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Contact Preclusion
Contact preclusion is a fuze, fuzing feature found in some nuclear weapons in which backup contact fuzes in a nuclear weapon can be disabled when the weapon is set to air burst fuzing. When a nuclear attack is planned, the planner has the option of deciding if either air burst or ground burst fuzing will be used. Air burst has a larger damage radius against soft targets such as personnel or non-hardened buildings than ground bursts due to the Blast wave#Mach stem formation, Mach stem effect, however in the event the air burst fuze fails to actuate a contact fuze as backup is often included in the weapon. Though the damage radius will be reduced in this event, it is possible the target will still be destroyed. Ground bursts produce significant fallout that has the potential to be hazardous to civilians and friendly personnel. Therefore, in some weapons the option for contact preclusion exists in the weapon's fuzing. This disables the weapon's backup contact fuze, so if the air burst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fuze
In military munitions, a fuze (sometimes fuse) is the part of the device that initiates its function. In some applications, such as torpedoes, a fuze may be identified by function as the exploder. The relative complexity of even the earliest fuze designs can be seen in cutaway diagrams. A fuze is a device that detonates a munition's explosive material under specified conditions. In addition, a fuze will have safety and arming mechanisms that protect users from premature or accidental detonation. For example, an artillery fuze's battery is activated by the high acceleration of cannon launch, and the fuze must be spinning rapidly before it will function. "Complete bore safety" can be achieved with mechanical shutters that isolate the detonator from the main charge until the shell is fired. A fuze may contain only the electronic or mechanical elements necessary to signal or actuate the detonator, but some fuzes contain a small amount of primary explosive to initiate the deton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nuclear Weapons
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either nuclear fission, fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion, fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb types release large quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. Nuclear bombs have had Nuclear weapon yield, yields between 10 tons (the W54) and 50 megatons for the Tsar Bomba (see TNT equivalent). Yields in the low kilotons can devastate cities. A thermonuclear weapon weighing as little as can release energy equal to more than 1.2 megatons of TNT (5.0 Petajoule, PJ). Apart from the blast, Effects of nuclear explosions, effects of nuclear weapons include Firestorm, firestorms, extreme Thermal radiation, heat and ionizing radiation, radioactive nuclear fallout, an Nuclear electromagnetic pulse, electromagnetic pulse, and a radar blackout. The first nuclear weapons were deve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Burst
An air burst or airburst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target. The principal military advantage of an air burst over a ground burst is that the energy from the explosion, including any shell fragments, is distributed more evenly over a wider area; however, the peak energy is lower at ground zero. History The shrapnel shell was invented by Henry Shrapnel of the British Army in about 1780 to increase the effectiveness of canister shot. It was used in the later Napoleonic wars and stayed in use until superseded in Artillery of World War I. Modern shells, though sometimes called "shrapnel shells", actually produce fragments and splinters, not shrapnel. Air bursts were used in the First World War to shower enemy positions and men with shrapnel balls to kill the largest possible number with a single burst. When infantry moved into deep trenches, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ground Burst
A ground burst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an artillery shell, nuclear weapon or air-dropped bomb that explodes at ground level. These weapons are set off by fuses that are activated when the weapon strikes the ground or something equally hard, such as a concrete building, or otherwise detonated at the surface. In the context of a nuclear weapon, a ground burst is a detonation on the ground, in shallow water, or below the fallout-free altitude. This condition produces substantial amounts of nuclear fallout Nuclear fallout is residual radioactive material that is created by the reactions producing a nuclear explosion. It is initially present in the mushroom cloud, radioactive cloud created by the explosion, and "falls out" of the cloud as it is .... An air burst or a deep subterranean detonation, by contrast, makes little fallout. Ground shock Ground shock, or water shock will result from nuclear explosions on (or near) the surface of ground or wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blast Wave
In fluid dynamics, a blast wave is the increased pressure and flow resulting from the deposition of a large amount of energy in a small, very localised volume. The flow field can be approximated as a lead shock wave, followed by a similar subsonic flow field. In simpler terms, a blast wave is an area of pressure expanding supersonically outward from an explosive core. It has a leading shock front of compressed gases. The blast wave is followed by a blast wind of negative gauge pressure, which sucks items back in towards the center. The blast wave is harmful especially to objects very close to the center or at a location of constructive interference. High explosives that detonate generate blast waves. Sources High-order explosives (HE) are more powerful than low-order explosives (LE). HE detonate to produce a defining supersonic over-pressurization shock wave. Sources of HE include trinitrotoluene (TNT), C-4, Semtex, nitroglycerin, and ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO). LE deflagra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
B28 Nuclear Bomb
The B28, originally Mark 28, was a thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear bomb carried by United States, U.S. tactical fighter bombers, attack aircraft and bomber aircraft. From 1962 to 1972 under the NATO nuclear weapons sharing program, American B28s also equipped six Europe-based Canadian Canadair CF-104 Starfighter, CF-104 squadrons known as the RCAF Nuclear Strike Force. It was also supplied for delivery by UK-based Royal Air Force Vickers Valiant, Valiant and English Electric Canberra, Canberra aircraft assigned to NATO under the command of SACEUR. In addition, certain U.S. Navy carrier based attack aircraft such as the A-3 Skywarrior, A3D (later A-3B) Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, A4D (later A-4) Skyhawk, and A-5 Vigilante, A3J (later A-5A) Vigilante were equipped to carry the B28. Production history Initial development of the IN and EX weapons During the design of the Mark 15 nuclear bomb, TX-15 in 1953 it became evident to designers that massive reductions in size and weight of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
B61 Nuclear Bomb
The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear gravity bomb in the United States Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is a low-to-intermediate yield strategic nuclear weapon, strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design. The B61 is of the variable yield ("dial-a-yield" in informal military jargon) design with a yield of 0.3 to 340 kilotons in its various mods ("modifications"). It is a Full Fuzing Option (FUFO) weapon, meaning it is equipped with the full range of fuzing and delivery options, including air and ground burst fuzing, and free-fall, retarded free-fall and Laydown delivery, laydown delivery. It has a streamlined casing capable of withstanding supersonic flight and is long, with a diameter of about . The basic weight of the B-61 is about , although the weights of individual weapons may vary depending on version and fuze/retardation configuration. As of 2020, the weapon was undergoin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MGM-29 Sergeant
The MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The missiles were built by Sperry Utah Company. The Sergeant was the third and last in a series of JPL rockets for the US Army whose names correspond to the progression in Army enlisted ranks, starting with Private and Corporal. The Sergeant missile was first fired by an operational field artillery unit at White Sands New Mexico by the 3rd Battalion 38th Artillery station at Fort Sill Oklahoma in the summer of 1962. President John F. Kennedy attended the fire power demonstration at White Sands New Mexico. Development The Sergeant was originated during 1948 at JPL. Due to the large workload of the Corporal program rocket motor development for the Sergeant was transferred to the Redstone Division of the Thiokol Corporation. Due to the failure of the Sergeant program to develop rapidly the early Sergeant was terminated in April 1951.Cagle, Mary T., Hist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
W52 (nuclear Warhead)
The W52 was a thermonuclear warhead developed for the MGM-29 Sergeant short-range ballistic missile used by the United States Army from 1962 to 1977. The W52 was in diameter and long, and weighed . It had a yield of 200 kilotons. A total of 300 W52 warheads were produced. Researcher Chuck Hansen claims based on his research into the US nuclear program that the thermonuclear W52 and (fission-only) W30 warheads both use a common primary or fission first stage, and that this design was nicknamed the Boa primary. Reliability controversy Three models of the W52 were produced, the Mod 1, Mod 2, and Mod 3. A warhead test was performed in 1963, which failed, showing that the Mod 1 and Mod 2 versions of the W52 were essentially duds. The Mod 3 was subsequently redesigned to work properly. The design failures of the Mod 1 and 2 W52, along with early problems with the W45 and W47 warheads, are still an active part of the debate about the reliability of the US nuclear weapons force m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MGM-31 Pershing
The MGM-31A Pershing was the missile used in the Pershing 1 and Pershing 1a field artillery missile systems. It was a solid-fueled two-stage theater ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the PGM-11 Redstone missile as the primary nuclear-capable theater-level weapon of the United States Army and replaced the MGM-1 Matador cruise missiles operated by the German Air Force. Pershing later replaced the European-based MGM-13 Mace cruise missiles deployed by the United States Air Force and the German Air Force. Development began in 1958, with the first test missile fired in 1960, the Pershing 1 system deployed in 1963 and the improved Pershing 1a deployed in 1969. The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II Weapon System in 1983 while the German Air Force retained Pershing 1a until all Pershings were eliminated in 1991. The U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) managed the development and improvements while the Field Artillery Branch depl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
W50 (nuclear Warhead)
The W50 (also known as the Mark 50) was an American thermonuclear warhead deployed on the MGM-31 Pershing theater ballistic missile. Initially developed for the LIM-49 Nike Zeus anti-ballistic missile, this application was cancelled before deployment. The W50 was developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory. The W50 was manufactured from 1963 through 1965, with a total of 280 being produced. They were retired from service starting in 1973 with the last units retired in 1991. There were two major variants produced: the Mod 0 for Nike Zeus and the Mod 1 for Pershing. Three yield options were available: the Y1 with , Y2 with , and Y3 with . All variants were in diameter at the attachment flange and long, weighing . History The W50 warhead traces its origins to a 1955 proposal that became the Nike Zeus missile. Bell Telephone Laboratories were tasked with evaluating future air defense problems in the 1960 to 1970 time frame, which led to the Nike Zeus proposal. This study showed th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Burst
An air burst or airburst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target. The principal military advantage of an air burst over a ground burst is that the energy from the explosion, including any shell fragments, is distributed more evenly over a wider area; however, the peak energy is lower at ground zero. History The shrapnel shell was invented by Henry Shrapnel of the British Army in about 1780 to increase the effectiveness of canister shot. It was used in the later Napoleonic wars and stayed in use until superseded in Artillery of World War I. Modern shells, though sometimes called "shrapnel shells", actually produce fragments and splinters, not shrapnel. Air bursts were used in the First World War to shower enemy positions and men with shrapnel balls to kill the largest possible number with a single burst. When infantry moved into deep trenches, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
