how much of our nuclear weapons stock is thermonuclear

[unsped]

given the modern day reliance on 10-20kiloton mrv's and boosting, do we still have thermonuclear devices on standby? anyone know how widespread the deployment of thermonuclear devices ever was?

 

[FoBoT]

so you mean straight atomic bombs vs. hydrogen bombs

hmmm...

i thought all modern nukes were thermonuclear, i guess the tiny artillery shell ones maybe not? i don't know

 

[Vich]

wbat is diff between thermonuclear and nuclear?

 

[unsped]

thermonuclear generally means a fission-fusion-fission device, the best example would be what we know as hydrogen bombs.

nuclear is generally just fission, and generally boosted in yield by a tritium etc. core

 

[jagec]

If you're gonna use nukes anyway, might as well go big. Fusion >> Fission.

 

[Heisenberg]

I'm sure we keep a large enough stockpile of fusion weapons to obliterate everybody.

 

[K1052]

Everything on a strategic missile platform is fission-fusion at least. Minuteman IIIs and Trident D-5s.

The two most common general purpose nuclear gravity bombs in inventory, the B61 and B83, are also thermonuclear (though variable yield).

Edit: also nominal yields for those weapons range from about 175kt - 375kt on the missiles and 1kt to 1.2mt (higest yield setting on the B83).

 

[PottedMeat]

Cool, there are 11 nuclear devices missing from the US arsenal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tybee_Bomb

 

[preslove]

What about the proposed new bunker busters Bush wants to develop? Would those be fission only or thermonuclear?

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: unsped
thermonuclear generally means a fission-fusion-fission device, the best example would be what we know as hydrogen bombs.

nuclear is generally just fission, and generally boosted in yield by a tritium etc. core

the fusion second stage is all that is required to be described as thermonuclear

three stage weapons have been phased out of the active inventory, some still in the hedge stockpile though

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: preslove
What about the proposed new bunker busters Bush wants to develop? Would those be fission only or thermonuclear?

extremely low yield (relative) fission

The idea was to build an entirely new penetrator and physics package that would be better than simply slapping a normal B61 into a hardened case (B61 Mod 11)

 

[FoBoT]

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html

maybe there are better sources, most of the comments either say "TN" or something about the fissable material

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html

maybe there are better sources, not sure this really lists the answer

Relevant info pasted below:



W-88 Warhead 21.8 68.9 <800 475 Kt Timer (w/path length correction) and proximity airburst; contact 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-87 Warhead 21.8 68.9 500 - 600; 440 300 Kt;
upgradeable to 475 Kt Timer or proximity airburst, contact Manufactured 7/86 - 12/88;
active service;
525 produced Peacekeeper (MX) ICBM/Mk-21 RV TN warhead (missile carries 10); RV/warhead weighs 800 lb; LLNL design; primary uses IHE and fire resistant pit; yield upgradeable by adding HEU rings to secondary; part of the U.S. "enduring stockpile"; after MX retirement, will equip Minuteman III

B-83 Bomb 18 145 2,400 Variable, low Kt to 1.2 Mt FUFO: F/F or retarded, airburst or contact, laydown 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

W-78 Warhead 21.25 67.7 400 - 600 335 - 350 Kt Airburst or contact Manufactured 8/79 - 10/82;
active service;
1083 produced, 920 in service Minuteman III/Mk-12A RV warhead; LANL design derived from W-50 with a new lighter primary; part of U.S. "enduring stockpile", but will be removed from active service under START II (to be replaced by W-88s)


W-62 Warhead RV Body: 21 in;
Warhead: 19.7 in RV Body: 72 in;
Warhead: 39.3 in Warhead/RV: 700-800 lb;
Warhead: 253 lb 170 Kt Airburst or contact Manufactured 3/70 - 6/76;
early mods retired starting 4/80;
1725 produced, 610 in active service; Minuteman III/Mk-12 RV warhead; remaining W-62s part of U.S. "enduring stockpile", but will be removed from active service under START II (to be replaced by W-88s)

MK/B 61 Bomb 13.3 141.64 695 - 716 Variable (4 yields), 0.3 - 340 Kt;
Mod 3: 0.3 - 170 Kt;
Mod 4: 0.3 - 45 Kt;
Mod 7/11: 10 - 340 Kt;
Mod 10: 0.3 - 80 Kt FUFO: retarded and F/F, contact or airburst, laydown Manufactured 10/66 - early 90s; early mods retired 70s - 80s; 3150 produced, 1350 in service Multipurpose tactical/strategic bomb; basic design adapted to many other weapon systems; 4 yields; 11 mods, 5 in service; PAL B, D, F; uses IHE in primary; 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