Last changed 30 March 2023
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).
Desig- nation |
Type | Width (in.) |
Length (in.) |
Weight (lb.) |
Yield(s) | Fuzing | Laboratory | Deployment Status |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mk-I | Bomb | 28 | 120 | 8,900 | 15 - 16 kT | Airburst | Los Alamos/ Project Y | Used in combat (Hiroshima) 8/6/1945, never stockpiled; only 5 bomb assemblies completed, all retired by Nov 1950 | Gun-assembly HEU bomb; "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima |
Mk-II | Bomb | Los Alamos/ Project Y | Theoretical design, never produced | Low-efficiency plutonium implosion bomb | |||||
Mk-III | Bomb | 60.25 | 128 | 10,300 | 18, 20-23, 37, 49 kT | Airburst | Los Alamos/ Project Y | Used in combat (Nagasaki) 8/9/1945; mass production 4/47-4/49, 120 produced; all retired late 1950 | Plutonium implosion bomb; "Fat Man", Model 1561; Mods 0, 1, 2 |
Mk-4 | Bomb | 60 | 128 | 10,800 - 10,900 | 1, 3.5, 8, 14, 21, 22, 31 kT | Airburst | LASL | Entered service 3/49; produced 3/49-5/51; 550 produced (all mods); Retired 7/52-5/53 | 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 |
T-1 / TX-1 | Atomic Demolition Munition | About 8 | ? | About 150 | Low kiloton | Time delay | Picatinny Arsenal | Entered service, withdrawn, late 1940s | Developed at Picatinny Arsenal for the U.S. Army.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. Gun-assembly HEU weapon. See footnote. |
W-4 | Warhead | 60 | 90 | 6,500 | Airburst | LASL | Cancelled 1951 | Planned warhead for the Snark SSM cruise missile; Mk-4 bomb derivative | |
Mk-5 | Bomb | 43.75 | 129 - 132 | 3,025 - 3,175 | 6, 16, 55, 60, 100, 120 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Entered operational stockpile 5/52; last retired 1/63; 140 bombs (all mods) produced | 92 lens high efficiency implosion bomb; used type D pit, composite cores; first weapon with major size/weight reduction over Fat Man; used as primary (1st stage) in the first thermonuclear devices; 4 mods; first weapon to use auto IFI |
W-5 | Warhead | 39; 44 | 76 | 2,405 - 2,650; 2,600 (XW-5-X1) | same as Mk-5 | Airburst or surface | LASL | Start of manufacture 4/54 (Regulus), 7/54 (Matador); retired 7/61 - 1/63; 35 (Regulus), 65 (Matador) produced | Warhead for the Matador (MGM-1) and Regulus 1 (SSM-N-8) SSM cruise missiles; application to the Rascal air-to-surface cancelled; first missile warhead; produced by modifying stockpile Mk-5 bombs |
Mk-6 | Bomb | 61 | 128 | 7,600 - 8,500 | 8, 26, 80, 154, 160 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured from 7/51 to early 1955; 1100 bombs (all mods) produced; last retired 1962 | Improved high-yield lightweight Mk-4; 7 mods; some Mk-4Ds were converted Mk-6 Mod 0; early mods had 32 lens implosion system, Mod 2 and later had 60 lens system |
Mk-7 | Bomb | 30.5 | 183 | 1,645 - 1,700 | 8, 19, 22, 30, 31, 61 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | 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; 6-7 yields; 10 mods, PAL A used on late mods |
W-7 | Warhead | 30 - 30.5 | 54.8 - 56 | 900 - 1,100; 970 (W-7-X1 / X2); 983 (Betty) | 90 T; 2 - 40 kT | Airburst, surface, hydrostatic | LASL | 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; ADM: stockpiled 1955-1963, 300 produced; Betty: stockpiled 6/55 - 1960, 225 produced; Nike Hercules: cancelled 1956 | 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-8 | Bomb | 14.5 | 116 - 132 | 3,230 - 3,280 | 25 - 30 kT | Pyrotechnic delay | LASL | Manufactured 11/51 - 5/53; in service 1/52 - 6/57; 40 produced (all mods) | Earth penetrating weapon, gun-assembly HEU bomb, nicknamed "Elsie" (for LC - light case), 2 mods; replaced by the Mk-11 |
W-8 | Warhead | LASL | Cancelled May 1955 | Gun-assembly warhead, intended for use as a cratering warhead for the Regulus missile | |||||
W-9 | Artillery Shell | 11.02 (280 mm) | 54.8 | 803; 850 | 15 kT | Mechanical time delay airburst | LASL | Manufactured 4/52 - 11/53; Retired 5/57; 80 produced | Used in T-124, the first U.S. nuclear artillery shell; gun-assembly HEU weapon, modified TX-8; replaced 1-for-1 by W-19; only 20 280mm cannons were ever made |
Mk-9 / T-4 | Atomic Demolition Munition | 120 - 200 | Time delay | LASL | Stockpiled 1957; retired 1963 | The T-4 was built from recycled W-9 warheads; gun-assembly HEU weapon; replaced by W-45 | |||
Mk-10 | Bomb | 12 | 1,750; 1,500 | 12 - 15 kT | Airburst | LASL | Cancelled May 1952 | "Airburst Elsie", a reduced size/ weight derivative of the Mk-8; superseded by the Mk-12 | |
Mk-11 | Bomb | 14 | 147 | 3,210 - 3,500 | Pyrotechnic delay | LASL | Manufactured 1/56 - 1957; in service 1/56 - 1960; 40 produced | Improved Mk-8 gun-assembly weapon, replaced Mk-8 on 1-for-1 basis; stockpiled as the "Mk-91 penetration bomb" | |
Mk-12 | Bomb | 22 | 155 | 1,100 - 1,200 | 12, 14 kT | Timer or contact | LASL | 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 |
W-12 | Warhead | 22 | 900 | Low kT | Airburst | LASL | Cancelled Nov 1955 | Talos (Navy)/Talos-W (Army) surface-air missile warhead | |
MK-13 | Bomb | 61 | 128 | 7,400 | 32 kT (Upshot - Knothole Harry shot) | Airburst or contact | LASL | Cancelled Aug 1954 | High-yield Mk-6 follow-on, 92-point implosion system; superseded by TN Mk-15/39 |
W-13 | Warhead | 58 | 100 | 6,000 - 6,500 | Airburst or contact | LASL | Cancelled 9/1954 | Early warhead intended for Snark cruise missile, Redstone ICBM; superseded by TN Mk/W-15/39 | |
TX / MK-14 | Bomb | 61.4 | 222 - 223.5 | 28,954 - 29,851; 31,000 | 5-7 MT; 6.9 MT (Castle Union shot) | Airburst | LASL | Stockpiled 2/54 - 10/54; 5 produced | First deployed solid-fuel thermonuclear weapon; recycled into Mk-17 weapons by 9/56; used 95% enriched Li-6; 64 ft parachute |
MK-15 | Bomb | 34.4 - 34.7; 35 | 136 - 140 | 7,600 | 1.69 MT (Castle Nectar), 3.8 MT (Redwing Cherokee) | Airburst, contact (F/F or rtd), laydown | LASL | 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 |
W-15 | Warhead | 34.5 | 6,400 - 6,560 | LASL | Cancelled Feb 1957 | Class "C" TN missile warhead derived from MK-15, cancelled in favor of very closely related W-39 | |||
TX-16 | Bomb | 61.4 | 296.7 | 39,000 - 42,000 | 6 - 8 MT | Airburst | LASL | Stockpiled 1/54 - 4/54; 5 produced | First deployed thermonuclear weapon; weaponized version of Ivy Mike device; only cryogenic TN weapon ever deployed |
EC-17 | Bomb | 61.4 | 224.9 | 39,600 | 11 MT (Castle Romeo shot) | Airburst | LASL | Stockpiled 4/54 - 10/54; 5 produced | "Emergency Capability" weapon (deployed prototype); used natural lithium; free fall bomb |
MK-17 | Bomb | 61.4 | 296.7 | 41,400 - 42,000 | 10 - 15 MT | Airburst or contact (Mod 2 only) | LASL | Manufactured 7/54 - 11/55; 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 | 60 | 128 | 8,600 | 500 kT (Ivy King shot) | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured 3/53 - 2/55; Retired 1/56 - 3/56; 90 produced (all mods) | Very high-yield MK-6/Mk-13 follow-on; largest pure fission bomb ever deployed; nicknamed the SOB ("Super Oralloy Bomb"); 92-point implosion system, all HEU core; 2 mods; Retired by conversion to lower yield Mk-6 Mod 6; superseded by TN Mk-15 and Mk-28 |
W-19 | Artillery Shell | 11.02 (280 mm) | 54 | 600 | 15 - 20 kT | Mechanical time delay airburst | LASL | Production began 7/55; Retired 1963; 80 produced | Used in T-315 atomic projectile; improved W-9; gun-assembly HEU weapon |
Mk-20 | Bomb | 60 | 128 | 6,400 | LASL | Cancelled Aug 1954 | Improved high-yield MK-13; superseded by TN MK-15 | ||
Mk-21 | Bomb | 56.2; 58.5 | 149 - 150 | 15,000 - 17,700 | 4 - 5 MT | Airburst, contact, laydown | LASL | 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 | Warhead | 52; | 145 | 15,000 - 16,000 | LASL | Cancelled | For B-58, SM-64A 56 Navaho | ||
Mk-22 | Bomb | 51 | 18,000 | 1 MT | UCRL | Cancelled April 1954 | Based on the Edward Teller designed Morgenstern/Ramrod devices; cancelled following Morgenstern fizzle (Castle Koon) | ||
W-23 | Artillery Shell | 16 | 64 | 1,500; 1,900 | 15 - 20 kT | Mechanical time delay airburst | LASL | Production began 10/56; Retired 10/62; 50 produced | US Navy "Katie" shell; W-19 (11 inch shell) internal components adapted to 16 inch shell body |
EC 24 | Bomb | 61 | 225 | 39,600 | 13.5 MT (Castle Yankee shot) | Airburst | LASL | Stockpiled 4/54 - 10/54; 10 produced | "Emergency Capability" weapon (deployed prototype); used enriched Li-6; free fall bomb |
Mk-24 | Bomb | 61.4 | 296 | 41,400 - 42,000 | 10 - 15 MT | Airburst | LASL | 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 cancelled); 1x64 ft parachute; replaced by the Mk-36 |
W-25 | Warhead | 17.35 - 17.4 | 25.7 - 26.6 | 218 - 221 | 1.7 kT | Time delay | LASL | Manufactured 5/57 - 5/60; Mod 0 retired 8/61 - 1965, all retired by 12/84; 3150 produced (all mods) | MB-1 Genie AAM warhead; unboosted composite implosion warhead; first "sealed pit" weapon; 2 mods, Mod 1 had environmental sensing device safeties |
Mk-26 | Bomb | 56.2 | 150 | 15,000 - 17,700 | LASL | Cancelled 1956 | Mk-21 sibling design | ||
Mk-27 | Bomb | 30.2 | 125 - 142 | 3,150 - 3,300 | Airburst or contact | UCRL | 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 | |
W-27 | Warhead | 30.25 - 31 | 75 | 2,800 | 2 MT | Airburst or contact | UCRL | 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 cancelled: the F-101 and B-58 bomb pods, and the Rascal, Regulus II, and Matador cruise missiles |
Mk-28 | Bomb | 20; 22 | 96 - 170 | 1,700 - 2,320 | Y1: 1.1 MT, Y2: 350 kT, Y3: 70 kT, Y5: 1.45 MT | FUFO: F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown | LASL | Manufactured 1/58 - 3/58, 8/58 - 5/66; retirement of early mods began 1961, last one retired 9/91; 4500 produced (all mods) | Multipurpose TN tactical and strategic bomb; longest weapon design in U.S. (33 years); 2nd largest production run of any U.S. weapon design; Y4 was fission only; 20 mods and variants; PAL A (Y1), B (Y2), D (Y3, Y5); replaced by B-61 and B-83 bombs; 1-point safety problem with primary discovered after start of initial manufacture, halting production for 5 months |
W-28 | Warhead | 20 | 60 | 1,500 - 1,725 | 70 kT - 1.45 MT | Airburst or contact | LASL | 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 |
W-29 | Warhead | 52; 35 | 145 | 3,500 | LASL | Cancelled Aug 1955 | Cancelled in favor of Mk-15 | ||
W-30 | Warhead | 22 | 48 | 438; 490; 450 | 300 T; 500 T (Talos and TADM); 4.7 kT; 19 kT | Airburst, contact, time delay | LASL | TADM: stockpiled 1961 - 1966, 300 produced; Talos: manufactured 2/59 - 1/65, retired 1/62 - 3/79; 300 produced | Multipurpose warhead: Talos SAM/SSM, XW-30-X1 TADM (Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition) warhead; Talos - 1 yield, 3 mods; TADM - 2 yields stockpiled |
W-31 | Warhead | 28 - 29; 30 | 39 - 39.3 | 900 - 945 | 1, 2, 12, 20, 40 kT | Airburst, timer, surface | LASL | Honest John: manufactured 10/59 - 12/61, retired 7/67 - 1987, 1650 produced; Nike Hercules: manufactured 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; Nike-Hercules: 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) |
W-32 | Artillery Shell | 9.45 (240 mm) | 400; 450 | LASL | Cancelled May 1955 | ||||
W-33 | Artillery Shell | 8 (203 mm) | 37 | 240 - 243 | 5 - 10 kT, 40 kT (Y2) | Mechanical time delay airburst | LASL | Manufactured 1/57 - 1/65; Retired 9/92; 2000 produced | W-33 used in the T-317 atomic projectile; gun-assembly 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 |
W-34 | ASW warhead / Bomb | 17 | 32 | 312; 320; 311 | 11 kT | Hydrostatic, laydown, impact | LASL | ASW: Manufactured 8/58 - 12/62; 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 | Multipurpose warhead for ASW (antisubmarine warfare) and tactical use; 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 |
W-35 | Warhead | 20; 28 | 1,500 - 1,700 | 1.75 MT | LASL | Cancelled Aug 1958 | Early LASL TN ballistic missile warhead, intended for Atlas, Titan ICBMs, Thor, Jupiter IRBMs; competitor with UCRL W-38; cancelled in favor of W-49 (a modified Mk-28) | ||
Mk-36 | Bomb | 56.2; 58; 59 | 150 | 17,500; 17,700 | 9 - 10 MT | F/F or retarded airburst or contact | LASL | 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 |
W-37 | Warhead | 30 | 900; 940 | LASL | Cancelled 9/1956 | Intended to be a high-yield multipurpose companion to the W-31; XW-37 was redesignated XW-31Y2 | |||
W-38 | Warhead | 32 | 82.5 | 3,080 | 3.75 MT | Airburst or contact | UCRL/LRL | 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/LRL designed TN ballistic missile warhead; competitor with LASL W-35/49 |
Mk-39 | Bomb | 35, 44 (tail section) | 136 - 140 | 6,650 - 6,750 | 3-4 MT (2 yields, Y1 and Y2) | Airburst, contact; mod w/low-level retarded laydown | LASL | Manufactured 2/57 - 3/59; Retired 1/62 to 11/66; 700 produced (all 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 |
W-39 | Warhead | 34.5 - 35 | 105.7 | 6,230 - 6,400 | 3.8 MT (2 yields, Y1 and Y2) | LASL | Redstone: stockpiled 7/58 - 1963, 60 produced; Snark: manufactured 4/58 - 7/58, retired 8/62 - 9/65, 30 produced | Warhead for Snark cruise missile, Redstone MRBM, B-58 weapon pod; Versions: Redstone Mk-39Y1 Mod 1 and Mk-39Y2 Mod 1, Snark Mk-39Y1 Mod 1; W-39 identical to Mk-39 except for fuzing system |
|
W-40 | Warhead | 17.9 | 31.64 | 350; 385 (Y1) | 10 kT (Y1) | Airburst or contact | LASL | Bomarc: manufactured 9/59 - 5/62, retired by 11/72, 350 produced; Lacrosse: manufactured 9/59 - 5/62, retired 10/63 - 1964, 400 produced | Warhead for Bomarc SAM and Lacrosse SSM; boosted implosion system adapted from Mk-28 primary; initially deployed version (produced 6/59-8/59) not 1-point safe, Mod 2 retrofit required; 2 yields |
Mk-41 | Bomb | 52 | 148 | 10,500 - 10,670 | 25 MT | FUFU: F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown | UCRL/LRL | Manufactured 9/60 - 6/62; Retired 11/63 - 7/76; 500 produced | Highest yield U.S. weapon ever deployed; only U.S. 3-stage TN weapon; Y1 "dirty," Y2 "clean"; parachutes 1x4 ft, 1x16.5 ft; retired in favor of Mk-53 |
W-41 | Warhead | 50 | 9,300 | UCRL/LRL | Cancelled July 1957 | ||||
W-42 | Warhead | 13 - 14 | 18.5 | 75 - 92 | Proximity | LASL | Cancelled June 1961 | Intended for air-to-air (e.g. GAR-8), surface-to-air (e.g. Hawk) applications | |
Mk-43 | Bomb | 18 | 150 - 164 | 2,060 - 2,125 | 70 kT - 1 MT; Y1: 1 MT, Y5: 500 kT | F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown | LASL | Manufactured 4/61 - 10/65; retirement (early mods) began 12/72, last retired 4/91; 1000 produced (all mods) | Laydown bomb for high-speed low-altitude delivery; 5 yields; Y4 is fission only; PAL B (mod 2); Parachutes: 1x4 ft, 1x23 ft ribbon; last version retired was MK-43Y2 Mod 2 |
W-44 | ASW warhead | 13.75 | 25.3 | 170 | 10 kT | Hydrostatic | LASL | Manufactured 5/61 - 3/68; retired 6/74 - 9/89; 575 produced | ASROC (RUR-5A) ASW warhead; plutonium implosion warhead, similar to primary for Mk-43 |
W-45 | Warhead | 11.5 | 27 | 150; MADM: 350 | 500 T; 1, 5, 8, 10, 15 kT | Airburst, surface, time delay, command | UCRL/LRL | Terrier: manufactured 4/62 - 6/66, retired 7/67 - 9/88, 750 produced; MADM: manufactured 1/62 - 6/66, retired 7/67 - 1984, 350 produced; Bullpup: manufactured 1/62 - 1963, retired 7/67 - 1978, 100 produced; Little John: manufactured 9/61 - 6/66, retired 7/67 - 1970, 500 produced | Multipurpose UCRL/LRL 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 |
Mk-46 | Bomb | 37 | 6,400 | MT range | LASL | Cancelled Oct 1958 | "Clean" and "dirty" versions tested during Hardtack I; was to have replaced Mk-39; development of improved design continued as Mk-53 | ||
W-46 | Warhead | 35-40 | LASL | Cancelled April 1958 | Warhead planned for Redstone, Snark, B-58 pod warhead; Redstone/W-46 cancelled in favor of Titan II/W-53 | ||||
W-47 | Warhead | 18 | 46.6 | Y1: 717 - 720; Y2: 733 | Y1: 600 kT; Y2: 1.2 MT | Airburst or contact | LASL | EC-47 manufactured 4/60 - 6/60, retired 6/60, 300 produced; W-47 manufactured 6/60 - 7/64, retired 7/61 - 11/74, 1060 produced (Y1 and Y2) - only 300 in service at a time | Polaris SLBM TN warhead; breakthrough in compact, light high yield design; integral warhead/beryllium re-entry vehicle; 3 versions: EC-47, W-47Y1, W-47Y2; several severe reliability problems required repeated modification and remanufacture (in 1966 75% of the stockpiled Y2s were inoperable, correction took until 10/67) |
W-48 | Artillery Shell | 6.1 (155 mm) | 33.3 | 118 - 128 | 72 T | Mechanical time delay or proximity airburst, or contact | UCRL/LRL | Manufactured 10/63 - 3/68; retirement (135 Mod 0s) 1/65 - 1969, all 925 Mod 1s retired 1992; 1060 produced (all mods) | Small diameter linear implosion plutonium weapon, 2 mods |
W-49 | Warhead | 20 | 54.3 - 57.9 | 1,640 - 1,680 | 1.44 MT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured 9/58 - 1964; Thor retired 11/62 - 8/63 (a few to 4/75); | LASL developed ICBM/IRBM warhead; Used in Thor (Mod 0,1, 3), Atlas (Mod 0, 1), Titan, Jupiter (Mod 0, 1, 3, 5) warhead; 2 RVs used Mk-2 heat sink and Mk-3 ablative; 2 yields, 7 mods; Mk/W-28 adaptation with new arming/fuzing system; PAL A; successor to W-35 |
W-50 | Warhead | 15.4 | 44 | 409 - 410 | Y1: 60 kT; Y2: 200 kT; Y3: 400 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured 3/63 - 12/65; retired 4/73 - 4/91; 280 produced | TN warhead for Pershing SSM (Mod 1, 2), Nike Zeus SAM (cancelled 5/59); Mod 1 equipped with PAL A; 3 yields, 2 mods |
W-51 | Warhead | 22 T | LRL | Became XW-54 Jan 1959 | Very small spherical implosion warhead, initial development by LRL, development transferred to LASL and design redesignated W-54 | ||||
W-52 | Warhead | 24 | 56.7 | 950 | 200 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | 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 |
Mk/B53 | Bomb | 50 | 148 - 150; Y2 144 | 8,850 - 8,900 | 9 MT | FUFO: F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown | LASL | Manufactured 8/62 - 6/65; 350 produced; retirement (early mods) began 7/67, last 50 retired from active service (but retained in stockpile) in favor of B-61 Mod 11, early 1997. | Carried by B-47, B-52; B-58 used Mk-53BA (in BLU-2/B 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 unit dismantled 25 October 2011. |
W-53 | Warhead | 37 | 103 | 6,200 | 9 MT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Titan II warhead | |
W-54 | Warhead | 10.75 | 15.7 | 50 - 51 | 250 T | Contact or proximity | LASL | 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 |
Mk-54 | Warhead | 10.75 | 17.6 | 50 - 55 | 10, 20 T | Time delay | LASL | 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 |
Mk-54 SADM | Atomic Demolition Munition (ADM) | 16 | 24 | 150 (complete); 59 (W-54 only) | Variable, 10 T - 1 kT | Time delay | LASL | Manufactured 8/64 - 6/66; retired 1967 - 1989; 300 produced SADM: | M-129/M-159 SADM (Special Atomic Demolition Munition) used a Mk-54 warhead package very similar to Davy Crockett; 2 mods; mechanical combination lock PAL |
W-55 | ASW | 13 | 39.4 | 470 | Mid Kiloton Range | Hydrostatic | LASL | Manufactured 1/64 - 3/68, 3/70 - 4/74; retired 6/83 - 9/90; 285 produced | SUBROC (UUM-44A) ASW missile thermonuclear warhead; based on the 202 kT Hardtack I Olive device |
W-56 | Warhead | 17.4 | 47.3 | 600; 680 | 1.2 MT | Airburst or surface | LASL | Manufactured 3/63 - 5/69; retired 9/66 (early mods), Mod-4 retired 1991-93; 1000 produced (all mods), 455 Mod-4s produced | Minuteman I and II warhead, based on UCRL W-47, competitor with the W-59 for Minuteman; 4 mods, retrofit of early mods required to fix reliability problem, blast and radiation hardening added later |
Mk-57 | Bomb | 14.75 | 118 | 490 - 510 | 5 - 20 kT | Retarded airburst, retarded laydown, F/F contact, hydrostatic | LASL | 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 | LASL | Manufactured 3/64 - 6/67; retired 9/68-4/82; 1400 produced | Polaris A-3 warhead, each A-3 carried three multiple re-entry vehicles (MRVs), first MRV warhead in service |
W-59 | Warhead | 16.3 | 47.8 | 550 - 553 | 1 MT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured 6/62 - 7/63; retired 12/64 - 6/69; 150 produced | Warhead for Minuteman I/Mk 5 RV and the cancelled Skybolt; version of LASL "J-21" design; |
W-60 | Warhead | 13 | 20 | 115 - 150 | Very low | Proximity | LASL | Cancelled Dec 1963 | Typhon SAM warhead |
Mk/B-61 | Bomb | 13.3 | 141.64 | 695 - 716 | Variable. In service: Mod 3: 0.3, 1.5, 60, 170 kT; Mod 4: 0.3, 1.5, 10, 45 kT; Mod 7/11: 4 yields, 10 - 340 kT; Mod 10: 0.3, 5, 10, 80 kT; Mod 12: 0.3, 1.5, 10, 50 kT | FUFO: retarded and F/F, contact or airburst, laydown | LANL | Manufactured 10/66 - early 90s; early mods retired 70s - 80s; 3150 produced, 1350 in service; Mod 12 production (Mod 4 conversion) began 11/21 | Multipurpose tactical/strategic bomb; basic design adapted to many other weapon systems; DAY (Dial-A-Yield); 12 mods, 6 in stockpile, 5 in active service; PAL B (retired), D, F; primary uses IHE; parachute: 1x17 ft or 1x24 ft ribbon; longest production run of any U.S. nuclear weapon, oldest design in service; part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile. |
W-62 | Warhead | RV Body: 21 in; Warhead: 19.7 in | RV Body: 72 in; Warhead: 39.3 in | Warhead/RV: 700-800; Warhead: 253 | 170 kT | Airburst or contact | LRL | Manufactured 3/70 - 6/76; early mods retired starting 4/80; 1725 produced | Minuteman III/Mk-12 RV warhead; remaining W-62s replaced by W-88s in 2010 and dismantled. |
W-63 | Warhead | LASL | Cancelled Nov 1966 | LRL design for Lance SSM warhead; ER ("neutron bomb") design; (cancelled in favor of W-70 | |||||
W-64 | Warhead | LASL | Cancelled Sep 1964 | LASL design for Lance SSM warhead; ER ("neutron bomb") design; cancelled in favor of W-63 | |||||
W-65 | Warhead | MT range | LASL | Cancelled Jan 1968 | Sprint ABM warhead, cancelled in favor of W-66 | ||||
W-66 | Warhead | 18 | 35 | 150 | kT range | LASL | Manufactured 6/74 - 3/75; retired from service 8/75, ret. from stockpile 1985; 70 produced | Sprint ABM warhead, ER ("neutron bomb") warhead | |
W-67 | Warhead | Warhead/RV: 938; Warhead 675 | 150 kT | LASL | Cancelled Dec 1967 | LASL ICBM/SLBM multiple warhead, intended for Poseidon and Minuteman-III. Mark 17 RV | |||
W-68 | Warhead | 367 | 40 - 50 kT | Airburst or contact | LRL | Manufactured 6/70 - 6/75; retired 9/77 - 1991; 5250 produced | 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 | ||
W-69 | Warhead | 15 | 30 | 275 | 170 - 200 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL | Manufactured 10/71 - 8/76; retired 10/91 - 9/94; 1500 produced | SRAM (short range attack missile, AGM 69A) air-surface missile warhead; derived from Mk-61; initially removed from service 6/90 due to fire safety concerns |
W-70 | Warhead | 18 | 41 | 270 | Mods 0,1, 2: variable from 1-100 kT; Mod 3: 1 kT | Airburst or contact | LRL | Manufactured 6/73 - 7/77 (Mods 0-2), 8/81 - 2/83 (Mod 3); retired 7/79 - 9/92; Mods 0-2: 900 produced, Mod 3: 380 built | Lance SSM warhead; LRL successor to W-63 design; 4 mods; Mods 0, 1, 2: TN warhead with 3 yield settings (1-100 kT), Mod 1 had improved selection of yields; Mod 3: enhanced radiation ("neutron bomb") version, 2 yield options (slightly less than 1 kT, and slightly more than 1 kT), both 60% fusion and 40% fission; PAL D |
W-71 | Warhead | 42 | 101 | 2,850 | 5 MT | Airburst (command & delay timer) | LRL | Manufactured 7/74 - 7/75; retired from service 1975, ret. from stockpile 9/92; 30 produced | Spartan ABM warhead, used thermal x-rays for exoatmospheric RV kill |
W-72 | Warhead | 15 | 79 | 825 | ca. 600 T | Contact | LASL | Manufactured 8/70 - 4/72; retired 7/79 - 9/79; 300 produced | Walleye (AGM-62) guided glide bomb warhead; W-72 was a modified W-54, salvaged from retired AIM-26A Falcon AAM; yield was significantly enhanced over Falcon version |
W-73 | Warhead | <17 | LASL | Cancelled 9/1970 | Condor ASM warhead; derived from Mk-61; cancelled in favor of a conventional HE warhead | ||||
W-74 | Artillery Shell | 6.1 (155 mm) | 2 yields (both >100 T) | LASL | Cancelled June 1973 | Linear implosion pure fission plutonium warhead; intended to replace W-48 | |||
W-75 | Artillery Shell | 8 (203 mm) | 100 T | LRL | Cancelled 1973 | "Big brother" of W-74, similar design | |||
W-76 | Warhead | 363 | 100 kT (Mod 0), 90 kT (Mod 1), 5-7 kT (Mod 2) | Airburst or contact | LASL/ LANL | Manufactured 6/78 - 7/87; W76-1 LEP 9/08-12/18; W76-2 1/19-2024 active service; approx. 3000 produced, 2000 modified to Mod 1, ~25 Mod 2 | Trident I and Trident II Mk-4 RV (Mod 0), Mk-4A (Mods 1 and 2), missiles can carry up to 14 RVs; oldest missile warhead in service; part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile. | ||
B-77 | Bomb | 18 | 144 | 2,400 | Variable, kT to MT range | FUFO | LASL | Cancelled 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 |
W-78 | Warhead | 21.25 | 67.7 | 400 - 600 | 335 - 350 kT | Airburst or contact | LASL/ LANL | Manufactured 8/79 - 10/82; active service; 1083 produced, ~600 active service | Minuteman III/Mk-12A RV warhead; design derived from W-50 with a new lighter primary; part of U.S. Enduring Stockpile. To be retired for W87 Mod-1 when Minuteman replacement is deployed ~2030. |
W-79 | Artillery Shell | 8 | 44 | 200 | Variable - 100 T to 1.1 kT (Mod 0), 0.8 kT (Mod 1) | Proximity airburst or contact | LLNL | Manufactured 7/81 - 8/86; ER version retirement started mid-80s, all retired 9/92; 550 (325 ER, 225 fission) produced | Plutonium linear implosion weapon, used in XM-753 atomic projectile (AFAP); Mod 0: dual capable - pure fission or enhanced radiation (ER of "neutron bomb"), 3 yield options; Mod 1: fission only; PAL D |
W-80-0 | Warhead | 11.8 | 31.4 | 290 | Variable: 5 kT and 170-200 kT | Airburst or contact | LANL | Manufactured 12/83 - 9/90; active service; 367 produced | SLCM warhead; uses supergrade plutonium; PAL D; derived from Mk/B-61 warhead; now stored ashore; part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile |
W-80-1 | Warhead | 11.8 | 31.4 | 290 | Variable: 5 kT and 150-170 kT | Airburst or contact | LANL | Manufactured 1/81 - 9/90; active service; 1750 produced, 1400 in service | Warhead for ALCM (1000 in service), ACM (400 in service); PAL D; derived from Mk/B-61 warhead; part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile |
W-81 | Warhead | <13.5 | 2 - 4 kT | LANL | Cancelled 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 | 6.1 (155 mm) | 34 | 95 | <2 kT | Airburst | LANL | W-82-0 cancelled in Oct 1983; W-82-1 cancelled in 9/1990 | 155 mm companion to the the W-79, for use in XM-785 atomic projectile (AFAP); original Mod 0: dual capable - pure fission or enhanced radiation; Mod 1: fission only; PAL D |
B-83 | Bomb | 18 | 145 | 2,400 | Variable, low kT to 1.2 MT | FUFO: F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown | LLNL | Manufactured 6/83 - 1991; active service; 650 produced | Current high-yield strategic TN bomb; PAL D; uses IHE, fire resisitant pit; parachutes: 3x4 ft, 1x46 ft; 1x5 ft, 1x46 ft. To be retired under the 2022 Nuclear Policy Review. |
W-83 | Warhead | 1,700 - 1,900 | LLNL | PAL D | |||||
W-84 | Warhead | 13 | 34 | 388 | Variable: 0.2 - 150 kT | Airburst or contact | LLNL | Manufactured 9/83 - 1/88; inactive stockpile; 300-350 produced | GLCM warhead, missile scrapped under INF Treaty; LLNL design derived from LANL Mk/B-61 Mod 3/4 warhead; safety features: IHE, PAL G; FRP, ENDS, Command Disable. Part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile as inactive reserve weapons |
W-85; alternate image | Warhead | 12.5 | 42 | 880 | Variable: 5 - 80 kT | Airburst or contact | LANL | Manufactured 2/83 - 7/86; retired 1988 - 3/91; 120 produced | Pershing II SSM warhead; derived from LANL Mk/B-61 Mod 3/4 warhead; uses IHE, PAL F; upon retirement the W-85 was recycled into B-61 Mod 10 bombs |
W-86 | Warhead | Delayed | LASL | Cancelled 9/1980 | Earth penetrating warhead for the Pershing II SSM, cancelled due to change in mission from hard to soft targets | ||||
W-87-0 | Warhead | 21.8 | 68.9 | 500 - 600; 440 | 300 kT | Timer or proximity airburst, contact | LLNL | Manufactured 7/86 - 12/88; active service; 525 produced | Initially deployed on Peacekeeper ICBM/Mk-21 RV (carried 10), now deployed on Minuteman III (with W-78); RV/warhead weighs 800 lb; primary uses IHE and fire resistant pit; part of the U.S. Enduring Stockpile. |
W-87-1 | Warhead | 21.8 | 68.9 | 500 - 600; 440 | 475 kT | Timer or proximity airburst, contact | LLNL | Manufacture to start ~2030 Phase 6.3 development None produced | Phase 6.4 Production Engineering planned for mid 2026, Phase 6.5 Initial Production planned for 2030. Will replace W78 when Minuteman III is retired (~2030). |
W-88 | Warhead | 21.8 | 68.9 | <800 | 475 kT | Timer (w/path length correction) and proximity airburst; contact | LANL | Manufactured 9/88 - 11/89; active service; ~400 produced | 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 |
W-89 | Warhead | 13.3 | 40.8 | 324 | 200 kT | Airburst or contact | LANL | Cancelled 9/1991 | SRAM (short range attack missile) II warhead; LLNL design; safety features: PAL D, IHE, FRP; also considered for Sea Lance ASW missile |
B 90 | Bomb | 13.3 | 118 | 780 | 200 kT | retarded airburst, retarded contact, F/F airburst, F/F contact, hydrostatic | LANL | Cancelled 1991 | USN nuclear strike/depth bomb; intended to replace Mk-57; PAL D; 1x26 ft parachute |
W-91 | Warhead | 310 | 10, 100 kT | LANL | Cancelled 9/1991 | SRAM-T (short range attack missile - tactical) warhead; SRAM-T was a SRAM II derivative for the F-15E Eagle fighter/bomber; design orignally called "New Mexico 1"; safety features: FRP, IHE; 2 yields | |||
W-92 | Warhead | LANL | Cancelled 1990 | Sealance (proposed). Never entered Phase 3 (Development Engineering). | |||||
RNEP | Bomb | Sub-kT to MT | Study start 4/2002; FY2005/FY2006 funding denied, no further request. | Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (proposed). Modifications of B-83 and B-61 bombs considered. Never entered Phase 2A (Design Definition and Cost Study). No formal military requirement prepared. | |||||
RRW-1 | Warhead | Cancelled | RRW-1 Reliable Replacement Warhead-SLBM (proposed). Never entered Phase 2A (Design Definition and Cost Study). | ||||||
RRW-2 | Bomb | Cancelled | RRW-2 Reliable Replacement Warhead-Bomb (proposed). Never entered Phase 2A (Design Definition and Cost Study). | ||||||
W-93 | Warhead | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Similar or the same as for the W-88 | LANL | Phase 2A design start 2/2020. Projected availability 2030. | SLBM warhead; based on currently tested designs and components already in the stockpile, but enhanced safety. |
TX-1 / T-1 footnote. This weapon appears in no published nuclear weapons history or compilation to date (3/2023) because it was developed outside of the U.S. nuclear weapons laboratory system by the U.S. Army and no nuclear history researchers have ever filed FOIA requests about it with Picatinny Arsenal where the design was developed. The information about this weapon was provided to me by Dr. Peter D. Zimmerman. There is a display of this weapon in the classified Nuclear Weapons Instructional Museum (NWIM) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.
Principal Sources:
Nuclear Matters Handbook 2020; Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters (ODASD(NM)).
Historic and Projected United States Nuclear Weapon Program Entrance and Exit Dates by Engineering Phase. SAND2017-2818C
Nuclear Matters Handbook 2016; Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters (ODASD(NM)).
Swords of Armageddon, Version 2; Chuck Hansen, 2007
“Bunker Busters”: Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator Issues, FY2005-FY2007; Congressional Research Service, RL32347, Updated February 21, 2006.
Swords of Armageddon, Chuck Hansen, 1995
U.S. Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History; Chuck Hansen, 1988
Nuclear Weapons Databook: U.S. Nuclear Forces and Capabilities; Thomas B. Cochran, William M. Arkin, and Milton M. Hoenig, 1984
NRDC Nuclear Notebook prepared by Robert S. Norris and William Arkin of the Natural Resources Defense Council, published in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Especially in issues: