Mark 22 nuclear bomb

The Mark 22 nuclear bomb (Mk-22) was the first thermonuclear device test by the University of California Radiation Lab (UCRL). The test was part of the Koon shot of Operation Castle. The Mk-22 failed to achieve anything like its intended yield due to premature heating of the secondary from exposure to neutrons. As the other UCRL test planned for the Castle series, the liquid-fueled "Ramrod" device had the same basic design flaw, that test was canceled. Within a month of the bomb's failure, the Mk-22 was terminated because the United States Atomic Energy Commission realized there was nothing that could be done to salvage the design.

References

  • Hansen, Chuck. U.S. Nuclear Weapons. Arlington, Texas, Areofax, Inc., 1988. ISBN 0-517-56740-7.
  • Gibson, James N. “Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons.” List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons, 1996, nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html.
  • “1954 - Pacific Proving Ground.” Operation Castle, 17 May 2006, nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Castle.html.
  • Hernandez, Daniel. “Post ‘Ivy Mike’ and ‘Castle Bravo.’” United States History of Thermonuclear Weapons Development, Stanford University, 8 Mar. 2015, large.stanford.edu/courses/2015/ph241/hernandez2/.
  • Hansen, Chuck, "Swords of Armageddon: U.S. Nuclear Weapons Development since 1945" (CD-ROM & download available). PDF-2.67 Mb. 2,600 pages, Sunnyvale, California, Chucklea Publications, 1995, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9791915-0-3 (2nd Ed.)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Fission
(including
boosted)
Gravity bombs
  • Little Boy (Mark 1)
  • Thin Man (Mark 2)
  • Fat Man (Mark 3)
  • Mark 4
  • Mark 5
  • Mark 6
  • Mark 7
  • Mark 8
  • Mark 10
  • Mark 11
  • Mark 12
  • Mark 13
  • Mark 18
  • Mark 20
  • Mk 105
  • B57
Warheads
Depth bombs
Artillery
Atomic demolition
munitions
Thermonuclear
Gravity bombs
Depth bombs
Warheads
Enhanced
radiation
Warheads
  • W63
  • W64
  • W65
  • W66
  • W70-3
Artillery
Primary stages
  • Robin
  • Swan
  • Python
  • Tsetse
  • Kinglet
  • Starling
Experimental


Stub icon

This article about the Cold War is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e
Stub icon

This article related to nuclear weaponry is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e
Stub icon

This United States military history article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e