-------------------------------------------------- US Free-Fall Bombs and Nuclear Warhead Designation 1943 - 1989 -------------------------------------------------- Designation Yield Description Mk 1 15 Kilotons "Little-Boy" (U235 Gun-Assembly) Bomb For B-29 , withdrawn Jan 1951. Mk 2 U235/Pu239 implosion bomb , no production models developed. Mk 3 21 Kilotons "Fat-Man" Pu239 bomb for B-29, B-50, withdrawn Dec 1950. Mk 4 20-40 Kilotons First Production Model Bomb for B-29 withdrawn May 1953. Mk 5 81 Kilotons Bomb ,withdrawn in Jan 1963. Mk 6 30-60 Kilotons Improved "Fat-Man" design, withdrawn 1962 Mk 7 60-70 Kilotons U235 implosion device, withdrawn June 1967 Mk 8 15-20 Kilotons Improved "Little-Boy" design, withdrawn August 1957. Mk 10 Gun-type airburst device, no production units, program cancelled in May 1952 Mk 11 Gun-type device, withdrawn in 1960 Mk 12 10-20 Kilotons Withdrawn in July 1962 Mk 13 High Yield Fission device, no production units. Project cancelled August 1954 Tx 14 Early Thermonuclear design, cancelled in October 1954 Mk 15 1.8 Megatons Thermonuclear Device tested at "Bikini" in 1954, withdrawn in April 1965 Mk 16 Thermonuclear device, no production units. Program cancelled in April 1954 Mk 17 15-25 Megatons First Production Thermonuclear Weapon ,withdrawn in August 1957 Mk 18 500 Kilotons U235 fission Bomb for B-36 and B-47 Withdrawn march 1956 Mk 20 No production units, program cancelled August 1954 Mk 21 2-5 Megatons Thermonuclear device converted to Mk 36, withdrawn in November 1957. Mk 22 No Production units, Program cancelled in April 1954 Mk 24 15-20 Megatons Bomb for B-36, similiar to Mk 17, withdrawn in October 1956 Mk 26 No production units, device similiar Mk 21, program cancelled in 1956 Mk 27 1-2 Megatons Thermonuclear free-fall naval bomb withdrawn July 1964 Mk 28 70 Kilotons to Tactical and strategic free-fall bomb , 1.4 Megatons deployed on B-52 (4-8), F-4 (1), A-4 (1), A-6 (3), B-1B (up to 20). Mk 36 9-10 Megatons Air or Surface Burst Strategic Bomb , withdrawn January 1962. Mk 39 1.8 Megatons (+) Improved Mk 15 with drogue parachute for surface bursts against hardened targets, withdrawn November 1966 B41 8.9 Megatons Strategic Bomb , withdrawn July 1976 B43 1 Megaton (B43/Y1) Tactical and strategic free-fall configured in several yields. Deployed on A-6 (3), A-4 (1), A-7 (4), F-16 (2), F-4 (3), F-111 (6), B-52 (4). Parachute-retarded for air burst or free-fall (B43/Y1). Also delayed surface burst from release at low altitude. In active service. B46 Similiary to Mk 21, no production units, program cancelled October 1958. B53 9 Megatons (B53-Y1) Strategic Bomb , - Being Withdrawn B57 10-20 Kilotons Tactical weapon, deployed on A-4 (1), (Mods 0,1,2) A-6 (3), A-7 (4), P-3 (3), S-3 (3), SH-3 (1), F-16 (2), F-4 (3), FB-111 (6). In active service. B61 Mods 0,2,3,4,5 Tactical and strategic bomb, Mods 1,3,4 100-500 Kilotons clasified as strategic, Mod 1 yield in megaton range. In active service. B77 Development program for new bomb with full fusing option. Free-fall, retarded, air or ground burst with aerofoil parachute, no production units, program cancelled December 1977. B83 1-2 Megatons New strategic free-fall bomb, In active service. BDU Mods 8,11,12,38 Training versions of nuclear weapons Missile-delivered warheads -------------------------- W5 81 Kilotons (est) Warhead for Regulus, Matador, Rascal, and Rigel SSMs, withdrawn in 1963. W7 2-40 Kilotons Warhead for Corporal, Honest John, Boar, Betty plus others. Retired in May 1967. W8 No production units, program cancelled in 1958 W9 15 Kilotons First Atomic Artillery Shell, withdrawn May 1957 W12 Alternate warhead to W7, for Boar and Talos SAMs, no production units. Program cancelled Novemver 1955. W19 Improved W-9 nuclear artillery shell for 280mm Gun. Withdrawn in 1963 W23 15-20 Kilotons Nuclear Artillery shell for 16-inch gun, withdrawn in October 1962 W25 1.25 Kilotons Warhead for Genie AAM, withdrawn in December 1984 W27 Warhead for Regulus and Rascal SLCM, ASM's, similiar to Mk 27. W28 1 Megatons Warhead for Mace and Hound-Dog, GLCM and ASM, withdrawn in 1970 (Mace), 1976 (Hound-Dog) W29 Warhead for Redstone and Navaho SSMs, No productions units, program cancelled in august 1955. W30 5 Kilotons Warhead for TALOS shipborne SAM , and XM-113 Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition (TADM). Withdrawn 1979 (Talos), 1966 (TADM). W31 2-40 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for Nike-Hercules SAM , Honest John SSM, Crossbow ASM, and ADM (Atomic Demoliton Munition). Withdrawn 1965 (ADM), 1987 (Honest-John), Crossbow program cancelled, Nike-Hercules still active. W32 Artillery Fired Nuclear Projectile for 240mm Gun, No production units, program cancelled May 1955. W33 5-10 Kilotons Artillery Fired Nuclear Projectile for 8 in Gun, In active service. W34 10-15 Kilotons Warhead for Lulu (depth bomb) , Astor Mk 48 Torpedo ,and Mk 104 Hotpoint Bomb. Withdrawn September 1977. W35 Warhead for Thor, Atlas, Jupiter and Titan ICBMs/IRBMs. No productions units, program cancelled August 1958. W37 Warhead for Nike-Hercules SAM, No production units, program cancelled in September 1956. W38 3-4 Megatons Warhead for Atlas and Titan I, ICBMs withdrawn May 1965. W39 1-2 Megatons Warhead for Snark and Redstone GLCM/SSM withdrawn September 1965. W40 Warhead for Bomarc (SAM) and Lacrosse (SSM), withdrawn 1972 (Bomarc) , 1964 (Lacrosse). W42 Warhead for Hawk, Eagle, Sparrow and Falcon SAMs/AAMs , no production units, program cancelled June 1961. W44 1 kiloton Nuclear Depth Charge warhead for ASROC , in active service. W45 Mod-1 1 kiloton Nuclear warhead for Terrier naval shipborne SAM, Little-John, Bullpup, and Medium Atomic Demolition Munition (MADM). Withdrawn 1970 (Little-John), 1978 Bullpup, and 1984 (MDAM). Terrier In active service. W47 0.8 Megaton Warhead for Polaris A1/A2 SLBM, withdrawn in 1974. W48 0.1 Kiloton Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile for 155mm Gun, in active service. W49 1.44 Megatons Warhead for Thor, Atlas and Juptiter ICBMs, withdrawn June 1975. W50 60/200/400 kiloton Nuclear warhead for Pershing-1A SSM. W51 Warhead for Falcon and David Crockett, no production units, designation changed to W54 in January 1959. W52 200 Kilotons (Mod-3) Warhead for Sargent SSM, withdrawn august 1978 W53 9 Megatons Nuclear warhead for Titan-II , withdrawn July 1987. W54 1 Kiloton (M-159/W-54) Atomic Demolition Munition (ADM) Land Mine - Man Portable, total weight 150 lbs (59 lbs being the W-54) can be emplaced by two-man team. In active service. W55 1 Kiloton Nuclear Depth Charge for SUBROC, still in active service. W56 1-2 Megatons Warhead for Minuteman II ICBM, In active service. W58 200 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for Polaris A-3 SLBM, withdrawn April 1982. W59 Warhead for Minuteman and Skybolt ICBMs withdrawn June 1969, Skybolt program cancelled in 1963. W60 Development of Talos, no production units, program cancelled in March 1964. W62 170-200 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for Minuteman-III In active service. W63 Warhead for Lance SSM, no production units, program cancelled in November 1966 W64 Warhead for Lance SSM, no production units, program cancelled in 1964, planned replacement the W63. W65 Warhead for Sprint ABM, program cancelled january 1968, planned replacement the W66. W66 1-3 Kilotons Warhead for the Sprint ABM. Withdrawn August 1985. W67 Warhead for Poseidon and Minuteman III, SLBM/ICBM (Multi-Megaton). No production units, program cancelled December 1967. W68 40-50 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for Poseidon SLBM , In active service. W69 175-200 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for SRAM ASM, In active service. W70 1-100 kiloton Nuclear warhead for Lance SSM (Mods 1,2) In active service. Enhanced Radiation (Mod 3) W71 3-5 Megatons Warhead for Spartan ABM, withdrawn in 1976. W72 5-10 Kilotons Warhead for Walleye ASM, withdrawn September 1979 W73 Warhead for Condor , no production units, program cancelled September 1970. W74 Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile for 155mm Gun, no production units, program cancelled June 1973. W75 Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile for 8 inch Gun, no production units, program cancelled June 1973. W76 90-100 Kilotons Warhead for Poseidon and Trident Mk 4 RV SLBM, In active service. W78 335 Kilotons Warhead for Minuteman III ICBM, still in active service. W79 1-2 Kilotons Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile for 8 inch Gun, In active service. W80-0 200 Kiloton Nuclear warhead for BGM 109A SLCM In active service. W80-1 200 Kiloton Nuclear warhead for AGM-86B ALCM In active service W81 1 Kiloton Nuclear warhead for Standard SM-2, shipborne SAM, no production units, program cancelled 1986. W82 1-2 Kilotons Artillery Fired Atomic Projectile for 155mm Gun, scheduled for active service in 1989. W84 200 kiloton Nuclear warhead for BGM 109 GLCM In active service W85 40 kiloton Nuclear warhead for Pershing-II SSM, (Airburst). In active service. W86 Warhead for Pershing-II SSM, (Earth-Penetrator), no production units, program cancelled September 1980. W87 300-500 Kilotons Nuclear warhead for MX (Peacekeeper) missile. In active service. W88 475 Kilotons Warhead for Trident D-5 SLBM, scheduled for active service in 1989. W89 Warhead for Sea-Lance Nuclear Depth Bomb , no production units, program cancelled 1986. (intended as follow-up to SUBROC). W90 Warhead for SRAM II , follow-up to W69, scheduled for active service in 1992. W91 300 Kilotons (+) Warhead based upon improved W87 for Midgetman SICBM (Small ICBM) Sources: Title Author ISBN # Date Publisher U.S Nuclear Weapons Chuck Hansen 0-517-56740-7 1988 Orion Books Nuclear Weapons C. Campbell 0-89141-208-S 1984 Hamlyn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ronald William Gray Computer Scientist Convex Computers Ltd European Headquarters Randalls Research Park Randalls Way Leatherhead, Surrey UNITED KINGDOM KT22 7TZ gray@convex1.convex.com