 11/62 RVs used Mk-2 heat sink
- 8/63 (a few to and Mk-3 ablative; 2 yields,
4/75);
7 mods; Mk/W-28
adaptation with new
arming/fuzing system; PAL
A; successor to W-35
Manufactured
3/63 - 12/65;
retired 4/73 4/91;
280 produced

TN warhead for Pershing

SSM (Mod 1, 2), Nike Zeus
SAM (canceled 5/59); Mod
1 equipped with PAL A; 3
yields, 2 mods

22 T

Became XW-54
Jan 1959

Very small spherical

implosion warhead, initial
development by LRL,
development transferred to
LASL and design
redesignated W-54

200 Kt

Manufactured
5/62 - 4/66;
retired 3/74 8/78;
300 produced

Sergeant SSM warhead; 2

yields, 3 mods; PAL A (Mod
2); warhead test in 1963
showed Mods 1 and 2 to be
useless, Mod 3 was first to
achieve rated yield

FUFO: F/F or Manufactured

retarded,
8/62 - 6/65;

Carried by B-47, B-52; B-58

used Mk-53BA (in BLU-2/B

Y1: 60 Kt;
Airburst or
Y2: 200 Kt;
contact
Y3: 400 Kt

W-52

Warhead

56.7

Mk-53

Bomb

148 - 150; 8,850 - 8,900 9 Mt

Y2 144

Airburst or
contact

airburst or
contact,
laydown

W-53

W-54

Warhead

10.75

Mk-54

Warhead

10.75

Mk-54
SADM

Atomic
16
Demolition
Munition
(ADM)

103

15.7

6,200

50 - 51

9 Mt

250 T

retirement (early
mods) began
7/67, last 50
retired from
active service
(but retained in
permanent
stockpile) early
1997; 350
produced, 50 still
in stockpile

Airburst or
contact

pod); 4 mods, Y1 "dirty"

version, Y2 "clean" version;
fissile material all HEU, no
plutonium; parachutes: 1x4
ft, 1x16.5 ft ribbon, 3x48 ft
ribbon; last 50 retired in
favor of B-61 Mod 11; part
of the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"
Titan II warhead

Contact or
proximity

Manufactured
4/61 - 2/65;
retired 7/67 4/72; 1000 - 2000
produced

GAR-11/AIM-26A Falcon
AAM warhead; originally
called "Wee Gnat";
adaptation of Mk-54

Time delay

Manufactured
4/61 - 2/65;
retired 7/67 1971;
400 produced

Warhead for Davy Crockett

M-388 recoilless rifle
projectile; 2 yields; 2 mods;
very light, compact spherical
implosion plutonium
warhead

Manufactured
8/64 - 6/66;
retired 1967 1989;
300 produced

M-129/M-159 SADM
(Special Atomic Demolition
Munition) used a Mk-54
warhead package very
similar to Davy Crockett; 2

17.6

50 - 55

10, 20 T

150
(complete);
59 (W-54
only)

Variable, 10 Time delay

T - 1 Kt

SADM:

W-55

W-56

Mk-57

ASW

Warhead

Bomb

17.4

14.75

39.4

47.3

118

470

600; 680

490 - 510

mods; mechanical
combination lock PAL

Mid Kiloton
Hydrostatic
Range

Manufactured
1/64 - 3/68, 3/70 - SUBROC (UUM-44A)
4/74;
ASW missile thermonuclear
retired 6/83 warhead; based on the 202
9/90;
Kt Hardtack I Olive device
285 produced

1.2 Mt

Airburst or
surface

Manufactured
Minuteman I and II
3/63 - 5/69;
warhead, based on UCRL
retired 9/66 (early W-47, competitor with the
mods), Mod-4
W-59 for Minuteman; 4
retired 1991-93; mods, retrofit of early mods
1000 produced required to fix reliability
(all mods), 455 problem, blast and radiation
Mod-4s produced hardening added later

5 - 20 Kt

Retarded
airburst,
retarded
laydown, F/F
contact,
hydrostatic

Manufactured
1/63 - 5/67;
retirement (early
mods) started
6/75, last retired
6/93; 3,100
produced

Light weight multipurpose

tactical strike/depth bomb;
boosted implosion fission
weapon; modular design, 6
mods; PAL B; 1x12.5 ft
ribbon parachute;
Retired in favor of B-61

W-58

Warhead

15.6

40.3

257

200 Kt

Airburst or
contact

Polaris A-3 warhead, each

Manufactured
A-3 carried three multiple
3/64 - 6/67;
re-entry vehicles (MRVs),
retired 9/68-4/82;
first MRV warhead in
1400 produced
service

W-59

Warhead

16.3

47.8

550 - 553

1 Mt

Airburst or

Manufactured

Warhead for Minuteman

W-60

Warhead

MK/B 61 Bomb

W-62

Warhead

W-63

Warhead

13.3

RV Body:
21 in;
Warhead:
19.7 in

141.64

RV Body:
72 in;
Warhead:
39.3 in

contact

6/62 - 7/63;
retired 12/64 6/69;
150 produced

I/Mk 5 RV and the canceled

Skybolt; version of LASL
"J-21" design;

Proximity

Canceled Dec
1963

Typhon SAM warhead

115 - 150

Very low

695 - 716

Variable (4
yields), 0.3 340 Kt;
Mod 3: 0.3 - FUFO:
170 Kt;
retarded and
Mod 4: 0.3 - F/F, contact
45 Kt;
or airburst,
Mod 7/11: 10 laydown
- 340 Kt;
Mod 10: 0.3
- 80 Kt

Warhead/RV:
700-800 lb;
170 Kt
Warhead: 253
lb

Airburst or
contact

Multipurpose
tactical/strategic bomb; basic
design adapted to many
other weapon systems; 4
Manufactured
yields; 11 mods, 5 in
10/66 - early 90s;
service; PAL B, D, F; uses
early mods retired
IHE in primary; parachute:
70s - 80s; 3150
1x17 ft or 1x24 ft ribbon;
produced, 1350 in
longest production run of
service
any U.S. nuclear weapon,
oldest design in service; part
of the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"
Manufactured
Minuteman III/Mk-12 RV
3/70 - 6/76;
warhead; remaining W-62s
early mods retired part of U.S. "enduring
starting 4/80;
stockpile", but will be
1725 produced, removed from active service
610 in active
under START II (to be
service;
replaced by W-88s)
Canceled Nov
1966

LRL design for Lance SSM

warhead; ER ("neutron
bomb") design; (canceled in

favor of W-70
W-64

Warhead

W-65

Warhead

W-66

Warhead

W-67

Warhead

W-68

Warhead

W-69

Warhead

150

Canceled Sep
1964

LASL design for Lance

SSM warhead; ER ("neutron
bomb") design; canceled in
favor of W-63

Mt range

Canceled Jan
1968

Sprint ABM warhead,

canceled in favor of W-66

Kt range

Manufactured
6/74 - 3/75;
retired from
Sprint ABM warhead, ER
service 8/75, ret.
("neutron bomb") warhead
from stockpile
1985;
70 produced

150 Kt

Canceled Dec
1967

LRL ICBM/SLBM multiple

warhead, intended for
Poseidon and Minuteman-III
Poseidon Mk-3 RV warhead,
each missile carried 10 RVs;
aging problems with
explosive required complete
rebuilding of stockpile
11/78-83 (3200 rebuilt,
others retired); largest
production run of any U.S.
warhead
SRAM (short range attack
missile, AGM 69A) air-

367

40 - 50 Kt

Airburst or
contact

Manufactured
6/70 - 6/75;
retired 9/77 1991; 5250
produced

275

170 - 200 Kt Airburst or

contact

Manufactured
10/71 - 8/76;

retired 10/91 9/94;

1500 produced

W-70

Warhead

270

Mods 0,1, 2:
variable from Airburst or
1-100 Kt;
contact
Mod 3: 1 Kt

surface missile warhead;

derived from Mk-61;
initially removed from
active service 6/90 due to
fire safety concerns

Lance SSM warhead; LRL

successor to W-63 design; 4
Manufactured
mods; Mods 0, 1, 2: TN
6/73 - 7/77 (Mods warhead with 3 yield
0-2), 8/81 - 2/83 settings (1-100 Kt), Mod 1
(Mod 3);
had improved selection of
retired 7/79 yields; Mod 3: enhanced
9/92;
radiation ("neutron bomb")
Mods 0-2: 900
version, 2 yield options
produced, Mod 3: (slightly less than 1 Kt, and
380 built
slightly more than 1 Kt),
both 60% fusion and 40%
fission; PAL D

W-71

Warhead

101

2,850

5 Mt

Manufactured
7/74 - 7/75;
Airburst
retired from
Spartan ABM warhead, used
(command & service 1975, ret. thermal x-rays for
delay timer) from stockpile
exoatmospheric RV kill
9/92;
30 produced

W-72

Warhead

825

ca. 600 T

Contact

Manufactured
8/70 - 4/72;
retired 7/79 9/79;

Walleye (AGM-62) guided

glide bomb warhead; W-72
was a modified W-54,
salvaged from retired AIM-

300 produced

26A Falcon AAM; yield was

significantly enhanced over
Falcon version

Canceled Sept
1970

Condor ASM warhead;

derived from Mk-61;
canceled in favor of a
conventional HE warhead

W-73

Warhead

<17

W-74

Artillery
Shell

6.1 (155
mm)

2 yields
(both >100
T)

Canceled June
1973

Linear implosion pure

fission plutonium warhead;
intended to replace W-48

W-75

Artillery
Shell

8 (203
mm)

>100 T

Canceled 1973

"Big brother" of W-74,

similar design

100 Kt

Manufactured
6/78 - 7/87;
active service;
approx. 3000
produced

Trident I and Trident II Mk4 RV TN warhead, missiles

can carry 8-14 RVs;
developed by LANL; part of
the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"

Variable, Kt
FUFO
to Mt range

Canceled Dec
1977

High yield strategic TN

bomb, intended to replace
Mk-28 and Mk-43; PAL D;
costly, heavy delivery
system lead to cancellation,
warhead design continued
with B-83

335 - 350 Kt Airburst or

contact

Manufactured
8/79 - 10/82;
active service;

Minuteman III/Mk-12A RV
warhead; LANL design
derived from W-50 with a

W-76

Warhead

363

B-77

Bomb

144

2,400

W-78

Warhead

21.25

67.7

400 - 600

Airburst or
contact

1083 produced,
920 in service

W-79

Artillery
Shell

W-80-0 Warhead

11.8

W-80-1 Warhead

11.8

W-81

<13.5

Warhead

31.4

200

290

Variable 100 T to 1.1 Proximity

Kt (Mod 0), airburst or
0.8 Kt (Mod contact
1)

new lighter primary; part of

U.S. "enduring stockpile",
but will be removed from
active service under START
II (to be replaced by W-88s)

Plutonium linear implosion

Manufactured
weapon, used in XM-753
7/81 - 8/86; ER
atomic projectile (AFAP);
version retirement
Mod 0: dual capable - pure
started mid-80s,
fission or enhanced radiation
all retired 9/92;
(ER of "neutron bomb"), 3
550 (325 ER, 225
yield options; Mod 1: fission
fission) produced
only; PAL D

Variable: 5
Airburst or
Kt and 170contact
200 Kt

Manufactured
12/83 - 9/90;
active service;
367 produced

SLCM warhead; uses

supergrade plutonium; PAL
D; LANL design derived
from Mk/B-61 warhead;
now stored ashore; part of
the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"

Variable: 5
Airburst or
Kt and 150contact
170 Kt

Manufactured
1/81 - 9/90;
active service;
1750 produced,
1400 in service

Warhead for ALCM (1000 in

service), ACM (400 in
service); PAL D; LANL
design derived from Mk/B61 warhead; part of the U.S.
"enduring stockpile"

2 - 4 Kt

Canceled 1986

USN Standard SM-2 SAM

warhead; PAL F; variant of
Mk/B-61 warhead, enhanced

radiation version initially

planned, later converted to
fission only

W-82

Artillery
Shell

B-83

Bomb

W-83

Warhead

W-84

Warhead

W-85;
alternate Warhead
image

6.1 (155
mm)

145

Airburst

155 mm companion to the

the W-79, for use in XM-785
W-82-0 canceled
atomic projectile (AFAP);
in Oct 1983; Woriginal Mod 0: dual capable
82-1 canceled in
- pure fission or enhanced
Sept 1990
radiation; Mod 1: fission
only; PAL D

<2 Kt

2,400

FUFO: F/F or
Manufactured
retarded,
Variable, low
6/83 - 1991;
airburst or
Kt to 1.2 Mt
active service;
contact,
650 produced
laydown

1,700 - 1,900

12.5

388

880

Current high-yield strategic

TN bomb; PAL D; uses IHE,
fire resisitant pit; parachutes:
3x4 ft, 1x46 ft; 1x5 ft, 1x46
ft
PAL D

Variable: 0.2 Airburst or

- 150 Kt
contact

GLCM warhead, missile

scrapped under INF Treaty;
Manufactured
LLNL design derived from
9/83 - 1/88;
LANL Mk/B-61 Mod 3/4
inactive stockpile;
warhead; uses IHE, PAL F;
300-350 produced
part of the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"

Variable: 5 - Airburst or
80 Kt
contact

Manufactured
2/83 - 7/86;
retired 1988 3/91;
120 produced

Pershing II SSM warhead;

derived from LANL Mk/B61 Mod 3/4 warhead; uses
IHE, PAL F; upon retirement
the W-85 was recycled into
B-61 Mod 10 bombs

W-86

W-87

Warhead

Canceled Sept
1980

Earth penetrating warhead

for the Pershing II SSM,
canceled due to change in
mission from hard to soft
targets

Manufactured
7/86 - 12/88;
active service;
525 produced

Peacekeeper (MX)
ICBM/Mk-21 RV TN
warhead (missile carries 10);
RV/warhead weighs 800 lb;
LLNL design; primary uses
IHE and fire resistant pit;
yield upgradeable by adding
HEU rings to secondary;
part of the U.S. "enduring
stockpile"; after MX
retirement, will equip
Minuteman III

Timer
(w/path
Manufactured
length
9/88 - 11/89;
correction)
active service;
and proximity
400 produced
airburst;
contact

Trident II Mk-5 RV
warhead; does not use IHE;
uses HEU jacket with
secondary stage; production
terminated by FBI raid on
Rocky Flats; part of the U.S.
"enduring stockpile"

Airburst or
contact

SRAM (short range attack

missile) II warhead; LLNL
design; safety features: PAL
D, IHE, FRP; also
considered for Sea Lance

Delayed

21.8

68.9

Timer or
300 Kt;
proximity
500 - 600; 440 upgradeable
airburst,
to 475 Kt
contact

W-88

Warhead

21.8

68.9

<800

475 Kt

W-89

Warhead

13.3

40.8

324

200 Kt

Canceled Sept
1991

ASW missile

B 90

W-91

Bomb

Warhead

13.3

118

780

310

Abbreviations:
AAM Air-to-Air Missile
ABM Anti-Ballistic Missile
ACM Advanced Cruise Missile
ADM Atomic Demolition Munition
AFAP Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile
ALCM Air Launched Cruise Missile
ASM Air-Surface Missile
ASW Anti-Submarine Warfare
ER Enhanced Radiation ("neutron bomb")

200 Kt

10, 100 Kt

retarded
airburst,
retarded
contact, F/F Canceled 1991
airburst, F/F
contact,
hydrostatic

Canceled Sept
1991

USN nuclear strike/depth

bomb; intended to replace
Mk-57; PAL D; 1x26 ft
parachute
SRAM-T (short range attack
missile - tactical) warhead;
SRAM-T was a SRAM II
derivative for the F-15E
Eagle fighter/bomber; LASL
TN design orignally called
"New Mexico 1"; safety
features: FRP, IHE; 2 yields

EC Emergency Capability
F/F Freefall
FRP Fire Resistant Pit
FUFO Full-fuzing Options
HEU Highly Enriched Uranium
ICBM Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
IFI In-Flight Insertion
IHE Insensitive High Explosive
IRBM Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile
Kt Kilotons
LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory (nee LASL)
LASL Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (nee LRL)
LRL Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (nee UCRL)
MK Mark
MRBM Medium-Range Ballistic Missile
Mt megatons
PAL Permissive Action Link
Pu Plutonium
RV Re-entry Vehicle
SAM Surface-to-Air Missile
Rtd Parachute-retarded
SLBM Sea-Launched Cruise Missile
SSM Surface-to-Surface Missile
T tons
TN Thermonuclear
UCRL University of California Radiation Laboratory

USN US Navy

The biggest and most powerful nuclear weapons ever built

47
1 April 2014

From the enormous Tsar Bomba, detonated with the force of 3,800 Hiroshima explosions, to the Mk-41, the biggest thermonuclear device ever built by the US, army-technology.com lists the worlds most powerful nuclear
bombs based on explosive power (or yield).

Tsar Bomba (RDS-220 hydrogen bomb) - 50Mt

The RDS-220 hydrogen bomb, also known as the Tsar Bomba, is the biggest and most powerful thermo nuclear bomb ever made. It was exploded by the Soviet Union on 30 October 1961 over Novaya Zemlya Island in the
Russian Arctic Sea.

The hydrogen bomb was air dropped by a Tu-95 bomber using huge fall-retardation parachute. The detonation occurred 4km above the ground producing a yield of 50Mt, which is believed to be equivalent to the explosive
power from the simultaneous detonation of 3,800 Hiroshima bombs.
Tsar Bomba contained three stages, unlike normal thermonuclear weapons that explode in just two stages. While the addition of third stage increased the explosive power of the thermonuclear, the bomb's actual yield of 100Mt
was reduced by 50% to limit radioactive dust.

B41 nuclear bomb - 25Mt

The B41 or Mk-41 with a yield of 25Mt is the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever fielded by the United States. About 500 bombs were produced between 1960 and 1962, remaining in service, until July 1976.
The development of Mk-41 commenced in 1955 to fulfil the US Air Force's requirements for a Class B (10,000lb), high yield thermonuclear weapon. The prototypes were test fired during Operation Hardtack Phase I in 1958.
The three-stage thermonuclear weapon was primarily boosted by deuterium-tritium and believed to have used Lithium-6 (95% enrichment) deuteride fuel for fusion stages. Two versions were produced, a "clean" version (lead
encased third stage) and "dirty" (uranium encased) version, both were air dropped by attaching with two parachutes for delayed detonation.

TX-21 "Shrimp" (Castle Bravo) - 14.8Mt

The TX-21 "Shrimp" thermonuclear weapon was exploded by the US on 1 March 1954 during its biggest ever nuclear weapon test, Castle Bravo, at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The detonation yielded an explosion force
of 14.8Mt.
The TX-21 was also a scaled down variant of the TX-17 thermonuclear weapon first tested during the Castle Romeo exercise in 1954, and used lithium deuteride fusion fuel. The fuel for this two-stage hydrogen bomb
consisted of 37% to 40% enriched Lithium-6 deuteride enclosed in a natural uranium tamper.
The TX-21 was exploded 7ft above the surface and radioactive fallout spread over more than 11,000km2. The explosion dispersed radioactive substance over some parts of Asia, Australia, the US and Europe.

Mk-17/EC-17 - 10Mt to 15Mt

The Mk-17, weighing over 18t, was the heaviest thermonuclear nuclear weapon ever made by the US. It was also the first operational hydrogen bomb of the US Air Force. The Mk-17 had an estimated yield of 10Mt to 15Mt.
About 200 Mk-17 bombs were produced by 1955 and the bomb was retired from the USAF service in 1957. The large and heavy bomb had a loaded weight of 41,400lb.
The bomb was air dropped by B-36 bombers using a single 64ft parachute to delay the fall so that the aircraft had additional time to escape from the detonation impact.

MK 24/B-24 - 10Mt to 15Mt

The Mk-24 thermonuclear bomb, which was one of the most powerful nuclear weapons built by the US, was designed based on the Yankee test device. Yankee was one of the six detonations in the Castle nuclear detonation
test series. The Mk-24 was produced in a number of configurations with explosive force ranging from 10Mt to 15Mt.
The MK-24 was similar in appearance to the Mk-17 thermonuclear bomb. The US produced 105 Mk-24s between 1954 and 1955. The weapon was eventually retired from the USAF service in 1956.
The deployed prototype of the Mk-24, designated as EC-24, was tested on 5 May 1954 during the Yankee test generating a yield of 13.5Mt.

Ivy Mike H-Bomb - 10.4Mt

The Ivy Mike hydrogen bomb was based on the thermonuclear device demonstrated during the Test George conducted by the US on 9 May 1951 as part of Operation Greenhouse series of four nuclear device detonation tests.
The Ivy Mike test yielded an explosion of 10.4Mt, 700 times the explosive force of the weapon dropped on Hiroshima.
The device had a length of 6m and diameter of 2m and weighed 82t. It was not a deliverable weapon and was only used to validate the concepts of nuclear weapons. A simplified and lighter variant, known as the EC-16, was
developed later.
The nuclear weapon employed an implosion device similar to that of "Fat Man" bomb, which exploded over Nagasaki, to activate the cooled liquid deuterium.

Mk-36 nuclear bomb - 10Mt

The Mk-36 was a two-stage thermonuclear bomb used a multi-stage fusion to generate explosive force of up to 10Mt. Two versions, Y1 and Y2, were produced.
The Mk-36 was an upgraded variant of the Mark 21 which itself was a weaponised derivative of the "Shrimp" device. The US produced 940 Mk-36 bombs during 1956-1958 and converted 275 bombs into Mk-21s.
The Mk-36 was designed to be airdropped using two parachutes. All Mk36 nuclear bombs were retired by 1962 and replaced by B41 nuclear bombs.

B53 (Mk-53) - 9Mt

The B53/Mk-53 was the oldest and one of the highest yield nuclear bombs in the US inventory. The weapon had an estimated yield of 9Mt and was retired from the USAF service in 1997. It was deployed aboard B-47, B-52
and B-58 bombers.
The B53 nuclear bomb was a two-stage implosion weapon using highly enriched uranium and 95% enriched Lithium-6 deuteride fusion fuel. It was produced in two versions including B53-Y1 and B53-Y2.
The nuclear weapon was designed to be air dropped using five parachutes, while the free fall delivery was also possible by jettisoning the "can" with the parachutes.

Mk-16 (TX-16/EC-16) nuclear bomb - 7Mt

The Mk-16 hydrogen bomb was the only liquid fuel thermonuclear weapon ever built by the US. It was based on the Ivy Mike hydrogen bomb and had an estimated yield of up to 7MT.
The Mk-16 was built in Experimental/Emergency Capability (EC) variants and initially completed a drop test in December 1953. The weapon was deployed in EC version designated as EC-16.
The TX-16 bomb measured 61.4in in diameter and 296.7in in length. The weapon retired from the service by April 1954 as it was replaced by solid-fuelled thermonuclear weapons such as TX-14 and Mk-17.

Mk-14 / TX-14 - 6.9Mt

The Mk-14, which was the first fielded solid-fuel thermonuclear weapon of the US, yielded 6.9Mt when it was exploded during the Castle Union nuclear test in April 1954. The bomb used a non radioactive isotope of lithium (Li6) instead of tritium.

The procurement for the TX-14 programme was approved in September 1952. The TX-14s in emergency-capability configuration were inducted into service in February 1954. The Mk-14s retired in October 1954 and some of
them were recycled into the Mk-17 weapons by September 1956.
B-36 and B-47 bombers were used to carry TX-14s, and the rate of fall was decelerated by employing the parachute drop method.

Why the Pentagon's New Nukes Are Under Fire

Does having smaller, more flexible nuclear weapons mean that nukes are more
likely to be used?

According to an article in The New York Times, critics of the Obama Administration's nuclear weapons policy believe that a new generation of nuclear weapons will prove to be a
destabilizing force. The smaller explosive yield of the "new" B61-12 nuclear bomb could blur the lines between nuclear and conventional weapons, making them less
controversial and more "useable," they argue. Critics also believe a planned new nuclear cruise missile is both unnecessary and expensive.
The U.S. military's B61 series of tactical nuclear bombs have been in service for decades, starting in 1968. While many nuclear weapons are mounted on air, land, and seabased missiles, the B61 is an old-fashioned gravity bomb dropped from an aircraft like any other bomb. The new B61-12 will arm the B-2A Spirit bomber, the F-15E Strike Eagle,
F-16 Falcon, F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, and Tornado bomber. Here's a U.S. Air Force video of the B61-12 being test dropped from an F-15E Strike Eagle.

The B61-12 will be America's first nuclear standoff bombmeaning one designed to be delivered against targets at a distance safe for the aircraft doing the bombingthanks
to a pair of steerable fins that allow warplanes to lob the bomb from afar. An internal guidance system which doesn't use GPSgives the B61-12 an accuracy of around 30
meters. After release, a pair of stabilizing rockets (see picture above ) fire to induce spin.
The B61 is unique in having a "dial-a-yield", meaning that ground crews can select the explosive power of the bomb. The bomb can be set to 300 tons (equivalent to three
hundred 2,000-pound high explosive bombs), 1.5 kilotons, 10 kilotons (approximately two-thirds the explosive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima), or 50 kilotonsthree
times the explosive power of Hiroshima.
The U.S. government is building B61-12s by taking the four earlier versions of the bomb and upgrading them to the -12 standard. Washington contends that the weapons must
undergo a "service life extension" in order for them to remain reliable. The total cost of the program is estimated at $8 billion, producing approximately 400 to 500 bombs.
All of these featuresthe standoff capability, new level of accuracy, and ability to set the bomb to a low explosive yieldhas critics charging that the new version of the bomb is
not just a "life extension program" for the B61, but a new weapon in a time when slowing or stopping the development of nukes worldwide is in everyone's best
interest. Furthermore, the criticsincluding former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perrybelieve that policymakers, including the President, could talk themselves into using
such a precise, low-yield nuclear weapon.
Since the end of World War II, there's been a psychological barrier to using nuclear weapons. Their raw destructive power and the possibility of starting a nuclear war create a
powerful psychological deterrent towards using them. The new B61-12, on the other hand, can deliver a small nuclear explosion at a precise location, limiting its impact on
civilians. More powerful than conventional weapons, the B61-12 could be used against North Korea's nuclear facilities, especially those heavily protected or buried underground,
and the U.S. could argue the case for using it on the grounds it could get the job done more effectively. The use of any nuclear weapon in combat for the first time since
1945 would lower the psychological barrier, making their use by other nuclear powers more likely, critics argue. It would also run the risk of adversaries and potential adversaries
retaliating in kind with their own nuclear weapons, starting a chain reaction leading to nuclear war.
Advocates for arms control also believe that Washington's plans for a new nuclear-tipped cruise missile are a mistake. Cruise missiles, which fly to targets at low altitude, are
difficult for air defense systems to detect. This makes them candidates for leading a nuclear-first strike. The United States was so concerned about Russian submarine-launched
cruise missiles being used against Washington D.C. it deployed the JLENS aerostat-based radar system.
Andrew C. Weber, former assistant secretary of defense and former director of t he Nuclear Weapons Council believes the missile is "unaffordable and unneeded." Weber
contends that the U.S. could lead the way on a ban on nuclear cruise missiles, which are also deployed by Russia and China. Such a ban would, according to him, reduce the
risks of nuclear war.
The introduction of the B61-12 and a new nuclear cruise missile is seen by advocates as giving policymakers safer, more reliable options in an increasingly dangerous, complex
world. Their opponents believe the weapons are unnecessary, unaffordable, make nuclear weapons more useable, and are dangerously destabilizing. Given the civilizationending potential of nukes, it's a worthy debate.

1956

United States drops hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll

The United States conducts the first airborne test of an improved hydrogen bomb, dropping it from a plane over the tiny island of
Namu in the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The successful test indicated that hydrogen bombs were viable airborne weapons and
that the arms race had taken another giant leap forward.
The United States first detonated a hydrogen bomb in 1952 in the Marshall Islands, also in the Pacific. However, that bomband the
others used in tests that followedwere large and unwieldy affairs that were exploded from the ground. The practical application of
dropping the weapon over an enemy had been a mere theoretical possibility until the successful test in May 1956. The hydrogen bomb
dropped over Bikini Atoll was carried by a B-52 bomber and released at an altitude of more than 50,000 feet. The device exploded at
about 15,000 feet. This bomb was far more powerful than those previously tested and was estimated to be 15 megatons or larger (one
megaton is roughly equivalent to 1 million tons of TNT). Observers said that the fireball caused by the explosion measured at least
four miles in diameter and was brighter than the light from 500 suns.
The successful U.S. test meant that the ante in the nuclear arms race had been dramatically upped. The Soviets had tested their own
hydrogen bomb in 1953, shortly after the first U.S. test in 1952. In November 1955, the Soviets had dropped a hydrogen bomb from
an airplane in remote Siberia. Though much smaller and far less powerful (estimated at about 1.6 megatons) than the U.S. bomb
dropped over Bikini, the Russian success spurred the Americans to rush ahead with the Bikini test.
The massive open-air blast in 1956 caused concerns among scientists and environmentalists about the effects of such testing on human
and animal life. During the coming years, a growing movement in the United States and elsewhere began to push for a ban on open-air

atomic testing. The Limited Test Ban Treaty, signed in 1963 by the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain, prohibited
open-air and underwater nuclear testing.

The Biggest Bomb In the History of the World

Filed to: MONSTER MACHINES
253.2K
112

Big Ivan, better known as Tsar Bomba, was 57 Megatons of Soviet might. That's 1,400 times Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined and ten times the entire combined fire
power expended in WWII. In one bomb. One explosion. And, incredibly, that's only half of what it could have done.

In July 1961, Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (and leader of the USSR) decided that he had had enough of the unspoken
nuclear testing moratorium that his country, the US, and the UK had been abiding by since 1958. The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party would convene that October,
providing the perfect venue to show off the USSR's military muscle. With the world's eyes on Moscow, what better way to show the West who was boss than with a "testing
spectacular" setting off the largest man-made explosion of all time?
Problem was, they didn't have a bomb nearly big enough for Khrushchev. Up to that point, the largest hydrogen bomb the Soviets had detonated was the puny 3 MT RDS-37
(albeit the first true hydrogen bomb they built) but Khrushchev demanded something much, much biggerenough to make America's 15 MT Castle Bravo test in 1954 wilt.
And he wanted it built in time for the Congress. And since telling Nikita Khrushchev "no" simply didn't happen, a four man development teamVictor Adamskii, Yuri
Babaev, Yuri Smirnov, and Yuri Trutnevdesigned and simultaneously built the 24-foot long, three-stage thermonuclear device in just 15 weeks.
Officially designated as AN602 hydrogen bomb, the Tsar Bomba used the common three-stage Teller-Ulam design wherein the primary fission reaction is used to compress
a secondary mixed fission/fusion fuel layer, which in turn compresses a large, tertiary thermonuclear payloadessentially stringing a pair of hydrogen fission reactions
together in order to generate enough energy to instigate fusion in a uranium payload.
Since the project was so rushed, only one such weapon was ever built and even then just barely. At 27 tons, it weighed nearly as much as the Tu-95that carried it and was so
big that crews had to cut off the plane's bomb-bay doors in order to fit it in. Even so, at 11:32 am on October 30, 1961, theTsar Bomba exited Andrei Durnovtsev's plane at a
height of 6.5 miles and slowly parachuted towards Mityushikha Bay test range in Novaya Zemlya (giving the drop plane just 188 seconds to escape). At 2.5 miles high, Big
Ivan went boom.

The resulting fireball had a radius of nearly 10,000 vertical feet and its 210,000 foot tall mushroom cloud reached into the stratosphere. The light generated by the reaction
could be seen from over a 1,000 km and the force of its explosion registered a 5.0 on the Richter scale. The shock wave generated air pressures topping 300 PSI, circled the
Earth thrice, and cracked windows 900 km away in Norway and Finland. Buildings in the abandoned town of Severny 55 km away were leveledall of themand upon later
inspection, ground zero was reportedly the texture of a skating rink.
As one observer recalled,
The clouds beneath the aircraft and in the distance were lit up by the powerful flash. The sea of light spread under the hatch and even clouds began to glow and became
transparent. At that moment, our aircraft emerged from between two cloud layers and down below in the gap a huge bright orange ball was emerging. The ball was powerful
and arrogant like Jupiter. Slowly and silently it crept upwards.... Having broken through the thick layer of clouds it kept growing. It seemed to suck the whole earth into it.
The spectacle was fantastic, unreal, supernatural.
This utter destruction is only half of what the Tsar Bomba was capable of. It was designed and built to deliver a staggering 100 megaton payload. The Tsar was supposed to
utilize fast-fissioning uranium tampers on the second and third stages of the bomb, which would have allowed for a bigger reaction and subsequent energy release. However,

just before the test was to take place, Soviet leadership ordered the tampers swapped out with lead replacements in order to prevent nuclear fallout from reaching populated
areas of the USSR.
These lead tampers cut the bomb's yield by 50 percent but they also eliminated 97 percent of the resulting fallout. As such the Tsar Bomba, the largest, most destructively
powerful device ever built by man also holds the notable distinction of being the relatively "cleanest" nuclear weapon ever tested. Luckily, that record was only important for
two years until the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty which brought an end to above-ground nuclear weapons tests.

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