Mark 15 nuclear bomb

Mark 15 bomb

Side-rear view of the weapon

Side view of the weapon

This article is about Mark 15 nuclear bomb. For other uses, seeMark XV.

TheMark 15 nuclear bomb,orMk-15,was a 1950s Americanthermonuclear bomb,the first relatively lightweight (7,600 lb (3,400 kg)) thermonuclear bomb created by the United States.

A total of 1,200 Mark 15 bombs were produced from 1955 to 1957. There were three production variants: Mod 1, Mod 2, and Mod 3. The design was in service from 1955 to 1965.

Specifications

All three models were generally physically similar; weight of around 7,600 lb (3,400 kg), diameter of 34.4 to 35 in (87 to 89 cm), length of 136 to 140 in (350 to 360 cm).

Models

The Mod 1 corresponds to theCastle Nectartest of theZombieweapon prototype. This test had a yield of 1.69megatons of TNT(7.1petajoules).

The Mod 2 corresponds to theRedwing Cherokeenuclear test of theTX-15-X1test model, and had a yield of 3.8Mt(16PJ). Redwing Cherokee was the first US thermonuclear bomb airdrop test.

The Mod 3 also appears to have had a 3.8Mt(16PJ) yield.

W15

A missile warhead variant of the Mark 15, theW15Warhead, was an ongoing project in the mid 1950s. It was canceled in early 1957. Before cancellation, it had been intended for use on theSM-62 Snarkmissile. Instead, the Snark ended up using the W39 (see below).

Derivatives

TheW39 nuclear warheadandB39 nuclear bombused a common nuclearphysics packagewhich was derived from the Mark 15. The experimental W39 devices were initially tested as theTX-15-X3(which is identical to the W39 Mod 0 design).

Dropped and lost

Main article:1958 Tybee Island mid-air collision

On February 5, 1958,during a training missionflown by aB-47,a Mk 15 nuclear bomb, was lost off the coast ofTybee Island, GeorgianearSavannah.

Initially, experts disputed whether the bomb was nuclear or not. If it contains a plutonium core, it is a fully-functional nuclear weapon. If the core was replaced with a dummy, it would be non-nuclear but still capable of creating a conventional explosion. After the incident, the Air Force assured the public that the nuclear capsule was removed prior to the flight and fitted with a simulated 150-pound cap made of lead.

However, according to1966 Congressional testimony by Assistant Secretary of Defense W.J. Howard,the Tybee Island bomb was a "complete weapon, a bomb with a nuclear capsule" and one of two weapons lost that contained a plutonium trigger.

See also

• List of nuclear weapons
• Operation Castle
• Operation Redwing

External links

• Allbombs.htmllist of all US nuclear warheads atnuclearweaponarchive.org